The Honour of Savelli: A Romance
a single night have lost two lordships to Riario, have now not a ducat
to fling in the air, except what the niggard allows me."
I did not like the part I was playing; but I knew enough of the state
of affairs to be certain that D'Amboise would richly reward the person
who could detach Baglioni from the Borgia. I said no more than the
truth therefore when I added quietly--
"You would have another lordship, or two maybe, to stake, if my
proposal were carried out."
"_Cospetto!_" he said, "it is useless."
"Then I am sorry," I replied, rising as if to depart, "but must wish
you good day."
"_Diavolo!_ Cavaliere, you are not going without some refreshment. Ho!
without there," and his deep voice pealed out like a great bell.
The bear, which had stretched itself on the floor, rose with a grunt,
but Baglioni pressed its head down, and it sank back, and began to hum
to itself between its paws, like an enormous bee, or rather with the
sound a thousand bees might make.
After a little delay there was a knock at the door, but apparently, as
usual, the person outside, whoever he was, did not feel disposed to
come in. My host rose in anger, and stepped across the room, followed
by his beast, the latter passing unpleasantly close to me.
There was an altercation at the door, my host went out with his pet,
and for a minute or two I was left alone. I moved my seat nearer to
the small table beside Baglioni's lounge, and taking up the pack of
cards began to shuffle and cut them.
The cavaliere came back very soon, a flask in one hand and a glass in
the other.
"Blood of St. John!" he exclaimed as he set them down with a clink on
the table, "those rascals--I will have their ears cut off--they fear
this poor lamb," and he fondled the great bear, which rose on its hind
feet and began muzzling its master.
"I am not surprised. _Corpo di Bacco!_ The king again!" and I flung
down the pack in apparent disgust.
"Down, Pluto!" and Baglioni turned to me, "The king again. What was
that you said?"
"Cutting left hand against the right. I lost three times."
"I lost ten thousand one night over cutting--but help yourself," and
he pushed the flask towards me, and then filled his own, which he
drained at a gulp.
"Come, cavaliere--you are in no hurry--cut me through the pack."
"With pleasure; but my purse-bearer is downstairs--will you permit me
to see him?"
"By all means--the heavier the purse the better for me."
"A favour--I cannot play with that beast near me--could you not send
him away?"
"Send him away--my familiar," he said with an awful smile, "No, no, Di
Savelli--he is my luck; but I shall keep him at a distance if you
like."
I rose and went down to Jacopo, and found him and Bande Nere already
on friendly terms with the guard. I took my purse from him, and found
time to whisper a warning to strike the moment he heard my whistle.
When I came back, I was relieved to find the bear fastened by a chain
to a ring in the wall. The chain itself was weak, and could have been
snapped with ease, but the animal made no effort to strain at it, and
lay down as contentedly as a dog. Baglioni had pulled a table into the
centre of the room, and was seated at it, impatiently ruffling the
cards.
"Back at last," he said, and his voice had lost its measured cadence,
"heavens, I have not spread the cards for a whole year--what stakes?"
"Simply cutting the cards?"
"Yes. It is the quickest game I know."
"Say a crown each turn to begin with."
We cut through four times, and I paid over two crowns. Baglioni
laughed as he put them on one side, "peddling stakes these,
cavaliere--make them ten crowns a cut."
"Agreed--three cuts and a shuffle."
He nodded, and I paid ten crowns, feeling at this rate that my purse
would soon be empty; but I saw that the fever was taking hold of him,
and offered to double the stakes and won. From that moment luck
favoured me, and at the end of half an hour's play the cavaliere
had lost all his ready money, about sixty crowns, and owed me five
hundred besides. He did not take his losses well, all the restrained
self-command which he first exhibited, gave place to a wild
excitement, and his hands shook as he shuffled the cards, his white
face paling whiter than ever.
"Curse the cards!" he said, "I have no luck."
The moment had come for which I had been watching. Time after time I
felt inclined to strike a sudden blow; but held myself in.
"No more to-day, cavaliere," I said, filling my glass, "I have
business and must away."
A red flush came to his forehead, "I cannot pay you at once," he said
in a low tone.
"Tush!" I replied, "the word of Baglioni is enough--but if you want a
last try for your revenge, I will cut you----"
"Double or quits?" he burst in.
"No, cavaliere," and I dropped the words out slowly, "the five hundred
against a five minutes' interview with the Lady Angiola."
He leaned back in his chair in amaze, and I went on, "Listen to me, I
only want five minutes' speech with her--in your presence if you
will--come, shall I cut or will you?"
"_Diavolo!_" he muttered, "if Carlo hears of this--well, yes--I will
cut first--the ten--a bad card to beat."
I cut carelessly, and faced my card. It was a king.
"Hell and Furies!" he burst out. "You have won. Come, sir," and rising
he advanced towards the bear.
"A moment, cavaliere. I said in _your_ presence. I did not include
Messer Pluto there in the interview."
He gave me an unpleasant look; but stopped short.
"Very well," he said, and taking a large key from his girdle, went on
before me.
It cost me a great effort to keep cool, up to now my luck had been so
great that every moment there was a temptation to put all to the
hazard of one stroke. I smiled, under my beard, as I thought of the
imposing fool Count Carlo had placed in charge of his prize, and when
I saw the huge shaking hand clutching the key, I could not help
thinking that nerves like that would never hold a sword straight, and
that for all his size and courage, the cavaliere was not a very
formidable foe.
In a few steps we reached the door he wanted, and Baglioni, after
knocking once, simply turned the key and pushed open the door.
Looking over his shoulder I saw a small but well-furnished room, and
standing in the middle of it, in startled surprise at this sudden
intrusion, the figure of Angiola. Quick as thought I made a warning
gesture, and almost at the moment Baglioni turned round with--
"A visitor for you, madam."
She did not seem to recognise me, but at the warning gesture I made, a
faint flush came into her cheek. She stood looking at us half
frightened, half indignant, and at last spoke.
"I do not recognise----"
"Ugo di Savelli, madam," and I bowed.
Her lips curled a little as she answered--
"Well, Messer Ugo di Savelli--Cavaliere Ugo di Savelli I should
say--is it not so? May I ask your business? If it is any message from
your master, I decline to hear it," and she turned away with a motion
of supreme disdain, thinking no doubt that I was a follower of Count
Carlo.
"Ho! ho!" laughed Baglioni, at my look of discomfiture, "the future
countess can speak her mind. I pity Carlo. You had best cut short your
five minutes, cavaliere, and come back to the cards."
At this moment I heard the bear whining below, impatient for his
master, and I knew his bonds were all too slender to hold him. There
was nothing for it, but to save Angiola in spite of herself. All this
happened in a flash, and with my full strength I hit Baglioni below
the left ear, just where the neck and head united. So sudden, so
unexpected was the blow, that the huge man rolled over like an ox, and
a short shrill scream broke from Angiola. My sword was out in a
moment, and I stood over Baglioni.
"A cry, a movement, and I kill you like a dog," I gasped out, my
breath coming thick and fast; "throw the key to the lady--pick it up,
girl--quick--now run to the door and stand there--I am here to save
you." It was done at once, for Baglioni saw he must obey or die, and
springing back, I closed the door quickly and turned the key. Almost
as I did so, I heard footsteps hurrying below, and blew loudly on my
whistle. The sound of the whistle was followed by an angry shouting
that was drowned by a terrible roar, and I saw Pluto before me,
rushing up the stair, with the end of his broken chain still hanging
to him. Baglioni was battering at the door behind me. He was safe
enough, but my companion had dropped in a faint, and I wanted all my
hands and all my nerve to meet the beast, who was now on the stairway,
not ten feet away from me. Close to me was a heavy stool, I seized
this, and flung it at the animal with all my strength, and getting
between his forefeet, it caused him to stumble and slip back a
half-dozen steps; but with another roar Pluto gathered himself
together, and rushed up again, his jaws agape, and white with foam. I
gave him the point deep into his neck. It might have been a pinprick,
and he dented the steel with his teeth. Rising to his feet, he struck
at me, tearing my short cloak clean off my shoulders, and then, my
sword was up to the hilt in his side, and we grappled. My left cheek
was once touched by his claws, and seemed to be hanging in ribbons;
but although almost blinded with blood, and choked by his f[oe]tid
breath, I held my head well down, and drove my dagger again and again
into the beast. Angiola had recovered from her faint, and above the
grunting of the bear, the battering at the door, and the clash of
steel below, I heard her laughing in shrill hysterics. My strength was
failing. I was about to give up all for lost, when there was a loud
report, and with a howl the bear fell backwards. My hand somehow
fastened itself to the hilt of my sword, sticking in the animal's
side, and the weight of him, as he fell back, and as I shook myself
clear, freed the blade. I stood half dazed, watching the huge black
body sliding limply down the stairs, until it lay in a shapeless heap
on the landing. Jacopo's voice brought me to myself.
"For the love of God--quick, excellency--quick!"
God, I suppose, gives men strength sometimes, for his own purposes.
And so it must have been with me, for I picked my dear up in my arms,
and half giddy, and staggering, made my way to the entrance door. I
need not say I had no time to look about me; but Jacopo helped me with
my burden. Lifting her to the pommel of the saddle, I sprang up
behind, and drawing my darling close to me, with a shout of triumph, I
set free my plunging horse and let him go with a loose rein.
CHAPTER XXII.
THE RIDE TO ST. JEROME.
We galloped at a break-neck pace to the gate, but the guard was
already alarmed, and half-a-dozen men came hastening towards us.
They were on foot, however, and had no mind to stand the shock of
meeting horses coming at full speed down an incline, so skipped
nimbly aside. The officer alone held his ground, paying for his
courage with his life, for Bande Nere sliced his head in two like a
ripe water-melon--poor wretch. Had they only closed the gates we were
lost, but we reached them just in time, and passing through like a
flash were free of the town. A bullet or two whizzed past us, but did
no damage. It was done, and another half hour of the pace we were
going would place us beyond pursuit. It was no easy matter, however,
to sit the horse and hold Angiola as I was doing, and I very soon
began to feel that the strain on my arm was getting beyond me, and
that she was slipping from my grasp. She lay still and passive, her
eyes closed, her head resting on my shoulder, and seemed in a faint.
Perhaps I spoke roughly, but it was no time to mince words.