THEOrsiandtheMoratinihadtakenmyadviceandgonetoCittàdiCastellosoitwastothatcitywedirectedourway,andeventuallyreacheditinsafety.IdidnotknowwhereBartolomeoMoratiniwas,andIdidnotwishtotakeGiuliatomyownhouse,soIplacedherinaBenedictineconvent,thesuperiorofwhich,onhearingmyname,promisedtogiveherguesteverycare.
ThenIwenttotheoldpalacewhichIhadnotseenforsomanyyears.IhadbeentooexcitedtogetreallyhometonoticeanythingofthestreetsasIpassedthroughthembutasIcameinviewofthewell-rememberedwalls,Istopped,overcomewithstrangeemotions....IrememberedthedaywhennewshadbeenbroughtmethattheoldVitelli,whowasthenrulerofCastello,hadmurmuredcertainthingsaboutmewhichcausedmynecktoitchuncomfortably—anduponthisIhadentrustedmylittlebrothertoarelative,whowasoneofthecanonsofthecathedral,andthepalacetomysteward,andmountingmyhorse,riddenoffwithallpossiblehaste.IhadsupposedthatafewmonthswouldcalmtheangryVitelli,butthemonthshadlengthenedoutintoyears,andhisdeathhadcomebeforehisforgiveness.ButnowIreallywasback,andIdidnotmeantogoawaymytravelshadtaughtmecaution,andmyintriguesatForligivenmeenoughexcitementforsometime.Besides,Iwasgoingtomarryandrearafamilyfor,asifFortunecouldnotgivescantily,Ihadgainedaloveaswellasahome,andeverythingIwishedwasgranted.
Mymeditationswereinterrupted.
'CorpodiBacco!'
ItwasMatteo,andinamomentIwasinhisarms.
'Iwasjustas