His senses had deserted him.
At a sign from Armstadt the two men picked him up and carried him out between them.
Gian Maria moved across the room to a tapestried prie-dieu, and knelt down before an ivory crucifix to render thanks to God for the signal light of grace, by which He had vouchsafed to show the Duke his enemy.
Thereafter, drawing from the breast of his doublet a chaplet of gold and amber beads, he piously discharged his nightly devotions..