ous jewels. By his
side stood a man of short stature, apparently quite at his ease. He
wore a pointed hat, and on his bronzed face beamed an expression of
knavery and deceit, which, with his sparkling eye and a continued sneer
around the mouth, gave to his whole physiognomy a most malevolent
character. He carried a cross-bow and a quiver full of bolts on his
back, and by his side hung a long rapier.

"Nothing!" said the knight, angrily. "Ah! Griffi, if you have deceived
me, you shall be flogged."

"Flogged! my lord Pietro! I, Cocco Griffi, the son of the high and
mighty Consul Nigri of Milan! I flogged!" said the little man, with
marked astonishment.

"Yes, without fail!"

"How, my lord Pietro! your native city boasts of giving liberty to the
Italians. Would it not be barbarous to flog a loyal citizen?"

"You have most richly deserved it! At this very moment, the Milanese
are destroying one of the strongholds of German tyranny; and I, who
would so gladly have shared in the glorious work, have been decoyed
here by your specious tale, to await, uselessly, the coming of that
accursed Barbarossa, while my countrymen are celebrating their
triumph."

"I crave your pardon, my lord! The destruction of a castle, already
half in ruins is scarcely a deed worthy of your heroism," replied
Griffi, in a half serious, half jocular tone. "Ah! it would be another
thing had it been necessary to storm the Castle of Cinola. But as
Barbarossa's worthy governor, Bonello, has in a fit of patriotism
opened the gates, I could see but little opportunity there for a
display of your valor. For the prowess of the brave Milanese will not
go further than the draining of some wine-casks and the destruction of
some old furniture; they may perhaps burn the castle, but, this done,
they will return within their city walls."

Pietro made no reply, but with a glance of contempt upon the speaker,
again turned to gaze into the distance.

"On the other hand," continued Griffi, proudly, "you will have, thanks
to me, a chance of doing here something truly heroic. I learned that
the Emperor, with a feeble escort, was about to proceed towards the
North; I managed to insinuate myself among the soldiers, and discovered
the road by which he was to travel; and then galloping night and day,
came here, to show you how to rid the country of its oppressor, by his
death or capture! And yet, as a reward for all this, you threaten to
flog me!"

"But if we succeed