"She ordered the women out and barred the door, as her custom was; and
Nencia and my grandmother went down-stairs to work in the linen-room.

"Now the linen-room gives on the court-yard, and suddenly my grandmother
saw a strange sight approaching. First up the avenue came the Duke's
carriage (whom all thought to be in Rome), and after it, drawn by a long
string of mules and oxen, a cart carrying what looked like a kneeling
figure wrapped in death-clothes. The strangeness of it struck the girl dumb
and the Duke's coach was at the door before she had the wit to cry out that
it was coming. Nencia, when she saw it, went white and ran out of the room.
My grandmother followed, scared by her face, and the two fled along the
corridor to the chapel. On the way they met the chaplain, deep in a book,
who asked in surprise where they were running, and when they said, to
announce the Duke's arrival, he fell into such astonishment and asked them
so many questions and uttered such ohs and ahs, that by the time he let
them by the Duke was at their heels. Nencia reached the chapel-door first
and cried out that the Duke was coming; and before she had a reply he was
at her side, with the chaplain following.

"A moment later the door opened and there stood the Duchess. She held her
rosary in one hand and had drawn a scarf over her shoulders; but they shone
through it like the moon in a mist, and her countenance sparkled with
beauty.

"The Duke took her hand with a bow. 'Madam,' he said, 'I could have had no
greater happiness than thus to surprise you at your devotions.'

"'My own happiness,' she replied, 'would have been greater had your
excellency prolonged it by giving me notice of your arrival.'