"And you," he said. "You, lady, what think you of trusting Della Scala with an army?"
"Where is he, to speak for himself?" she asked.
"We are waiting for him," Ippolito replied. "He said he would be with us. He is late," he added testily.
"Doubtless the hour has escaped him," put in Giacomo pleasantly. "The Duke of Verona will not fail us."
"He will disappoint us--if he turns up," said Vincenzo under his breath. But Conrad caught the whisper and choked with a suppressed laugh--not that the remark was funny, but that Count Schulembourg was foolish. Ippolito's stern eyes were turned on him.
"Is this a council of war?" he asked, "or a gathering of----"
"A council of war," interposed Conrad hastily, with his most winning smile.
But D'Este looked on him with mistrust; he had no love for the light-hearted German.
Still Mastino came not, and Giacomo moved with a great show of patience and forbearance.
"'Tis scarcely the way to treat with us," he said.
"'Tis treatment good enough for those who bear it," breathed Vincenzo, and Conrad sniffed his orange. Ippolito's brow grew dark; he struck a gong beside him, and a page appeared.
"Tell my lord of Verona we wait for him." He turned to the others. "'Tis agreed," he said quickly, "that we furnish Della Scala with a small army--to be contributed between us."
Carrara moved in silent assent; in Julia Gonzaga's face a faint scorn showed.
A silence fell, broken only by the tapping of d'Este's fingers on the polished table.
Then at the farther end of the chamber two pages drew apart the scarlet curtains and Mastino della Scala entered. Conrad, glancing up, wondered how even for a moment he could have mistaken him for aught but what he was, so noble and stately was his bearing.
Conrad and the d'Estes moved at his entrance, but slightly, and kept their eyes upon him as he walked to the head of the table and there took his place.
Though by far the plainest in attire, his simple leather doublet in marked contrast with Conrad's display and Vincenzo's fashion, he took the head of the council, naturally and unquestioned. So much of the glory of his former greatness still remained to him.
"And are your councils ended?" he asked. "I would hasten you, my lords. Still further delay, and Visconti will be first in the field."