philosophy?"

_Oh, God, he scorns Franciscans_, thought Simon with dread. _We're sure
to fail._

"I truly would like to find the time for it," said Friar Mathieu,
unruffled. "But I seem to be always traveling."

Fra Tomasso nodded. "You and that merchant from Trebizond are the only
two Christians in Orvieto who have traveled among the Tartars. I found
your testimony at His Holiness's council quite fascinating."

"But not persuasive?" Friar Mathieu leaned forward intently.

Simon caught his breath. Fra Tomasso had given them an opening.

"I presumed that was why you had come to see me," said Fra Tomasso with
a self-satisfied smile. "Let me assure you, good friar and noble count,
that until a little over a week ago I had tried to keep to a strict
neutrality, feeling that in that way I could be more useful to His
Holiness. Even after hearing the Tartars condemn themselves out of their
own mouths at the Contessa di Monaldeschi's reception. But then I
changed my mind."

"Let me ask you a rather delicate question, Your Reverence," said Friar
Mathieu.

Fra Tomasso leaned back and rested his hands, fingers laced, on his huge
belly. "Any question at all."

"Did Cardinal de Verceuil's behavior toward you have anything to do with
your change of mind?"

The crease in the Dominican philosopher's forehead deepened. Simon
winced inwardly. What if, now, they had truly offended Fra Tomasso?

"Surely you do not suggest that I would let personal pique determine my
position on a matter so important to the future of Christendom?"

"I am not surprised, knowing Your Reverence's reputation, that you grasp
just how important the matter is," Friar Mathieu said.

Neatly sidestepping Fra Tomasso's question, Simon thought.

"Exactly. Thus it was that when Cardinal de Verceuil went to Fra
Augustino da Varda, my Superior General, demanding that he order me to
change my position on the Tartars, I realized it was time for me to come
to a conclusion."

"I made a terrible mistake," said Friar Mathieu as much to himself and
Simon as to Fra Tomasso. "May God forgive me."

"What mistake was that?" asked Fra Tomasso.

"Not trying to discuss this with Your Reverence myself, as I am doing
now. To be honest, I feared you would not care to meet with a poor
Franciscan."

"Again you do me an injustice," said Fra Tomasso. "_The_ philosopher
tells us that we acquire knowledge first of all through the senses.
Therefore, if you would know about