IHURRIEDbacktothePalazzoandfoundScipioneMoratinialreadyarrived.Ilikedhimforhissister'ssake,butinhimselfhewasapleasantperson.
BothheandhisbrotherhadsomethingofGiuliainthem—thedelicatefeatures,thefascinationandthewinningwayswhichinthemseemedalmosteffeminate.Theirmotherhadbeenaverybeautifulwoman—reportsaidsomewhatgay—anditwasfromherthesonshadgotthegallantrywhichmadethemtheterrorofhusbandsinForli,andGiuliathecoquetrywhichhadgivenrisetosomuchscandal.Thefather,Bartolomeo,wasquitedifferent.Hewasarugged,uprightmanofsixty,verygraveandverydignified,theonlyresemblanceoffeaturetohischildrenbeingthecharmingsmile,whichthesonspossessedaswellasGiuliathoughinhimitwasrarelyseen.WhatIlikedmostinhimwastheblindloveforhisdaughter,leadinghimtounbendandbecomeayouthtoflatterherfolly.Hewasreallydevotedtoher,sothatitwasquitepathetictoseethelookofintenseaffectioninhiseyesashefollowedhermovements.He,ofcourse,hadneverheardawordoftherumourscirculatingaboutGiuliahehadtheutmostfaithinhervirtue,andI,itseemstome,hadgainedfaithfromhim.
AftertalkingawhilewithScipione,Checcocame,andwestartedforthePalazzo.ThepeopleinForliknoweverything,andwerewellawareofChecco'smission.Aswewalkedalongweweremetbymanykindgreetings,goodluck,andGodspeedwerewishedus,andChecco,beamingwithjoy,graciouslyreturnedthesalutations.
Wewereusheredintothecouncilchamber,wherewefoundthecouncillorsandmanyofthemoreprominentcitizens,andseveralgentlemenoftheCourtimmediatelythegreatfoldingdoorswereopenedandGirolamoenteredwithhiswontedstate,accompaniedbyhiscourtiersandmen-at-arms,sothatthehallwasfilledwiththem.Hetookhisseatonathrone,andgraciouslybowedtotheleftandtotheright.Hiscourtiersresponded,butthecitizenspreservedasevereaspect,quiteunsympathetictowardshiscondescension.
Girolamorosetohisfeetandmadeashortspeech,inwhichheextolledChecco'swisdomandknowledgeandpatriotism,sayinghehadheardofacontroversybetweenhimandAntonioLas