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deryouaveryinsolentfellow,andIapologisetothesegentlementhatacountrymanofmineshouldforgetthecourtesyduetothecitywhichisshelteringhim.'
'YouaCastelese!And,pray,whoareyou?'
'MynameisFilippoBrandolini.'
'Iknowyourhouse.MineisErcolePiacentini.'
'IcannotreturnthecomplimentIhaveneverheardofyours.'
Thesurrounderslaughed.
'Myfamilyisasgoodasyours,sir,'hesaid.
'Really,Ihavenoacquaintancewiththemiddle-classesofCastellobutIhavenodoubtitisrespectable.'
Inoticedthatthelistenersseemedverycontented,andIjudgedthatMesserErcolePiacentiniwasnotgreatlylovedinForlibutCheccowaslookingonanxiously.
'Youinsolentyoungboy!'saidtheman,furiously.'Howdareyoutalktomelikethat.Iwillkickyou!'
Iputmyhandtomyswordtodrawit,forIwasfurioustooIpulledatthehilt,butIfeltahandcatchholdofmineandpreventme.IstruggledthenIheardCheccoinmyear.
'Don'tbeafool,'hesaid.'Bequiet!'
'Letmebe!'Icried.
'Don'tbeafool!You'llruinus.'Heheldmysword,sothatIcouldnotdrawit.
Ercolesawwhatwasgoingonhislipsbrokeintoasarcasticsmile.
'Youarebeingtaughttheusefullessonofdiscretion,youngman.Youarenottheonlyonewhohaslearntit.'Helookedroundatthebystanders....
AtthatmomentaservantcametoCheccoandannounced,—
'TheCount!'
Thegroupbrokeup,andCheccoadvancedtothefurtherendofthehall,withErcolePiacentiniandseveralothergentlemen.MatteoandIlingeredwherewewere.Therewasarustle,andtheCountandCountessappearedattendedbytheirsuite.
FirstofallmyeyeswereattractedtoCaterinashewaswonderfullybeautiful.Atall,well-madewoman,holdingherselfproudly,herheadpoisedonthenecklikeastatue.
'Onewouldthinkshewasaking'sdaughter!'saidMatteo,lookingatherwithastonishment.
'ItisalmostFrancesco'sface,'Isaid.
WebothhadanimmenseadmirationforFrancescoSforza,theKingofCondottieri,whohadraisedhimselffromasoldieroffortunetotheproudestduchyintheworld.AndCaterina,hisnaturaldaughter,hadthesameclear,strongfeatures,thestrongpiercingeyes,butinsteadoftheSforza'spock-markedskin,shehadacomplexionofraredelicacyandsoftnessandafterwardssheprovedthatshehadinheritedherfather'scourageaswellashisappearance....Shewasdressedinagorgeousrobeofsilvercloth,glitteringandshimme