doubt assist the ends of justice,
for those men should be standing by him now."

He checked me no more than in time. I had been on the point of citing
Falcone; and suddenly I perceived that to do so would be to ruin Falcone
without helping myself.

I looked at my cousin. "In that case," said I, "I will not name them."

Falcone, however, was minded to name himself, for with a grunt he made
suddenly to rise. But Galeotto stretched an arm across Bianca, and
forced the equerry back into his seat.

Cosimo saw and smiled. He was very sure of himself by now.

"The only witness whose word would carry weight would be the late Lord
of Pagliano," he said. "And the prisoner is more crafty than honest in
naming one who is dead. Your excellency will know the precise importance
to attach to that."

Again his excellency nodded. Could it indeed be that I was enmeshed? My
calm deserted me.

"Will Messer Cosimo tell your excellency under what circumstances the
Lord of Pagliano died?" I cried.

"It is yourself should be better able to inform the Court of that,"
answered Cosimo quickly, "since he died at Pagliano after you had borne
his daughter thither, as we have proof."

Gonzaga looked at him sharply. "Are you implying, sir, that there is
a further crime for which Messer Agostino d'Anguissola should be
indicted?" he inquired.

Cosimo shrugged and pursed his lips. "I will not go so far, since the
matter of Ettore Cavalcanti's death does not immediately concern me.
Besides, there is enough contained in the indictment as it stands."

The imputation was none the less terrible, and could not fail of
an effect upon the minds of the Ten. I was in despair, for at every
question it seemed that the tide of destruction rose higher about me. I
deemed myself irrevocably lost. The witnesses I might have called were
as good as gagged.

Yet there was one last question in my quiver--a question which I thought
must crumple up his confidence.

"Can you tell his excellency where you were upon your marriage night?" I
cried hoarsely, my temples throbbing.

Superbly Cosimo looked round at the Court; he shrugged, and shook his
head as if in utter pity.

"I leave it to your excellency to say where a man should be upon his
marriage night," he said, with an astounding impudence, and there
were some who tittered in the crowd behind me. "Let me again beg your
excellency and your worthinesses to pass to judgment, and so conclude
this foolish come