look upon it as a loan which anon she
might repay me when I had brought her safely to her kinsman's Court at
Pesaro.

Thus, at last, we left Cagli, and took the road north, riding side by
side and talking pleasantly the while, ever concerning the matter of her
flight and of her hopes of shelter at Pesaro, which, being nearest to
her heart, found readiest expression. I went wrapped in my cloak once
more, my head-dress hidden 'neath my broad-brimmed hat, so that the few
wayfarers we chanced on need not marvel to see a lady in such friendly
intercourse with a Fool. And so dull was I that day as not to marvel,
myself, at such a state of things.

The sun was declining, a red ball of fire, towards the mountains on our
left, casting a blood-red glow upon the snow that everywhere encompassed
us, as we cantered briskly on towards Fossombrone.

In that hour I fell to pondering, and I even caught myself hoping that
Messer Ramiro del' Orca might not chance upon the discovery of how
egregiously I had fooled him. He was dull-witted and slow at inference,
and upon that I built the hope that he might fail to associate me with
Madonna Paola's elusion of his pursuit. Thus the chance might yet be
mine of returning to Rome and the honourable employment Cesare Borgia
had promised me. If only that were so to fall out, I might yet contrive
to mend the wreckage of my life. I was returned, it seems, to the
ways of early youth, when we build our hopes of future greatness upon
untenable foundations!

Great hopes and great ambitions rose within my breast that January
evening, fired by the gentle child that rode beside me. Fate had sent
me to her aid that day, and I seemed to have acquired, by virtue of that
circumstance, a certain right in her. Had Fate no other favours for me
in her lap! I bethought me of the very House of Sforza, to which I had
been so shamefully attached, and of its humble source in that peasant,
Giacomuzzo Attendolo, surnamed Sforza for his abnormal strength of body,
who rose to great and princely heights.

Assuredly I had the advantage of such an one, and were the chance but
given me--

I went no further. Down in my heart I laughed to scorn my own wild
musings. Cesare Borgia would come to know--he must, whether Ramiro told
him, or whether he inferred it for himself from the account Ramiro must
give him of our meeting--how I had thwarted him in one thing, whilst I
had served him in another. Fate was against me. I had fa