he podesta is
here."

The ghost that haunted him whenever he thought of himself and d'Ucello
seized Daoud's entire body in a cold, paralyzing embrace. His first
thought was of escape. But d'Ucello probably had the mansion surrounded.

Sophia and Daoud dressed quickly and opened the door for the cardinal.

"D'Ucello has come here with twenty or more men-at-arms," Ugolini said.
"He demands that you go with him to the Palazzo del Podesta, David."

"Can you not order him away?" Sophia demanded. "You are a prince of the
Church. You did that before."

"He waited until most of the power of the Church had left Orvieto," said
Ugolini.

"And until the Filippeschi had been crushed, thinking I might call upon
them for help," Daoud said.

"You must try to escape," said Sophia.

"Then what would happen to you?"

"We will escape together!"

Daoud looked at her drawn face, and at that moment he loved her more
than ever. His love warmed him, and freed him from the grip of fear.
This woman--who had spoken a short time ago so calmly of separation--was
ready to run, to dodge arrows, to hide in ditches, to climb walls, to do
whatever she had to, to be near him.

"If he finds out what you are, we are all doomed," said Ugolini. Daoud
saw that the small body was aquiver with fear.

He could imagine what Ugolini was thinking, that the evil he had dreaded
since Daoud came to Orvieto had come upon them at last. Just when he
thought he was about to escape it.

"He will learn nothing," said Daoud.

"He will torture you." Ugolini sat down on Sophia's bed and wrapped his
arms around his stomach. "We will all die horribly--me, Sophia,
Tilia--everyone who helped you." He raised hands curved like claws and
shook them at Daoud. "Oh, God, how I wish you had never come here!"

Sophia sat beside Ugolini and put her hand on his knee. "If we can stay
calm, dear Eminence, we can think of a way out of this."

"Even if he tortures me, I will tell him nothing, except that I am
David, the trader from Trebizond," said Daoud. The methods of resisting
pain that he had learned from the Hashishiyya would serve him now.

"You must not think of going with him!" Sophia cried.

"It is the only way. If I cooperate, it shows my innocence. The cardinal
can use his influence to get me freed."

She jumped up and threw herself against him, weeping. "You are going to
your death!" He held her tightly.

"D'Ucello has nothing to gain by killing me," he said.