MANFREDI.
Why, man,
Thy news is stale; the Duchess has been here
These five hours; she arrived, post-haste, ere sunrise.
She must have ridden in the dark. 'T was that
Prevented me from making earlier matins
Before my little saint here.
TORELLI.
Do you know
What brought the Duchess back so suddenly?
MANFREDI.
Some jealous fancy pricked her, as I judge
From her accost when we encountered first;
And, as I gathered, she suspects contrivance
Betwixt me and the Countess Malatesta.
'T was a relief, for once, that I could twit her
With groundless fears. I told her Malatesta
Rode yesterday with his lady to Cesena,
And, for more proof, repeated what he said,
That on my wife's least summons, she'd return;
So she has summoned her, in hopes, no doubt,
To catch me in a lie. Her messenger
Rode to Cesena just at daybreak. Soon
We may look for him back, bringing, I hope,
Ginevra Malatesta.
TORELLI.
This is rare.
So falls she off the scent, and leaves you here
To follow up your game with Fiordelisa.
MANFREDI.
Even so; I excused me from her presence
By work of State, for which to this pavilion
