A consultation of some length ensued between the judges, or rather between the first two of them, Gonsalvo di Vasari and the President Peruzzi; for the Count Arestino, although many had been curious to think whether he would or would not be present at the process, seemed merely to have taken his seat as an ordinary member of the council, without feeling any peculiar interest in it. The discussion at the table was carried on in a low tone; but the prisoner watched its progress with an eye of keen and penetrating inquiry. Presently (as well as might be judged from his gestures) the Gonfalonière appeared to yield to some proposal from Gonsalvo di Vasari; and the latter wrote a few words on a slip of paper, and handed them to an usher, who bowed and left the room; after which the President made some communication (which was not heard) to the Count Arestino; and Gonsalvo himself took up the examination. "You demand, then," said Gonsalvo di Vasari, addressing Arionelli, "your own life, and a pardon for two of your associates who are in custody, as the price of the confession which you are to make relative to the disappearance of the Chevalier Lorenzo di Vasari?" "As the price of my full answer to all your questions on that subject, as far as my knowledge goes, my lord," was the reply--"provided, in the mean time, your lordship causes these cords to be loosened, which give me pain something unnecessarily, and which another turn would have drawn too tight for the advantage of your lordship's objects, or of mine." "And these associates, for whose lives you covenant?" continued Di Vasari, when the prisoner's request had been complied with. "Are my friends, my lord--men of my own band. They came, indeed, after I was taken, to rescue me at the scaffold; and the least I can do now is to let our cause go together." "And what if your obstinate silence (to repay that intended obligation) should cause them to die a death of torture, as you are like to do yourself?" "They will be as able to endure such a fate as I am. I play for the higher stake--our lives. And if the die goes against me, we must suffer." "And when their turn upon the rack comes," interrupted the Gonfalonière, "then _they_ will disclose your secret." "That they will tell you no word of it, my lord, I have the best security--they know nothing of it themselves." "You are called," said Gonsalvo di Vasari, "Luigino Arionelli. Are you not that Luigino Arionelli who is known by the name of 'The Vine-dresser?'"