“Don’t you touch me again,” said Cæsar, pulling away violently, his face pale and his eyes flashing. “If you do, I have a revolver here with five chambers, and I shall take pleasure in emptying them one by one, taking that lighthouse you carry about for a nose, as my target.”
“Fire it if you dare.”
Fortunately the waiter had come in on hearing the bell.
“Do you wish anything, sir?” he asked.
“Yes, please escort this clerical gentleman to the door, and tell him on the way not to come back here.”
Days later Cæsar found out that there had been a great disturbance at the Altemps palace in consequence of the calls he had made. Preciozi had been punished and sent away from Rome, and the various Spanish monasteries and colleges warned not to receive Cæsar.
XV. GIOVANNI BATTISTA, PAGAN
“My dear Cæsar,” said Kennedy, “I believe it will be very difficult for you to find what you want by looking for it. You ought to leave it a little to chance.”
“Abandon myself to events as they arrive? All right, it seems a good idea.”