"I suppose honour and virtue _do_ exist--" he answered--"And when they are existent of course they cannot be bought. But my experience has taught me that I can always buy everything. The sentiments called honour and virtue by the majority of men are the most shifty things imaginable,--set sufficient cash down, and they become bribery and corruption in the twinkling of an eye! Curious--very curious. I confess I found a case of unpurchaseable integrity once, but only once. I may find it again, though I consider the chance a very doubtful one. Now to revert to myself, pray do not imagine I am playing the humbug with you or passing myself off under a _bogus_ title. I am a _bona-fide_ prince, believe me, and of such descent as none of your oldest families can boast,--but my dominions are long since broken up and my former subjects dispersed among all nations,--anarchy, nihilism, disruption and political troubles generally, compel me to be rather reticent concerning my affairs. Money I fortunately have in plenty,--and with that I pave my way. Some day when we are better acquainted, you shall know more of my private history. I have various other names and titles besides that on my card--but I keep to the simplest of them, because most people are such bunglers at the pronunciation of foreign names. My intimate friends generally drop my title, and call me Lucio simply." "That is your christian name--?" I began. "Not at all--I have no 'christian' name,"--he interrupted swiftly and with anger--"There is no such thing as 'christian' in my composition!" He spoke with such impatience that for a moment I was at a loss for a reply. At last-- "Indeed!" I murmured vaguely. He burst out laughing. "'Indeed!' That is all you can find to say! Indeed and again indeed the word 'christian' vexes me. There is no such creature alive. _You_ are not a Christian,--no one is really,--people pretend to be,--and in so damnable an act of feigning are more blasphemous than any fallen fiend! Now I make no pretences of the kind,--I have only one faith--" "And that is?"-- "A profound and awful one!" he said in thrilling tones--"And the worst of it is that it is true,--as true as the workings of the Universe. But of that hereafter,--it will do to talk of when we feel low-spirited and wish to converse of things grim and ghastly,--at present here we are at our destination, and the chief consideration of our lives, (it is the chief consideration of most men's lives) must be the excellence or non-excellence of our food."