第86章

He seemed as if Zanoni had infected him; and in imitating the manner of his guest, he surpassed the original.He rallied me on some court gossip, which had honoured my name by associating it with a certain beautiful and distinguished Sicilian lady, and affected to treat with contempt that which, had it been true, Ishould have regarded as a boast.He spoke, indeed, as if he himself had gathered all the flowers of Naples, and left us foreigners only the gleanings he had scorned.At this my natural and national gallantry was piqued, and I retorted by some sarcasms that I should certainly have spared had my blood been cooler.He laughed heartily, and left me in a strange fit of resentment and anger.Perhaps (I must own the truth) the wine had produced in me a wild disposition to take offence and provoke quarrel.As the prince left me, I turned, and saw Zanoni at my side.

"'The prince is a braggart,' said he, with the same smile that displeased me before.'He would monopolize all fortune and all love.Let us take our revenge.'

"'And how?'

"'He has at this moment, in his house, the most enchanting singer in Naples,--the celebrated Viola Pisani.She is here, it is true, not by her own choice; he carried her hither by force, but he will pretend that she adores him.Let us insist on his producing this secret treasure, and when she enters, the Duc de R-- can have no doubt that his flatteries and attentions will charm the lady, and provoke all the jealous fears of our host.

It would be a fair revenge upon his imperious self-conceit.'

"This suggestion delighted me.I hastened to the prince.At that instant the musicians had just commenced; I waved my hand, ordered the music to stop, and, addressing the prince, who was standing in the centre of one of the gayest groups, complained of his want of hospitality in affording to us such poor proficients in the art, while he reserved for his own solace the lute and voice of the first performer in Naples.I demanded, half-laughingly, half-seriously, that he should produce the Pisani.My demand was received with shouts of applause by the rest.We drowned the replies of our host with uproar, and would hear no denial.'Gentlemen,' at last said the prince, when he could obtain an audience, 'even were I to assent to your proposal, I could not induce the signora to present herself before an assemblage as riotous as they are noble.You have too much chivalry to use compulsion with her, though the Duc de R--forgets himself sufficiently to administer it to me.'

"I was stung by this taunt, however well deserved.'Prince,'

said I, 'I have for the indelicacy of compulsion so illustrious an example that I cannot hesitate to pursue the path honoured by your own footsteps.All Naples knows that the Pisani despises at once your gold and your love; that force alone could have brought her under your roof; and that you refuse to produce her, because you fear her complaints, and know enough of the chivalry your vanity sneers at to feel assured that the gentlemen of France are not more disposed to worship beauty than to defend it from wrong.'

"'You speak well, sir,' said Zanoni, gravely.'The prince dares not produce his prize!'