CHAPTER V. MADONNA'S INGRATITUDE

We stayed in Fossombrone little more than a half-hour, and having made a hasty supper we resumed our way, giving out that we wished to reach Fano ere we slept. And so by the first hour of night Fossombrone was a league or so behind us, and we were advancing briskly towards the sea. Overhead a moon rode at the full in a clear sky, and its light was reflected by the snow, so that we were not discomforted by any darkness. We fell, presently, into a gentler pace, for, after all, there could be no advantage in reaching Pesaro before morning, and as we rode we talked, and I made bold to ask her the cause of her flight from Rome.

She told me then that she was Madonna Paola Sforza di Santafior, and that Pope Alexander, in his nepotism and his desire to make rich and powerful alliances for his family, had settled upon her as the wife for his nephew, Ignacio Borgia. He had been emboldened to this step by the fact that her only protector was her brother, Filippo di Santafior, whom they had sought to coerce. It was her brother, who, seeing himself in a dangerous and unenviable position, had secretly suggested flight to her, urging her to repair to her kinsman Giovanni Sforza at Pesaro. Her flight, however, must have been speedily discovered and the Borgias, who saw in that act a defiance of their supreme authority, had ordered her pursuit.

Answer this series of questions:

1. where did they stay ?
2. for how long ?
3. wwhere were they going ?
4. when were they trying to get there ?
5. what did they do during the ride ?
6. did he ask why she was going to rome ?
7. who was she ?
8. what is the rest of her name ?
9. who wanted to make rich friends ?
10. in his what ?
11. who was his nephew ?
12. who was her brother ?
13. who found out about the flight ?
14. what did they order ?
15. was the sky clowdly ?
16. what was it ?
17. was it in the summer ?
18. who do you know this ?
19. what was overhead ?
20. and they were advancing toward a ocean ?

Numbered answers:
1. Fossombrone
2. little more than a half-hou
3. Pesaro
4. morning
5. talked
6. yes
7. Madonna Paola
8. di Santafior,
9. Pope Alexande
10. nepotism
11. Ignacio Borgia
12. Filippo di Santafior
13. Borgias
14. her pursuit
15. no
16. clear
17. no
18. snow
19. a moon
20. sea