narola rose and turned to his desk as he spoke. He took from it a
letter on which Tito could see, but not read, an address in the Frate's
own minute and exquisite handwriting, still to be seen covering the
margins of his Bibles. He took a large sheet of paper, enclosed the
letter, and sealed it.

"Pardon me, father," said Tito, before Savonarola had time to speak,
"unless it were your decided wish, I would rather not incur the
responsibility of carrying away the letter. Messer Domenico Mazzinghi
will doubtless return, or, if not, Fra Niccolo can convey it to me at
the second hour of the evening, when I shall place the other despatches
in the courier's hands."

"At present, my son," said the Frate, waiving that point, "I wish you to
address this packet to our ambassador in your own handwriting, which is
preferable to my secretary's."

Tito sat down to write the address while the Frate stood by him with
folded arms, the glow mounting in his cheek, and his lip at last
quivering. Tito rose and was about to move away, when Savonarola said
abruptly--"Take it, my son. There is no use in waiting. It does not
please me that Fra Niccolo should have needless errands to the Palazzo."

As Tito took the letter, Savonarola stood in suppressed excitement that
forbade further speech. There seems to be a subtle emanation from
passionate natures like his, making their mental states tell immediately
on others; when they are absent-minded and inwardly excited there is
silence in the air.

Tito made a deep reverence and went out with the letter under his
mantle.

The letter was duly delivered to the courier and carried out of
Florence. But before that happened another messenger, privately
employed by Tito, had conveyed information in cipher, which was carried
by a series of relays to armed agents of Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan,
on the watch for the very purpose of intercepting despatches on the
borders of the Milanese territory.

CHAPTER SIXTY FIVE.

THE TRIAL BY FIRE.

Little more than a week after, on the seventh of April, the great Piazza
della Signoria presented a stranger spectacle even than the famous
Bonfire of Vanities. And a greater multitude had assembled to see it
than had ever before tried to find place for themselves in the wide
Piazza, even on the day of San Giovanni.

It was near mid-day, and since the early morning there had been a
gradual swarming of the people at every coign of vantage or disadv