She asked him for some account of himself and whence he came, using the Italian tongue, of which she had a passing knowledge.

He followed her questions very attentively, at times with apparent difficulty, his eyes on her face, his head craned a little forward.
Now and then Fortunio had to intervene, to make plainer to this ignorant Piedmontese mind the Marquise's questions.

His answers came in a deep, hoarse voice, slurred by the accent of Piedmont, and madame--her knowledge of Italian being imperfect--had frequently to have recourse to Fortunio to discover the meaning of what he said.
At last she dismissed the pair of them, bidding the captain see that he was washed and more fittingly clothed.
An hour later, after the Seneschal had taken his departure to ride home to Grenoble, it was madame herself, accompanied by Marius and Fortunio, who conducted Battista--such was the name the Italian had given--to the apartments above, where mademoiselle was now confined practically a prisoner..