Prince came up to me, and, passing his arm into mine, led me a
little apart from the rest he had certainly indulged in the same
excess as ourselves, but it did not produce the same effect of
noisy excitement. There was, on the contrary a certain cold
arrogance and supercilious scorn in his bearing and language,
which, even while affecting so much caressing courtesy towards me,
roused my self-love against him. He seemed as if Zicci had
infected him, and that in imitating the manner of his guest he
surpassed the original, he rallied me on some court gossip which
had honored my name by associating it with a certain beautiful and
distinguished Sicilian lady, and affected to treat with contempt
that which, had it been true, I should have regarded as a boast.
He spoke, indeed, as if he himself had gathered all the flowers of
Naples, and left us foreigners only the gleanings he had scorned;
at this my natural and national gallantry was piqued, and I
retorted by some sarcasms that I should certainly have spared had
my blood been cooler. He laughed heartily, and left me in a
strange fit of resentment and anger. Perhaps (I must own the
truth) the wine had produced in me a wild disposition to take
offence and provoke quarrel. As the Prince left me, I turned, and
saw Zicci at my side.

"The Prince is a braggart," said he, with the same smile that
displeased me before. "He would monopolize all fortune and all
love. Let us take our revenge."

"And how?"

"He has at this moment in his house the most enchanting singer in
Naples,--the celebrated Isabel di Pisani. She is here, it is true,
not by her own choice,--he carried her hither by force; but he will
pretend to swear that she adores him. Let us insist on his
producing the secret treasure; and when she enters, the Duc de Lt----
can have no doubt that his flatteries and attentions will charm the
lady and provoke all the jealous fears of our host. It would be a
fair revenge upon his imperious self conceit."

This suggestion delighted me. I hastened to the Prince. At that
instant the musicians had just commenced. I waved my hand, ordered
the music to stop, and addressing the Prince, who was standing in
the centre of one of the gayest groups, complained of his want of
hospitality in affording to us such poor proficients in the art
while he reserved for his own solace th