ost nobles of the kingdom.
Handsome, rich, and brave, he had, at five-and-twenty, outdone the lists
of all known Don Juans. Fashionable young women spoke very ill of him
and adored him in secret; the most virtuous made it their rule to fly
from him, so impossible did resistance appear. All the young madcaps had
chosen him for their model; for his triumphs robbed many a Miltiades of
sleep, and with better cause. In short, to get an idea of this lucky
individual, it will be enough to know that as a seducer he was the most
perfect thing that the devil had succeeded in inventing in this
progressive century. The prince was dressed out for the occasion in a
sufficiently grotesque costume, which he wore with ironic gravity and
cavalier ease. A black satin doublet, knee breeches, embroidered
stockings, and shoes with gold buckles, formed the main portions of his
dress, over which trailed a long brocaded open-sleeved robe lined with
ermine, and a magnificent diamond-hilted sword. On account of his rank
he enjoyed the rare distinction of carrying one of the six gilded staves
that supported the plumed and embroidered canopy.

As soon as the procession moved on again, Eligi of Brancaleone gave a
side glance to a little man as red as a lobster, who was walking almost
at his side, and carrying in his right hand, with all the solemnity that
he could muster, his excellency's hat. He was a footman in gold-laced
livery, and we beg leave to give a brief sketch of his history. Trespolo
was the child of poor but thieving parents, and on that account was early
left an orphan. Being at leisure, he studied life from an eminently
social aspect. If we are to believe a certain ancient sage, we are all
in the world to solve a problem: as to Trespolo, he desired to live
without doing anything; that was his problem. He was, in turn, a
sacristan, a juggler, an apothecary's assistant, and a cicerone, and he
got tired of all these callings. Begging was, to his mind, too hard work,
and it was more trouble to be a thief than to be an honest man. Finally
he decided in favour of contemplative philosophy. He had a passionate
preference for the horizontal position, and found the greatest pleasure
in the world in watching the shooting of stars. Unfortunately, in the
course of his meditations this deserving man came near to dying of
hunger; which would have been a great pity, for he was beginning to
accustom himself not to eat anything. But as he