I took my way from thence to the inn, and met by accident a very dear
friend of mine, Giovanni Rigogli. Dismounting at his house, we proceeded
to the piazza, where I received intelligence that my brother was alive,
and went to find him at the house of a friend of his called Bertino
Aldobrandini. On meeting, we made demonstrations of the most passionate
affection; for he had heard that I was dead, and I had heard that he was
dead; and so our joy at embracing one another was extravagant. Then he
broke out into a loud fit of laughter, and said: "Come, brother, I will
take you where I'm sure you'd never guess! You must know that I have
given our sister Liperata away again in marriage, and she holds it for
absolutely certain that you are dead." On our way we told each other all
the wonderful adventures we had met with; and when we reached the house
where our sister dwelt, the surprise of seeing me alive threw her into a
fainting fit, and she fell senseless in my arms. Had not my brother been
present, her speechlessness and sudden seizure must have made her
husband imagine I was some one different from a brother-as indeed at
first it did. Cecchino, however, explained matters, and busied himself
in helping the swooning woman, who soon come to. Then, after shedding
some tears for father, sister, husband, and a little son whom she had
lost, she began to get the supper ready; and during our merry meeting
all that evening we talked no more about dead folk, but rather
discoursed gaily about weddings. Thus, then, with gladness and great
enjoyment we brought our supper-party to an end.

Note 1. This is the famous Palazzo del Te, outside the walls of Mantua.
It still remains the chief monument of Giulio Romano's versatile genius.

Note 2. Federigo Gonzago was at this time Marquis of Mantua. Charles V
erected his fief into a duchy in 1530.