Next day there was a secret meeting of the council, of which neither
Checco nor his friends knew anything. But it leaked out that they had
been discussing terms which Lodovico had offered. And the Duke's
proposal was that Riario's children should be surrendered to him and the
town ruled by a commission, appointed partly by him, partly by the
Forlivesi. About mid-day a servant came and told us that Niccolo
Tornielli and the other members of the council were below, seeking
admission. Checco went down, and as soon as he saw him Niccolo said,--
'Checco, we have decided that it will be better for us to have charge of
the children of Count Girolamo; and therefore we have come to summon you
to give them into our hands.'
Checco's answer was short and pointed.
'If that is all you came for, Niccolo, you can go.' ...