'You do like me, then, after all?'
I saw a slight trembling of the lip, perhaps the eyes were a little
moist. I felt sorry for what I had done.
'I fear I have given you pain,' I said.
'You have a little,' she replied.
'I am sorry. I thought you did not care.'
'I like people to love me and be pleased with me.'
'I do both!'
'Then you must show it,' she replied, a smile breaking through the
beginning of tears.
I really had been brutal, and I was very sorry that I had caused a cloud
to gather over her sunshiny nature. She was indeed very sweet and
charming.
'Well, we are good friends now, aren't we?' she said.
'Of course.'
'And you'll come and see me often?'
'As often as you will allow me to,' I answered. She gave me her hand to
kiss, and a bright, happy smile lit up her face.
'_A rivederci!_' she said.
We went home, and Matteo found waiting for him a message from Checco,
bidding him leave the inn and take up his quarters with me at the
Palazzo Orsi. On arriving, we found Checco excitedly walking up and down
a long corridor lined with statues and pictures.
'I am glad you have come,' he said to Matteo, taking his hand and
nodding. 'You must stay here; we must all keep together now, for
anything may happen.'
'What do you mean?' asked Matteo.
'The catastrophe nearly came to-day.'
We both looked at him with astonishment, not comprehending. Checco stood
still abruptly.
'He tried to arrest me to-day--Girolamo!' Then, speaking very quickly,
as if labouring under great excitement, 'I had to go to the Palace on
business. I found him in the audience chamber, and we began to talk
certain matters over, and I grew rather heated. Suddenly I noticed that
the place had emptied itself. I stopped in the midst of my sentence and
looked up at Girolamo. I saw he was not attending to me; his eyes were
fixed on the door.'
Checco was silent, and drops of perspiration were standing on his
forehead.
'Yes! Yes!' we both said eagerly.
'The door opened, and the Master of the Guard walked in. "By God!" I
thought, "I'm trapped!" "I have been waiting for you, Andrea," said
Girolamo. Then he turned to me, and said, "Come into the Room of the
Nymphs, Checco. I have some papers there to show you." He took hold of
my arm. I loosed myself. "I pray you, excuse me," I said, "I have some
very urgent business." I walked to the door. Andrea glanced at his
master, and I thought he was going to bar my way; I think he was waiting
for some sign, but before it came I had seen through the open door Paolo
Bruni, and I called out, "Paolo, Paolo, wait for me. I want to talk to
you urgently." Then I knew I was safe; he dared not touch me; and I
turned round and said again, "I pray you, excuse me; my business with
Paolo is a matter of life or death." I brushed past Andrea and got out.
By Heaven! how I breathed when I found myself in the piazza!'
'But are you sure he meant to arrest you?' said Matteo.
'Certain; what else?'
'Andrea might have come in by accident. There may have been nothing in
it at all.'
'I was not deceived,' answered Checco, earnestly. 'Their looks betrayed
them--Andrea's questioning glance. I know he wants to kill me.'
'But would he dare seize you in cold blood?'
'He cares for nothing when he has an object in view. Besides, when he
had me in his power, what could have been done? I know Girolamo too
well. There would have been a mock trial, and I should have been
condemned. Or else he would have me strangled in my cell, and when I had
gone you would have been helpless--my father is too old, and there would
have been no leader to the party but you--and what could you do alone?'
We all remained silent for a while, then Checco broke out.
'I know he wants to rid himself of me. He has threatened before, but has
never gone so far as this.'
'I agree with you,' said Matteo; 'things are becoming grave.'
'It is not so much for myself I care; but what would happen to my
children? My father is safe--he is so old and helpless that they would
never think of touching him--but my boys? Caterina would throw them into
prison without a scruple.'
'Well,' said Matteo, 'what will you do?'
'What can I do?' he answered. 'I have been racking my brains, and I see
no way of safety. I can wear a coat of mail to preserve me from the
stray knife of an assassin, but that will not help me against a troop of
soldiers. I can leave Forli, but that is to abandon everything.'
'No, you must not leave Forli--anything but that!'
'What can I do? What can I do?' he stamped his foot on the ground as if
almost in desperation.
'One thing,' said Matteo, 'you must not go about alone--always with at
least two friends.'
'Yes, I have thought of that. But how will it all turn out; it cannot
last. What can I do?'
He turned to me.
'What do you think?' he said. 'He means to kill me.'
'Why not anticipate him?' I answered quietly.
They both started up with a cry.
'Kill him!'
'Assassination! I dare not, I dare not,' said Checco, very excitedly. 'I
will do all I can by fair means, but assassination--'