midnight
And beating his hands , he summoned attendants . Came the steward and a couple of Moorish slaves in green turbans , to whose care the Duke commanded his masked visitor . But Giovanni neither required nor desired their ministrations ; he would not eat nor drink , but contented himself with the patience of hatred to sit for two long hours awaiting the pleasure of his foolish victim . They left at last , a little before midnight the Duke , his brother Cesare , his cousin Monreale , and a numerous attendance , his own retinue and those of the two cardinals . Thus they rode back to Rome , the Borgias very gay , the man in the mask plodding along beside them . They came to the Rione de Ponte , where their ways were to separate , and there , opposite the palace of the Cardinal Vice-Chancellor , Gandia drew rein . He announced to the others that he went no farther with them , summoned a single groom to attend him , and bade the remainder return to the Vatican and await him there .