Bellarion the Fortunate

by Rafael Sabatini

'Of course they failed, you foul traitor!' Carmagnola bawled at him. 'They are ingenious, but they are obvious to a man caught as you are.'

'It is not I that am caught; but you that are in danger of it, Carmagnola, in danger of being caught in the web that Theodore has spun.'

'To what end? To what end should he spin it? Answer that.'

'Perhaps to set up dissensions amongst us, perhaps to remove the only one of the captains opposed to him whom he respects.'

'You're modest, by God!' sneered Carmagnola.

'And you're a purblind fool, Carmagnola,' cried Stoffel in heat.

'Then are we all fools,' said Belluno. 'For we are all of the same mind on this.'

'Aye,' said Bellarion sadly. 'You're all of the same emptiness. That's clear. Well, let us have in this clown and question him.'

'To what purpose?'

'That we may wring from him his precise instructions, since the letter does not suffice.'