brary, we find a picture of Lodovico and Beatrice's
child sitting at dinner with his mother and a lady bearing the name of
Cecilia, in whom tradition sees the duke's old mistress, Countess
Bergamini.

But although Cecilia remained at court, and even maintained friendly
relations with her famous lover, she never seems to have given Beatrice
cause for jealousy again, and her name is never again mentioned in
Giacomo Trotti's confidential despatches to his master. Only the
singular fact that Beatrice d'Este's portrait was never, so far as we
know, painted by Leonardo, the supreme master at her husband's court,
may well be owing to the remembrance that he had formerly painted
Cecilia Gallerani. The proud young duchess who would not wear a robe
similar to that bestowed upon his mistress by her husband, may naturally
enough have declined to have her portrait painted by the same artist,
however excellent a master he might be. But whether or no this was the
true reason of this strange omission, there was certainly no portrait of
Beatrice d'Este by Leonardo's hand in Milan a year after her death, or
her own sister Isabella would not have applied to Cecilia Gallerani for
the loan of her picture as an example of Leonardo's art. From this time,
however, the young duchess succeeded in winning her husband's heart, and
for many years to come retained undivided possession of his roving
affections. On the 20th of April, Trotti wrote to Ferrara that Signor
Lodovico had been to see him on the second or third day in Easter week,
and had spoken with the greatest warmth and affection of his wife, with
whom he spent his whole time, and whose charming ways and manners gave
him the greatest pleasure. Madonna Beatrice is, as he says, not only of
a joyous nature, but of noble and elevated mind, and at the same time
very pleasing and no less modest. And in May, when Cecilia's son was
born, the duke himself told his wife the news, repeating his
determination never again to renew the old connection. His letters to
Isabella d'Este abound in the same expressions of genuine love and
admiration for his young wife. He is never tired of dwelling on her
perfections, on her courage and fine horsemanship, and looks on with an
indulgent smile at her wildest freaks and escapades.

Early in March he and Beatrice went to Vigevano, accompanied as usual by
Messer Galeazzo and a few courtiers and ladies. All his life Lodovico
retained especial affection for this ol