e idea of her taking lessons was
absurd, yet chose to have Lorenzo for a teacher, and it was wonderful,
AS LONG AS SHE PAINTED IN HIS STUDIO, what beautiful pictures she made!
Some of the performances were engraved for the "Book of Beauty:" others
were sold for enormous sums at Charity Bazaars. She wrote the
SIGNATURES under the drawings, no doubt, but I think I know who did
the pictures--this artful painter, who had come with other designs on
Angelica than merely to teach her to draw.

One day, Lorenzo showed the Princess a portrait of a young man in armor,
with fair hair and the loveliest blue eyes, and an expression at once
melancholy and interesting.

"Dear Signor Lorenzo, who is this?" asked the Princess. "I never saw
anyone so handsome," says Countess Gruffanuff (the old humbug).

"That," said the painter, "that, Madam, is the portrait of my august
young master, his Royal Highness Bulbo, Crown Prince of Crim Tartary,
Duke of Acroceraunia, Marquis of Poluphloisboio, and Knight Grand Cross
of the Order of the Pumpkin. That is the Order of the Pumpkin glittering
on his manly breast, and received by His Royal Highness from his august
father, his Majesty King PADELLA I., for his gallantry at the battle
of Rimbombamento, when he slew with his own princely hand the King
of Ograria and two hundred and eleven giants of the two hundred and
eighteen who formed the King's bodyguard. The remainder were destroyed
by the brave Crim Tartar army after an obstinate combat, in which the
Crim Tartars suffered severely."

"What a Prince!" thought Angelica: "so brave--so calm-looking--so
young--what a hero!"

"He is as accomplished as he is brave," continued the Court Painter.
"He knows all languages perfectly: sings deliciously: plays every
instrument: composes operas which have been acted a thousand nights
running at the Imperial Theatre of Crim Tartary, and danced in a ballet
there before the King and Queen; in which he looked so beautiful, that
his cousin, the lovely daughter of the King of Circassia, died for love
of him."

"Why did he not marry the poor Princess?" asked Angelica, with a sigh.

"Because they were FIRST COUSINS, Madam, and the clergy forbid these
unions," said the Painter. "And, besides, the young Prince had given his
royal heart ELSEWHERE."

"And to whom?" asked Her Royal Highness.

"I am not at liberty to mention the Princess's name," answered the
Painter.

"But you may tell me the first letter of it