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156 ladies going to Baveno. Nay, three days since we had a prima donna on her way to Milan."

"Damn your Scotch prima donna!" said the other. "Have you had my wife?"

"The wife of eccellenza? Save the ladies I mention, we have had neither wife nor maid. Would eccellenza like a cup of coffee?"

"Sangue di Dio!" was eccellenza's sole response. The coupé door closed with a slam, the conductor mounted, the six horses started and the great mountain coach rolled away.