A TOMB AT RAVENNA 



and the Duke danced." Three weeks later letters 

 from Ravenna informed the Signory that Duke 

 Valentino was still at Imola, " taking his pleasures 

 and enjoying himself after his wonted fashion, in 

 the old way." 1 Now and then darker rumours 

 reach our ears. A fair Venetian lady, the wife of 

 the captain of infantry at Cervia, was suddenly 

 carried off to the Rocca of Forll one night by a 

 Spanish officer acting under the Duke's orders. The 

 injured husband appealed to the Doge for redress, 

 and appeared in the College "very melancholy and 

 almost in tears" to beg for help. Nothing had 

 been heard of his wife for a fortnight, and the most 

 sinister reports were abroad. Great was the indig- 

 nation aroused on all sides, and many the letters 

 that were exchanged on the subject between Ambassa- 

 dors at Venice and Rome. The Pope himself pro- 

 nounced the act to be " infamous " and pressed his 

 son for explanations, while he publicly maintained 

 the Duke's innocence. But Caesar kept silence and 

 the matter was allowed to drop. Only it served 

 to increase the hatred of the people throughout 

 Romagna for their oppressor. " Cesena, Forli, and 

 Imola," we learn, "bitterly resent the wrong that 

 has been done, and impatiently await the Duke's 

 ruin." 2 The star of the Borgia, however, was still 



1 Marino Sanudo Diarii t iii. 1616. * Ibid., iii. 1530. 



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