aordinary rebound. First of all, he went to
Rome, ever the pivot of danger to an Italian diplomat. Molly's portrait,
done in his best manner by Dosso of Ferrara, was presented to Duke Caesar
of Valentinois.

In this, the lady with loose hair and a still looser robe (spangled with
stars it was, and slipped off one white shoulder) was sitting in a green
wilderness feeding lions with _confetti_. On a cedar near by, were
several parrots and a pale owl, and from a low-swinging branch a great
speckled snake stooped downward to embrace Molly's waist in a dry fold,
and with his head writhed forward to lick her chin. It was a pleasing
piece; Don Cesare was ravished. The seed planted in him at Foligno
germinated, produced a bud, before long a triumphant flower. Not only
would he come to Nona, and that soon, but the Holy Father sent the
Golden Rose to "his dearest daughter in Jesus Christ, Maria, by the same
grace Duchess of Nona." O mouth of singular favour!

With the scent of this rare blossom, Grifone went off to tickle the
nostrils of the North. But he must not delay us. Bologna he dared to
visit: thither the ducal pair must needs go anon. Milan received him to
some purpose; Venice received him to none at all. Barbarigo was not Doge
for nothing. Ferrara was busy with thoughts of piety, the whole court
barefoot, howling "Fac me plagis" between the garden walls. In other
places he cried his wares, and reached Nona again in the heats of July.

He found his lovely mistress in a shaking fever, languid under the
breathless heat of the plain, yet never at rest. He found her large-eyed
and bodeful, horribly nervous of him. She had been longing to see him,
yet every day made vehement prayer that she might never look on him
again. When she knew that he was indeed in the palace, she shut herself
into her chamber with a crucifix, and spent the whole day at the window
peeping from behind a curtain. Grifone saw the shape of her in it, saw
her hand at the selvage.

"Courage, Grifone, mio caro," he assured himself; "she is afraid of
thee." He resumed his state of armed respect, Molly her tossing nights
and pacing days. Affairs were something awry within the Duchy, yet
Grifone assured his Lord they were likely to be much more awry out of
it. Madonna Duchessa must certainly be shown about--otherwise, an
avalanche. Preparations were pushed on. By October the Duke and Duchess,
with a great train set out--actually for Bologna, but nominally for