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"There was scarce an hour between them," Gamba answered. "She said she must keep alive as long as the boy needed her after that she turned on her side and died." "But of what disorder? How came they to sicken at the same time?" The hunchback stood silent, his eyes on the ground. Suddenly he raised them and looked full at the Duke. "Those that saw them called it the plague." "The plague? Good God!"
And then, as if fearing that the young priest might have understood by his first words that he had just seen Monsignor Gamba, the most easily terrified prelate of the whole prudent pontifical family, he related that he had been running about since an early hour on behalf of two French ladies, who likewise were dying of a desire to see the Pope.
"Thus it happened on this same day many centuries ago! Lama Turjo Gamba did not return to Tibet but lived here in Ta Kure, where there was then only a small temple. From here he traveled to the Emperor at Karakorum and afterwards with him to the capital of China to fortify him in the Faith, to predict the fate of state affairs and to enlighten him according to the will of God."
Old memories hummed in him at the thought. He recalled how his Piedmontese ancestors had gone forth against the same foe, and the stout Donnaz blood began to bubble in his veins. A knock roused him and Gamba entered by the private way. His appearance was not unexpected to Odo, and served only to reinforce his new-found energy. He felt that the issue was at hand.
Nina whispered, aghast at the resemblance. "Who, child?" asked the princess. "Rodrigo Borgia." "No one knows. Hush!" "But why the throne? Were the Scorpas kings or what?" "Before the secular unification of Italy," the princess answered, "the Holy Fathers used to visit the Scorpa cardinals. There has always been a Scorpa among the cardinals. The one now is Monsignore Gamba del Sati.
Still the expedition lingered; at last, on the 14th of February, six weeks after Byron's arrival at Missolonghi, it was determined that an advanced guard of three hundred soldiers, under the command of Count Gamba, should march for Lepanto, and that Lord Byron, with the main body, should follow.
As he expected, Gamba had been sent to put before him more forcibly and unceremoniously the veiled threat of the ministers. But the hunchback had come also to plead with his master in his own name, and in the name of the ideas for which they had once laboured together. He could not believe that the Duke's reaction was more than momentary.
"Scrofer, or some such name, on board a Cephaloniate Mistice, Dec. 31, 1823. You had better send my friend George Drake, and a body of Suliotes, to escort us by land or by the canals, with all convenient speed. Gamba and our Bombard are taken into Patras, I suppose, and we must take a turn at the Turks to get them out.
"Do you remember the lessons that you gave me on the viola da gamba?" She looked at him beseechingly. "Then it is true. I suppose it is true, but I wish I could feel this life to be true." She looked up and saw the clouds moving across the sky; she looked down and saw the people passing along the streets. "In a few days, in a few weeks, this life will seem quite real.
Mirth shone discreetly in Brilliana's eyes as she gave the Puritan a bow for his praise. The Cavalier, a viola da gamba of anger, pegged his string of bluster tighter. "Did not the fellow hear me?" he cried, and this time his noise won him a moment of attention.
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