'He has been fortunate,' Carmagnola answered, 'and his good fortune has gone to his head.'
Meanwhile Bellarion went straight from that interview to despatch Werner von Stoffel with five hundred arbalesters and six hundred horse to Carpignano.
There was a fresh breeze with Carmagnola when the latter discovered this. He demanded to know why it should have been done without previous consultation with himself and the Princess, and Valeria was beside him when he asked the question.
Bellarion's answer was a very full one.
'You will be a week building your bridges. In that time it may occur to Theodore to do what he should have done already, to destroy the bridge at Carpignano.'
'And what do I care about the bridge at Carpignano when I shall have bridges of my own here?'
'When you have bridges of your own here, you need not care. But I have a notion that it will be longer than you think before you have these bridges, and that we may have to go by way of Carpignano in the end.'
'I shall have my bridges in a week,' said Carmagnola.
Bellarion smiled. 'When you have them, and when you have put two thousand men across to hold them, I'll bid Stoffel return from Carpignano.'
'But in the meantime ...'