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id,'allthislooksverylikeconspiracy.' Checcostarted. 'Icannothelpit,ifthepeoplearedissatisfiedwithGirolamo.' 'Butyou?'pursuedMatteo.'Iimagineyoudonotgreatlycarewhetherthepeoplearetaxedorno.Youknewthetaxeswouldhavetocomeonagainsoonerorlater.' 'Hashenotinsultedmebysendingasherifftodemandhisdues?' 'Istherenothingfurtherthanthat?'askedMatteo,lookingathiscousinsteadily. CheccoliftedhiseyesandgazedbackintoMatteo's. 'Yes,'hesaidatlast'eightyearsagoIwasGirolamo'sequal,nowIamhisservant.Iwashisfriend,helovedmelikeabrother—andthenhiswifecame,thedaughterofFrancescoSforza,thebastard—andgraduallyhehasliftedhimselfupfromme.HehasbeencoldandreservedhebeginstoshowhimselfmasterandnowIamnothingmorethanacitizenamongcitizens—thefirst,butnottheequalofthemaster.' Checcokeptsilenceforamoment,andinhisquietnessIcouldseetheviolenceofhisemotion. 'Thisconcernsyouaswellasme,Matteo.YouareanOrsi,andtheOrsiarenotmadetobeservants.Iwillbenoman'sservant.WhenIthinkofthisman—thisbastardofapope—treatingmeasbeneathhim,byGod!Icannotbreathe.Icouldrollonthefloorandtearmyhairwithrage.DoyouknowthattheOrsihavebeengreatandrichforthreehundredyears?TheMedicipalebeforethem,fortheyareburghersandwehavebeenalwaysnoble.WeexpelledtheOrdelaffibecausetheywishedtogiveusabastardboytoruleoverus,andshallweacceptthisRiario?IswearIwillnotendureit.' 'Wellsaid!'saidMatteo. 'GirolamoshallgoastheOrdelaffiwent.ByGod!Iswearit.' IlookedatMatteo,andIsawthatsuddenlyapassionhadcaughtholdofhimhisfacewasred,hiseyesstaringwide,andhisvoicewashoarseandthick. 'Butdonotmistakeagain,Checco,'hesaid'wewantnoforeignrulers.TheOrsimustbetheonlyLordsofForli.' CheccoandMatteostoodlookingatoneanotherthentheformer,shakinghimselfasiftoregainhiscalmness,turnedhisbackonusandlefttheroom.Matteostrodeupanddownforawhileinthought,andthen,turningtome,said,'Come.' Wewentoutandreturnedtoourhostelry.