Then he rose up, and with hands that trembled in his eagerness, he put on my brassarts and shoulder-plates, whilst I, myself, drew on my gauntlets.

Next he adjusted the gorget, and handed me, last of all, the helm, a splendid head-piece of black and gold, surmounted by the Sforza lion.
I took it from him and passed it over my head.

Then ere I snapped down the visor and hid the face of Boccadoro, I bade him, unless he would render futile all this masquerade, to lock the door of his closet, and lie there concealed till my return.

At that a sudden doubt assailed him.
"And what," quoth he, "if you do not return ?" In the fever that had possessed me this was a thing that had not entered into my calculations, nor should it now.

I laughed, and from the hollow of my helmet not a doubt but the sound must have seemed charged with mockery.