such horrible things. He wished he had learned more about the Tartars
before agreeing to pursue this cause.

"To hear of such deeds is not likely to cause concupiscent movements in
normal men," said Fra Tomasso dryly. "Have you seen such abominations
with your own eyes?"

"No," said Cosmas, "but I heard it from many people when the Tartars
were invading us."

"Thank you," said d'Aquino, making another note. He put his quill down
and started to heave his bulk up from his chair. Cardinal Ugolini darted
past him, resting his hand momentarily on d'Aquino's shoulder, and the
Dominican settled back down again.

That cardinal looks just like a fat little mouse, Simon thought. One of
the Italians. And it was he who had brought this Sire Cosmas to speak
against the Tartars. He might well be a key opponent of the alliance.
What would it take to change his mind?

Ugolini beckoned toward the audience, and a tall blond man came forward
now to stand beside him.

_I have seen him before_, Simon thought. _Where?_

"Holy Fathers," said Ugolini, "Providence sends us this man, David of
Trebizond, a trader in Cathayan silks. He has traveled in recent years
among the Tartars. David speaks Greek but not Latin. I will translate
what he says."

Simon remembered at last where he had seen David of Trebizond. Standing
on a balcony and looking pleased as the people rioted against the Tartar
ambassadors. And now here to speak against the alliance.

The back of his neck tingling, Simon thought, _This man is an enemy_.

XIV

Ugolini spoke in a low voice to the blond man in a language Simon
guessed was Greek, and David answered at some length.

"You must suppose now that I am David speaking directly to you," said
Ugolini in Latin to the assembly, patting the front of his red satin
robe. "I come from an old merchant family of Trebizond. Caravans from
across Turkestan bring us silks from Cathay. We are Christians according
to the Greek rite."

This provoked a hostile murmur from the audience.

Ugolini hesitated, then said, "I speak in my own person for a moment--I,
too, am inclined to treat as suspect what a so-called Catholic of the
schismatic Greek Church tells me. But I have talked long with David, and
I am convinced he is a virtuous man. After all, the Greeks, like us, are
believers in Christ. And Trebizond is at war with Constantinople, so we
can trust this man the more for that."

Again David spoke in Greek to Ugolini. U