CHAPTER XX.
"A BROWN PAUL--A LITTLE COPPER."
Such as they were, the troubles of the ancient and his crony Luigicould not have ended soon, for although at first they were surroundedby a jeering crowd, fresh things caught the minds of the people aftera little time, and they were left to themselves. As the following daywas a holiday in Todi, the inn-keeper probably let them lie bounduntil he had more leisure on his hands, which were in truth fullenough, as the albergo hummed with custom. I never heard or sawanything more of either of the villains again. We had time yet at ourdisposal; but after an early supper, the horses being rested, westarted, and going slowly, with a halt on the right bank of thePaglia, we crossed the Tiber near San Fortunato, and Perugia laybefore us, bright in the sunshine. In order to throw any pursuit offthe scent, for if by chance inquiries were made about us, they wouldbe at the southern gates, we made a turn east, then struck north, andgetting over the numberless trenches lying between us and our point,eventually entered the city by the Porta del Carmine. Here Jacopo,under my secret instructions, let the guard handle his wine-skin,buzzing out as if in the confidence of the cup, that we had come fromFabriano in the Marches and then gave them the day. We rode on,leaving the ward at the gate to finish the skin, and found verycomfortable house-room in the Rubicon, an hotel kept by MesserPassaro, which lay behind the house of the Piccinino family, "close tothe Duomo, the citadel, and the gallows," as the landlord, who thoughthimself a merry wag, informed me whilst he received us at his door. Itook the best room available for myself, and saw to the wants of myfollowers and the horses, who were as well as when they started. Ileft them in comfort, bidding Bande Nere make ready to accompany meout at noontide. Dinner I ordered at twelve, inviting the landlord tocrack a flask of his best thereafter with me. He accepted witheffusion; my object in doing this being to try and get as muchinformation out of him as possible, as I saw he had a loose tongue anda gossiping heart, and I was resolved to leave no stone unturned in mysearch for Angiola. It wanted two hours or more for dinner, and havingbathed and changed my attire, I sank me down in an arm-chair to enjoyan hour or so of repose.
After dinner mine host appeared, bearing with him a cob-webbed flask.
"It is a wine of France, excellency--Burgundy--and all my customers donot taste this, I can tell you."
"I am favoured, indeed, Messer Passaro; take a seat, and helpyourself."
"The condescension of your excellency!" and with a bow he settledhimself on the extreme edge of a chair.
We poured out our measures, and on testing the wine I found it mostexcellent; as for Passaro, he pushed himself back into his seat andlet the liquid down his throat in drops, his eyes closed in anecstacy. When he opened them, which he did after a time, he gaspedout:
"Is not that glorious, signore? Have you ever lipped the brand?"
"I confess it is wine for the gods," I said. "Is there much in yourcellar."
"Store of it, excellency; I was not butler to His Eminence ofStrigonia for ten years for nothing."
"His eminence is a fine judge of wines."
"_Cospitto!_ And your excellency's forgiveness for swearing. He is thefinest judge in the world. There is no brand he could not name, nay,tell you the year of vintage, were he blindfold and a drop but touchedhis palate. _Corpo di Bacco!_ But he is a true prince of the Church."
"Ah! you are a sly dog, Messer Passaro," and I filled him his glass;"I warrant me you could tell many a tale of the cardinal. But comenow, has not the Baglioni as fine a taste in wines, and a better onefor a neat ankle?"
"Hush!" he said, looking around him as he put down his empty glass,"in your ear, excellency--the Count Carlo has big teeth and biteshard. Let your tongue be still when his name comes up in Perugia."
"Thanks, friend, but Count Carlo owes me no grudge, or else I shouldnot be here."
"Your worship has come to join him then?"
"As you see, Messer Passaro," and I filled his glass again, "I am asoldier and love to serve a soldier. Besides things will be on footsoon, for what with the French at Passignano, war cannot be delayedlong."
"True, and a light has been put to the torch too."
"Hurrah! Another glass, man; we soldiers are sick of this truce. Ourpurses run dry in peace. But tell me."
"You must know, signore, that all the country east of Castiglione tothe Tiber, and lying between the Nestore and Casale, is a fief of theCastellani, and the Count--ha! ha! It was glorious!" and he slappedhis thigh--"ha! ha!"
Nothing irritates me so much as to hear a man laughing aimlessly, andit was in a sharp tone that I said, "go on."
"A moment, excellency," and he held up a fat hand, "ha! ha! I had itall from Messer Lambro, my cousin, and groom of the chambers to CountCarlo. Well, all the fief I spoke of is inherited by the Lady Angiola,the daughter of old Count Adriano. The family is Ghibelline, and havetaken the French side, and seeing that Tremouille was between us andCasale, my lady must needs go down to visit her estates. The Count,who is looking for a wife, buckles on his armour, mounts his mare, andwith two hundred lances at his back, gallops up the left bank of theTiber, fords the stream, swoops down on the dovecote at Rossino, andbrings back a bride to Perugia; ha! ha! It is superb."
"Ha! ha! Messer Passaro--diavolo! Are they married yet?"
"Not yet--ah! The wine is wine for the gods as your worship says--notmarried yet, for my lady is half beside herself they say, and theCount, receiving a sudden message from Cesare, has had to leavePerugia for a few days."
"_Cospitto!_ How he must curse the Borgia for putting off hishappiness! And she is handsome, eh?"
"For the matter of that, excellency, one does not squint at a sourface set in a golden coif. But they do say the lady is verybeautiful."
"You have not seen her then?"
"_Corpo di Bacco!_ She is under lock and key, and not for the likes ofme to look upon."
"In the citadel I suppose--a gloomy cage for a fair bird."
"Maybe, but I have let my tongue wag too freely, signore, and must begoing."
"Safe enough with me, Messer Passaro, for I am on the rightside--adieu!"
I made no further attempt to detain him, and he waddled off with thebest part of the now empty flask under his belt. I was sure he knewbut little more, and what I had got out of him did not amount to much.At any rate I had discovered that Baglioni was out of Perugia, andthat she was still here. This was better than nothing; but worse thannothing if I could not discover the place of her imprisonment. I threwmyself back in my chair, and racked my brains to no purpose. There wasnothing definite for me to get hold of, no clue of any kind. I thoughtof getting the landlord to invite the Count's valet to drink a bottleor so of his Burgundy with me, but the mere whisper of such a thingwould excite suspicion of a further object, and the slightestsuspicion would ruin the business. Bande Nere appearing at this time,in accordance with my orders, I resolved to hang about the PalazzoPublico, and see if I could pick up any information there. On secondthoughts I resolved to go alone, and dismissing Bande Nere, salliedforth by myself. I went by way of the Piazza del Duomo, and here Istopped in an idle manner, and was for a moment struck by the entranceto the palace, which lies here. Over the gate was a splendid bronze ofa lion and a griffin, set above a series of chains and bars of gates,trophies of an old victory gained over the Sienese. A crowd of beggarssurrounded me, but I was in no mood for charity, and drove them offwith a rough oath. One of the number, however, remained. He was lamein both feet, supported himself on crutches, and wore a huge patchover one of his eyes.
"That is right, excellency--drive them off--the scum, thegoats--pestering every noble gentleman. It is only to the deservingyour excellency will give--a paul, excellency--a brown copper for thepoor cripple--a million thanks, excellency--may this copper beincreased to you a thousandfold in gold."
"Begone, fool!" I said, and walked on; but he hobbled along at a greatrate beside me.
"But a favour, excellenc
y. If your worship would but come with me, Iwould show you a wonderful sight. A bird-cage, excellency; would yourlordship be pleased to buy a bird--"
I turned round in my anger, and raised my hand to cuff the rascal'sears, cripple though he was, when he suddenly added: "Or _free_ abird, excellency--there is someone coming--a paul, quick--thanks,excellency--may your lordship die a prince."
As he spoke a couple of gentlemen and their servants pushed by us, andI gave them the road, the beggar hopping nimbly to my side. My heartwas beating rapidly, and all my blood tingling. Was I on the edge of adiscovery?
"No more riddles," I said, "who are you?"
"It is not safe to talk here, signore," he answered. "Follow me." Hestarted off across the square, hobbling along on his crutches andwailing out, "A copper for the poor cripple--a brown paul--a littlecopper?"
"By God!" I exclaimed to myself as I followed behind, "what does thismean?" I had to find out for myself, however, and followed the man,who stumped along at a rare pace, notwithstanding the ups and downs ofthe side-streets by which we went. He never once looked behind him,but kept up his cry of "a copper for the poor cripple--a brown paul--alittle copper," and once or twice, when I lost him in the crowd, thecry served as a signal to me telling me where he went. Finally heturned to the left, and on reaching the Via della Conca, made straightfor the gate. Here a toll was collected, and paying his paul he wentstraight out of the town. I kept him in view now easily, and couldhave caught him up as I liked, for the speed at which he had hobbledalong had no doubt breathed him. At last he left the road, and toilingsomewhat painfully over the very uneven ground, vanished behind a spurof the hills on which Perugia is situated. I now put on my bestwalking pace, and in a minute or two turned the elbow of the spurmyself, and found the mendicant seated on a stone mopping his brow,his crutches lying beside him. He stood up with the greatest ease as Iapproached.
"Well, fellow," I said, "what does all this mean? Beware, if you haveattempted to trick me."
"Does not your excellency know me?"
"Never saw you before."
"I am Gian, excellency."
"Gian! Gian! That throws no light on the subject."
"The cavaliere remembers the garden of St. Michael in Florence?"
I was not likely to forget the place where I had received Angiola fromLuigi, but I could not connect the man before me with thecircumstance. "I remember perfectly, but I do not know you. Drop thisfoolery and speak plainly."
"I am speaking plainly, signore. I was not sure if it was you myselfuntil now. I am Gian, the Lady Angiola's servant, and his excellencythe secretary has sent me to you."
"But how did you hear I was in Perugia: his excellency did not himselfknow I was coming here until a half-hour before I started, and I haveridden hard?"
"The pigeon, your worship: it flew to Florence with a letter to theLady Marietta. She sent another one on to the convent of St. Jerome,and the result is I am here. I was to seek out your worship, andinform you where my lady is confined."
"Basta! It was well conceived by his excellency. But where is she--inthe citadel?"
"No, excellency; but in the Casino Baglioni, behind Santa Agnese."
"How did you find out?"
"I was brought here prisoner, excellency, and was allowed to be inattendance on her ladyship, together with Madonna Laura, her maid. Iescaped back to Florence with a letter from the Lady Angiola a day orso after. It was by her orders I went."
"Then she may not be there now."
"I have made sure of that, excellency--but Madonna Laura----" hestopped.
"The maid--what of her--no doubt with her mistress?"
"Alas, no, excellency! She was killed by Pluto."
"Pluto!"
"Yes, your worship. A black bear that the cavaliere Paolo, who holdsthe house, has as a pet," and he commenced to weep.
I felt for the faithful fellow's grief, but said nothing, and after alittle he composed himself.
"Come, Gian," I said, laying my hand on his shoulder, "be a man, andwe will have an eye for an eye."
He ground his teeth but made no reply, I and went on--
"How far is the house from here?"
"Close," he said. "We can reach it by the Porto San Angelo."
"Come, then."
"There is no need for the crutches now," he remarked, as he tuckedthem under his arm. "I will use them when we come to the gate. Willyour excellency follow?"
As we walked northward over the hills, I continued my questions:
"Who is the Cavaliere Paolo?"
"A cousin of Count Carlo Baglioni, your worship. A man in middlelife--my age--and a perfect devil."
"I doubt not, the breed is a bad one. Has he many men with him?"
"About six, excellency, and then, of course, there is the guard at thePorta San Angelo always at hand."
"Now listen to me, for we may not have time to talk further of this.When you have shown me the house we must separate. Go to the Albergoof the Rubicon--you know it?"
"Alas! no, excellency."
"It is behind the Palazzo Piccinino; you cannot miss it. Go there, andawait me a few steps from the doors--you follow?"
"Yes, your worship."
We had now crossed the Vici dell' Elce, but passing the gate of thatname, went onwards, and after a stiff climb reached the Porta SanAngelo. Here my companion, betaking himself once more to his crutchesand keeping ahead of me, turned southwards along the road which linedthe walls towards Santa Agnese. Shortly before reaching the church, wecame to a small but solid-looking building, half fortress, halfdwelling-house, and Gian, stopping dead in front of it, turned roundand began his whine:
"A copper for the poor cripple--a brown copper. The house, signore,"speaking the last words under his breath as I came up.
"Do you know the room?" I asked pretending to fumble for a coin.
"In the tower behind," he answered rapidly, "may the saints bless yourlordship," and he limped away.
In order to gain time to look about, I put back my purse leisurely,and then, with the same object, proceeded to rearrange and retie thebows on my doublet. The face of the house was a little way back fromthe wall which it overlooked. The massive doorway was shut, and thewindows on each side of it, as well as those set above, heavilygrated. I was too near the house to see the tower behind, and itlooked so deserted that it was hardly possible for six men to be onguard there.
"An odd sort of bower to place one's lady-love in," I said, halfaloud, to myself; but then Baglioni's wooing was a rough one. Therewas obviously nothing to be got by staring at the front of the house,and I turned to my left, pausing between two dead walls, until Iobtained a view of the tower behind. The windows of the topmost roomwere all closed and strongly barred, and it seemed deserted. I glancedlower down, and to my joy saw that the room below was evidentlyoccupied, and once I caught a glimpse of a figure moving within. Itwas a brief glimpse; but the eyes of love are sharp, and I knew it wasAngiola. I made up my mind at once, and stepping back quickly to thefront of the house, hammered loudly at the door with the knocker.After a moment's silence, I heard the firm tread of a soldier. A smallbarrier was let down, a bearded face looked up, and a rough voiceasked--
"Who knocks?"
"Diavolo!" I exclaimed. "You are polite. Is the Cavaliere Paolowithin?"
"He is not," replied the man shortly.
"Expected soon?"
"Cannot say."
"If you do not answer more civilly it will be bad for you. Tell himwhen he comes that the Cavaliere di Savelli"--I gave my propername--"has arrived from Rome on an urgent affair, and will call onhim to-morrow; forget, and it will be the worse for you."
The man seemed a little surprised, and altered his tone at once.
"I will give your message, signore."
"Beware how you fail--harkee--is there a road to the Via Appia behindthis house?"
"Yes, signore, straight on, after taking the passage."
I did not even thank him, but turned o
n my heel, and walked offwhistling a catch. I went down the passage between the two walls, andafter some considerable stumblings up and down the vile roads, reachedthe Via Appia and turned southwards to my hostel. I had formed thesomewhat daring plan of trying to force the house in broad daylight,choosing my time an hour or so after dinner, and if done boldly thiswould probably be successful, as my own force was nearly equal to thatof the garrison including Pluto.
As I was approaching the Rubicon, I heard a voice at my side.
"A copper, signore--a brown paul."
"Gian."
"Excellency."
"Drop the beggar, and attend--can you ride?"
"Yes, excellency."
"Very well!"
I said no more and went on in silence, but a little distance from thehostel I bade Gian stop, and entering the yard, sought out Jacopo.
"Has the landlord any horses for sale?"
"Two, your excellency."
"Good ones?"
"Fairly so, excellency--about twenty crowns a piece with saddleincluded."
"Then buy one--and here--a few steps to the right of the entrance youwill find a cripple, he is one of my men, do not speak, but attend--goout quietly--get him decently clothed, and bring him back here, thehorse will be for him. You can get clothes to fit him anywhere, forthe shops do not shut until late; get him a sword too, there are somegood and cheap weapons in Perugia."
"It shall be done, excellency."
"Then be off at once."
I went on, and had a look at the horses. Bande Nere was with them,seated on a rough wooden bench cleaning his corselet, which alreadyshone like silver. He rose to the salute as I came up.
"How are the horses, Bande Nere?"
"As well as possible, signore, they are all in high mettle."
With a parting pat to Castor, I sought my chamber, reaching it alittle after the supper hour. I kept up an outward composure, but mymind within me was aflame with excitement. I ordered another flask ofthe Burgundy and forced myself to eat and drink a little. Then Ibetook myself to the arm-chair, and my thoughts. So impatient was I,that the idea came on me to make the attempt there and then, and itwas with difficulty I persuaded myself to abandon such a plan, whichcould have only ended in disaster. Finally, I was about to retire forwant of something better to do, when Jacopo came in, followed by Gian.
The latter was entirely transformed, except for the patch which hestill wore over his eye, and I was able to recall him now as the oldservant who had come somewhat fiercely up to me in the garden of St.Michael. He had the art which I found so difficult, of completelydisguising himself when he chose. Jacopo had performed his task well,and bidding them keep their tongues closed, I dismissed them with agood night.
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