her wisdom and prudence, does not seem to have been in
the least scandalized by her sister's behaviour, and replied that she
would have done worse if any one had ventured to insult her; upon which
Lodovico remarked--

"Your letter in answer to my description of my wife and the duchess
walking about Milan with cloths on their heads, delighted me. I am sure
you have far too much spirit to allow rude things to be said to you, and
when I read your letter, I could see the angry flash in your eye, and
hear the indignant answer that you would have had in readiness for any
one who dared insult you."

The next letter we give was written on the 12th of June, from the
Castello di Pavia, where the ducal family spent that summer, and is of
special interest on account of the allusions which it contains to the
famous sanctuary of the Certosa.

"I have spent several days lately at the Certosa, which your Highness,
I know, visited when you were last here. And since I did not think the
choir-stalls in the church were in any way suitable or equal in beauty
to the rest of the building, I went back there the day before yesterday
and had them taken down, and have ordered new stalls to be designed in
their place. And as I was returning, the duke and duchess and my wife
came to meet me, and attacked me suddenly, and in order to defend
myself, I divided my retainers, who were most of them riding mules, into
three squadrons, and charged the enemy in due order, so there was a fine
scuffle! Then we came home to see some youths run races, with lances in
their hands, and after that we went to supper. And since those
illustrious duchesses took it into their heads to return again to the
Certosa, they went back there yesterday morning, and when it was time
for them to return, I went out to meet them, and found that both
duchesses and all their ladies were dressed in Turkish costumes. These
disguises were invented by my wife, who had all the dresses made in one
night! It seems that when they began to set to work about noon
yesterday, the Duchess of Milan could not contain her amazement at
seeing my wife sewing with as much vigour and energy as any old woman.
And my wife told her that, whatever she did, whether it were jest or
earnest, she liked to throw her whole heart into it and try and do it as
well as possible. Certainly in this case she succeeded perfectly, and
the skill and grace with which she carried out her idea gave me
indescribable pleasur