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to nothing. I think the ban on selling yarn abroad

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He: "Yes, by thunder, that would be a fine thing! Our gentlemen are already sovereign lords who can do as they please with us. But even if they set up a whole row of gallows and hanged one of us on each one of them, even so, by thunder, they couldn't help themselves."

I: "That has indeed been seen to happen. Even if they had accused them by thousands in Zürich, and punished them in their wealth and their persons, more of them would have appeared and yet more. They have only just made a start, by driving many a good man out of the country. When they have tasted freedom, they would rather buy in Thurgau or anywhere else, than stay at home in Zürich."

"He: "Yes, there are enough of them in the Zürich country. Our rulers are then in some cases very good rulers, when someone has had bad luck or has become in some way needy."

Meanwhile I ate my warm soup and now off to my old customers. Nowt! Not a Schneller! No money to be had, will wait until it's cheaper still. Oha, thought I, when all the other bunglers were wailing and complaining, I will pack up my yarn. In St. Gallen I still know some who have money, and a few who have known me for more than thirty years and will certainly buy from me. They must give for what they take. I must have money. - Hoho, there too I had counted my chickens before they hatched [literally: added up the bill without consulting the landlord]. One man bought something. A small sum of money, which fell very far short of the promised payment. Now I went on with my burden to another. An arch-Jew! "Have you heard of the new decree in France?" said he, as I was unpacking my yarn. "No, said I, "it won't amount to anything". "Tis all too true", said he, and offered me only a little more than half price for my yarn. Damn it! how my blood boiled at that! I would have to lose 50 out of 200. "No, sir, you can't be serious", said I. "Nothing less than serious" said he, "I won't pay a heller more". "Well, buy, in the Devil's name" said I angrily, "as much as you like! but you will get nothing of mine!" and I went on to a third place. Again nothing. But there I heard a noteworthy little conversation between a Ratsherr [councillor], a Junker and a farmer who wanted to sell cloth pieces to the councillor.

Squire: "Is it true, then, that another new decree's been passed in France, concerning Swiss goods? I always had great confidence in Herr Necker

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Councillor: "Yes, that's all too true. Yes, Necker! Necker may be a snake in the grass, but it's a case of whoever pays the piper calls the tune! [literally: he whose bread I eat, his song I sing] They want to give an advantage to their East India Company, and we Swiss have to pay the reckoning".

Squire: "That's a devilish deadly business! Our merchants must surely lose millions by it, and many will be forced to the wall. Why do we Swiss do it? Couldn't someone have slipped in a treaty of trade along with all the other agreements and treaties?"

Farmer: "Yes, truly, the squire is right. My late father said the same thing nigh on a hundred times. The Frenchman's a sly one, he said. And my late mother, God rest her soul, I can still see her before my eyes, how she held my young brother in her arms and kissed him, weeping bright tears. "Alas, my good child", said she, "alas, you good child, now you're a little Frenchman too."

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This refers to long-held grievances about the French decree of 1785 against the import of Swiss cloth, the importing into Switzerland of machine-made yarn, and the restrictions on manufacture in Zürich compared with other cantons.

148

Jacques Necker, a Swiss banker, was finance minister of France.

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