osition.

"And here I am," added the Prince, testily, "the only man of my rank in
Europe, perhaps, without society, amusement, or pleasure, condemned
to the wearisome details of a petty administration, and actually a
slave,--yes, sir, I say, a slave--What the deuce is this? My horse is
sinking above his pasterns. Where are we, Stubber?" and with a vigorous
dash of the spurs he extricated himself from the deep ground.

"I often told your Highness that these lands were ruined for want of
drainage. You may remark how poor the trees are along here; the fruit,
too, is all deteriorated,--all for want of a little skill and industry.
And, if your Highness remarked the appearance of the people in that
village, every second man has the ague on him."

"They did look very wretched. And why is it not drained? Why isn't
everything done as it ought, Stubber, eh?"

"Why is n't your Highness in Bohemia?"

"Want of means, my good Stubber; no money. My man, Landelli, tells me
the coffer is empty; and until this new tax on the Colza comes in, we
shall have to live on our credit or our wits,--I forget which, but I
conclude they are about equally productive."

"Landelli is a _ladro_," said Stubber. "He has money enough to build a
new wing to his chateau in Serravezza, and to give fifty thousand scudi
of fortune to his daughter, though he can't afford your Highness the
common necessaries of your station."

"_Per Bacco!_ Billy, you are right; you must look into these accounts
yourself. They always confuse me."

"I _have_ looked into them, and your Highness shall have two hundred
thousand francs to-morrow on your dressing-table, and as much more
within the week."

"Well done, Billy! you are the only fellow who can unmask these
rogueries. If I had only had you with me long ago! Well! well! well! it
is too late to think of it. What shall we do with this money? Bohemia is
out of the question now. Shall we rebuild the San Felice? It is really
too small; the stage is crowded with twenty people on it. There's that
gate towards Carrara, when is it to be completed? There's a figure
wanted for the centre pedestal. As for the fountain, it must be done by
the municipality. It is essentially the interest of the townspeople.
You 'd advise me to spend the money in draining these low lands, or in
a grant to that new company for a pier at Marina; but I 'll not; I have
other thoughts in my head. Why should not this be the centre of art to
the whole P