t an arrow at
the pope, Simon would have leapt to take it in his own breast with joy.

_What magnanimity!_ Simon thought. He remembered the majordomo saying he
would tell the pope Simon was there. He looked to see how de Verceuil
had reacted to the pope's singling him out, but the cardinal was hidden
somewhere in the rows of red-hatted figures lined up in their pews on
either side of the pope. Simon noticed other prelates staring at him,
then turning away as he looked at them, and his face went hot.

Meanwhile the pope was talking about the Tartars. "We must soon decide
whether it be God's will that Christian princes join with the Tartars
and aid them in their war against the Saracens, or whether we should
forbid this alliance with pagans. We shall have a private audience later
this week with the two ambassadors from Tartary. But today we ask your
counsel. So that all may speak freely, we have expressly not invited the
Tartar emissaries. We ask God to help us make a wise decision." He
introduced Fra Tomasso d'Aquino.

To Simon's surprise, Pope Urban did not then ascend to his throne but
instead came down, disappearing into the midst of his counselors. The
cardinals sat in their pews. The lesser dignitaries sat on smaller
chairs in rows facing the throne. When everyone was in place, Simon
could see Pope Urban in a tall oaken chair at the foot of the steps.

There was no chair for Simon, even though the pope had greeted him by
name. No matter, many of the lesser clergy also remained standing. He
pressed forward through the crowd until he was just behind the seated
men so that he could see and hear better.

The corpulent Fra Tomasso took his place behind the table in a heavy
chair wider than the pope's, though its back was not as high. He called
for Cardinal Adelberto Ugolini. The cardinal, a tiny man with flowing
side whiskers and a receding chin, stood up at his place in the pews. He
in turn summoned from the audience a knight called Sire Cosmas.

Sire Cosmas, an elderly man, walked stiffly to the pope and knelt before
him. Ugolini told the assembly that Cosmas had seen and fought the
Tartar invaders in his native Hungary and was driven from his home by
them.

_The Tartars have long since withdrawn from Hungary_, Simon thought.
_Why did Sire Cosmas never go back there?_

Sire Cosmas was lean and dark, with gray hair that fell to his
shoulders. Over scarlet gloves he wore many rings that flashed as he
gestured.