this picture at Cremona, but copied it in the palace Grimani at Venice,
and worked upon it three whole months. You see I am well informed, and
have my friends everywhere who furnish me with intelligence, and regard it
as an honor to be my--spies, as you would say."

"Mercy, gracious lord, mercy!" cried Nietzel, bursting into tears, and
sinking upon his knees before the proud, lofty form of the count. "Pardon
for my crime, for my presumption! I was in such great want and distress
that I knew not how else to help myself, and I swear to you that my copy
is so faithful and exact that it can not he distinguished from its
original."

"Well, no matter; we shall hang it up as an original, and allow it to be
inspected by the connoisseurs of the electorate," said the count,
laughing. "I keep your Titiano Vecellio, Master Nietzel, and consequently
pay you three thousand ducats for this excellent original. That you may
see how much in earnest I am I will immediately give you an order upon my
treasurer, and you may forthwith receive that sum."

He approached his writing table, rapidly dashed off a few words upon a
strip of paper, and then handed it to the painter. "There, take it, Master
Gabriel Nietzel, and collect your money."

The painter gave him a long, astonished gaze. "You forgive me, your
excellency," he said; "you accept my high estimate, although you know that
I have cheated you and that this is only a copy?"


"What difference does that make? The picture is beautiful, and it gives me
pleasure to look at it, and that is the only thing, after all, that I can