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To do the thing that had been in my mind would be not only to destroy myself, but to defile her; for upon her would recoil a portion of the odium that must be flung at me. And as she said what then must be her position? They would even have a case upon which to drag her from these walls of Pagliano.
"A wise decision," sneered the Duke. "I trust you'll find it so, my lord," I answered, sneering too. They led forward a horse for me, and when I had embraced Cavalcanti, I mounted and my funereal escort closed about me. We rode across the courtyard under the startled eyes of the folk of Pagliano, for the familiars of the Holy Office were dread and fearful objects even to the stoutest-hearted man.
I asked innocently, entirely unalarmed. "These are familiars of the Holy Office," he answered me, his tone very grave. In that moment the Duke, turning, espied us. He came towards the staircase to meet us, and his face, too, was very solemn. We went down, I filled by a strange uneasiness, which I am sure was entirely shared by Cavalcanti. "Evil tidings, my Lord of Pagliano," said Farnese.
And judging them, I think it were well you gave me leave to go." "I came to speak of other than ourselves, Ser Agostino," she answered, all unmoved still by my scorn, or leastways showing nothing of what emotions might be hers. "It is of that simpering daughter of my Lord of Pagliano." "There is nothing I could less desire to hear you talk upon," said I.
I dismounted as lightly as if I had not ridden lately more than just the ten miles from Pagliano. Indeed, I had become unconscious of all fatigue, entirely oblivious of the fact that for three nights now I had not slept save for the three hours at Bologna. I knocked briskly on the iron-studded gates.
I awakened in the chamber that had been mine at Pagliano before my arrest by order of the Holy Office, and I was told upon awakening that I had slept a night and a day and that it was eventide once more. I rose, bathed, and put on a robe of furs, and then Galeotto came to visit me.
We crossed the Po, and kept steadily on, taking fresh horses when we could, until towards sunset a turn in the road brought Pagliano into our view grey and lichened on the crest of its smooth emerald hill. The dusk was falling and lights began to gleam from some of the castle windows when we brought up in the shadow of the gateway.
He rode, then, upon his friendly visit into the Castle of Pagliano, attended by a vast retinue of courtiers and ladies, pages, lackeys, and a score of men-at-arms.
We got to the round table myself upon Cavalcanti's left, Galeotto in the place of honour, and Bianca facing her father so that I was on her right. The seneschal bestirred himself, and the silken ministering pages fluttered round us. My Lord of Pagliano was one who kept a table as luxurious as all else in his splendid palace.
"It is the hour," he said very pregnantly. "His sands are swiftly running out. To-morrow, Agostino, you ride with me to Piacenza. Falcone shall remain here to captain the men in case any attempt should be made upon Pagliano, which is not likely."
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