gued to me some terrible labour of the mind
beneath that livid mask. But the Governor of Cesena appeared insensible,
or else he was contemptuous of danger from that quarter. It may even
have delighted his outrageous nature to behold a man whose son he had
done to death with such brutality continue obedient and submissive to
his will, for it may have flattered his vanity by the concession that
bearing seemed to make to his grim power.

An hour went by, my second tale was done, and I was now entrancing
Messer Ramiro with some impromptu verses upon the divorce of Giovanni
Sforza, a theme set me by himself, when I was interrupted by the arrival
of a soldier, who entered unannounced.

I paled and turned cold at the cry with which Ramiro rose to greet him,
and the words he dropped, which told me that here was one of the riders
of the party that, under Lucagnolo, had been ordered to search the
country about Cattolica. Had they found Madonna?

"Messer Lucagnolo," the fellow announced, "has sent me to report to you
the failure of his search to the west and north of Cattolica. He has
beaten the country thoroughly for three leagues of the town on those two
sides, as you desired him, but unfortunately without result. He is
now spreading his search to the south, and not a house is being left
unvisited. By morning he hopes to report again to your Excellency."

A wild wave of joy swept through my soul. They had ransacked the country
west and north of Cattolica without result. Why then, assuredly, they
had missed the peasant's hut that sheltered her, and where she waited
yet for my return. Their search to the south I knew would prove equally
futile. I could have fallen on my knees in a prayer of thanksgiving had
my surroundings been other than they were.

Ramiro's eye wandered round to me and settled on me in a lowering
glance. By his face it was plain that the message disappointed him.

"I wonder," said he, "whether we could make you talk?" And from me his
eyes roamed on to the instrument of torture at the end of that long
chamber. I grew sick with fear, for if he were to do this thing, and
maim me by it, how should I avail myself or her hereafter?

"Excellency," I cried, "since you met me you have hinted at something
that I am hiding from you, at something touching which I could give you
information did I choose. What it may be passes all thought of mine. But
this I do assure you: no torture could make me tell you what I do not