love just now. He intended to play Molly for
his great stake; meantime he must be more of a duke than he was,
recognised as such by other powers, by dukes firmly rooted, by grudging
republics, or tyrants in thin veils.

And while he was consolidating his throne--ruffling here, fawning
there--Grifone was always before Molly's eye; always plucking at her
poor heartstrings; always holding up his grave patience, his bleeding,
his most eloquent refusals, for her wonder. Wonder, indeed, she did, and
much more than that. The thought sat upon her like a brooding evil
spirit, frayed her nerves to waste. He used to move her so much by this
policy of negation that she found herself panting as she sat among her
women; or when from her throned seat at table she saw his pale profile
burn like a silver coin in the dusk, the pain of her heart's beating
well-nigh made her suffocate. Her troubles came to be day-long; he
haunted her by night. When she began to ask the Virgin Mary how long she
could endure, it was the signal to herself that she could endure no
more. She sent for him then, and implored him brokenly--sobbing,
kneeling before him--that he would leave her. Grifone bowed his head.

Next day Amilcare (or some other) told her that the Secretary was to be
absent for some months arranging alliances abroad. He went without
seeing her or bidding any farewells. She was prostrate for three or four
days, could hardly drag herself to church, or away from it when she had
once gained its cool sanctuary aisles. After that she got better and
more her old self. The relief was as delicious as the grief had been;
she was really happy. Then she found that she was beginning to dread his
return. This was exactly what he had desired: he was a most astute young
man.

VII

A PEDLAR'S ROUND

Grifone's tour of negotiation lasted very nearly six months--months of
comparative ease for Molly, neglected by husband and shadowing lover
alike. During this time the latter visited every important court in
Italy, except Naples, whither he cared not, and Parma, whither he dared
not venture--the object of his journey being, of course, to secure his
master's acknowledgment by a better title than the throats of a marketed
crowd. It would be as interesting as it was surprising to see the little
craftsman at work, the ingenuity with which he plied his handful of
tools, the proud patience with which he endured snub after snub, his
bland passivity and extr