The secretary wondered, as he thought, how long it would be before the triumphant Gian threw away the mere rag of respect, the mere mockery of a title which bound him to the Empire, and became King of Lombardy in name as well as power.

'And thou thyself, my lord,' he said. 'Thou wilt marry a Valois to thy sister! Who will be thy bride?'

Visconti smiled. 'These marriages are for ambition. Dost thou think I shall marry for ambition? No, Giannotto, I have placed myself above the need of that. The alliances that make the Visconti one with the kings of Europe are for Valentine and Tisio; I shall marry—'

'For love, my lord?' ventured the secretary, with a hint of sarcasm.

'Whom I please,' said Visconti. 'Which is not what Valentine is doing,' he added with a smile.

'She may give trouble yet, my lord'

Visconti frowned. He thought of Conrad von Schulembourg, the brilliant young German noble, who had been a favourite with him and all his court and had won the heart of Valentine Visconti; no favourite of his now. 'As for my lady sister,' he said, 'let her dare turn her eyes save where I bid her.'

His own grew ominous, and Giannotto shuffled uneasily.

A noise without broke the sudden silence of reflection. Visconti, responding at once to what it meant, glanced a moment from the window where he still stood, then swept down to the head of the table. He leaned across to Giannotto, not that he valued any response that he could offer—Visconti's secretary was no more to him than the chair on which he sat, valued solely for his skill in letters—but his triumph had to have its vent. 'Hark!' he cried. 'Listen to it, Giannotto! The wealth of Verona is pouring into Milan! The spoils of Verona, Giannotto, the treasures from Mastino della Scala's palace!'

Giannotto winced before Visconti's passionate joy.

''Twas a man I hated, Giannotto—I would he had lived to feel it. The only man I ever hated, because the only man I ever 'feared, the only man who ever dared to despise me! But he has fallen, he is dead, his wife is in my power, and in his fall he has placed me higher than my highest hopes.'

Carried away by his transports, he seized Giannotto by the arm and dragged him to the window.

The secretary gazed into the courtyard, where a group of soldiers and servants were busy conveying statues, gilt and silver plate, rich tapestry, glass, china, and arms, from carts and mules into the narrow doorways that led into the grim interior of the palace. They were presided over by a major-domo in a black gown, who called out directions in a shrill voice. To one side a few unhappy men, of note enough to have been spared, watched in grim silence the unloading of the spoils that came from the sacking of their palaces. The great gates stood at their widest, and through them wound a long train of soldiers, some driving before them groups of prisoners, tightly chained together, others galloping in laden with plunder of all kinds, art treasures, blackened as if by fire, banners, and suits of armour.

'Ah, Giannotto, look,' cried Visconti, 'della Scala's collection, della Scala's jewels. How my treasury will be enriched! Only one thing mars it, that he should not be here to see!'

He turned from the window. Giannotto followed, cringing. 'Still, thou hast his wife, my lord,' he said. Gian's eyes flashed afresh.

'Isotta d'Este—ah!'

He leaned back against the wall in silence. A certain winter morning, five years ago, rose clearly before him; a massive castle, frowning from the rocks above Ferrara, and on its steps a fair girl who stood there and laughed to see him ride away back to Milan, his offer of the Visconti's friendship scorned and flung in his face by her proud family, the haughty Estes. Visconti's face grew dark as he remembered her; almost more than della Scala, her dead husband, did he hate Isotta, della Scala's wife. And she was in his power. Greatly would it have soothed him to know her death was in his power too, but the lust of ambition was greater with this man even than the lust of pride or hate.

Isotta d'Este was a valuable hostage to be used against her family, should they think Of avenging their fallen kinsman.

'Where hast thou finally placed her, my lord?' asked Giannotto, with his stealthy glance. The Duke started from his reverie.

'In the West Tower,' he smiled. 'Every day I go to gaze on the room that holds her to make sure it is not a dream; to see and feel with my eyes and my own hands that her prison is doubly sure. If Isotta d'Este should now escape me—but she will not!'

He crossed the room to leave it, but paused at the door.

'Be watchful, Giannotto, the Princess Valentine may try to leave the palace. I have spies on her every movement; still, thine eyes upon her also will do no harm—to me!'

He laughed an instant. A rustle of the hangings and he was gone. Giannotto sat on silently, looking in front of him.