CHAPTER THIRTEEN
One can easily imagine that Adelaide, busy with the task of escaping from a husband whom she suspected of wanting to do her harm had no part in all that had just happened. She had indeed been at Saint Mark's Square with the wife of the shipper the day Frederick had come up to her and she had escaped quickly from that place. But none of the subsequent events had been known by her. All she did from then on was to try to find out what her husband was going to do and to try to oppose him in any way possible.
One day Signora Bianchi brought the following letter from Mersburg:
You have just escaped a great danger, Milady, and I dare to say, without trying to gain any merit in your eyes, that your tranquility is due almost entirely to me. Your husband wanted to have you abducted and making use of the influence he had in the Senate, he was going to take you back to prison in Saxony. You are the most unfortunate of women with such a husband. You cannot imagine the tricks I had to use in order to keep you from falling into his hands; I will explain all that to you at some other time. You may be pleased to know that we are leaving Venice and when you receive these words, we will be on our way. Be certain that I will not leave the prince. Will you now follow the advice which my conduct and my faithfulness to you oblige me to give you? Go back to Saxony. The Marquis of Thuringia, separated from you for too long a time, desires your return with impatience. Your husband and I will be there when you return; but do not fear anything from
132
