The request wounded without surprising him. He knew her unconquerable mistrust of him. He had hoped in the end which was now approaching to prove to her its cruel injustice. But if occasion for that were denied him, it would be no great matter. What signified was that her own aims should be accomplished, and, after all, they were not beyond the strength and skill of Carmagnola, who had his talents as a leader when all was said. The Duke's lack-lustre eyes were steadily upon Valeria. He spoke after a pause. 'Almost you imply a doubt of the Prince of Valsassina's capacity.' 'Not of his capacity. Oh, not of that!' 'Of what, then?' The question troubled her. She looked at her brother, and her brother answered for her. 'My sister remembers that the Prince of Valsassina was once the Marquis Theodore's friend.' 'Was he so? When was that?' The Duke looked at Bellarion, but it was Gian Giacomo who answered the question. 'When, in alliance with him, he placed him in possession of Vercelli and Genoa.' 'The alliance was the Lord Facino's, not Valsassina's. Bellarion served under him. But so also did Carmagnola. Where is the difference between them?' 'My Lord of Carmagnola acted then with a view to my brother's ultimate service,' the Princess answered. 'If he was a party to the Marquis Theodore's occupation of Vercelli, it was only so that in that act the Marquis might provide a cause for the action that is now proposed against him by the Duke of Milan.' Bellarion laughed softly at the light he suddenly perceived. 'Do you mock that statement, sir?' Carmagnola challenged him. 'Do you dare to say what was in my mind at the time?' 'I have honoured you for directness, Carmagnola. But it seems you can be subtle too.' 'Subtle!' Carmagnola flushed indignantly. 'In what have I been subtle?' 'In the spirit in which you favoured Theodore's occupation of Vercelli,' said Bellarion, and so left him gaping foolishly. 'What else did you think I had in mind?' He smiled almost ingenuously into the other's face. The Duke rapped the table. 'Sirs, sirs! We wander. And there is this matter to resolve.' Bellarion answered him. 'Here, then, is a solution your highness may be disposed to adopt. Instead of Valperga and his troops, I take with me Carmagnola and his own condotta which is of a similar strength, and, like Valperga's, mainly horse. Thus we march together, and share the enterprise.' 'But unless Bellarion commands it, Lord Duke, your highness will graciously consider sending another condotta in the place of mine,' said Koenigshofen, and Stoffel was about to add his own voice to that, when the Duke losing patience broke in. 'Peace! Peace! I am Duke of Milan, and I give orders here. You are summoned to advise, not to browbeat me and say what you will and will not do. Let it be done as Valsassina says, since Carmagnola has set his heart upon being in the campaign. But Valsassina leads the enterprise. The matter is closed on that. You have leave to go.'