BIANCA AND BEPPO 201

assassins, thinking him dead, had thrown him into the
forest. All of the duke’s servants, excepting Fesco, had
either been badly wounded or had fled in terror at the first
alarm. He had been drugged, and had slept so heavily,
that, but for the fresh night-air blowing in upon him, he
might never have wakened.

Fesco now tried to persuade his wounded master to be
taken back to his own chamber, but the duke would not
consent. He lay concealed in the forest for a week, and
every day his children tended him faithfully. They
brought him cooling drinks and fruits, and fanned him
when the breezes were low; and as he grew better they
sang sweet little songs to him, and carried messages back
and forth between the duke and Fesco.

Meantime the frightened servants had returned; but
Fesco knew he could not trust them with his secret. Only
Mino, the old nurse, was told that the duke was alive, and
that the children must be allowed to go to him; but Fesco
threatened her with such terrible things if she breathed a
word about it, that she was only too glad to pretend to
mourn for her master with a grief that seemed as genuine
as that of the other servants. Through the faithful Fesco,
the duke contrived to send word to his wife, bidding her
stay in safe quarters for a while, until he should be able
to join her. The two children, busy as bees, and thought-
ful night and day for their dear patient hidden in the
forest, were secretly happy as children could be — despite
the somber black in which they had been clothed by old
Mino. It was Bianca’s delight to gather flowers in the
coolest places and heap*them up under her father’s head ;