and bitterly. "Are our opponents fools? Do you
really think they would believe me, even for a moment? After perhaps
hundreds of people have been killed, after a civil war in Orvieto,
anyone who is even suspect will die. The Monaldeschi, the French, the
Church authorities, all will take their revenge. Surely you understand
that."

Daoud's heart grew cold as he looked along the road Ugolini was
describing and saw defeat, massacre, the hideous deaths of his comrades,
and beyond that iron waves of crusaders and endless columns of Tartar
horsemen sweeping over the Dar al-Islam. And he could not look into
Ugolini's eyes and declare that all would turn out well.

But what would happen if he did nothing? He looked down that path and
saw the same masses of crusaders and Tartars, saw the burning mosques,
the emptied cities, the heaps of corpses. He saw the Gray Mosque in El
Kahira ruined, his teacher Saadi hacked to pieces by crusader swords.

Then he heard words Saadi had spoken: _We are God's instruments, by
which He brings about that which He wills. The fool does nothing and
leaves the outcome to God. The ordinary man acts and prays that God will
grant a good result. The wise man acts and leaves the outcome to God._

He would act.

He turned to Lorenzo, standing near him by the cardinal's table.

"Your life is at stake in this. What do you think?"

Lorenzo's face was as grave as Daoud had ever seen it. "If the
Filippeschi attack the Palazzo Monaldeschi, they will be driven off. But
with more than five hundred men attacking the palace, it will be
impossible for the French to guard the Tartars adequately. If you get
in, kill them, and get out safely, I think we can hide our part in the
fighting. If you are caught or killed, I think it is as the cardinal
says. We are all doomed."

"Exactly!" cried Ugolini from where he stood behind his table. "Then why
risk it?"

"Because we must," Lorenzo said to him. "If we do not stop the alliance
by force, the pope will strike a bargain with the King of France. There
will be a French army marching against my King Manfred, and after that
crusaders and Tartars will fall upon Messer David's people."

Ugolini uttered a deep groan and sank into his chair.

Relief swept over Daoud. He had already decided to make the attempt on
the Palazzo Monaldeschi even if Lorenzo opposed it, but to have Lorenzo
side with him gave him more confidence that he could carry it off.

Lorenzo turned thos