Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-04-05

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Jacopo attended to the task a. II he loved 1t.
shine. In order to throw any pursuit of the
scent, for if by chance inquiries were made
about US, they would be at the southern
gates, we made turn east, then struck
north, and, getting over the numberless
trenches lying between us and our point,
eventually entered the city by the Porta del
Carmine. Here Jacopo, under my secret in
structions, let the guard handle his wine
skin, buzzing out as if in the confidence OF
the cup that we had come from Fabriano in
the Marches and then gave them the day.
We rode on, leaving the ward at the gate
to finish the skin, and found very comforta-
BILE house-room in the Rubicon, an hotel
kept by Messer Passaro, which lay behind
the house of the Piccinino family, CLOSE to
the Duomo, the citadel, and the gallows,' .
as the landlord, who thought himself .
merry wag, informed me whilst he received
US at his door. l took the best room availa-
bic for myself, and saw to the wants of my
followers and the horses, who were as well
as when they started. left them in com
fort, bidding Bande Mere make ready to
accompany me out at noontide. Dinner
ordered at II, inviting the landlord to
crack flask of his best thereafter with me.
He accepted with sffusion; my object in
doing this being to try and get as much
information out Of him as possible, as
saw he had loose tongue and gossiping
heart, and was resolved to leave no stone
unturned in my search for Angola. It want
ing bathed and changed my attire, sani,
me down in an armchair to enjoy an hour
or so of repose.
After dinner mine host appeared, bear
ing with him cobwebbed flask.
1T is wine of France, excellency-Bur-
gundy-and all my customers do not taste
this, l cnn tell you"
II am favored, indeed, Messer Passaro;
take seat, and help yourself"
The condensation of your excellency!'
and with bow he settled himself com.
fortably on the extreme edge of chair.
we poured out our measures, and, on
testing the wine, found it most excellent;
as for Pessaro, he pushed himself back into
his seat and let the liquid down his throat
in drops, his eyes closed in an ecstasy,
When he opened them, which he did after
time, he gasped out:
els not that glorious, signorsl Have you
ever Tipped the brandy"
Il confess it is wine for the gods," |
said. Us there much in your cellar?"
Store of it, excellency; was not but
Ter to his eminence of Strigonia for ten
years for nothing"
Ills eminence il q fine judge of wines"
"Cospitto! And your excellency's for.
giveness for swearing. He is the finest
Judge in the world. There is no brand he
could not name, nay, tell you the year of
vintage, were he blindfold and drop but
touched his palate. Corpo di Bacco! But
he is true prince of the church"
"Ah! you are sly dog, Messer Passaro,"
and filed him his glass; II warrant me
you can tell many a tale of the cardinal.
But come, now, has not the Baglioni as fine
taste in wines, and better one for 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 bites hard. Let your tongue be still
when his name comes up in Perugia."
Thanks, friend, but Count Carlo owes
me no grudge, or else should not be
here"
your worship has come to join him
thenw
"As you see, Messer Passaro," and I
filed his glass again, II am soldier and
love to serve q soldier. Besides things will
be on foot soon, for what with the French
at Passaignano, war cannot be delayed
long"
"True, and light has been put to the
torch, too"
"Hurrah! Another glass, man; we sol.
diers are sick of this truce. Our purses
run dry in peace. But tell me-"
You must know, signore, that all the
country east of Castiglione to the Tiber,
and lying between the Nestore and Casale,
is ief of the Castellani. and the count.
ha! ha! It was gloriousl" and he slapped
his thigh-"hal hal"
Nothing initiates me 30 much as to hea,
a man laughing aimlessly, and It was in a
sharp tone that I said: "Go on!"
"a moment, excellency," and he hello
up a fat hand, cha! hs! Iheard it all from
Nesser Lambro, my cousin, and groom Of
the chambers to Count Carlo. Well, all
the fief spoke of is inherited by the Lady
Angola, the daughter of old Count Adri
ano. The family il Ghibelline, and have
taken the French side, and, seeing that
Tremouille was between US and Casale, my
lady must needs go down to visit her es
tates The count, who is looking for q
wife, buckles on his armor, mounts hil
mare, and with 200 lances at his back
gallops up the left bank of the Tiber
fords the stream, swoops down on the dove
cote at >Rossino, and brings back bride
to Perugia; hal ha! It is superb"
"Ha! ha! Messer Passaro- Ar,
they married yeti"
mot yet-ahl The wine is wine for tn
gods, as your worship says-not married
yet, for my lady is half beside herself, they
say, and the count, receiving sudden mes
sage from Cesare, has had to leave Perugi,
for few days"
"Cospitto! How he must curse the Dor
gia for putting of his happinessl And sh'
is handsome, chi"
For the matter of that, excellency, on
does not squint at sour face set in ,
golden Golf. But they do say the lady i
very beautiful"
"You have not seen her them"
"Corpo di Baccol She is under lock ans
key, and not for the likes of me to loci
upon"
"1n the citadel, I suppese-a gloomy Gag
for fair bird"
Maybe, but I have let my tongue VA
too freely, signore, and must be going"
Safe enough with me, Messer Passaro
for am on the right side-adieu!"
made no further attempt to detain him
and he waddled off with the best part o
the now empty flask under his belt. wa
sure he knew but little more, and what
had got out of him did not amount to much
At any rate had discovered that Baglion
was out of Perugia, and that she was still
here. This was better than nothing; bu
worse than nothing if I could not discove
the place of her imprisonment. I threw my
self back in my chair, and racked my brain
to no purpose. There was nothing de6nit
for me to get hold of, no clew Of any kind
! thought Of getting the landlord - iavit
~ lels ~ = 49, . kl1le sRRS