Cowed, like a hound at sight of the whip, Ramiro whimpered into silence.
Cesare waved his hand in his direction, half-turning to the men-at-arms behind him.
"Take and disarm him," was his passionless command.

And while they were doing his bidding, he turned to me and ordered the executioner beside me to unbind my hands and set me at liberty.
"I owe you a heavy debt, Messer Biancomonte," he said, without any warmth, even now that his voice was laden with a message of gratitude.
"It shall be discharged.

It is thanks to your daring and resource that the seneschal Mariani was able to bring me this letter, this piece of culminating proof against Ramiro del' Orca.

It is fortunate for you that Mariani was not put to it to ride to Faenza to find me, or else I am afraid we had not reached Cesena in time to save your life.

I met him some leagues this side of Faenza, as I was on my way to Sinigaglia." He turned abruptly to Ramiro.
"In this letter which Vitelli wrote you," said he, "it is suggested that there are others in the conspiracy.