Then he suddenly screeched--"Yes!"
In an instant I had dragged him to his feet again, his pretty clothes and
daintily curled hair all crumpled, so that he looked the most pitiful thing
in all the world.
"Lead us to her chamber," I bade him.
And he obeyed as men obey when the fear of death is upon them.
CHAPTER X
THE NUPTIALS OF BIANCA
An awful thought was in my mind as we went, evoked by the presence in such
a place of one of the Duke's gentlemen; an awful question rose again and
again to my lips, and yet I could not bring myself to utter it.
So we went on in utter silence now, my hand upon his shoulder, clutching
velvet doublet and flesh and bone beneath it, my dagger bare in my other
hand.
We crossed an antechamber whose heavy carpet muffled our footsteps, and we
halted before tapestry curtains that masked a door, Here, curbing my fierce
impatience, I paused. I signed to the five attendant soldiers to come no
farther; then I consigned the courtier who had guided us to the care of
Falcone, and I restrained Cavalcanti, who was shaking from head to foot.
I raised the heavy, muffling curtain, and standing there an instant by the
door, I heard my Bianca's voice, and her words seemed to freeze the very
marrow in my bones.
"0, my lord," she was imploring in a choking voice, "0, my lord, have pity
on me!"
"Sweet," came the answer, "it is I who beseech pity at your hands.
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