so incensed was he against the duke
for this intervention between himself and his revenge, and so freely did
he express himself in the matter, that it was put about at once that he
intended to go against Cesare.

And that is the first hint of the revolt of the condottieri.

Having launched that interdict of his, Cesare, on July 25, in the garb
of a knight of St. John of Jerusalem, and with only four attendants,
departed secretly from Urbino to repair to Milan and King Louis. He
paused for fresh horses at Forli on the morrow, and on the 28th reached
Ferrara, where he remained for a couple of hours to visit Lucrezia, who
was now in convalescence. Ahead of him he dispatched, thence, a courier
to Milan to announce his coming, and, accompanied by Alfonso d'Este,
resumed his journey.

Meanwhile, the assembly of Cesare's enemies had been increasing daily in
Milan, whither they repaired to support Louis and to vent their hatred
of Cesare and their grievances against him. There, amongst others,
might be seen the Duke of Urbino, Pietro Varano (one of the sons of
the deposed Lord of Camerino), Giovanni Sforza of Pesaro, and Francesco
Gonzaga of Mantua--which latter was ever ready to turn whichever way the
wind was blowing, and was now loudest in his denunciations of Cesare and
eagerly advocating the formation of a league against him.

Louis received the news of Cesare's coming, and--endowed, it is clear,
with a nice sense of humour--kept the matter secret until within a
few hours of the duke's actual arrival. On the morning of August 5,
according to Bernardi,(1) he whispered the information in Trivulzio's
ear--and whispered it loudly enough to be overheard by those courtiers
who stood nearest.

1 Cronache Forlivesi.

Whatever check their satisfaction at the supposed state of things may
have received then was as nothing to their feelings a few hours later
when they witnessed the greeting that passed between king and duke.
Under their uneasy eyes Louis rode forth to meet his visitor, and gave
him a glad and friendly welcome, addressing him as "cousin" and "dear
relative," and so, no doubt, striking dismay into the hearts of those
courtiers, who may well have deemed that perhaps they had expressed
themselves too freely.

Louis, in person, accompanied Valentinois to the apartments prepared
for him in the Castle of Milan, and on the morrow gave a banquet and
commanded merry-makings in his visitor's honour.

Conceive the