rther forward. He
looked singularly like a vulture in that moment.

"You suspect that Messer Gambara... that Messer Gambara and Madonna...
that..." I clenched my hands together, and looked into his leering face.
"You understand me well enough," I cried, almost angrily.

He looked at me seriously now, a cold glitter in his small eyes.

"I wonder do you understand yourself?" he asked. "I think not. I think
not. Since God has made you a fool, it but remains for man to make you a
priest, and thus complete God's work."

"You cannot move me by your taunts," I said. "You have a foul mind,
Messer Fifanti."

He approached me slowly, his untidily shod feet slip-slopping on the
wooden floor.

"Because," said he, "I suspect that Messer Gambara... that Messer Gambara
and Madonna... that... You understand me," he mocked me, with a mimicry of
my own confusion. "And what affair may it be of yours whom I suspect or
of what I suspect them where my own are concerned?"

"It is my affair, as it is the affair of every man who would be
accounted gentle, to defend the honour of a pure and saintly lady from
the foul aspersions of slander."

"Knight-errantry, by the Host!" quoth he, and his brows shot up on
his steep brow. Then they came down again to scowl. "No doubt, my
preux-chevalier, you will have definite knowledge of the groundlessness
of these same slanders," he said, moving backwards, away from me,
towards the door; and as he moved now his feet made no sound, though I
did not yet notice this nor, indeed, his movement at all.

"Knowledge?" I roared at him. "What knowledge can you need beyond what
is afforded by her face? Look in it, Messer Fifanti, if you would see
innocence and purity and chastity! Look in it!"

"Very well," said he. "Let us look in it."

And quite suddenly he pulled the door open to disclose Giuliana standing
there, erect but in a listening attitude.

"Look in it!" he mocked me, and waved one of his bony hands towards that
perfect countenance.

There was shame and confusion in her face, and some anger. But she
turned without a word, and went quickly down the passage, followed by
his evil, cackling laugh.

Then he looked at me quite solemnly. "I think," said he, "you had best
get to your studies. You will find more than enough to engage you there.
Leave my affairs to me, boy."

There was almost a menace in his voice, and after what had happened it
was impossible to pursue the matter.

Sheepishly, ov