Page:Abroad with Mark Twain and Eugene Field.djvu/206

 got from the German papers, but lack details."

I gave the latter as follows: The Prince XXX was a second son, consequently always hard up. The Princess had no money of her own either, but in place of that a soaring ambition. Food positively disagreed with her every time she took it off mere china or stoneware. She must have silver—

"Or bust—" said Mark. "I made out that much."

Well, to get the plate and plenty of it, their highnesses engaged in a coaching tour of the Fatherland, stopping nightly at a different hotel. And at each hostelry her Grace swiped all the silver she could carry off, milk jugs, souvenir spoons and forks and dish covers, napkin rings and similar knicknacks.

"And these swipings she sent to her ancestral halls, Castle Teufelsdroekh," added Mark, "where, under the skillful stylus of an engraver, the low hotel markings disappeared to make room for the princely coat-of-arms. But here's the pretty how-do-you-do about the scapegoat:

"A servant caught her Grace at the game and gave information to the police. The police promptly arrested the informant as a material witness and submitted to their highnesses that, at some future date, they might graciously deign to appear in court to answer the wretch's foul insinuations."

Followed a lengthy discussion, embroidered with execrating reflections on justice as 202