mouth as if to breathe convulsively, staggered 
a step forward, a step backward, and fell stone 
dead upon the boards. 
Had indeed the hiss, swift as a sword, really 
cheated the hangman? Had the Prince himself 
divined the murderous efficacy of his ruse? 
One may suspect so. 
Did he regret his beloved, his inimitable 
Fanciullo? it is pleasant and admissible to be-
lieve it. 
The guilty nobles had enjoyed the comedy 
for the last time; in the same night they were 
wiped out of life. 
Since then many a mime, justly appreciated 
in divers countries, has come to play before 
the Court of His Highness, but not one has 
been able to equal the marvellous talent of 
Fanciullo, nor to obtain the same degree of fa-
vour.