the daughter of an empress-第36部分

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im；　and；　if　possible；　to　play　him　a　trick。　He　therefore　cautiously　mingled　with　the　crowd；　and　made　a　sign　to　his　followers　to　keep　at　a　distance　from　him。

It　was　certainly　a　very　important　affair　with　which　the　Spanish　cook　Don　Bempo　was　occupied；　as　it　concerned　the　purchase　of　a　fish　that　a　countryman　had　brought　to　the　city；　of　such　a　monstrous　size　and　weight　that　the　like　had　never　been　seen　there。　It　was　the　most　remarkable　specimen　with　which　the　Roman　fish…market　had　ever　been　honored。　But　the　lucky　fisherman　was　fully　aware　of　the　extraordinary　beauty　of　his　fish；　and　in　his　arrogant　pride　demanded　twenty　ducats　for　it。

That　was　what　troubled　Don　Bempo。　Twenty　ducats　for　one　single　fish；　and　the　major…domo　of　the　Spanish　ambassador　had　urged　upon　him　the　most　stringent　economy；　but　he　had；　indeed；　at　the　same　time　urged　upon　him　to　provide　everything　as　splendid　as　possible　for　the　banquet　which　the　Duke　of　Grimaldi　was　to　give　in　honor　of　the　Archduke　Ferdinand；　indeed；　he　had　with　an　anxious　sigh　commanded　him　to　outdo　if　possible　the　next　day's　feast　of　Cardinal　Bernis；　and　to　provide　yet　rarer　and　more　costly　viands　than　the　French　cook。

That　was　what　Don　Bempo　was　now　considering；　and　what　made　him　waver　in　his　first　determination　not　to　buy　the　fish。

There　was　only　this　one　gigantic　fish　in　the　market；　and；　if　he　bought　it；　Signor　Gianettino；　his　enemy；　of　course；　could　not　possess　it；　the　triumph　of　the　day　would　then　inure　to　the　Spanish　embassy；　and　Don　Bempo　would　come　off　conqueror。　That　was　indeed　a　very　desirable　object；　buttwenty　ducats　was　still　an　enormous　price；　and　was　not　at　all　reconcilable　with　the　recommended　economy。

At　any　rate　he　dared　not　buy　the　fish　without　first　consulting　the　major…domo　of　the　duke。

〃You　will　not；　then；　sell　this　fish　for　twelve　ducats？〃　asked　Don　Bempo；　just　as　Gianettino　had　unnoticedly　approached。　〃Reflect；　man；　twelve　ducats　are　a　fortuneit　is　a　princely　payment！〃

The　fisherman　contemptuously　shook　his　head。　〃Rather　than　sell　it　for　twelve　ducats　I　would　eat　it　myself；〃　said　he；　〃and　invite　my　friends；　these　good　Romans；　as　guests！　Go；　go；　sublime　Spanish　Don；　and　buy　gudgeons　for　your　pair　of　miserable　ducats！　Such　a　fish　as　this　is　too　dear　for　you；　you　Spanish　gentlemen　should　buy　gudgeons！〃

〃Bravo！　bravo！〃　cried　the　laughing　spectators。　〃Gudgeons　for　the　Spanish　gentlemen　with　high…nosed　faces　and　empty　pockets！〃

Don　Bempo　blushed　with　anger　and　wounded　pride。　〃I　shall　unquestionably　buy　this　fish；〃　said　he；　〃for　nothing　is　too　dear　for　my　master　when　the　honor　of　our　nation　is　to　be　upheld。　But　you　must　allow　me　time　to　go　home　and　get　the　money　from　the　major…domo。　Keep　the　fish；　therefore；　so　long；　and　I　will　return　with　the　twenty　ducats　for　it。〃

And　majestically　Don　Bempo　made　himself　a　path　through　the　crowd；　which　laughingly　stepped　aside　for　him；　shouting：　〃Gudgeons　for　the　Spanish　gentleman！　/Viva/　Don　Bempo；　who　pays　twenty　ducats　for　a　fish！〃

〃He　will　certainly　not　come　back；〃　said　the　fisherman；　shaking　his　head。

〃He　goes　to　buy　gudgeons！〃　cried　another。

〃What　will　you　bet　that　he　returns　to　buy　the　fish？〃　said　a　third。

〃He　will　not　buy　it！〃　interposed　a　fourth。　〃These　Spaniards　have　no　money；　they　are　poor　devils！〃

〃Who　dares　say　that？〃　shrieked　another；　and　now　suddenly　followed　one　of　those　quarrels　which　are　so　quickly　excited　on　the　least　occasion　among　the　passionate　people　of　the　south。　There　was　much　rage；　abuse；　and　noise。　How　flashed　the　eyes；　how　shook　the　fists；　what　threats　resounded　there！

〃Peace；　my　dear　friends；　be　quiet；　I　tell　you！〃　cried　the　fisherman；　with　his　stentorian　voice。　〃See；　there　comes　a　new　purchaser　for　my　fish。　Be　quiet；　and　let　us　see　how　much　France　is　disposed　to　offer　us。〃

The　disturbance　subsided　as　suddenly　as　it　had　arisen；　and　all　pressed　nearer；　all　directed　interrogating；　curious；　expectant　glances　at　Signor　Gianettino；　who　just　at　that　moment　approached　with　a　proud　and　grave　step；　followed　by　the　solemn　train　of　six　scullions　with　their　baskets。

No　one　had　before　remarked　him　in　the　crowd；　for　they　had　been　all　eyes　and　ears　for　Don　Bempo；　and　hence　every　one　supposed　that　he　had　only　just　then　arrived。

The　shrewd　chief　cook　also　assumed　the　appearance　of　having　only　accidentally　passed　that　way　without　the　intention　of　buying　any　thing。

But　he　suddenly　stopped　before　the　great　fish　as　if　astonished　at　its　enormous　size；　and　seemed　to　view　it　with　admiration　and　delight。

〃What　a　rare　and　splendid　animal　is　this！〃　he　finally　exclaimed　with　animation。　〃Really；　one　must　come　to　Rome　to　see　such　a　wonder！〃

〃That　is　understood！〃　exultingly　cried　the　bystanders；　who　had　a　reverence　for　the　fishes　of　Rome。

〃This　is　no　niggard！　/He/　will　not　be　so　mean　as　to　offer　twelve　ducats　for　such　a　miracle　as　this！〃

〃Twelve　ducats！〃　cried　Gianettino；　folding　his　hands。　〃How　can　you　think　me　so　pitiful　as　to　offer　such　a　miserable　sum　for　so　noble　a　fish。　No；　truly；　he　must　have　a　bold　forehead　who　would　offer　so　little　money　for　this　splendid　animal！〃

〃Hear　him！　hear！〃　cried　the　people。　〃This　is　a　learned　man。　He　knows　something　of　the　value　of　rarities！〃

〃/Viva！/　Long　life　to　the　French　cook；　/il　grande　ministre　della　cucina！/〃

Gianettino　bowed　politely　in　response　to　the　compliment；　and　then　civilly　asked　the　price　of　the　fish。

The　fisherman　stood　there　with　an　expression　of　regretful　sadness　upon　his　face。　〃I　fear　it　will　be　of　little　use　to　name　the　price！〃　said　he；　〃the　fish　is　as　good　as　sold！〃

〃Nevertheless；　name　the　price！〃

〃Twenty　ducats！〃

〃Twenty　ducats！〃　exclaimed　Gianettino；　with　an　expression　of　the　liveliest　astonishment。　〃You　jest；　my　friend！　How　can　such　a　splendid　animal　be　possibly　sold　for　twenty　ducats？〃

〃Here！　hear！〃　shouted　the　crowd。　〃He　finds　the　price　too　low！〃

〃He　is　a　real　gentleman！〃

〃He　will　not　buy　gudgeons　like　the　Spaniard！〃

〃In　earnest；　friend；　tell　me　the　price　of　this　fish！〃　said　Gianettino。

〃I　have　demanded　twenty　ducats　for　it；〃　sadly　responded　the　fisherman；　〃and　it　is　sold　for　that　sum。〃

〃Impossible！　In　that　case　it　would　not　be　lying　here！〃　replied　Gianettino。　〃Or　had　the　man　paid　you　the　money；　and　now　gone　for　a　cart　for　the　conveyance　of　the　giant？〃

〃I　have　not　yet　been　paid。〃

〃The　purchaser；　then；　has　given　you　earnest　money？〃

〃No；　not　even　that。　I　have　yet　received　nothing　upon　it。〃

〃And　you　can　pretend　that　you　have　sold　this　fish；〃　cried　Gianettino；　〃and　that；　too；　for　the　ridiculously　small　sum　of　twenty　ducats！　Ah；　you　are　a　joker；　my　good　man；　you　wish　to　excite　in　me　a　desire　for　this　rare　specimen；　and　therefore　you　say　it　is　sold。　But　how　can　a　fish　that　yet　lies　exposed　for　sale；　and　for　which　no　one　had　made　you　a　suitable　offer；　be　already　sold？〃

And　gravely　approaching　the　giant　of　the　waters；　Gianettino　laid　his　hand　upon　his　head　and　solemnly　said：　〃The　fish　is　mine。　I　purchase　it；　you　demand　twenty　ducats！　But　I　shall　give　you　what　you　ought　to　have；　and　what　the　creature　is　worth！　I　shall　pay　you　six…and…thirty　ducats　for　him！〃

The　crowd；　which　had　maintained　an　anxious　and　breathless　silence　during　this　negotiation；　now　broke　out　with　a　loud　and　exulting　shout。

〃That　is　a　real　nobleman！〃

〃/Evviva　il　ministro　della　cucina！　Il　grande　Gianettino！/〃

〃That　is　no　parsimonious　Spaniard！　He　is　a　French　cavalier。　He　will　buy　no　gudgeons；　but　will　have　the　right　Roman　fish。〃

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　Gianettino；　modestly　casting　down　his　eyes；　〃I　do　not　understand　your　praises；　and　it　seems　to　me　I　only　deal　like　a　man　of　honor；　as　every　one　of　you　would　do！　This　honest　man　taxes　his　wares　too　low；　I　give　him　what　they　are　worth！　That　is　all。　If　I　acted　otherwise　I　should　not　long　remain　in　the　service　of　the　lofty　and　generous　Cardinal　Bernis！　Justice　and　generosity；　that　is　the　first　command　of　his　excellency！〃

〃/Evviva/　the　French　ambassador！〃

〃Praise　and　honor　to　Cardinal　Bernis！〃

And　while　the　people　were　thus　shouting；　Gianettino　from　his　well…　filled　purse　paid　down　the　six…and…thirty　ducats　upon　the　fisherman's　board。　He　then　commanded　his　six　attendant　scullions　to　bear　off　the　fish。

It　was；　indeed；　a　heavy　work　to　place　the　enormous　animal　upon　their　baskets；　but　the　active　Romans　cheerfully　lent　a　hand；　and　when　they　had　succeeded　in　the　difficult　task；　and　the　six　youngsters　bent　under　their　heavy　load；　Signor　Gianettino　gravely　put　himself　at　the　head　of　the　train；　and　proudly　gave　the　order：　〃Forward　to　the　kitchen　of　his　excellency　Cardinal　Bernis！〃

At　this　moment　a　man　was　seen　making　his　way　through　the　crowd；　thrusting　right　and　left　with　his　elbows；　he　incessantly　pushed　on；　and；　just　as　Signor　Gianettino　had　fairly　got　his　troop　in　motion；　the　man；　who　was　no　other　than　Don　Bempo；　succeeded　in　reaching　the　fisherman's　table。

〃Here；　I　bring　you　the　twenty　ducats；〃　he　proudly　called　out。　〃They　will　no　longer　say　that　the　Spaniards　buy　gudgeons。　The　fish　is　mine！　There　are　your　twenty　ducats！〃

And；　with　a　supercilious　air；　Don　Bempo　threw　the　money　upon　the　table。

But　just　as　proudly　did　the　fisherman　push　back　the　money。　〃The　fish　is　sold！〃　said　he。

〃Forward；　march！〃　repeated　Signor　Gianettino　his　word　of　command。　〃Forward　to　the　kitchen　of　his　excellency　Cardinal　Bernis！〃

And　with　solemn　dignity　the　train　began　to　move。

Don　Bempo　with　a　cry　of　rage　rushed　upon　the　fish。

〃This　fish　is　mine；〃　he　wildly　cried；　〃I　was　the　first　to　offer　its　price；　I　offered　twenty　ducats；　and　only　went　home　to　get　the　money！〃

〃And　I；〃　exclaimed　Signor　Gianettino；　〃I　offered　thirty…six　ducats；　and　immediately　paid　the　cash；　as　I　always　have　money　by　me。〃

〃It　is　Signor　Gianettino；　the　cook　of　the　French　ambassador；　and　I　am　ruined！〃　groaned　Don　Bempo；　staggering　back。

〃Yes；　it　is　the　cook　of　his　excellency　the　cardinal！〃　cried　the　crowd。

〃And　the　cardinal　is　an　honorable　man！〃

〃He　is　no　Spanish　niggard！〃

〃He　does　not　haggle　for　a　giant　fish；　he　pays　more　than　is　demanded！〃

〃I　hope；〃　said　Signor　Gianettino　to　Don　Bempo；　who　still　convulsively　grasped　the　fish；　〃that　you　will　now　take　your　hands　from　my　property　and　leave　me　to　go　my　way　without　further　hindrance。　It　is　not　noble　to　lay　hands　on　the　goods　of