tless the
suave secretary had his own ends to serve; and what right had he to the
superior position which made it possible for him to show favour? But
since he had tuned his voice to flattery, Ser Ceccone would pitch his in
the same key, and it remained to be seen who would win at the game of
outwitting.

To have a mind well oiled with that sort of argument which prevents any
claim from grasping it, seems eminently, convenient sometimes; only the
oil becomes objectionable when we find it anointing other minds on which
we want to establish a hold.

Tito, however, not being quite omniscient, felt now no more than a
passing twinge of uneasiness at the suggestion of Ser Ceccone's power to
hurt him. It was only for a little while that he cared greatly about
keeping clear of suspicions and hostility. He was now playing his final
game in Florence, and the skill he was conscious of applying gave him a
pleasure in it even apart from the expected winnings. The errand on
which he was bent to San Marco was a stroke in which he felt so much
confidence that he had already given notice to the Ten of his desire to
resign his office at an indefinite period within the next month or two,
and had obtained permission to make that resignation suddenly, if his
affairs needed it, with the understanding that Niccolo Macchiavelli was
to be his provisional substitute, if not his successor. He was acting
on hypothetic grounds, but this was the sort of action that had the
keenest interest for his diplomatic mind. From a combination of general
knowledge concerning Savonarola's purposes with diligently observed
details he had framed a conjecture which he was about to verify by this
visit to San Marco. If he proved to be right, his game would be won,
and he might soon turn his back on Florence. He looked eagerly towards
that consummation, for many circumstances besides his own weariness of
the place told him that it was time for him to be gone.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note. The old diarists throw in their consonants with a regard rather
to quantity than position, well typified by the _Ragnolo Braghiello_
(Agnolo Gabriello) of Boccaccio's Ferondo.

CHAPTER SIXTY FOUR.

THE PROPHET IN HIS CELL.

Tito's visit to San Marco had been announced beforehand, and he was at
once conducted by Fra Niccolo, Savonarola's secretary, up the spiral
staircase into the long corridors lined with cells