re to tear into each other.

De Verceuil stared at the podesta in amazement and wrath, while the two
priests turned their heads from one to the other in embarrassment. After
a moment, one priest murmured de Verceuil's identity to d'Ucello, while
the other softly told the cardinal who the podesta was.

"Forgive me, Your Eminence, if my tone was less respectful than you
deserve," said d'Ucello, bowing to kiss de Verceuil's haughtily extended
sapphire ring.

"I have encountered nothing but disrespect from Orvietans since I came
here," said the cardinal, and Simon remembered that vile smear of dung
on his cheek the day they arrived. "I had actually thought Orvieto had
no governor."

"Forgive me again that I did not pay my respects to you before," said
d'Ucello. He did not rise to the bait, Simon noticed. An intelligent
man.

"A French knight has been murdered in your city, Podesta," de Verceuil
said. "Regardless of your high opinion of the people of the quarter
where it happened, I expect you to press them hard until you find the
killer. A thing like this cannot happen without someone seeing something
or hearing something."

That reminded Simon that no one had come forward to claim the reward he
had offered. If someone had heard or seen something, that person was
doubtless too frightened to speak of it.

"Your Eminence gives me most valuable advice," said d'Ucello. "I promise
you, we shall not rest until the killer is found." His round body bobbed
forward in a bow, and he turned on his heel, sword and daggers swinging,
and marched away.

"Pompous little man," said de Verceuil. "And doubtless incompetent and
treacherous."

The cardinal turned to Simon now. "Do not leave it to that watch
commander to find the killer. The knight--what was his name?" Simon told
him. "De Pirenne was your man, and you are responsible for his death.
Put all the men under you to work hunting down the murderer. Do whatever
has to be done. We must not let the death of a French knight go
unavenged."

"As Your Eminence wills, so I will," said Simon.

De Verceuil raised a finger. "And we will have a splendid funeral. The
pope himself will be present. Let the grandeur of the ceremony show that
we French do not take the death of one of our number lightly. Let these
sneaking Italians tremble before our wrath."

Again the two priests looked at each other, and one of them shrugged
resignedly.

_What barbarians we must seem to them._ Simon's