She bent her back in a clumsy bow, and with a growing humility wondered
had I supped. I had not, but sooner would I have starved than have been
poisoned by such foulnesses as they might have set before me. So I
answered her that all I needed was a cup of wine.

When she had brought me that, and, at last, I was alone, I closed the
door. It had no lock, nor any sort of fastening, so I set the three
legged stool against it that it might give me warning of intrusion. Next
I threw off my cloak and hat and boots, and all dressed as I was I flung
myself upon my miserable couch. But jaded though I might be, it was not
yet my intent to sleep. Now that the half of my journey was
accomplished, I found myself beset by doubts which had not before
assailed me, touching the manner in which this mission of mine was to
be accomplished. It would prove no easy thing for me to penetrate
unnoticed into the town of Pesaro, much less into the Sforza Court, where
for three years I had pursued my Fool's trade. There was scarce a man, a
woman or a child in the entire domains of Giovanni Sforza to whom
Boccadoro, the Fool, was not known; and many a villano, who had never
noticed the features of the Lord of Pesaro, could have told you the very
colour of his jester's eyes; which, after all, is no strange thing, for--
sad reflection!--in a world in which Wisdom may be overlooked, Folly goes
never disregarded.

The garments I wore might be well enough to journey in; but if I would
gain the presence of Lucrezia Borgia I must see that I arrived in others.
And then my thoughts wandered into speculation. What might be this
momentous letter that I carried? What was this secret traffic 'twixt
Cesare Borgia and his sister? Since Cesare had said that it meant the
ruin of Giovanni Sforza--a ruin so utter, so complete and humiliating
that it must provoke the scornful mirth of all Italy--the knowledge of it