Presently he covered his face with his hands, and sat so, as one deeply
in thought, a little while. At last he withdrew them slowly and
presented a countenance that passion and chagrin had strangely ravaged in
so little time. He turned to Santi, who stood nearest.
"The guard," he said hoarsely, with a wave of the hand, and Santi went,
none daring to utter a word. They waited thus an odd group, all very
grave save one, and he the one that had most cause for gravity. Then the
captain re-entered, followed by his two men, and Gian Maria waved a hand
towards the prisoner.
"Take him away," he muttered harshly, his face ghastly, and passion
shaking him like an aspen. "Take him away, and await my orders in the
ante-chamber."
"If it is farewell, Cousin," said Francesco, "may I hope that you will
send a priest to me? I have lived a faithful Christian."
Gian Maria returned him no answer, but his baleful eye was upon Martino.
Reading the significance of that glance, the captain touched Francesco
lightly on the arm. A moment the Count stood, looking from the Duke to
the soldiers; a second his glance rested on those assembled there; then,
with a light raising of his shoulders, he turned on his heel, and with
his head high passed out of the ducal chamber.
And silence continued after he was gone until Caterina Colonna broke it
with a laugh that grated on Gian Maria's now very tender nerves.
"You promised bravely," she mocked him, "to play the lion.
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