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Every moment he expected a formal notice from the count to discontinue the lessons. But still it did not come, and at the appointed hour Ercole's wife helped him to put on his thick winter coat, and wrapped his comforter about his neck, and pulled his big hat over his eyes for the weather was threatening, and sent him trudging off to the Palazzo Carmandola.
One of Ercole's first improvements had been to lay out the noble park outside the town, and to people it with stags and goats, with gazelles and antelopes and the spotted giraffes which Niccolo da Correggio describes in his poems; and on the gates leading from the city were marble busts carved by the hand of Sperandio, the famous medallist who had worked so long for the ducal house, and who has left us portraits of all the chief personages at the Ferrarese court.
Another man was in her, very much like the first in looks. On seeing Nino at Ercole's heels, the man who was ashore drew back with an exclamation, as if he were going to run away, but Ercole spoke in a reassuring tone. "Be not afraid," he said. "This dog does not eat Christians. He gets enough to eat at home. He is not a dog, he is a lamb, and most affectionate."
Possibly there was something unusual in the tone of Ercole's voice, for Nino suddenly sat up beside his master's knee, forgetting all about the bread, and watched Paoluccio too, as if he expected something. But nothing happened.
Supposing I obtain for you an engagement to read literature with the Contessina di Lira, will you not be a professor? If you prefer singing " But Nino comprehended in a flash the whole scope of the proposal, and threw his arm round Ercole's neck and embraced him. "What a mind! Oh, maestro mio, I will die for you!
"It will be a little difficult, sir. I would rather speak to the lady alone." Regina had stood listening in silence, and looking intently at Ercole's face. "Let me speak to him," she said to Marcello. "What is your full name?" she asked, turning to Ercole again. "Spalletta Ercole, to serve you," was the prompt answer. "Spalletta?"
She was greeted at the stairway by Lucretia, Ercole's natural daughter, wife of Annibale Bentivoglio, and three illegitimate daughters of Sigismondo d'Este Lucretia, Countess of Carrara; the beautiful Diana, Countess of Uguzoni; and Bianca Sanseverino. It was night, and lights and torches illuminated the palace.
And among Ercole's courtiers at Ferrara there was one still greater, Matteo Boiardo, Count of Scandiano, who was intimate with both duke and duchess, and held many high posts at court. He was a member of the splendid suite sent in 1473 to escort Leonora from Naples to Ferrara, and afterwards held the important post of Governor of Modena during many years.
This is the first of the letters regarding this subject in the archives of Modena. Ercole's letter to his ambassador in Florence, Manfredo Manfredi, April 25, 1501. Archives of Modena. Ferrari to Ercole, May 1, 1501. Girolamo Saerati to Ercole, Rome, May 8, 1501. Bartolomeo de' Cavallieri, Ferrarese ambassador to France, to Ercole, Chalons, May 26, 1501.
BELRIGUARDO, August 24, 1503. This statement was very candid. In view of the advantages which had accrued to Ercole's State through the marriage with Lucretia, he might be regarded as ungrateful; he had, however, never looked upon this alliance as anything more than a business transaction, and so far as his relations with Cæsar were concerned his view was entirely correct.
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