"Do you know the room?" I asked pretending to fumble for a coin.
"In the tower behind," he answered rapidly, "may the saints bless your lordship," and he limped away.
In order to gain time to look about, I put back my purse leisurely, and then, with the same object, proceeded to rearrange and retie the bows on my doublet. The face of the house was a little way back from the wall which it overlooked. The massive doorway was shut, and the windows on each side of it, as well as those set above, heavily grated. I was too near the house to see the tower behind, and it looked so deserted that it was hardly possible for six men to be on guard there.
"An odd sort of bower to place one's lady-love in," I said, half aloud, to myself; but then Baglioni's wooing was a rough one. There was obviously nothing to be got by staring at the front of the house, and I turned to my left, pausing between two dead walls, until I obtained a view of the tower behind. The windows of the topmost room were all closed and strongly barred, and it seemed deserted. I glanced lower down, and to my joy saw that the room below was evidently occupied, and once I caught a glimpse of a figure moving within. It was a brief glimpse; but the eyes of love are sharp, and I knew it was Angiola. I made up my mind at once, and stepping back quickly to the front of the house, hammered loudly at the door with the knocker. After a moment's silence, I heard the firm tread of a soldier. A small barrier was let down, a bearded face looked up, and a rough voice asked--
"Who knocks?"
"Diavolo!" I exclaimed. "You are polite. Is the Cavaliere Paolo within?"
"He is not," replied the man shortly.
"Expected soon?"
"Cannot say."
"If you do not answer more civilly it will be bad for you. Tell him when he comes that the Cavaliere di Savelli"--I gave my proper name--"has arrived from Rome on an urgent affair, and will call on him to-morrow; forget, and it will be the worse for you."