Clementina

Upon that morning, however, while he was dressing, there came a rap upon

his door, and when he opened it he saw the Prince's treasurer, a foppish

gentleman, very dainty in his words.

"Mr. Warner," said the treasurer, "his Highness has hinted to me his

desires; he has moulded them into the shape of a prayer or a request."

"In a word, he has bidden you," said Wogan.

"Fie, sir! There's a barbarous and improper word, an ill-sounding word;

upon my honour, a word without dignity or merit and banishable from

polite speech. His Highness did most prettily entreat me with a fine

gentleness of condescension befitting a Sunday or a New Year's Day to

bring and present and communicate from hand to hand a gift,--a most

incomparable proper gift, the mirror and image of his most incomparable

proper friendship."

Wogan bowed, and requested the treasurer to enter and be seated the

while he recovered his breath.

"Nay, Mr. Warner, I must be concise, puritanical, and unadorned in my

language as any raw-head or bloody-bones. The cruel, irrevocable moments

pass. I could consume an hour, sir, before I touched as I may say the

hem of the reason of my coming."

"Sir, I do not doubt it," said Wogan.

"But I will not hinder you from forthwith immediately and at once

incorporating with your most particular and inestimable treasures this

jewel, this turquoise of heaven's own charming blue, encased and

decorated with gold."

The treasurer drew the turquoise from his pocket. It was of the size of

an egg. He placed it in Wogan's hand, who gently returned it.

"I cannot take it," said he.

"Gemini!" cried the treasurer. "But it is more than a turquoise, Mr.

Warner. Jewellers have delved in it. It has become subservient to man's

necessities. It is a snuff-box."

"I cannot take it."

"King John of Poland, he whom the vulgar call Glorious John, did rescue

and enlarge it from its slavery to the Grand Vizier of Turkey at the

great battle of Vienna. There is no other in the world--"

Wogan cut the treasurer short.

"You will take it again to his Highness. You will express to him my

gratitude for his kindness, and you will say furthermore these words:

'Mr. Warner cannot carry back into Italy a present for himself and a

refusal for his Prince.'"

Wogan spoke with so much dignity that the treasurer had no words to

answer him. He stood utterly bewildered; he stared at the jewel.