"'He is on his road home. Yes, your excellence. You see it was
the fête of the Madonna, and we danced and drank together--I
and Peppino--all the night; and this morning about an hour ago
says he to me, 'Gaetano, do you take your horses, and go find
two travellers and a servant who are under a coach-house at the
_Croix d'Or_; all is paid except the _buona-mano_.' And I asked
him, your excellence, how it happened that travellers were
sleeping in a coach-house instead of in a chamber. 'Oh,' said
he, 'they are English--they are afraid of not having clean
sheets, and so they prefer to sleep in their carriage in the
coach-house.' Now as I know the English are a nation of
originals, I supposed it was all right, and so I emptied
another flask, and got my horses, and here I am. If I am too
early I will return, and come by and by.

"'No, no, in the devil's name,' said the prince, 'harness your
beasts, and do not lose a moment. There is a piastre for your
_buona-mano_.'

"They were soon at Florence.

"The first care of the prince, after having breakfasted, for
neither he nor the princess had eaten any thing since they had
left Livorno, was to lay his complaint before a magistrate.

"'Where is the paper?' said the judicial authority.

"'I have none,' said the prince.

"'Then I counsel you,' replied the judge, 'to let the matter