He paused outside Visconti's door, and the secretary smoothed a smile from his face, and, tapping slightly, entered with a silent, cringing movement. The chamber was dark, although it was full noonday. Visconti had no love for the sunlight, and even the narrow windows were obscured and shrouded in dark purple. The walls were paneled in carved wood, but, apart from the stiff chairs, the sole furniture of the apartment was a long low chest, set open, and showing silver goblets and curious bottles and glasses twisted into strange shapes, and colored. At the farther end were two doors close together, and between them sat Visconti, huddled up against the wall, gazing at the floor with strained, wide-open eyes. Giannotto, entering softly, noticed in his hand a bracelet, fashioned as a snake, emerald green, of striking workmanship. "A messenger from the Bologna embassy, my lord," he said, closing the door behind him, "has entreated me to ask thy attention to them." Visconti looked up quickly, and put out of sight the bracelet with a snap of anger. "What, do the Bolognese trouble me?" he said fiercely. "They only follow the example of the Pavians, my lord," returned the secretary smoothly. "They would have thy mediation between the rival factions in their state." "My mediation! Pavia asked it, as thou say'st, and so did Bergamo; yet do the twain who then appealed to me reign in either city now? The Bolognese are foolish," said Visconti. Giannotto shrugged his shoulders. "That need not trouble thee, my lord. Bologna is a wealthy town. Thy lordship will think of it?" The secretary's eyes were on the ground. Gian Galeazzo slipped his bracelet into his doublet and rose. "Aye, I will think of it," he said, "but for the moment there are more precious things to do even than using the Bolognese against themselves." Giannotto waited. The Duke paced to and fro a moment, then broke into the subject next his heart. "Thinkest thou Della Scala will outwit me?" he said eagerly. "Thinkest thou that if he do reach Ferrara he will rouse the Estes to action?" "He had two good hours' start," returned Giannotto, "and the road to Ferrara offers many chances." "And those men--who let them escape them? Do they still live?" "Aye, my lord. They are valuable. It is enough that Alberic da Salluzzo has been lost to us----" "They shall yet hang for it," said Visconti. With rapid steps he returned to his seat, flung himself into it, clutching the arms with vice-like grip.