Simone." He turned to Beatrice, took her hand, and,
bending, kissed it reverentially. "Most dear lady, farewell." He looked
once, longingly, into the wide, tearless eyes of Beatrice, then turned
and left the room rapidly.

With a loving glance at his daughter, Messer Folco turned and followed
him. A minute later Tommaso Severo, entering the room with a look of
grave anxiety on his face, was but just in time to catch Beatrice in his
arms as she fell in a swoon.

As Dante made his way through the corridors of the palace, Messer Folco
came after him hot upon his heels. "You will lose your way, Messer
Dante," he panted, "if you have not me to guide you." He led Dante
quickly by the way along which he had come, the two going in silence.

Suddenly Dante caught his companion by the arm, and addressed him
eagerly: "Do me a good turn before I go," he said. "You see me with the
Peace of the City upon me; I carry no weapon. Lend me a sword."

Messer Folco would have dissuaded Dante, urging him to put himself in
some place of safety as speedily as might be.

But Dante shook his head. "I must have a sword," he insisted. "I wish to
speak with my enemy at the gate."

Then Messer Folco, seeing that he was obdurate, and in his heart
applauding his obstinacy, took him aside to a kind of armory, and there,
from an abundance of weapons, Dante chose him a long sword, which he
thrust into his belt. Thus weaponed, he followed Messer Folco to the
gate of the palace and passed out into the fierce daylight, and as he
heard the bolts shot behind him, he looked about him to see if there was
any one hard by whom he knew. He saw a youth with whom he had some
acquaintance, and called him to him, and begged him to go with all speed
to Messer Guido Cavalcanti and tell him that his friend Dante waited for
him and such friends as he could muster at the Portinari palace. And
when the youth had gone Dante stood patiently, waiting for the things to
be.

XXVI

THE ENEMY AT THE GATE

Dante had not long to wait. From all directions folk came hurrying into
the Place of the Holy Felicity, presaging by their presence untoward
events. Among these were certain friends of Dante's, youths that, like
him, had enrolled themselves on the fellowship of the Company of Death
and had ridden to Arezzo together. These he called toward him, and put
them quickly in possession of what was toward, and those that carried
weapons stood by him, and those that were