e's 'Nut-brown Maid'! And,
above all, his fragment of that most delightful tale of the little lady
whom the traveller always carried about with him in a little box always
exercises an indescribable charm upon me."

"Enough," interrupted Lothair. "We are not to hear any more about the
Talking Turk, and the story was really all told, after all. So let
Ottmar begin without more ado."

Ottmar took out his manuscript, and read:

"'THE DOGE AND THE DOGARESSA.

"'This was the title given in the catalogue of the works exhibited at
the Berlin Academy, in September, 1816, to a picture by that admirable
painter C. Kolbe, which attracted every one with such an irresistible
charm, that the space before it was always crowded with admirers. A
doge, in rich robes of state, with his dogaressa, equally richly
attired, were represented pacing forward on a balustraded balcony; he
an old man with grey beard, strangely mingled traits in his brown-red
face, indicative of strength, weakness, pride, and arrogance, as well
as kindliness; she, a young creature, with longing sadness and dreamy
desirings in her looks, and in the entire expression of her figure.
Behind them, an elderly lady, and a man holding a sunshade. Sidewards
on the balcony, a young man blowing a shell-shaped horn; and in front
of them, the sea with a richly ornamented gondola flying the Venetian
ensign, with two gondoliers on board of it. In the background the
ocean, alive with hundreds and hundreds of sails, and a view of the
towers and palaces of gorgeous Venice rising above the waves; to the
left San Marco distinguishable, and more to the right--towards the
foreground--San Giorgio Maggiore. On the frame of the picture were the
words:

"'"Ah' senza amare
Andar sulla mare
Col' sposo del mare
Non puo consolare.

"'"To sail upon the sapphire sea
With him, the consort of the ocean,
Where love is not, and cannot be,
Wakes in the heart no soft emotion."

"'There arose, one day, before this picture, a somewhat idle discussion
as to whether, in painting it, the painter's intention had been merely
to portray a momentary situation (adequately represented by the
picture) of an old man, incapable, notwithstanding all his magnificence
and splendour, of satisfying the longings of a young and loving heart,