biped between the blankets, is no Duke at all, is a Pope by
toleration. There should be some such test at every crowning of our
sort. Souse a Bishop in his bath before you let him warm his chair; cry
'Fire!' on the stairs of the Vatican and watch your Pontiff-elect
scudding over the Piazza in his sark, before the Conclave sing _Veni
Creator_. Judge of your Emperor with a swollen nose, blacken your Dukes
in the eye: if they remain Dukes and Emperors you may safely obey them.
They are men, Borso, they are men! Yes, you spindle-shanked rascal, you
may well wince. Do you ponder how you would stand assay? So do I ponder
it, brother, and doubt horribly." He clapped his hand to his face.
"Steady now, steady, here comes another bout. Ah, Madonna of the
Este--but this is a shrewd twinge! Fare you well, brother Fat-chops. I
must walk this devil out of me." He waved a hand to his brother of the
looking-glass and slippered away, groaning and sniggering to himself. So
he walked and was philosophical till two of the morning. At that hour he
was ready to drop with fatigue; but his pains had left him. "I will
sleep, by the grace of Heaven," he said. He plumped down in the
embrasure of a door, prepared to follow his humour: the door yielded and
he with it. "Who am I to outrage a lady's chamber?" he muttered, half
asleep. "To be sure she seems to invite me. Let us look at this
complaisant sleeper." He went into the room. A glimmering lamp burned
before a shrine, enough to show him to a decent four-post bed, empty.
"By the great god Pan!" cried Borso, "my luck holds. Courage! I am not a
Duke for nothing, then." He shut and bolted the door, slipped into the
bed and was asleep in three minutes. It was twenty minutes after two.

At the stroke of three, with a scarcely perceptible rustling, Angioletto
slid down the chimney and stepped into the room. He carefully brushed
himself with a brush which hung by the hearth. The chimney was by now
thoroughly clean, however. He next washed his face and hands, undressed,
and crept softly to the bed. Very quietly he inserted himself between
the sheets, very softly kissed the shoulder of the sleeper; very soon he
was as sound as his bedfellow.

The Duke awoke, as his habit was, with the first light, and saw the
curly head on the pillow beside him. He whistled softly to himself.

"Now, by the tears of the Virgin," said he, "how did this lady come in?
It would be as well to know it, since plainly I must g