which frequently hovered upon his lips. He kept hoping that Apollonia’s letters would report the circumstance, and thus afford him occasion to disburden his conscience; but, with celestial kindness and the most extraordinary resignation, the countess never took the least notice of the affair: nay, when her husband expressed how happy he was in the society of his young and distinguished friend, Apollonia in her answer congratulated him on having won over so promising a young man, by his example, to virtue and honour. The count shewed the two letters to Camillo, who, in his solitary moments, could not help confessing to himself, that he appeared between this noble pair like Satan between two angels.
It happened about this time, that the Republic of Venice was ready to conclude an alliance with Pope Clement the Seventh, Genoa, Florence, and Francis Sforza the Second, of Milan, against the Emperor Charles the Fifth. What fitter person could the senate have chosen to negotiate with so many potentates, than the illustrious and celebrated Count Frangipani? Accordingly he received instructions to return to Venice, in order, as it was expressly stated, to be employed in this mission. It was requisite, of course, that this step should be kept secret. None was therefore made acquainted with it but King Francis and Camillo, who, falling in an agony
