All Italy honored the productions of the fortunate American, and scarcely could a Raphael or a Titian have been more respected or honored.  It was his own genius that had raised him and no accident of fortune.

“This young American monopolizes the market with his brush just now,” said one artist to another.

“Ay, and gets such princely prices, too, for his pictures!  Funny world, this!  It is scarcely three months since he was likely to starve for want of work.”

“All the Grand Duke’s doings; he can make as easily as he can mar a man”, replied the other.

“But a man must have genius to fill the place Carlton holds.”

“As much as you might put on a knife’s point-no more,” said the other, enviously.

The long Italian day is past, and its shadows have died over the neighboring mountains, giving place to the voluptuous and dewy twilight, which lightly wraps itself with its soft mantle of studded stars closely about the lovely breast of the Val d’Arno.  But a few hours later, and the Palazzo Pitti is one blaze of light, and the thrilling music of the duke’s favorite band resounds already among the fountains and groves of the gardens; already have commenced to congregate the gay courtiers and lovely dames of this land of the sun.  The diamond tiaras that sparkle on those lovely brows are less dazzling than the lovely and soul-ravishing eyes that look out from that mental diamond, the soul within; the jewelled stars upon those manly breasts well become the noble bearing of the wearers.  Brilliant indeed was the soiree of the rich and liberal Grand Duke of Tuscany.  The Austrian-born monarch seemed to delight in surrounding the nobles of his court with the most magnificent luxury and display that wealth could procure, as if he would fain show his Italian subjects his own national taste.

“The duke spares no expense in his entertainments,” said the English consul to a friend, by whom he was standing.

“I have known him send to Rome frequently for an artifice to serve him a single evening,” was the reply.

“It may be a weakness thus to lavish expenditure, but it is a most brilliant one,” said the consul.

“And one which is dictated as much by policy as by his own personal gratification,” said the other.

“Perhaps so; but without questioning his motives, we may at all events enjoy the feast he spreads.”

“That is but proper and reasonable, and I most heartily subscribe to the same,”

It is a masked ball that occupies the gay throng in the ducal palace.  That is to say, in accordance with a general custom of the times, those who please are masked until midnight, when, at the sound of the hour from the great throat of the bell, all masks are removed, and all disguises laid aside.  Carlton as the successful protege of the Grand Duke, and Carlton the humble artist, was a very different person.  He was the observed of all observers; and many a rich