smilingly at the head waiter and said, proudly, "His excellency is not
only a German, but a Prussian."

The clouded faces of the waiters and gondoliers cleared immediately, and
they gazed at the traveller with a significant smile as he mounted the
splendid steps with the host.

"He is a Prussian!" cried the waiters. "Evviva il Re di Prussia!" cried
the gondoliers, as they raised the trunk and carried it nimbly up the
steps.

The saloon into which the host conducted his guest was certainly
different from the small, unclean rooms he had shown him before. All was
elegance, and with a feeling of pride he led the stranger to the balcony
which offered a splendid view of the imposing and glorious Canale
Grande, with its proud churches and palaces.

"And now, signor," said the host, humbly, "command me. If I can serve
you in any manner, I shall do so with pleasure. Any information you
desire, I am ready to give. Perhaps your excellency has--?"

"No," said the stranger, quickly, "I have no political mission, and my
letter to the prior is of a very innocent nature. I am a merchant, and
by chance have become possessed of several costly relics, and hope that
the prior of the cloister may purchase them."

"Ah, relics," said the host, with a contemptuous shrug of his shoulders;
"do you know, sir, that no one now is enthusiastic about such things?
Politics leave us no time for piety; the Pope has lost his influence,
and even the Romans are good Prussiani, and care not for Frederick the
Great being a heretic. The Pope blesses his enemies and celebrates their
victories with brilliant masses and costly presents. The Romans are
indifferent to all this, and pray for their hero-king, the Great
Frederick, and in spite of the Pope desire him to triumph."

"Ah," said the traveller, with apparent sadness, "then I shall certainly
not succeed with my relics, but I hope I shall do better in the city
with my fans; for them I desire your advice. Will you please tell me the
names of a few large commercial houses where they might buy some of my
beautiful fans? But they must be good Prussiani, as you will soon
see." He stepped to his trunk, unlocked it, and took from it an etui
containing a number of fans.

"Look here, sir. I saw these fans in Geneva, and thinking I might
perhaps do a good business with them in Italy, I bought several dozen.
Examine the charming and tasteful paintings." He opened one of the
fans; it was of white satin, with q