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from this。〃
〃But protect him from what？〃 I demanded。 I looked into the eyes of the old man。
〃Son； obey me；〃 said the old man。 〃Walk straight； and stop banging me with that sword。 You are a great Signore； I can see this； and the name of the Raniari rings loud in my ears from the distant mountains of Tuscany； and the gold on your right hand alone weighs more than the dowry of both of my daughters put together； not to mention the gems； but don't shout in my face。〃
〃I'm sorry。 I didn't mean to。 It's only； the angels won't say precisely。〃
The other man who led me so kindly； who helped me honestly with the saddlebags in which was my fortune； and did not even seek to steal anything from me； began to speak：
〃If you're asking about Fra Filippo； he's deep into trouble again。 He's being put to the torture。 He's on the rack。〃
〃No； that can't happen； not to Filippo Lippi！〃 I stopped dead and shouted。 〃Who would do such a thing to the great painter？〃
I turned； and the two angels suddenly covered their faces； as tenderly as ever Ursula had covered hers； and they started weeping。 Only their tears were marvelously crystalline and clear。 They merely looked at me。 Oh； Ursula； I thought with excruciating pain suddenly； how beautiful are these creatures； and in what grave do you sleep beneath the Court of the Ruby Grail that you cannot see them； cannot see their silent secret progress through the city streets？
〃It's true；〃 said Ramiel。 〃It's all too terribly true。 What have we been； what sort of guardians； that Filippo has gotten himself into this trouble； that he is so contentious and deceiving； and why have we been so helpless？〃
〃We are only angels；〃 said Setheus。 〃Ramiel； we do not have to accuse Filippo。 We are not accusers； we are guardians； and for the sake of the boy who loves him； don't say such things。〃
〃They can't torture Fra Filippo Lippi；〃 I cried out。 〃Who did he deceive？〃
〃He did it to himself；〃 said the old man。 〃He's into fraud this time。 He sold off a mission； and everybody knows that one of his apprentices painted too much of the work。 He's been put on the rack； but he didn't really get hurt。〃
〃Didn't really hurt him！ He's only magnificent！〃 I said。 〃You tell me they tortured him。 Why was he tortured； how can anyone justify such a stupidity； such an insult； it's an insult to the Medici。〃
〃Silence； child； he confessed；〃 said the younger of the two mortal men。 〃It's almost over。 Some monk if you ask me； Fra Filippo Lippi； if he isn't chasing women； he's in a brawl。〃
We had e to San Marco。 We stood in the Piazza San Marco right before the doors of the monastery； which were flush with the street； as was the case with all such buildings in Florence； as if the Arno never overflowed its banks； which it did。 And I was glad； oh； so glad to see this haven。
But my mind was rampant。 All memories of demons and horrid murder had been swept clean from me in an instant by the horror that the artist whom I cherished most in all the world had been put on the rack like a mon criminal。
〃He sometimes。。。 well；〃 said Ramiel； 〃behaves like a mon。。。 criminal。〃
〃He'll get out of it； he'll pay a fine；〃 said the old man。 He rang the bell for the monks。 He patted me with a long； tired； dry hand。 〃Now stop crying； child； stop。 Filippo is a nuisance； everybody knows it。 If only there were a little of the saintliness of Fra Giovanni in him； only a little！〃
Fra Giovanni。 Of course； by this man； Fra Giovanni； they meant the great Fra Angelico； the painter who in centuries to e would bring the awestruck to all but kneel before his paintings； and it was in this monastery that Fra Giovanni worked and lived； it was here that； for Cosimo； he painted the very cells of the monks。
What could I say？ 〃Yes； yes； Fra Giovanni； but I don't。。。 I don't。。。 love him。〃 Of course I loved him； I honored him and his wondrous work； but it was not like my love for Filippo； the painter I had glimpsed only once。 How explain these strange things？
A surge of nausea caused me to bend double。 I backed away from my kindly helpers。 I heaved up the contents of my stomach into the street； a bloody stream of filth from the demons who had fed me。 I saw it drip and flow into the street。 I smelled the putrid stench of it； and I saw it spill from me into the cracks between the cobblestones； this mess of half…digested wine and blood。
The whole horror of the Court of the Ruby Grail seemed manifest in this moment。 Hopelessness seized me； and I heard the whisper of demons in my ear； witless and scorned； and I doubted all that I'd seen； all that I was； all that had transpired only moments before。 In a dreamy woodland； my father and I rode together and we talked of Filippo's paintings； and I was a student and a young lord and had all the world before me； and the strong good smell of the horses filled my nostrils with the smell of the woods。
Witless and scorned。 Mad when you might have been immortal。
As I rose up again； I leant back against the wall of the monastery。 The light of the blue sky was bright enough to shut my eyes； but I bathed in its warmth。 Slowly； as my stomach settled； I tried to gaze steadily before me； to fight the pain of the light and love it and trust in it。
My vision was filled with the face of the angel Setheus right in front of me； only a foot from me； peering at me with the deepest concern。 〃Dear God； you are here；〃 I whispered。
〃Yes；〃 he said。 〃I promised you。〃
〃You aren't leaving me； are you？〃 I asked。
〃No；〃 he said。
Over his shoulder； Ramiel peered at me closely； as if studying me at leisure and with mitment for the first time。 His shorter looser hair made him seem younger； though such distinctions made no difference。
〃No； none at all；〃 he whispered； and for the first time； he too smiled。
〃Do as these gentle people tell you；〃 said Ramiel。 〃Let them take you inside； and then you must sleep a natural sleep； and when you wake we'll be with you。〃
〃Oh； but it's a horror； a story of horrors；〃 I whispered。 〃Filippo never painted such horrors。〃
〃We are not painted things；〃 said Setheus。 〃What God has in store for us we will discover together； you and Ramiel and I。 Now you must go inside。 The monks are here。 Into their care we give you； and when you wake we will be at your side。〃
〃Like the prayer；〃 I whispered。
〃Oh； yes； truly；〃 Ramiel said。 He raised his hand。 I saw the shadow of his five fingers and then felt the silken touch of his fingers as he closed my eyes。
10
IN WHICH I CONVERSE WITH THE INNOCENT AND POWERFUL SONS OF GOD
WOULD sleep and deeply； yes； but not until much later。 What came was a hazy； dreamlike wonderland of protective images。 I was carried by a burly monk and his assistants into the monastery of San Marco。
There could be no place better for me in all of Florence … other than Cosimo's own house perhaps … than the Dominican Monastery of San Marco。
Now； in all of Florence； I know of many exquisite buildings and so much magnificence that even then； as a boy； I could not catalogue in my mind all the riches that lay before me。
But nowhere is there any cloister more serene； I think； than that of San Marco； which had only recently been renovated by t