, yet no fear that Ramiro would inspire me could
have restrained them.

There was a murmur at the table, and his fellows turned their eyes on
Ramiro to see how he would receive this bearding. He smiled quietly, and
raising his hand he made a sign to the executioners.

Rude hands seized me from behind, and the doublet was torn from my back
by fingers that never paused to untruss my points.

They turned me about, and hurried me along until I stood under the
pulleys of the torture, and one of the men held me securely whilst
the other passed the cords about my wrists. Then both the executioners
stepped back, to be ready to hoist me at the Governor's signal.

He delayed it, much as an epicure delays the consumption of a delectable
morsel, heightening by suspense the keen desire of his palate. He
watched me closely, and had my lips quivered or my eyelids fluttered, he
would have hailed with joy such signs of weakness. But I take pride in
truthfully writing that I stood bold and impassively before him, and if
I was pale I thank Heaven that pallor was the habit of my countenance,
so that from that he could gather no satisfaction. And standing there, I
gave him back look for look, and waited.

"For the last time, Boccadoro," he said slowly, attempting by words
to shake a demeanour that was proof against the impending facts of
the cord, "I ask you to remember what must be the consequences of this
stubbornness. If not at the first hoist, why then at the second or the
third, the torture will compel you to disclose what you may know. Would
you not be better advised to speak at once, while your limbs are soundly
planted in their sockets, rather than let yourself be maimed, perhaps
for life, ere you will do so?"

There was a stir of hoofs without. They thundered on the planks of the
drawbridge and clattered on the stones of the courtyard. The thought of
Cesare Borgia rose to my mind. But never did drowning man clutch at
a more illusory straw. Cold reason quenched my hope at once. If the
greatest imaginable success attended Mariani's journey, the Duke could
not reach Cesena before midnight, and to that it wanted some ten hours
at least. Moreover, the company that came was small to judge by the
sound--a half-dozen horses at the most.

But Ramiro's attention had been diverted from me by the noise.
Half-turning in his chair, he called to one of the men-at-arms to
ascertain who came. Before the fellow could do his bidding, the door