d,
Count Trombin, says is always strictly true.'

'How could it be otherwise?' asked Pignaver. 'But I must apologise for
not having addressed you gentlemen by your proper titles, which are
foreign, though I had taken you both for Venetian nobles.'

'We are, sir,' Trombin answered, 'but it pleased his Majesty the King of
France to confer titles of French nobility on us, after we had rendered
him a trifling service. We should likewise esteem ourselves your
debtors, sir, if you would inform us of your own name, since we are
fortunate enough to be entertaining you as our guest.'

Again the round eyes opened wide, like those of an angry cat, and the
mouth was all puckered in the midst of the cherubic face, while Trombin
waited for the answer. The Senator saw that he had no choice.

'My name is Pignaver,' he said slowly, and dwelling proudly on each
syllable, 'and I am a Senator. You will understand at once why I wear a
mask here. I am well known by sight to many, and I have many
friends----'

'One too many, I presume,' suggested Gambardella, interrupting softly.

'I shall communicate my business at once,' said Pignaver, 'for the
person in question could never have been my friend any more than he
could be my enemy.'

'We understand your meaning,' said Gambardella; 'he is of low birth.
Shall we say that he is "superfluous"?'

'A weed,' suggested Trombin, 'a parasite, a wart, an overgrowth, a thing
to be eradicated before it does greater harm! Do you take me, my lord?
Have I fitted the word to the definition and suited the definition to
the man?'

'Admirably, Count,' assented Pignaver. 'Your command of language fills
me with envy. "Eradicate" is good, very good!'

'Does the weed flourish in Venice, my lord?' asked Gambardella, who was
bored and wished to settle the preliminaries of the business at once.

'If I did not detest false metaphors,' said Pignaver, 'I should say that
the weed has just flown, or, as I might say, fled, taking with it the
finest flower of my garden. But since elegant speech must not be
submitted to such outrages, I will speak plainly.'

At this point the conversation was interrupted by the appearance of the
steaming pilaf, brought on by a neatly clad youth, whose companion set
down beside it a dish of quails roasted in young vine leaves, and
emitting a deliciously aromatic odour. Trombin and his friend helped the
Senator generously, and filled his glass again. He was so hungry by this
time