I CONFRONT MY ENEMIES

I could not see his face, for besides that it was now very dark, he kept his cloak up, and had pulled his hat downwards over his brow; but his voice was perfectly familiar.  His companion was similarly muffled; I did not then recognise him.

I saluted the count and admitted the fineness of the night.  It seemed to me that he had more to say—­and he had.

“I have wished a little conversation with you, Don Francis,” he said.  “Shall we walk together?  You are returning to your lodging—­after an interview which, to judge from its duration, must have been pleasant.”

“My dear count,” said I, “Donna Aurelia, as you know, is an old friend of mine.  We had much to say.  I will walk with you by all means.  But your friend here——­”

He laughed.  “My friend will not disturb us.  Let me make two gentlemen acquainted, who should know each other, at least, by name.  Marchese, let me present you to my friend Mr. Francis Strelley.  Don Francis, be pleased to salute the illustrious Marchese Semifonte.”

I began to smell mischief—­indeed I had smelt it already.  I knew that the count was no longer my friend; and as for Semifonte, no doubt he would murder me if he durst.  Here, then, were these two worthies in league, and waiting for me in a lonely place.  Lucky that I had my sword.

In the meantime Semifonte raised his hat and bowed; I returned the salutation and said that I had had the advantage of meeting his lordship already.  To that he made no reply.  We then walked on together—­I on the inside, next to me the count, the marchese on the outside.

The count began by congratulating me upon my escape from Florence, and from what might have been a most awkward affair.  “Luckily for me,” he added, “I was out of the city at the time, or, between my duty and my inclination, I should have found myself in a dilemma.”

To that I replied that it was sufficient for me to be sure that he had been absent.  “If I had known that Donna Aurelia was still in the Villa San Giorgio,” I went on, “at the time when I was hiding from your excellency’s servants, I believe I should have pushed my importunities so far as her door.”

“You would have asked Donna Aurelia to interest herself in the cause of your charming—­your too charming——­” I could not see his face, but could have sworn that he was showing his teeth.

“Not at all, count,” I said, “not at all.  But I should have asked the Grand Duke’s principal Minister to remember that he had betrayed an innocent girl’s whereabouts to those who sought her ruin, and to give fair play to him who had risked his life to protect her.”

“You wrong me, sir,” he said warmly; “you accuse me of treachery.  Of that I am incapable.  As for my distinguished friend here——­”

“Let your distinguished friend deny that he purchased Virginia Strozzi from her parents,” I retorted; “that he has sought her ever since—­that he sent Palamone to murder me—­that he still intends some mischief.  Let him deny these things, and I speak no more of them.”