“No,” he said, when his merriment had subsided, “I wish them no evil.  But, after all, they must know what is contained in the papers they have in their possession, and they must know that I am the prince, and that they have kept me out of my inheritance.  I will go and tell them so.  Since there is no doubt about the case, I do not see why I should wait.”

“Nor I,” answered Montevarchi, with the air of a man who has done his part and expects others to finish what he has begun.

“It is fortunate that we have decided to go to Frascati instead of making a journey to the end of Europe.  Not but that, as I have never seen Paris, I would have liked the trip well enough.”

“You will find Paris pleasanter when you are Prince Saracinesca.”

“That is true,” replied San Giacinto, thoughtfully.  There was the deep light of anticipated triumph in his eyes.  “Will you see that the proper preliminary steps are taken?” he asked presently.

“I will engage lawyers for you.  But you will have to do the rest yourself.  The lawyers might go out and talk it over with you in Frascati.  After all, you are a young man of good sense, and will not have any sentiment about being alone with your wife.”

“For the matter of that, I anticipate much pleasure in the society of my wife, but when there is so much meat boiling, somebody must watch the pot, as we used to say in Naples.  I am a practical man, you know.”

“Ah, that is a great quality, one of the very greatest!  If I had spent my life in a perpetual honeymoon with the princess, Casa Montevarchi would not be what it is, my son.  I have always given my best attention to the affairs of my household, and I expect that you will continue the tradition.”

“Never fear!  If, by continuing the tradition, you mean that I should get what is mine, I will not disappoint you.  Can you tell me when the case can be tried, and in what court it will be heard?”

“With my influence,” replied Montevarchi, “the case may be put through at once.  A month will suffice for the preliminaries, a day for the hearing.  Everything is settled at once by the exhibition of the documents which provide for you in the most explicit terms.  You can come in from the country and see them for yourself if you please.  But I consider that quite unnecessary.  The lawyers will settle everything.”

“Pardon my curiosity, but I would like to know why you thought it best not to tell me anything of the matter until now.”

“My dear son, you were so busy with the preparations for your marriage, and the questions involved seemed at first so doubtful that I thought it best not to trouble you with them.  Then, when I knew the whole truth the time was so near that I preferred to give you the information as a sort of wedding present.”

“A magnificent one indeed, for which I cannot find words to express my gratitude.”

“No, no!  Do not talk of gratitude.  I feel that I am fulfilling a sacred duty in restoring to the fatherless his birthright.  It is an act of divine justice for the execution of which I have been chosen as the humble instrument.  Do your duty by my dear daughter, and render your gratitude to heaven—­quoe sunt Coesaris, Coesari, et quoe sunt Dei, Deo!  Would that we could all live by that rule!”