for the purpose of carrying out designs
which at first seemed freakish and impossible, but which later
astonished him by the extraordinary scientific acumen they displayed,
as well as by their adaptability to the forces of nature. Then, the
money!--the immense sums which this strange creature, Morgana Royal,
had entrusted to him!--and with it all, the keen, business aptitude she
had displayed, knowing to a centime how much she had spent, though
there seemed no limit to how much she yet intended to spend! He looked
back to the time he had first seen her, when on visiting Sicily
apparently as an American tourist only, she had taken a fancy to a
ruined "palazzo" once an emperor's delight, but crumbling slowly away
among its glorious gardens, and had purchased the whole thing then and
there. Her guide to the ruins at that period had been Don Aloysius, a
learned priest, famous for his archaeological knowledge--and it was
through Don Aloysius that he, the Marchese Rivardi, had obtained the
commission to restore to something of its pristine grace and beauty the
palace of ancient days. And now everything was done, or nearly done;
but much more than the "palazzo" had been undertaken and completed, for
the lady of many millions had commanded an air-ship to be built for her
own personal use and private pleasure with an aerodrome for its safe
keeping and anchorage. This airship was the crux of the whole business,
for the men employed to build it were confident that it would never
fly, and laughed with one another as they worked to carry out a woman's
idea and a woman's design. How could it fly without an engine?--they
very sensibly demanded,--for engine there was none! However, they were
paid punctually and most royally for their labours; and when, despite
their ominous predictions, the ship was released on her trial trip,
manipulated by Giulio Rivardi, who ascended in her alone, sailing the
ship with an ease and celerity hitherto unprecedented, they were more
scared than enthusiastic. Surely some devil was in it!--for how could
the thing fly without any apparent force to propel it? How was it that
its enormous wings spread out on either side as by self-volition and
moved rhythmically like the wings of a bird in full flight? Every man
who had worked at the design was more or less mystified. They had,
according to plan and instructions received, "plumed" the airship for
electricity in a new and curious manner, but there was no batter