the Pope and the Duke
and Duchess of Milan fell to my share. When the banquet was finished, we
had another representation, in which the two youths on serpents played
the chief part. A messenger arrived, riding on a triumphal car in a
boat, bearing a letter in a packet, which he presented to the Lord of
the Company, who opened it, and, after reading the letter, handed it
back to him; then he entered the boat again and left the hall, followed
by the others on their serpents. This last figure was said to be a
herald who had been sent to announce the proclamation of the League, and
a little while afterwards the triumphal car of the League, as described
above, appeared again, followed by four giants. The first one carried a
horn of foliage and fruit, the two next bore two clubs with gold and
silver balls, or catapults, while the last carried a cornucopia, similar
to that borne by the first giant in his hand. Then came four animals in
the shape of Chimeras ridden by four naked Moors, sounding tambourines
and cymbals or clapping their hands. They were followed by four
triumphal cars, bearing figures of Diana, Death, the mother of Meleager,
and several armed men--four or five persons in each chariot, the whole
intended to represent the story of Meleager, which was fully set forth,
from his birth to his death, with interludes of dances. The whole fable
would take too long to repeat, but Gian Giacomo Gillino will be able to
recite it from beginning to end, if you care to hear it. This was the
conclusion of the whole _festa_. After this we entered our boats, and
the clock struck one before we got home. The bishop of Como was sitting
by me all the evening, and his infinite weariness at the length of the
performance, and his dislike of the great heat in that crowded hall,
made me laugh as I never laughed before. And in order to tease him and
have more fun, I kept on telling him that there was still more to come,
and that the acting would go on till to-morrow morning; and it was most
amusing to see him stretch himself first on one leg, then on the other,
and to hear him complain, 'My legs are worn out. When will this _festa_
ever come to an end? Never again will I come to another.' I really think
that his sighs and groans gave me as much pleasure as the _festa_
itself. When at length we reached home, I supped frugally and then went
to bed, as it was already three o'clock. The gown that I wore after
dinner was of crimson and gold watere