part, of twenty
ducats? Benissimo, e tante grazie!

"Matteo," said the Sub-Prefect when this little transfer was
accomplished, "your daughter is the most beautiful lady in all this city
of Padua."

"She is a choice thing, I own it," said the good Matteo; "and how dear
to her old father your honour hath no notion."

"I can very well imagine it," returned Messer Alessandro; "and, indeed,
I remember that you are twenty ducats in hand."

"Oh, va bene, va bene!" cried Matteo. "I am your Excellency's humble
servant. You shall take her when you like and as you like."

"All will be done scrupulously," Alessandro said with fervour. "We shall
crown her Queen of our College of the Muses; she shall be priestess,
sacred image, and oracle; and most honourably served."

"Honour of course," said Matteo, "comes into the game. I have played it
myself, and know what I am talking about. There was Beppina, that fat
Venetian hussy--to see her eat! But she always had her whack. Eh, I have
been a blade in my day!"

To this testimony the Sub-Prefect had no comments ready. He returned to
the object of his thought.

"We shall in turn contemplate her excellence," he explained, "and derive
inspirations in turn. A fine body of devotional rhyme should be the
result of this."

"The result," Matteo broke in, "will be a fine one, I warrant your
Excellency, if such things as that are in your mind--and call it what
you will, she's as healthy as ever her mother was. And _she_ had
seventeen of 'em, one way with another, before I buried her."

"She shall be crowned with stars, rest upon beds of roses, walk in
flowery meadows, hide from the heat in thickets where water is--"
Alessandro went lilting on. "We will sing to her all day, and of her all
night. The saloon of the Villa Venusta shall depict the story of her
glorious arising."

"Pretty, pretty!" cried Matteo, "I see that your honour knows the rules
of play. Now when shall the game begin?"

"My honest friend, the litter will be at your door come daybreak," said
Alessandro. "Three noble ladies will attend Madonna to bathe and dress
her. After that, you shall leave her safely in our keeping."

Matteo bowed. "Excellency, I am your servant. Everything shall be as you
wish."

He did not add, though he might well have added, that it was more than
himself had dared to hope for.

At time of sunset home he came, but not to beat his beautiful daughter.
On the contrary, he made much of her. Fudd