After that he retired, it being late. I saw him across the courtyard as far as his apartments, and then returning to my rooms, unconsciously took the chair St. Armande had vacated. The goblet of wine he had filled was before me, and I idly lifted it in my hand. It was barely touched. In fact he could but have tasted a few drops only.
Like lightning a suspicion of treachery came on me. The man had been pretending to drink. With what object? I could not make out. Was the offer of the money a blind? Perhaps so, and if then? I had been a fool to agree to his joining me, with that sour-looking abbé of his. Yes, I had been a fool, but it was lucky I discovered my own folly in time. I should keep my eyes on this silken diplomat, and if necessary pick a quarrel with him, and run him through. Somehow I did not like the idea of this, however; but determined to get rid of him in one way or the other. I would allow nothing to stand between me and the road back to honour. So musing I sat for a half-hour or so, and was startled by Jacopo's sudden entry, so lost was I in thought. He came and stood, bolt upright, next to my chair, without saying a word. I knew from this that he had some request to make, some favour to ask, as otherwise he would not have hesitated to make play with his tongue at once.
"What is it Jacopo?"
He shifted uneasily from one foot to the other, and then replied--
"Your excellency, I want leave."
"Leave! What for? You are not going to be married, are you?"
"Heaven and the saints forbid, excellency. No--no--it is not that, it is only leave for the day I want, and also for our men."
"The devil! What are you going to do?"
"Only a little dinner, excellency, which I am giving."
"And wasting those crowns you got the other day. Well, that is your affair, not mine. Yes, you can have the leave."