conquered, I feel sure that no one else will ever be so
bold as to dare to fight with you again. I beg V. S.
to deign to believe Messer Camillo as if he were
myself. And if you are not the most unkind lady in
the world, you will wish that I, too, were with you
in Milan; for the said M. Camillo will tell you what
a great difference there is between enjoying your
sweet company and being here in Spain. I kiss your
hands, and hope soon to hear that the blessed fruit
which has ripened under Lombard skies has been
gathered by some one worthy of so great a prize.

' TOLEDO, June 21, 1525.' ¹

Messer Baldassare was still, it is plain, a polished
courtier, and knew how to win a fair lady's heart as
well as in his youthful days at Urbino. But sterner
duties demanded his attention, and the letters which
he wrote from the court of Spain to his friends in
Italy were few and far between.

-272-