advised Polani to be very cautious where
he went at night for a time. This fellow, Ruggiero, is a dangerous
enemy. If he were to get Polani stabbed, it would be next to impossible
to prove that it was his doing, however strong the suspicion might be;
for mere suspicion goes for nothing against a man with his influence
and connections. He has two near relations on the council, and if he
were to burn down Polani's mansion, and to carry off Maria, the chances
are against his being punished, if he did but keep out of the way for a
few months."

As in England powerful barons were in the habit of waging private wars
with each other, and the carrying off a bride by force was no very rare
event, this state of things did not appear, to Francis, as outrageous
as it would do to an English lad of the present day, but he shook his
head.

"Of course one understands, Matteo, that everywhere powerful nobles do
things which would be regarded as crimes if done by others; but,
elsewhere, people can fortify their houses, and call out and arm their
retainers, and stand on their guard. But that here, in a city like
this, private feuds should be carried on, and men stabbed when
unconscious of danger, seems to me detestable."

"Of course it isn't right," Matteo said carelessly, "but I don't know
how you are going to put a stop to it; and after all, our quarrels here
only involve a life or two, while in other countries nobles go to war
with each other, and hundreds of lives, of people who have nothing to
do with the quarrel, may be sacrificed."

This was a light in which Francis had hardly looked upon the matter
before, and he was obliged to own that even private assassination,
detestable as it was, yet caused much less suffering than feudal war.
Still, he was not disposed entirely to give in to his friend's opinion.

"That is true, Matteo; but at the same time, in a war it is fair
fighting, while a stab in the back is a cowardly business."

"It is not always fair fighting," Matteo replied. "You hear of castles
being surprised, and the people massacred without a chance of
resistance; of villages being burned, and the people butchered
unresistingly. I don't think there is so much more fairness one way
than the other. Polani knows he will have to be careful, and if he
likes he can hire bravos to put Ruggiero out of the way, just as
Ruggiero can do to remove him. There's a good deal to be said for both
sides of the question."

Francis fe