'To hell with your Captain Cockburn! I'll hang every man jack of you!'
He flourished his sword and would have wounded some one had not Leonardo caught his wrist with such force that the brazen sword-hilt was bent.
Trivulzio stared at the stranger in dire amazement while struggling to free himself.
'Who is this man?' he exclaimed indignantly, and the artist himself replied:—
'Leonardo da Vinci.'
'And how do you dare——' began the old marshal, still beside himself, but meeting the clear unfaltering gaze of the eyes fixed upon him, he broke off. 'Eh? you are Leonardo?' he said. 'I pray you loose my arm—you have crushed the hilt.'
'Monseigneur,' said Leonardo, 'I beseech you.—Pardon these poor fools!'
The marshal again stared in amazement; then smiled, and shook his head.
'A strange fellow! What? You entreat for them?'
'If your Excellence hangs every mother's son among them, what will it profit me? They knew not what they did.'