Of all the company Bernardo was perhaps the only one unconscious of the threatening atmosphere. Wonderful thoughts were kindling in him at the near prospect of this, the goal to all his hopes and ambitions. Milan! It was Milan at last—the capital of his promised estate of love. Blue and small, swimming far away in the sun mists of the plains, he felt that he could clasp it all in his arms, and carry it to the foot of the Throne. His eyes brightened with clear tears: this salvage of the dark, dead ages reclaimed to God! ’_Domine!_’ he exclaimed in ecstasy, clasping his hands: ’_Emitte lucem tuam et veritatem tuam_! O Lord, touch mine eyes, that they may penetrate even where Thy light shineth like a glow-worm in deep mosses!’ Carlo roughly shouted him to their meal. His heart was throbbing with an emotional rapture as he obeyed. The table was served in a trellised alley, under hanging stalactites of grapes. Beatrice flagged on a bench at the end of the board, her shoulders sunk into a bower all crushed of sunshine and green shadows. It was the vine-goddess come home, soft, sensual, making a lust of fatigue. Her lids were half-closed; her teeth showed in a small, indolent smile; light, reflected from the purple clusters, slept on the warm ivory of her skin. Bernardo, coming opposite her, stood transfixed before a vision of such utter animal loveliness. His breath seemed to mount quicker as he gazed. Carlo drummed on the board, where he sat hunched over it. Looking from one to the other, he puffed out a little ironic laugh. ’Wonderest what is passing there, boy?’ said he. ’Wilt never know. Not a hair would she turn though, like Althea, she were to find herself in child with a firebrand.’ Bernardo lowered his eyes with a blush. ’Nay,’ said he, ’my thoughts of Madonna were more tempered. I coveted only her beauty for heaven.’ ’Anon, Messer, anon!’ cried the other banteringly: ’be not so free with my property. I hold her yet about the waist, seest, with a silver fetter? If there be a prior claim to mine——’ ’Ay, Chastity’s,’ put in the boy. Lanti hooted. ’Tempt her, if thou wilt, with such a suitor. She will follow him as she would the hangman. Wilt throw off thy belt, Beatrice? I gave a thousand scudi for it. See what Chastity here will offer thee in its room.’ ’I will answer, if I may examine it,’ said Bembo gravely. ’Will you tell her to unclasp it, Carlo, and let me look? I see it is all hinged of antique coins. There was a Father at San Zeno collected such things.’ ’What, ladies’ girdles!’ ’Now, Carlo! you know I mean the coins. Methinks I recognise a text in one of them.’ Beatrice shrugged her shoulders, with a little yawn expressive of intolerable boredom. ’Well,’ quoth Lanti impatiently, ’let him see it, you and he shall parable us for grace to meat, while these laggard dogs’—he looked over his shoulder, growling for his dinner.