Like lightning a suspicion of treachery came on me. The man had been pretending to drink. With what object? I could not make out. Was the offer of the money a blind? Perhaps so, and if then? I had been a fool to agree to his joining me, with that sour-looking abbé of his. Yes, I had been a fool, but it was lucky I discovered my own folly in time. I should keep my eyes on this silken diplomat, and if necessary pick a quarrel with him, and run him through. Somehow I did not like the idea of this, however; but determined to get rid of him in one way or the other. I would allow nothing to stand between me and the road back to honour. So musing I sat for a half-hour or so, and was startled by Jacopo's sudden entry, so lost was I in thought. He came and stood, bolt upright, next to my chair, without saying a word. I knew from this that he had some request to make, some favour to ask, as otherwise he would not have hesitated to make play with his tongue at once. "What is it Jacopo?" He shifted uneasily from one foot to the other, and then replied-- "Your excellency, I want leave." "Leave! What for? You are not going to be married, are you?" "Heaven and the saints forbid, excellency. No--no--it is not that, it is only leave for the day I want, and also for our men." "The devil! What are you going to do?" "Only a little dinner, excellency, which I am giving." "And wasting those crowns you got the other day. Well, that is your affair, not mine. Yes, you can have the leave." "A hundred thanks, excellency." "Mind you, there must be no brawling, no trouble." "Excellency." "Well, good night, and remember what I say. Here, you might remove this wine-cup as you go." "Good-night, signore," and Jacopo, lifting the goblet, went out. The night being fairly warm, I kept my door open, and as he passed into the portico, I saw him drain the contents of the goblet with a gulp, and heard him draw his lips together with a smack of approval, and march off to his quarters, chuckling at something or other. The following afternoon I rode out with Bayard and half-a-dozen others. It was a hawking party, and there was a long gallop to our point of operation, which was to begin a little way beyond Ponte Molle. In a short time we started a noble heron, and Bayard flinging his peregrine into the air, we rode after the birds. It was a glorious ride, and Castor and Pollux far outstripped the others, so much so that when we drew rein beside the stricken heron, and Bayard slipped the hood on to his hawk, our companions were not in sight. This, however, troubled us little, and turning rein we made backwards. On our way back I seized the opportunity to mention to Bayard that St. Armande had volunteered to aid me in my task, and that I had accepted his offer. "It will do him good," he said; "he seems a noble youth, who has been tied too long to apron-strings." "Do you think so?" I said; "he strikes me as being effeminate to a degree--and yet I cannot help liking him."