He read, "Della Scala lives!"
The captain whistled softly. "Now, thou may'st hand that to the Duke instead of me," he said.
Giannotto searched the writing keenly. "Della Scala cannot live; 'tis some trick of the Torriani."
Alberic laughed harshly. "Whate'er it be, I say thou shalt have the pleasure of showing it the Duke!"
"Nay, thou must speak of thy own failures, friend. Besides, the Duke will need thee for his further orders. Count Conrad must be found, alive or dead!"
"Was it his ghost attacked the walls last night?" asked Alberic; and not wholly did he speak in jest.
The secretary cast uneasy looks across his shoulder at the ominously shut door.
"It angered Visconti strangely," he whispered. "But it was a handful of madmen. Wandering robbers from the hills! They were four at most, and they tried to scale the walls of Milan!" He smiled in scorn.
"And yet," said Alberic, "they were almost on the ramparts ere they were discovered, and when they were pursued, fled back into the night silently, nor could we find from whence they came, nor any trace of them."
"However that may be," said Giannotto, "the Duke hath dismissed even me, and the delivery of this parchment had best wait till his black fit has left him."