ering
terms thus:

"You, Senhor Francisco, have done so well for your innamorata, painting,
that, if Master Michael does not show just as great a sign of love for
her, we may perhaps get her to divorce him and go with you to Portugal."

And, smiling, Michael said: "He knows, Madam, that I have already done so,
and that I have already released her entirely to him; for as I do not
possess such powers as such great love demands, he has said what he has
said, as of one who belongs to him."

"I confess," said I, "Madam, that he has released her to me, but she does
not wish to go with me, so that she still remains at home with him;
neither would I, although she is so worthy, like to see her come to my
country, for there are but few there who know how to esteem her, and my
most serene king, unless it were in his unoccupied moments, would not
favour her, especially if there happened to be any unrest through war, in
which she is of no use; and so she would become angry and perhaps in a fit
of temper she would one day throw herself into the ocean, which is hard
by, and cause me to sing many times the verse:

Audieras: et fama fuit; sed opera tantum
nostra valent, Lycida, tela inter maria, quantum
chaonias dicunt aquila veniente columbas.

But if she were of use in time of war, I would desire her to come at
once."

"I quite understand," said the Marchioness, "but as now the day is far
spent, let your question be for next Sunday." And as she said this she
rose, and all of us with her, and we went away.

THIRD DIALOGUE

Not only were we unable to meet together on the following Sunday with the
Marchioness and M. Angelo, but even on the next one, eight days later, we
were almost prevented, and indeed did not wish to meet, because at that
time was being celebrated in the city of Rome the feast of the twelve
triumphal cars in the Camp Nagao(199) in the ancient manner. Starting from
the Capitol with such magnificence and ancient pomp that it seemed as if
one were back in the old times of the Emperors and the triumphs of the
Romans. This feast was celebrated on the occasion of the marriage(200) of
Senhor Ottavio,(201) son of Pedro Luiz, and grand-nephew of our Lord Pope
Paul III., to Senhora Margarida,(202) adopted daughter of the Emperor. She
had been a short time previously the wife of Alessandro de Medici, Duke of
Florence, who was killed through treason in Florence. And now, she being a
widow and very young and