Marjorie Bowen

Name: The Viper of Milan — 31. The Pride of the d'Estes
Author: Marjorie Bowen

The Viper of Milan — 31. The Pride of the d'Estes (1906)

Summary

“The Viper of Milan — 31. The Pride of the d'Estes”, published in 1906, is a work by Marjorie Bowen. It explores elements such as Vincenzo, Visconti and Della Scala.

Quotes from The Viper of Milan — 31. The Pride of the d'Estes (Marjorie Bowen)

Marjorie Bowen, The Viper of Milan — 31. The Pride of the d'Estes (1906)

“ Count Conrad had ridden away. Vincenzo stood silent in the great patch of sunlight that lay along the floor till Conrad's bridle bells were quite lost in the distance; then he turned, with something like a sigh.
He was not alone long—Ippolito re-entered with a calm face, and yet one his son was startled by.
"Count Conrad's news has been confirmed," he said; "a messenger has returned." He paused a moment. "All the country is in Visconti's hands."
"The saints save us!" cried Vincenzo.
"Aye, the saints, for there is no hope in man!" ”

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Source: Wikisource

Marjorie Bowen, The Viper of Milan — 31. The Pride of the d'Estes (1906)

“ The streets, the whole town, were in a panic. The wild terror of the whole country-side had found its voice inside the gates of Novara; there were six hundred men to defend the walls—and God! how Visconti sacked a town!
The sunlight that had rested along the walls when Conrad said farewell, lay along the floor now, a great square of gold that just tipped the table where Vincenzo's hand rested, and lay lovingly on his scarlet doublet, with its little foolish vanity of ribbons, and that other hand among them, clutched nervously, almost desperately, in the poor crumpled finery. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Marjorie Bowen, The Viper of Milan — 31. The Pride of the d'Estes (1906)

“ Scouts sent out had not returned; one company, advancing from the walls, to find no sign or trace of Mastino, was surrounded and cut to pieces—the few who escaped returning to Novara with ghastly tales. Visconti's arms seemed everywhere victorious. The country was laid waste—and not by their allies.
But the Estes' hope was still in Della Scala. Urgent messages were sent to his camp outside Milan, and when neither answer nor messengers returned, the Duke of Modena grew sick at heart indeed.
He had not mentioned all his fears to his son, though Vincenzo could not but know their strait desperate. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Marjorie Bowen, The Viper of Milan — 31. The Pride of the d'Estes (1906)

“ Conrad nodded.
"For better men—i' faith, I've tried all I know—no man is asked to break his head against a brick wall for nothing—not while the sun shines, and there is such a place as his own land to see again!"
"You used not to hold such language, Conrad," said Vincenzo, with some reproach.
"I have tried everything," cried Conrad, gayly. "I tried to rescue the Lady Valentine, I tried to kill Visconti, I tried to make him kill me—I have failed. My Lady Valentine is married, and is set out for France." ”

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Source: Wikisource

Marjorie Bowen, The Viper of Milan — 31. The Pride of the d'Estes (1906)

“ On it was written: "I have betrayed you for Isotta's life," and it was signed with the proudest name in Lombardy—"Mastino Orazio della Scala."
"That shall not destroy the glory of Vincenzo's death," thought d'Este sternly, and he flung it from him, into the room beyond, among the powder—something only fit to be consumed.
The castle within was built largely of wood, and Vincenzo, looking into the darkness with a painful eagerness, watched the powder laid carefully about the walls, extending in a long train to tanks of oil, while fire boughs, dry and leafless, lay scattered thickly. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Marjorie Bowen, The Viper of Milan — 31. The Pride of the d'Estes (1906)

“ Ippolito d'Este spoke in an anxious voice, leaning in the wide-cut window of the watch-tower that rose above the gates of Novara.
"I would we had not sent those last men," said Vincenzo gloomily.
He was seated at the table, his head resting in his hands. The chamber was large and dark, built of rough stone for strength and defense, fixed with narrow windows, and set with three doors—one into the narrow stairs, standing open, one on either side of it, shut. The walls were bare of arras. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Marjorie Bowen, The Viper of Milan — 31. The Pride of the d'Estes (1906)

“ I have sent trusty scouts to Brescia. This silence cannot last long now; either Mastino or Visconti march this way—and in either case we shall be ready to receive them, Vincenzo."
The younger d'Este lapsed into silence. Ippolito, too, was quiet, and the pause was broken by an officer entering.
"The Count von Schulembourg," he began.
"Conrad!" cried Vincenzo, springing up.
"Has he news?" asked his father, eagerly.
"I know not, my lord," replied the soldier. "He is riding unattended, and craves a passage through the town."
"He is riding away!" said Vincenzo—"away from Milan!" ”

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Source: Wikisource

Marjorie Bowen, The Viper of Milan — 31. The Pride of the d'Estes (1906)

“ What men we had outside the town have melted away like snow."
Vincenzo began to pace the room impulsively—a slender figure in a scarlet velvet doublet, his great black eyes bright and angry.
"Shall we not make a sortie, my father? Shall we not dash out and fight, seeing for ourselves what has become of Della Scala?" ”

Marjorie Bowen

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Quotes from The Viper of Milan — 31. The Pride of the d'Estes (Marjorie Bowen)

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