Pagina 657 di 788

Meanwhile the guests, as in the castle hall they awaited the

bringing in of the food, gazed with amazement at the great

centrepiece, the metal and the workmanship of which were equally

precious. There is a tradition that Prince Radziwill the

Orphan204 had this set made to order in Venice, and had it

decorated in Polish style according to his own ideas. The

centrepiece had later been carried off in the time of the Swedish

wars,205 and had found its way in some mysterious manner into

this country gentleman's mansion; to-day it had been brought

forth from the treasury and it now occupied the middle of the

table, forming an immense circle, like a coach wheel.