Marjorie Bowen

“ Mastino struck his hand against the tent impatiently.
"I know!" he cried. "I know the odds are not equal! When I seek to comfort myself, why wilt thou remind me, Ligozzi? What can I do? Nothing but what I say: march on Milan. And mark me, Ligozzi; whatever befall, if all desert me to a man, if d'Este fail me, I will not leave the walls of Milan—alive, without my wife." ”

“ But Della Scala cut him short.
"I see, Ligozzi, I see. I am a man wanting to be persuaded against himself; yet do I still hope—against myself——"
"To rescue——"
"To rescue my wife, wouldst thou say?" flashed Mastino. "No, I do not hope that: that I will do—in my soul I know it; but I still hope to conquer in fair fight. What did the attempt at guile avail us? We were betrayed; open force were better."
Ligozzi's anger rose at the thought of that betrayal. ”

“ No! Visconti is not leagued with Heaven: it cannot be! it cannot be!"
"No," said Ligozzi; "even Visconti would not dare to harm the Duchess. Ye will see her again, my lord."
Della Scala turned away to the other end of the tent; it was plain to him Ligozzi's heart was not in the comfort that he gave, that he thought with the others that they would do well to fall back from Milan, join the Estes, and hold the towns they had.
"But they do not understand," said Mastino in his heart. "I will never go back alive—without my wife." ”