Page:The whole familiar colloquies of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam.djvu/227

 THE FABULOUS BANQUET. 223 Phi. Perhaps that I am going to tell you will not seem so enter- taining. Howevei', I entreat you that you would not be suspicious that I use any deceit or collusion, or think that I have a design to desire to be excused. One came to the same Louis with a petition that he would bestow upon him an office that happened to be vacant in the town where he lived. The king, hearing the petition read, answers imme- diately, You shall not have it, by that means putting him out of any future expectation; the petitioner immediately returns the king thanks nd goes his way. The king observing the man's countenance, per- ceived he was no blockhead, and thinking perhaps he might have misunderstood what he said, bid him be called back again. He came back : then says the king, Did you understand what I said to yoxi 1 I did understand you, quoth he. Why, what did I say ? That I should not have it, said he. What did you thank me for then ? Why, says he, I have some business to do at home, and therefore it would have been a trouble to meto have here danced attendance after a doubtful hope ; now I look upon it a benefit that you have denied me the office quickly, and so I count myself to have gained whatsoever I should have lost by attendance upon it, and gone without it at last. By this answer, the king seeing the man to be no blockhead, having asked him a few questions, says he, You shall have what you asked for, that you may thank me twice, and turning to his officers, Let, says he, letters patent oe made out for this man without delay, that he may not be detained here to his detriment. Enj. I could tell you a story of Louis, but I had rather tell one of our Maximilian, who, as he was far from hiding his money in the ground, so he was very generous to those that had spent their estates, if they were nobly descended. He being minded to assist a young gentleman that had fallen under these circumstances, sent him on an embassy to demand an hundred thousand florins of a certain city, but I know not upon what account. But this was the condition of it, that if he by his dexterity could make any more of it, it should be his own. The ambassador extorted fifty thousand from them, and gave Caesar thirty of them. Caesar being glad te receive more than he expected, dismisses the man without asking any questions. In the meantime the treasurer and receivers smelt the matter, that he had received more than he had paid in; they importune Caesar to send for him; he being sent for, comes immediately. Says Maximilian, I hear you have received fifty thousand. He confessed it. But you have paid in but thirty thousand. He confessed that too. Says he, You must give an account of it. He promised he would do it, and went away. But again, he doing nothing in it, the officers pressing the matter, he was called again ; then says Caesar to him, A little while ago you were ordered to make up the account. Says he, I remember it, and am ready to do it. Caesar, imagining that he had not settled it, let him go again ; but he thus eluding the matter, the officers insisted more pressingly upon it, crying out it was a great affront to play upon Caesar at this rate. They persuaded the king to send for him, and make him balance the account before them. Caesar agrees to it, he is sent for, comes imme- diately, and does not refuse to do anything. Then says Caesar, Did not you promise to balance the account ? Yes, said he. Well, says he,