to save a single petal of it from the pollution of such
filthy fingers." He paused for a moment and paid Messer Simone the
tribute of a mocking inclination of the head. Then he spoke very clearly
and sweetly. "I hope I make myself clear to your thick head."

Simone's red face grew redder. "By Paul's jaws, I will wring your
squeaking neck!" he said, savagely, and made a move nearer to Dante.

But here Guido's paling face grew paler, and again he thrust himself
between Dante and Simone, and his sword flashed into the air. "By Paul's
jaws, you will not!" he cried; and then looking about him, he shouted,
"A Cavalcanti! a Cavalcanti!"

At that cry all those that inclined to Messer Guido, and there were many
in the place, bared their swords likewise and rallied about him in an
eager press of angry men.

When Simone saw that the swords were out, he drew his own sword and
raised it aloft and cried his cry, "A Bardi! a Bardi!"

Then the people of his following bared their weapons and gathered to his
side, and such of the spectators as took no part in the quarrel drew a
little apart, for fear they might come to harm in the brawl, but still
went not very far, so eager is the curiosity of all Florentines to see
sights. So the folk stood, two little armies of fighting men facing each
other, as Greek and Trojan faced each other long ago, and ready for
fighting, as Greek and Trojan fought, and as men always will fight with
men, for the sake of a woman. And I, with my sword drawn, being never
so intent upon battle that I have not an eye to all things about me,
could see, looking aloft, that a curtain was drawn from a window in the
great house of the Portinari, and that a woman stood by the window, and
I made sure that the woman's name was Beatrice.

But this Dante saw not and knew not, for he stood between the two
opposing forces very composedly, with the same quiet smile upon his
face, and he held up his hands toward either party as a man might do
that wished to sunder and pacify quarrelling children. "Gently, friends,
gently," he said; "there is a pleasant way to end this dilemma." Then he
turned to me, and I never saw his face serener. "Friend Lappo," he said,
"will you lend me your dice-bones a minute?"

It was characteristic of his readiness in the pinch of emergency that he
knew where to apply for what he needed, for I was at that time a most
inveterate gamester, and loved to stake my all, which for the most part
was trul