Yet I think they will
impress him more than his do us. I will answer for it, Madonna, that
they deter him from bombarding us--if so be that he ever intended to. So
let us go and break our fast with a glad courage."
"Those guns are empty?" she gasped. "And you could talk so boldly and
threaten so defiantly!"
Mirth crept now into her face, and thrust back the alarm, a little of
which had peeped from her eyes even as she was extolling Francesco.
"There!" he cried joyously. "You are smiling now, Madonna. Nor have you
cause for aught else. Shall we descend? This early morning work has
given me the hunger of a wolf."
She turned to go with him, and in that moment, Peppe, his owlish face
spread over with alarm, dashed up the steps from the courtyard.
"Madonna!" he gasped, breathless. "Messer Francesco! The men--
Cappoccio---- He is haranguing them. He--is inciting them to
treachery."
So, in gasps, he got out his tale, which swept the mirth again from
Valentina's eyes, and painted very white her cheek. Strong and brave
though she was, she felt her senses swimming at that sudden revulsion
from confidence to fear. Was all indeed ended at the very moment when
hope had reached its high meridian?
"You are faint, Madonna; lean on me."
It was Gonzaga who spoke. But beyond the fact that the words had been
uttered, she realised nothing. She saw an arm advanced, and she took it.
Then she dragged Gonzaga with her to the side overlooking the courtyard,
that with her own eyes she might have evidence of what was toward.
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