There I knocked; and Bebo opened the door, and when he saw me dabbled with blood, he marveled that I had not come to grief and fallen into the hands of justice; and, indeed, had feared as much because I had remained so long away.' It appears, therefore, that the Palazzo Collalto was their rendezvous.

'The Count was from home; but being known to all his people, I played the master and went into the kitchen to the fire, and with soap and water turned my hose, which had been white, to a grey color.' This is a very delicate way of saying that he washed out the blood of Alessandro and Lorenzino! Soon after the Count returned, and 'lavished caresses' upon Bebo and his precious comrade.

They did not tell him what they had achieved that morning, but put him off with a story of having settled a _sbirro_ in a quarrel about a girl.

Then the Count invited them to dinner; and being himself bound to entertain the first physician of Venice, requested them to take it in an upper chamber.

He and his secretary served them with their own hands at table.