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Don Roderick, struck, as by a thunderbolt, with the unexpected

intelligence, so different from that which he had been

anticipating from day to day, kept himself shut up in his castle,

alone with his bravoes, devouring his rage for the space of two

days, and on the third set off for Milan. If there had only

existed the murmurs of the people, notwithstanding things had

gone so far, he would perhaps have remained expressly to brave

them; but he felt himself compelled to quit the field of contest,

by the certain information that the cardinal was coming to the

village. The count, his uncle, who knew nothing of the story but

what Attilio had told him, would certainly require him to be one

of the first to visit the cardinal, in order to obtain in public

the most distinguished reception from him. The count would

require it, because it was an important opportunity for making

known in what esteem the house was held by his powerful eminence.