THE SECOND BOOK OF THE COURTIER where a man (discreet, as I have said) pretends not to under- stand something that he does understand. Like what was said by the Marquess Federico of Mantua, who, — being pestered by a tiresome fellow who complained that some of his neighbours were snaring doves out of his dovecote, and all the while held one of them in his hand, hanging dead just as he had found it with its foot caught in the snare, — replied that the matter should be looked to. The fellow repeated the story of his loss not once only but many times, always displaying the dove that had been hanged, and saying: 'And what, my Lord, do you think ought to be done in this case?' At last the Marquess said: 'I think the dove ought on no account to be buried in church, for having hanged itself, it must be believed to have committed suicide,'"' " Somewhat of the same fashion was the retort made by Scipio Nasica'™ to Ennius. Once when Scipio went to Ennius's house to speak with him and called him down from the street, one of his maids replied that he was not at home; and Scipio distinctly heard Ennius himself tell the maid to say he was not at home, and so went away. Not long afterwards Ennius came to Scipio's house and likewise called to him from below; where- upon Scipio himself replied in a loud voice that he was not at home. Then Ennius replied: 'How? Do I not know thy voice?' Scipio said: 'Thou art too rude. The other day I believed thy maid when she said thou wert not at home, and now thou wilt not believe the like from me in person.' 76 — " It is also a fine thing when a man is struck in the very same place where he first struck his fellow. As in the case of messer Alonso Carillo,'" who, being at the Spanish court and having committed some youthful peccadilloes of no great impor- tance, was put in prison by the king's order and left there over- night. The next day he was taken out, and so going to the palace in the morning, he reached the hall where there were many cavaliers and ladies. And as they were laughing at his imprisonment, my lady Boadilla'"' said : ' Signor Alonso, your mis- hap weighed on me heavily, for all your acquaintance thought the king would have you hanged.' Then Alonso said quickly: ' My Lady, I was much afraid of it myself; but then I had hope that you would ask me to be your husband.' You see how 148
