"_Cospetto!_" he said, "it is useless." "Then I am sorry," I replied, rising as if to depart, "but must wish you good day." "_Diavolo!_ Cavaliere, you are not going without some refreshment. Ho! without there," and his deep voice pealed out like a great bell. The bear, which had stretched itself on the floor, rose with a grunt, but Baglioni pressed its head down, and it sank back, and began to hum to itself between its paws, like an enormous bee, or rather with the sound a thousand bees might make. After a little delay there was a knock at the door, but apparently, as usual, the person outside, whoever he was, did not feel disposed to come in. My host rose in anger, and stepped across the room, followed by his beast, the latter passing unpleasantly close to me. There was an altercation at the door, my host went out with his pet, and for a minute or two I was left alone. I moved my seat nearer to the small table beside Baglioni's lounge, and taking up the pack of cards began to shuffle and cut them. The cavaliere came back very soon, a flask in one hand and a glass in the other. "Blood of St. John!" he exclaimed as he set them down with a clink on the table, "those rascals--I will have their ears cut off--they fear this poor lamb," and he fondled the great bear, which rose on its hind feet and began muzzling its master. "I am not surprised. _Corpo di Bacco!_ The king again!" and I flung down the pack in apparent disgust. "Down, Pluto!" and Baglioni turned to me, "The king again. What was that you said?" "Cutting left hand against the right. I lost three times." "I lost ten thousand one night over cutting--but help yourself," and he pushed the flask towards me, and then filled his own, which he drained at a gulp. "Come, cavaliere--you are in no hurry--cut me through the pack." "With pleasure; but my purse-bearer is downstairs--will you permit me to see him?" "By all means--the heavier the purse the better for me." "A favour--I cannot play with that beast near me--could you not send him away?" "Send him away--my familiar," he said with an awful smile, "No, no, Di Savelli--he is my luck; but I shall keep him at a distance if you like." I rose and went down to Jacopo, and found him and Bande Nere already on friendly terms with the guard. I took my purse from him, and found time to whisper a warning to strike the moment he heard my whistle. When I came back, I was relieved to find the bear fastened by a chain to a ring in the wall. The chain itself was weak, and could have been snapped with ease, but the animal made no effort to strain at it, and lay down as contentedly as a dog. Baglioni had pulled a table into the centre of the room, and was seated at it, impatiently ruffling the cards. "Back at last," he said, and his voice had lost its measured cadence, "heavens, I have not spread the cards for a whole year--what stakes?" "Simply cutting the cards?" "Yes. It is the quickest game I know."