Transcriber's Notes:
1. Page scan Source:
http://www.archive.org/details/specimensofgerma02soanuoft
2. Footnotes are at the end of the book.
SPECIMENS
OF
GERMAN ROMANCE.
SELECTED AND TRANSLATED FROM
VARIOUS AUTHORS.
IN THREE VOLUMES.
VOL. II.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR GEO. B. WHITTAKER,
AVE-MARIA-LANE.
MDCCCXXVI.
LONDON:
PRINTED BY THOMAS DAVISON, WHITEFRIARS.
MASTER FLEA.
First Adventure.
Introduction--Wherein the gentle reader learns as much of the life ofMr. Peregrine Tyss as is requisite for him to know.
Presentation of Christmas-boxes at the bookbinder's, Lemmerhirt, in theKelbecker-street, and beginning of the First Adventure.--The twoAlinas.
Once upon a time--But what author will venture to begin his tale sonow-a-days?--Obsolete! tedious!--Such is the cry of the gentle, orrather ungentle reader, who wishes to be plunged at once, medias inres, according to the wise advice of the old Roman poet. He feels asif some long-winded talker of a guest, who had just entered, wasspreading himself out, and clearing his voice to begin an endlessdiscourse, and he angrily closes the book which he had but just opened.The present editor, indeed, of the wonderful tale of Master Flea,thinks this beginning a very good beginning, not to say the best forevery history, on which account the most excellent story-tellers thatare, namely, nurses, old women, &c. have at all times made use of it;but as every author writes chiefly to be read, he,--that is, theaforesaid editor,--will not at any rate deprive the kind reader of thepleasure of actually being his reader. He tells him therefore at once,without more circumlocution, that this same Peregrine Tyss, of whosestrange adventures this history is to treat, had never, on anyChristmas evening, felt his heart so throb with anxious joyfulexpectation, as precisely on that with which begins the narration ofhis adventures.
Peregrine was in a dark chamber, next the show-room in which he waswont to receive his Christmas-box. There he crept gently up and down,listened a little at the door, and then seated himself quietly in acorner, and with shut eyes inhaled the mystic odours of the marchpaneand gingerbread which streamed from the sanctuary. Then, again, therewould shoot through him a sweet mysterious thrill when, on suddenlyre-opening them, he was dazzled by the vivid beams of light which fellthrough the crevices of the door, and danced hither and thither uponthe wall.
At length sounded the little silver bell,--the chamber door was flungopen, and in rushed Peregrine, amidst a whole fire-flood of variegatedChristmas lights. Quite petrified, he remained standing at the table,on which the finest gifts were arranged in the most handsome order, andonly a loud "oh!" forced itself from his breast. Never before had theChristmas tree borne such splendid fruits, for every sweetmeat that canbe named, and amongst them many a golden nut, many a gold