Frederick the Great and His Family Part 78

"Truly you have some very beautiful articles," said Montardo. "You will be charmed with them, Cicernachi; it will be another opportunity to annoy the Teresiani. Look at this merchant's fans."

The stranger opened several fans. Cicernachi's eyes sparkled with delight at the sight of the painting. "How many have you, signor?" said he.

"Twelve."

"I take them all, and regret you have not more."

"But Cicernachi, where has all your wisdom gone to?" cried Montardo.

"You have not even asked the price; or do you, perhaps, think the stranger gives them to you for nothing?"

"No, no; I forgot it," said Cicernachi, gazing with delight at the fans which the stranger was spreading out before him. "What is their price, signor?"

The stranger was silent for a moment, and then said, in a hesitating manner: "I paid ten francs for each fan in Geneva."

"I give twice that," said Cicernachi, quickly.

The stranger started up hastily, blus.h.i.+ng with annoyance. "Sir," said he, "I take from no one a higher price than I gave."

"Ah, signor, signor," cried Montardo, "you have again forgotten that you are but a merchant. No merchant sells his goods for what he gave for them. Remember that."

"I will make a good business with these fans," said Cicernachi. "I give you twenty-four francs, and will ask fifty for them. The ladies of our n.o.bility, many of whom are Prussiani, will be delighted to annoy their opponents in so elegant a manner. Are you content, sir?"

"I am satisfied," said the stranger, blus.h.i.+ng with embarra.s.sment.

"Is this all you have for sale?"

"No, I have something else," said the stranger, opening another package.

"As you are Prussiano, these neat little coins and medals, with pretty caricatures of the enemies of the king on them, will no doubt please you."

"Ah, let us see them," cried both Italians. They examined with eagerness the medals upon which the enemies of Frederick were represented in various laughable situations and positions.

"I take them all!" cried Cicernachi, enraptured.

The stranger laughed. "I cannot sell you my whole business," said he; "I must retain something. I will give you one of each. You must accept them as a token of my esteem, and must not pay me for them."

"Signor!" cried Montardo, in an imploring tone, "remain at my hotel as long as you please, and when I bring you your bill lay some of these coins upon it, and I shall be richly paid."

The stranger promised: then having received, with visible annoyance, the money for the fans, left the store with Montardo to pay his visit to the Convent Giovanni e Paolo.

CHAPTER III. THE CLOISTER BROTHERS OF SAN GIOVANNI E PAOLO.

The Prior of San Giovanni e Paolo had just returned from the second ma.s.s celebrated in the beautiful church of his cloister, the burial-place of the great t.i.tiano Vicelli. With his arms folded across his back, he walked slowly and thoughtfully backward and forward, then stood before a large table at which a monk was occupied in unfolding letters and maps.

"This, your wors.h.i.+p," said the monk, opening a new paper, "is an exact plan of the region around Mayen; we have just received it, and the positions of the two armies are plainly marked down. If agreeable to your wors.h.i.+p, I will read the bulletins aloud, and you can follow the movements of the troops upon the map."

The prior shook his head softly. "No, Brother Anselmo, do not read again the triumphant bulletins of the Austrians and Russians; they pain my ears and my heart. Let us rather look at the map to see if the present position of the army offers any ground of hope."

"I have marked it all out with pins," said Father Anselmo; "the black pins signify the army of the allies, the white pins the army of the King of Prussia."

The prior bowed over the map, and his eye followed thoughtfully the lines which Father Anselmo marked out. "Your pins are a sad omen," he said, shaking his head. "The black ones surround like a churchyard wall the white ones, which stand like crosses upon the solitary graves in the midst of their black enclosures."

"But the white pins will break through the enclosure," said Father Anselmo, confidently. "The great king--"Father Anselmo stopped speaking; suddenly the door opened, and the father guardian asked if he might enter.

The prior blushed slightly, and stepped back from the table as the sharp eyes of the father guardian wandered around the room and fell at last with a sarcastic expression upon the table covered with maps and plans.

"Welcome, Brother Theodore," said the prior, with a slight nod of the head.

"I fear that I disturb your wors.h.i.+p in your favorite occupation," said the father guardian, pointing to the maps. "Your wors.h.i.+p is considering the unfortunate condition of the heretical king whom G.o.d, as it appears, will soon cast down in the dust, and crush at the feet of the triumphant Church."

"We must leave results, at all events, to G.o.d," said the prior, softly; "He has so often evidently lent his aid to the King of Prussia, that I think no one can count confidently upon Frederick's destruction now."

"The Holy Father at Rome has blessed the weapons of his adversaries, consequently they must triumph," cried Father Theodore, unctuously. "But pardon, your wors.h.i.+p, I forgot my errand. A stranger wishes to see the prior of the cloister; he has rare and beautiful relics to sell, which he will only show to your wors.h.i.+p."

"Our church is rich enough in relics," said the prior.

"Your wors.h.i.+p does not attach any especial value to such things," said the father guardian with a derisive smile; "but I must allow myself to recall to you that the Holy Father in Rome has only lately addressed a circular to all the cloisters, recommending the purchase of rare relics to the awakening and advancing of the true faith."

"You, father guardian, must understand that matter best," said Brother Anselmo, sticking four new pins into his map. "I think you brought back this circular about six months since, when you returned to take the place of guardian."

The father was in the act of giving an angry answer, but the prior came forward, and pointing to the door, said, "Introduce the stranger with the relics."

A few moments later the traveller from the hotel of Signor Montardo entered the prior's room. He received a kindly welcome, and was asked to show his treasures.

The stranger hesitated, and looked significantly at the two monks. "I begged to be allowed to show them to your wors.h.i.+p alone," said he.

"These two fathers are consecrated priests, and may therefore dare to look upon the holy treasures," said the prior, with a scarcely perceptible smile.

"I solemnly swore to the man from whom I bought these relics that I would only show them to the most worthy member of your order; he was a very pious man, and bitter necessity alone forced him to sell his precious treasures; he prayed to G.o.d to grant them a worthy place, and never to allow them to be desecrated by unholy eyes or hands. As the most holy and worthy brother is ever chosen to be the prior, I swore to show the relics only to the prior. Your wors.h.i.+p will surely not ask me to break my oath?"

The prior made no answer, but nodded to the two monks, who silently left the room.

"And now, sir, show your treasures," said the prior, as the door closed behind them.

"Your wors.h.i.+p," said the stranger, rapidly, "I have nothing but a letter from the Abbe Bastiani, which I was to give to your own hands." He drew a letter from his bosom, which he handed to the prior, who received it with anxious haste and hid it in his robe; then, with quick but noiseless steps he pa.s.sed hastily through the room, and with a rapid movement dashed open the door; a low cry was heard, and a black figure tumbled back upon the floor.

"Ah! is that you, father guardian?" said the prior, in a tone of sympathy. "I fear that I hurt you."

"Not so, your wors.h.i.+p; I only returned to say to you that it is the hour for dinner, and the pious brothers are already a.s.sembled in the hall."

"And I opened the door to call after you, father, and entreat you to take my place at the table. As I am in the act of looking at these holy relics, and touching them, I dare not soil my hands so soon afterward with earthly food. You will, therefore, kindly take my place, and I will not appear till the evening meal. Go, then, worthy brother, and may G.o.d bless you richly." He bowed and raising his right hand, made the sign of the cross, while the father guardian slowly, and with a frowning brow, pa.s.sed through the room. Having reached the opposite door, he paused and looked back; but seeing the prior still standing upon the threshold of his room, and gazing after him, he dashed open the door and disappeared.

"Now, sir," said the prior, entering and closing the door carefully, "we are alone, and I am ready to listen to you."

"I pray your wors.h.i.+p to read first the letter of your brother, the Abbe Bastiani."

"Ah! he has told you that I am his brother?" said the prior, eagerly.