o Italy to summon all
the disengaged talent to the tremendous enterprise. In swarms they
arrived--black-browed, olive-skinned, chattering like apes. And the
little monkey in the flowing white peruke took direction. But first, the
spiritual needs of the workmen must be considered; and the Graevenitz,
raging with impatience in Stuttgart, was forced to look on while a
Catholic chapel was built near the Erlachhof, ere ever the palace was
begun.

The Wirtemberg workmen murmured, grumbled, finally mutinied. They would
not work with chattering idolaters.

'Let them go, the German louts,' said Frisoni; 'I have better workmen in
Italy.' So a new army arrived.

'Popery in our midst! The witch is bringing back Antichrist to
Wirtemberg!' said Stuttgart.

The Geheimraethe informed Serenissimus that Frisoni's monetary demands
were excessive. Forstner was despatched to look into the affair. He was
appointed Grand Master of the works. Frisoni raged. The gulden had a way
of flowing into Forstner's pocket, and, so Frisoni vowed, but few came
out again.

Constantly the Duke and the Landhofmeisterin thundered up to the
Erlachhof in their coach and six. Three times a week the favourite flew
into a passion and rated Forstner for the tardiness of the building. He
referred her to Frisoni, who referred her back to the Grand Master of the
works. The plans were completed, the men worked hard, yet delays were
frequent, he owned; but the builders, knowing themselves worthy of their
hire, struck work when they went unpaid.

'Unpaid?' roared the Duke; 'when I have disbursed four hundred thousand
gulden?'

'Look into the matter, your Highness, and you will know,' answered the
architect.

Forstner was arraigned at Stuttgart. He arrived, accompanied by a
secretary and several big ledgers. The accounts seemed in order,
certainly.

'Justice!' implored poor Forstner, 'for my honour as a gentleman!'

'Ask the workmen!' shrieked Frisoni, and they summoned a deputation of
the Italian stone-cutters. They swore they had not been paid for months.
The Madonna and all the saints knew how they starved.

'Where _is_ the money?' asked the perplexed Duke, and was answered by so
many contending truths from each side that he could but be aware that
some one, many, or all parties were lying.

Obviously some one must be removed in order to simplify this tangle, but
who? 'Who is guilty?' mourned Serenissimus. The Landhofmeisterin's
argument was clear enoug