He sat down on a stone in
the court-yard and began to cough, like an asthmatic old woman, and to
rub his hands as if he were cold. In front of the door of the stable
some soldiers were lying round a fire; one of them observed the woman,
and called out to her, "Come nearer, old mother, and warm thyself beside
us. After all, thou hast no bed for the night, and must take one where
thou canst find it." The old woman tottered up to them, begged them to
lift the basket from her back, and sat down beside them at the fire. "What
hast thou got in thy little cask, old lady?" asked one. "A good mouthful
of wine," she answered. "I live by trade, for money and fair words I
am quite ready to let you have a glass." "Let us have it here, then,"
said the soldier, and when he had tasted one glass he said, "When wine
is good, I like another glass," and had another poured out for himself,
and the rest followed his example. "Hallo, comrades," cried one of them to
those who were in the stable, "here is an old goody who has wine that is
as old as herself; take a draught, it will warm your stomachs far better
than our fire.
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