ITALIAN GARDENS OF THE RENAISSANCE 
hands and feet and ungainly figure, but as Beatrice 
remarks, “ far more friendly and agreeable in manner 
than I expected ”—advanced cap in hand and pro¬ 
ceeded to salute Beatrice and Bianca, and then all the 
ladies, in the French fashion, kissing them on the 
cheek. Charles, on his part, was so much charmed 
with the Duchess that he paid her a visit the next 
day, at the Castello of Annona, three miles from Asti, 
and spent three hours in her company. This time 
Beatrice and Bianca both wore green satin robes, 
slashed with white, and green velvet caps, with white 
aigrettes, and clasps of diamonds and rubies. The 
bodices of their gowns were studded with precious 
gems, and they wore priceless pearls on their bare 
arms and necks, a fashion which seems to have sur¬ 
prised the French courtiers. After conversing pleas¬ 
antly for some time, Charles begged Beatrice and her 
daughter to dance before him, which they did, first 
in the Italian, and then—“ to please the King—in the 
French style.” “And I can assure you, Madame,” 
adds the writer, “that they acquitted themselves 
exceedingly well, although they had never danced 
in this fashion before.” 1 
As we read the records of the home life of the 
ducal family, which are preserved in the musty old 
1 Godefroi, Hist, de Charles VIIIj Viocomte Delaborde, IIExpedi¬ 
tion de Charles VIII en Italie. 
180 
