Leonora made a low obeisance to the king, in whose sweet and somewhat suffering face she saw a spirit of kindness and generous feeling that encouraged her, but knelt before the cardinal and reverently kissed his hand. His was a harsh though handsome countenance, and there was a flash in his dark eye which seemed to betoken a fiery and passionate nature. "Rise, rise, my child," said he good humouredly enough. "I was much surprised, when a few nights ago, I joined his majesty of France, to hear that you were journeying with so young a cavalier as this Lorenzo Visconti." "It was by my father's express command, your eminence," replied Leonora, "and besides, as you see, I have not only my own women with me, but also Mona Mariana here, a person of discreet age, sent with me by your uncle the count." A slight smile, unperceived by the cardinal; passed across the sweet lips of the beautiful girl, as she thought of the amount of Mariana's discretion. "Well, well, that is all right," said the hasty cardinal, "and how has he comported himself towards you, this young lord?" "With all care and kindness," answered Leonora. "Ay, doubtless," he answered, "but with reverence too, I hope--sought to do you no wrong?" The colour came up into Leonora's cheek, but it was evidently not the blush of shame. "Lorenzo Visconti is incapable of doing wrong to any one, my Lord Cardinal," she said, "and were he not, the last one, methinks, he would seek to wrong is his promised wife." "Ay, and has it gone as far as that?" said the cardinal, "pray is this with your father's knowledge." "With his knowledge and his full consent, my lord," replied Leonora, not a little offended at his close questions and harsh manner before so many witnesses. It must indeed be recollected that Ramiro d'Orco, though cold in manner towards his child, had left her almost to the guidance of her own will, before we can judge of the feelings created by Julian's assumption of authority. "Well, it is all well, I suppose," replied the old man, "and now, Signora, can you tell me what it is your young protector wants to say to me. Doubtless, you know he wrote to his majesty, here present, requesting to be permitted to fall back in order to confer with me." "He sought your counsel and directions, my lord," replied Leonora; "the course of the army had been changed, and marched by Parma instead of Bologna. My father had also gone on from Bologna, where I was to have joined him, to Rome, which Lorenzo thought not a fit place for me, and there were many other reasons which he can explain better than I can, why he thought you, sir--reverend as you are, by life and profession--should be consulted as soon as we heard you were near."