VII

IHURRIEDbacktothePalazzoandfoundScipioneMoratinialreadyarrived.Ilikedhimforhissister'ssake,butinhimselfhewasapleasantperson. BothheandhisbrotherhadsomethingofGiuliainthem—thedelicatefeatures,thefascinationandthewinningwayswhichinthemseemedalmosteffeminate.Theirmotherhadbeenaverybeautifulwoman—reportsaidsomewhatgay—anditwasfromherthesonshadgotthegallantrywhichmadethemtheterrorofhusbandsinForli,andGiuliathecoquetrywhichhadgivenrisetosomuchscandal.Thefather,Bartolomeo,wasquitedifferent.Hewasarugged,uprightmanofsixty,verygraveandverydignified,theonlyresemblanceoffeaturetohischildrenbeingthecharmingsmile,whichthesonspossessedaswellasGiuliathoughinhimitwasrarelyseen.WhatIlikedmostinhimwastheblindloveforhisdaughter,leadinghimtounbendandbecomeayouthtoflatterherfolly.Hewasreallydevotedtoher,sothatitwasquitepathetictoseethelookofintenseaffectioninhiseyesashefollowedhermovements.He,ofcourse,hadneverheardawordoftherumourscirculatingaboutGiuliahehadtheutmostfaithinhervirtue,andI,itseemstome,hadgainedfaithfromhim. AftertalkingawhilewithScipione,Checcocame,andwestartedforthePalazzo.ThepeopleinForliknoweverything,andwerewellawareofChecco'smission.Aswewalkedalongweweremetbymanykindgreetings,goodluck,andGodspeedwerewishedus,andChecco,beamingwithjoy,graciouslyreturnedthesalutations. Wewereusheredintothecouncilchamber,wherewefoundthecouncillorsandmanyofthemoreprominentcitizens,andseveralgentlemenoftheCourtimmediatelythegreatfoldingdoorswereopenedandGirolamoenteredwithhiswontedstate,accompaniedbyhiscourtiersandmen-at-arms,sothatthehallwasfilledwiththem.Hetookhisseatonathrone,andgraciouslybowedtotheleftandtotheright.Hiscourtiersresponded,butthecitizenspreservedasevereaspect,quiteunsympathetictowardshiscondescension. Girolamorosetohisfeetandmadeashortspeech,inwhichheextolledChecco'swisdomandknowledgeandpatriotism,sayinghehadheardofacontroversybetweenhimandAntonioLassionthesubjectoftheproposedtax,andconsequentlyhadsentforhimtohearhisopiniononthesubject. Hestoppedandlookedroundhiscourtiersobsequiouslyapplauded.Then,atoppositeendsoftheroom,doorsopened,andthrougheachfiledastringofsoldiersthecitizenslookedatoneanother,wondering.Aflourishoftrumpetswasheardinthepiazza,outside,andthetrampofsoldiers.Girolamowaitedatlastheproceeded,— 'Agoodpr