h was threatened alike by Cosmo and the
Emperor Charles V., and to escape their emissaries he
proceeded to Turkey, and thence to France, ultimately
returning to Venice, where, despite all his precautions
against danger, he was assassinated in 1547, together with
his uncle, Soderini, by some spadassins in the pay of Cosmo
I.--Ed.

In the morning, finding that their master delayed his return so long,
all the Duke's servants suspected, rightly enough, that he had gone to
see some lady; but at last, as he still failed to return, they began
seeking him on all sides. The poor Duchess, who was beginning to love
him dearly, was sorely distressed on learning that he could not be
found; and as the gentleman to whom he bore so much affection was
likewise nowhere to be seen, some went to his house in quest of him.
They found blood on the threshold of the gentleman's room, which they
entered, but he was not there, nor could any servant or other person
give any tidings of him. Following the blood-stains, however, the Duke's
servants came at last to the room in which their master lay. The door
of it was locked, but this they soon broke open, and on seeing the floor
covered with blood they drew back the bed-curtain, and found the unhappy
Duke's body lying in the bed, sleeping the sleep from which one cannot
awaken.

You may imagine the mourning of these poor servants as they carried
the body to the palace, whither came the Bishop, who told them how the
gentleman had departed with all speed during the night under pretence of
going to see his brother. And by this it was clearly shown that it was
he who had committed the murder. And it was further proved that his poor
sister had known nothing whatever of the matter. For her part, albeit
she was astounded by what had happened, she could but love her brother
the more, seeing that he had not shrunk from risking his life in order
to save her from so cruel a tyrant. And so honourable and virtuous was
the life that she continued leading, that although she was reduced to
poverty by the confiscation of the family property, both she and her
sister found as honourable and wealthy husbands as there were in all
Italy, and lived ever afterwards in high and good repute.

"This, ladies, is a story that should make you dread that little god who
delights in tormenting Prince and peasant, strong and weak, and so far
blinds them that they lose all thought of God and conscien