"Good! I understand! I swear!" cried Conrad again.
Mastino Della Scala looked into his eyes.
"I trust thee," he said simply. "Thou knowest how my wife's safety lies on my soul--and if Carrara play false, we are well-nigh ruined. These weeks have I had him under Ligozzi's eyes, day and night, and now thou must take my place." Conrad kissed Mastino's hand in silence, his emotional nature overcome to tears.
"Come, my lord, the time wears," said Ligozzi, and Della Scala turned to leave.
"Remember, I trust thee, and thee solely, Conrad," he said. As he dropped the flap behind him, he turned to Ligozzi.
"Will he be worthy of it, Ligozzi?" he said. "But I must perforce trust him when there is no other."
Outside the Duke's tent, his escort was in readiness to start, and his white horse stood waiting, held by Tomaso.
"After all, my lord," whispered Ligozzi, "Carrara _may_ not be false."
Mastino shook his head. "He only waits the opening," he said. "What does console me," he added, "is that I shall be back to-morrow." And he looked toward Milan as he spoke.
"Ligozzi," he continued wistfully, "how long the time seems since I saw her. The last words I heard her speak are forever in my ears: 'While thou livest I fear nothing'; and I live, Ligozzi. Sometimes I am ashamed of it!"
"You live to free her, my lord," said Ligozzi softly.
Mastino mounted in silence. "Yes, I live for that," he said, after the pause.
"Yes, thou shalt come with us," he smiled; "only mount in haste. The time wears on."
At this moment, foremost among a little group of horsemen, Carrara cantered toward him, black-eyed, smiling, richly dressed, a plumed cap between his smooth white fingers.
"Farewell, Carrara," said Mastino. "Count von Schulembourg is second in command. I leave all to your discretion, subject to my orders already given."
Giacomo bowed, but made no reply other than his smiling eyes. His meditated treasons were ripe for execution, and he could scarce contain himself at the good fortune of it; Visconti's messenger had reached him the same day that Della Scala rode away. There remained only Conrad.
"Till to-morrow at noon," murmured Carrara, repeating Della Scala's last words, as he watched him ride away. "An attack on Milan, in less than a week! You are mad for a woman's silly face--in less than a week I shall have joined Visconti."