"At least, then, an honour which I cannot accept."

There was a moment's silence, and their faces from eager that they had
been, grew downcast to the point of sullenness.

"But why, my lord?" cried old Fabrizio at last, his arms outstretched
towards the Count, his voice quivering with intensity. "Santissima
Vergine! Why?"

"Because--to give you but one reason out of many--the man you ask me to
overthrow and supplant is of my own blood." And but that his tone was
calm they might have held that he rebuked them.

"I had thought," hazarded seriously the gay Fanfulla, "that with such a
man as your Excellency, patriotism and the love of Babbiano would have
weighed even more than the ties of blood."

"And you had thought well, Fanfulla. Did I not say that the reason I
gave you was but one of many? Tell me, sirs, what cause have you to
believe that I should rule you wisely and well? It so chances that in
the crisis now threatening Babbiano a captain is needed for its ruler.
But let not this delude you, for there may come a season in the fortunes
of the State when such a man might be as unfitted for dominion as is the
present Duke in this. What then? A good knight-errant is an indifferent
courtier and a bad statesman. Lastly, my friends--since you must know
all that is in my heart--there remains the fact that I love myself a
little. I love my liberty too well, and I have no mind to stifle in the
scented atmosphere of courts. You see I am frank with you. It is my
pleasure to roam the world, my harness on my back, free as the blessed
wind of heaven. Shall a ducal crown and a cloak of purple----" He broke