you. The
sight of you induces beauty in language as the sun in May makes the
flowers open."

"That is another," laughed Corona. "Do you spend your days in studying
the poets at Saracinesca? Does Don Giovanni study with you?"

"Giovanni is a fact," returned the Prince; "I am a fable. Old men are
always fables, for they represent, in a harmless form, the follies of all
mankind; their end is always in itself a moral, and young people can
learn much by studying them."

"Your comparison is witty," said Corona, who was much amused at old
Saracinesca's conversation; "but I doubt whether you are so harmless as
you represent. You are certainly not foolish, and I am not sure whether,
as a study for the young--" she hesitated, and laughed.

"Whether extremely young persons would have the wit to comprehend virtue
by the concealment of it--to say, as that witty old Roman said, that the
images of Cassius and Brutus were more remarkable than those of any one
else, for the very reason that they were nowhere to be seen--like my
virtues? Giovanni, for instance, is the very reverse of me in that,
though he has shown such singularly bad taste in resembling my outward
man."

"One should never conceal virtues," said Sister Gabrielle, gently. "One
should not hide one's light under a basket, you know."

"My Sister," replied the old Prince, his black eyes twinkling merrily,
"if I had in my whole composition as much light as would enable you to
read half-a-dozen words in your breviary, it should be at your disposal.
I would set it in the midst of Piazza Colonna, and call it the most
wonderful illumination on record. Unfortunately my light, like the
lantern of a solitary miner, is only perceptible to myself, and dimly at
that."

"You must not depreciate yourself so very much," said Corona.

"No; that is true. You will either believe I am speaking the truth, or
you will not. I do not know which would be the worse fate. I will change
the subject. My son Giovanni, Duchessa, desires to be remembered in your
good graces."

"Thanks. How is he?"

"He is well, but the temper of him is marvellously melancholy. He is
building an aqueduct, and so am I. The thing is accomplished by his
working perpetually while I smoke cigarettes and read novels."

"The division of labour is to your advantage, I should say," remarked
Corona.

"Immensely, I assure you. He promotes the natural advantages of my lands,
and I encourage the traffic in tobacco and l