" And he laughed again. But the captain scowled at
him, and Peppe frowned.
"She is a rebellious jade," quoth the captain sourly.
"Nay, softly," returned Francesco; for all that he still laughed. "If
you were of knightly rank I'd break a lance with you on that score. As
it is----" he paused, his laughter ceased, and his dark eyes took the
captain's measure in a curious way. "Best leave her uncensured, Ser
Capitano. She is of the house of Rovere, and closely allied to that of
Montefeltro."
The officer felt the rebuke, and silence reigned between them after that.
It was whilst Francesco, Fanfulla and Peppe waited in the ante-chamber
for admittance to the Duke that the jester vented some of the bitterness
he felt at their babbling. The splendid room was thronged with a courtly
crowd. There were magnificent nobles and envoys, dark ecclesiastics and
purple prelates, captains in steel and court officers in silk and velvet.
Yet, heedless of who might hear him, Peppe voiced his rebuke, and the
terms he employed were neither as measured nor as respectful as the
Count's rank dictated. Yet with that fairness of mind that made him so
universally beloved, Francesco offered no resentment to the fool's
reproof. He saw that it was deserved, for it threw upon the matter a
light that was new and more searching. But he presently saw further than
did the fool, and he smiled at the other's scowls.
"Not so loud Peppe," said he. "You over-estimate the harm.
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