his aunt with an offer of money, and that she would come to his, Lorenzo’s chamber at the service of the Duke that night.  Only the Duke must appear at the rendezvous alone, and when he had arrived, the lady should be fetched.  ‘Certain it is,’ says Varchi, ’that the Duke, having donned a cloak of satin in the Neapolitan style, lined with sable, when he went to take his gloves, and there were some of mail and some of perfumed leather, hesitated awhile and said:  “Which shall I choose, those of war, or those of love-making?"’ He took the latter and went out with only four attendants, three of whom he dismissed upon the Piazza di San Marco, while one was stationed just opposite Lorenzo’s house, with strict orders not to stir if he should see folk enter or issue thence.  But this fellow, called the Hungarian, after waiting a great while, returned to the Duke’s chamber, and there went to sleep.

Meanwhile Lorenzino received Alessandro in his bedroom, where there was a good fire.  The Duke unbuckled his sword, which Lorenzino took, and having entangled the belt with the hilt, so that it should not readily be drawn, laid it on the pillow.  The Duke had flung himself already on the bed, and hid himself among the curtains—­doing this, it is supposed, to save himself from the trouble of paying compliments to the lady when she should arrive.  For Caterina Ginori had the fame of a fair speaker, and Alessandro was aware of his own incapacity to play the part of a respectful lover.  Nothing could more strongly point the man’s brutality than this act, which contributed in no small measure to his ruin.

Lorenzino left the Duke upon the bed, and went at once for Scoronconcolo.  He told him that the enemy was caught, and bade him only mind the work he had to do.  ‘That will I do,’ the bravo answered, ‘even though it were the Duke himself.’  ‘You’ve hit the mark,’ said Lorenzino with a face of joy; ’he cannot slip through our fingers.  Come!’ So they mounted to the bedroom, and Lorenzino, knowing where the Duke was laid, cried:  ‘Sir, are you asleep?’ and therewith ran him through the back.  Alessandro was sleeping, or pretending to sleep, face downwards, and the sword passed through his kidneys and diaphragm.  But it did not kill him.  He slipped from the bed, and seized a stool to parry the next blow.  Scoronconcolo now stabbed him in the face, while Lorenzino forced him back upon the bed; and then began a hideous struggle.  In order to prevent his cries, Lorenzino doubled his fist into the Duke’s mouth.  Alessandro seized the thumb between his teeth, and held it in a vice until he died.  This disabled Lorenzino, who still lay upon his victim’s body, and Scoronconcolo could not strike for fear of wounding his master.  Between the writhing couple he made, however, several passes with his sword, which only pierced the mattress.  Then he drew a knife and drove it into the Duke’s throat, and bored about till he had severed veins and windpipe.