apostle St. Paul,
who was converted to the Christian faith, and became an elect son and
mighty preacher of the gospel, bringing many to righteousness and
enjoying the high favour of our Lord God. For Roland, the Marchesa may
know for certain, has his place in Paradise with the saints, "and in
serving him you will be serving God; but if, on the other hand, you
persevere in your false opinions, you will find that you are serving the
devil, who accompanied Rinaldo both in his life here and afterwards in
his death. And remember," he adds in conclusion, "when the blind lead
the blind, both fall into the ditch!"

Nothing daunted by this long harangue, Isabella retorted in an equally
lengthy epistle, flatly denying the charges brought against Rinaldo as
false and unsupported by a tittle of evidence. Galeazzo replied in
another bantering letter, assuming the part of a priest, and exhorting
the fair sinner to confess her faults in these holy days of Passiontide,
lest she should incur greater damnation, and drive her soul into the
devil's jaws.

"And since this is the hour of penitence and contrition," he concludes,
"I would once more beg and pray your Highness to return to the true
faith and devotion of Roland, having before your eyes the good example
of our most illustrious duchess, your sister, who has acknowledged her
errors, and become a sincere follower of Roland, as a good Christian,
and is now gone to Milan to obtain pardon.

"Your most humble and devoted servant,
GALEAZ SFORTIA VICECOMES,
_Armorum Capitaneus_.[11]

Vigevano, 30th of March, 1491."

Isabella, however, still remained obdurate, declaring that on no account
would she follow Beatrice's changeable conduct, and was ready to defend
her hero against a hundred thousand opponents. Upon which Galeazzo
reminded her that, for all her boastings, she had been constrained to
yield to his single-handed efforts in the park at Pavia, and had ended
by taking up his cry of "Roland." The more pity that she should turn her
back upon the good cause now, and prove the inconstancy of woman's
nature! But he consoled himself by reflecting that the Marchesana would
soon be back at Milan, when he would easily be able to make her give up
Rinaldo, and once more cry "Roland" as she had done before.

This letter was written by Galeazzo on the 13th of April, after