The Honour of Savelli: A RomanceLevett Yeats, S. (Sidney)
History
The Honour of Savelli: A Romance
Levett Yeats, S. (Sidney)
Italy -- History -- 1492-1559 -- Fiction
When I awoke the next morning, my head was still dazed, but I was
otherwise strong. At least, I felt so, as I lay still in my bed, all
sense of fatigue gone, and trying to collect my thoughts. After a
little, I glanced round the chamber, which was not the room where I
had taken the potion, but another and a larger apartment. It was no
fancy then, the voices of Jacopo and Bande Nere I heard and the
sensation of being lifted and moved, which I experienced in the night.
My removal was doubtless effected whilst I was under the influence of
the drug; but the voice of madame? The almost certainty that she was
by me through the hours of the night? I could not account for this,
and seeing any such effort was useless, ceased to rack my brain on the
subject, putting it down to a mad dream. For some while I lay
mustering up courage to rise, fanned by the mild breeze, which played
in from the open window on my right. Outside I could see the branches
of the trees, as they swayed to and fro in the wind, and the joyous
song of a mavis trilled out sweetly through the morning, from the
thorn bushes whence he piped. In about a half hour my head began to
grow clearer, I remembered Angiola's letter, and thrust my hand under
the pillow to find it. Of course it was not there, as I had been
moved, and a short exclamation of annoyance broke from me.
"Excellency!"
It was Jacopo's voice, and the good fellow, who had evidently been
watching me, came forward from behind the head of the bed.
"Ah, Jacopo! Is it you? Here, help me to rise."
"Signore--but is your worship able--the chevalier----"
"Never mind the chevalier. I am as well as ever, and there was no need
of that to-do yesterday--_diavolo!_" and a twinge in my face brought
me up sharply, and recalled Pluto's claws. I put my hand up to my
face, and found I was still bandaged.
"It was lucky he only touched your worship."
"Luckier still your being there with your arquebus, else. St. Peter
and I had surely shaken hands--there--thanks--I will sit here for a
few minutes," and I sank into an easy chair, being really weaker than
I thought I was, the effects more of the narcotic than anything else.
"Will your worship breakfast here?"
"No--but before doing anything, go to the room where I was last
evening, and bring me the letter you will find under the cushions of
the couch there."
"Excellency!" and Jacopo left the room.
I now for the first time observed a bouquet of red and white roses,
whose fragrance filled the chamber. I had been conscious of their
perfume before, but thought the scent was borne in by the breeze from
the garden outside. Whilst I was admiring the flowers, Jacopo
returned.
"The letter."
"Is not there, signore, I have searched carefully."
It was a disappointment, but I said nothing, having determined to see
for myself. As Jacopo assisted me to dress, I enquired to whom I was
indebted for the flowers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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