cid waters; the shouts and jeers of the strident voices were
broken by authoritative commands of the Signori della Notte--the
officers of police--and the tramp of their guards failing to create
order; and above the hubbub rose the cry, distinctly repeated again and
again--the cry of an angry populace, "Ande in malora! Ande in malora!"
("Curses go with you!")

XXII

Even Giustinian Giustiniani came and went heavily, asking for the latest
change before he returned to the Senate Chamber, and carrying with him
always a vision of that white, pleading face which had so wrought upon
his anger when he had seen it luminous with her hope for Venice. But now
his anger was transferred to her confessor who had bewitched her, to all
those Roman prelates who had paid her court--a mere child, not able to
defend herself nor to understand, killing herself for a question beyond
her! And Marcantonio, for love of her, useless and unmanned! It was more
than his senatorial pride could endure to find himself powerless under
such complications. To appease his wrath he denounced Fra Francesco
through the Bocca di Leone, but when the friar was sought for, by order
of the Ten, he was not found. Fra Paolo was appealed to, for he was the
friend of the gentle confessor; but he had not known his plans. "If his
conscience held him not, it was well for him to flee," he said, "and
best for Venice."

But when Fra Paolo was alone in his cell, which, in those days of
greatness, he would not exchange for quarters at the Ducal Palace though
the Senate pleaded, the memory of a confidential talk held since this
quarrel with Rome began brought a hint of the reason for this sudden
flight.

He was tender of conscience and strong of faith, this good Fra
Francesco; always sad, but never stern toward Fra Paolo's failure to
hold a belief implicit as his own in some doctrines of his beloved
Church which he held to be vital. Yet his reverence for Fra Paolo's
great knowledge and holy life made him unwilling to criticize where he
unconsciously questioned. It was the severest test of friendship to keep
his faith and affectionate devotion in one who was taking so prominent a
part in a movement opposing papal authority; but sometimes, when Fra
Paolo had uttered many things he would not have tolerated in any other
priest, Fra Francesco said only to himself, in great sadness, "It is God
who maketh men different; we do not know the why!"

The gentle friar sometimes wo