to, and did not answer
immediately, as if he had to consider whether the information he had
just heard met any purpose of his.

Tito, whose glance never seemed observant, but rarely let anything
escape it, had expected precisely that dilatation and flash of
Savonarola's eyes which he had noted on other occasions. He saw it, and
then immediately busied himself in adjusting his gold fibula, which had
got wrong; seeming to imply that he awaited an answer patiently.

The fact was that Savonarola had expected to receive this intimation
from Domenico Mazzinghi, one of the Ten, an ardent disciple of his whom
he had already employed to write a private letter to the Florentine
ambassador in France, to prepare the way for a letter to the French king
himself in Savonarola's handwriting, which now lay ready in the desk at
his side. It was a letter calling on the king to assist in summoning a
General Council, that might reform the abuses of the Church, and begin
by deposing Pope Alexander, who was not rightfully Pope, being a vicious
unbeliever, elected by corruption and governing by simony.

This fact was not what Tito knew, but what his constructive talent,
guided by subtle indications, had led him to guess and hope.

"It is true, my son," said Savonarola, quietly,--"it is true I have
letters which I would gladly send by safe conveyance under cover to our
ambassador. Our community of San Marco, as you know, has affairs in
France, being, amongst other things, responsible for a debt to that
singularly wise and experienced Frenchman, Signor Philippe de Comines,
on the library of the Medici, which we purchased; but I apprehend that
Domenico Mazzinghi himself may return to the city before evening, and I
should gain more time for preparation of the letters if I waited to
deposit them in his hands."

"Assuredly, reverend father, that might be better on all grounds, except
one, namely, that if anything occurred to hinder Messer Domenico's
return, the despatch of the letters would require either that I should
come to San Marco again at a late hour, or that you should send them to
me by your secretary; and I am aware that you wish to guard against the
false inferences which might be drawn from a too frequent communication
between yourself and any officer of the government." In throwing out
this difficulty Tito felt that the more unwillingness the Frate showed
to trust him, the more certain he would be of his conjecture.

Savonarol