y the news of our
victory."

"Better to say nothing about it--better to refer people to Del Ferice,
and tell them he challenged me. Come in!" cried Giovanni, in answer to a
knock at the door. Pasquale, the old butler, entered the room.

"The Duca d'Astrardente has sent to inquire after the health of his
Excellency Don Giovanni," said the old man, respectfully.

The elder Saracinesca paused in his walk, and broke out into a loud
laugh.

"Already! You see, Giovannino," he said. "Tell him, Pasquale, that Don
Giovanni caught a severe cold at the ball last night--or no--wait! What
shall we say, Giovannino?"

"Tell the servant," said Giovanni, sternly, "that I am much obliged for
the kind inquiry, that I am perfectly well, and that you have just seen
me eating my breakfast."

Pasquale bowed and left the room.

"I suppose you do not want her to know--" said the Prince, who had
suddenly recovered his gravity.

Giovanni bowed his head silently.

"Quite right, my boy," said the old man, gravely. "I do not want to know
anything about it either. How the devil could they have found out?"

The question was addressed more to himself than to his son, and the
latter volunteered no answer. He was grateful to his father for his
considerate silence.

CHAPTER XIII.

When Astrardente saw the elder Saracinesca's face during his short
interview with the diplomatist, his curiosity was immediately aroused. He
perceived that there was something the matter, and he proceeded to try
and ascertain the circumstances from his acquaintance. The ambassador
returned to his _pate_ and his champagne with an air of amused interest,
but vouchsafed no information whatever.

"What a singularly amusing fellow old Saracinesca is!" remarked
Astrardente.

"When he likes to be," returned his Excellency, with his mouth full.

"On the contrary--when he least meditates it. I never knew a man better
suited for a successful caricature. Indeed he is not a bad caricature of
his own son, or his own son of him--I am not sure which."

The ambassador laughed a little and took a large mouthful.

"Ha! ha! very good," he mumbled as he ate. "He would appreciate that. He
loves his own race. He would rather feel that he is a comic
misrepresentation of the most hideous Saracinesca who ever lived, than
possess all the beauty of the Astrardente and be called by another
name."

The diplomatist paused for a second after this speech, and then bowed a
littl