"What can you do against twenty ?" "What God pleases," he answered, and for a second put the ferocity from his heart that he might smile reassurance.
"But you will be killed," she cried.

"Oh! don't go, don't go! Let them have their way, Messer Francesco.

Let Gian Maria invest the castle.

I care not, so that you do not go." Her voice, and the tale it told of sweet anxiety for his fate overruling everything else in that moment--even her horror of Gian Maria--quickened his blood to the pace of ecstasy.

He was taken by a wild longing to catch her in his arms--this lady hitherto so brave and daunted now by the fear of his peril only.