Yet I am a clement man, Francesco, and sorely though that dog has wronged me by his silence, I thank Heaven for the grace to say--God rest his vile soul!" The Count flung himself into a chair, as much to dissemble such signs of relief as might show upon his face, as because he wished to sit.
"But surely Masuccio left you some information!" he exclaimed.
"The very scantiest," returned Gian Maria, in chagrined accents.

"It was ever the way of that secretive vassal.

Damn him! He frankly told me that if I knew, I would talk.

Heard you ever of such insufferable insolence to a prince?
All that he would let me learn was that there was a conspiracy afoot to supplant me, and that he was going to capture the conspirators, together with the man whom they were inviting to take my place.

Ponder it, Francesco! Such are the murderous plans my loving subjects form for my undoing--I who rule them with a rod of gold, the most clement, just and generous prince in Italy.