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Augustine whom I found。 And I had always loved Augustine； loved his colorful style and his eccentricities； and the dramatic manner in which he wrote。
〃Oh； you wrote more about demons； you are better！〃 I said。
The City of God！ I saw it； copy after copy。 There were a score of codices of this very masterpiece； not to mention all of the other work of this great saint； his Confessions； which had gripped me as much as a Roman drama； and so much more。 Some of these books were ancient； made of big sloppy parchment； others were extravagantly bound； some almost simple and very new。
In charity and consideration； I must take the most sturdy of these； even though there might be errors； and God only knew how hard monks worked to avoid errors。 I knew which volume I wanted。 I knew the volume on demons； because I had thought it so very fascinating and funny and so much poppycock。 Oh； what a fool I'd been。
I took down the hefty fat volume； number nine of the text； slipping it into the crook of my arm； moved to the first desk and then carefully placed the candelabra in front of me； where it would light me but throw no shadows under my fingers； and I opened the book。
〃It's all here！〃 I whispered。 〃Tell me； St。 Augustine； what were they so that I may convince Ramiel and Setheus that they must help me； or give me the means to convince these modern Florentines； who care about nothing right now but making war with paid soldiers on the Serene Republic of Venice up north。 Help me； Saint。 I'm telling you。〃
Ah； Chapter Ten； of Volume Nine； I knew this。。。
Augustine was quoting Plotinus； or explaining him：
。。。 that the very fact of man's corporal mortality is due to the passion of God； who would not have us kept for ever in the misery of this life。 The wickedness of demons was not judged worthy of this passion； and in the misery of their condition； with a soul subject to passions； they have not been granted the mortal body； which man had received； but an eternal body。
〃Ah； yes！〃 I said。 〃And this is what Florian offered me； bragging that they did not age or decay and were not subject to disease； that I could have lived there with them forever。 Evil； evil。 Well； this is proof； and I have it here； and I can show it to the monks！〃
I read on； skimming to find the kernels that would make my case grow。 Down to Chapter Eleven： Apuleius says also that the souls of men are demons。 On leaving human bodies they bee lares if they have shown themselves good； if evil； lemures or larvae。
〃Yes； lemures。 I know this word。 Lemures or larvae； and Ursula； she said to me that she had been young； young as me； they were all human and now they are lemures。〃 According to Apuleius； larvae are malignant demons created out of men。
I was overe with excitement。 I needed parchment and pens。 I had to note the place。 I had to mark down what I had discovered and go on。 For the next point was obviously to convince Ramiel and Setheus that they had gotten into the biggest …。 My thoughts were brought to an abrupt halt。
Behind me； a personage had e into the library。 I heard a heavy footfall； but there was a muffled quality to it； and a great darkening occurred behind me； as though all the slim； sly beams of the moon that fell through the passage beyond had been cut off。 I turned slowly and looked over my shoulder。
〃And why do you choose the left？〃 asked this personage。
He rose up before me； immense and winged； peering down at me； his face luminous in the flicker of the candles； his eyebrows gently raised but straight so that there was no arch to them to make them anything but severe。 He had the riotous golden hair of Fra Filippo's brush； curling beneath a huge red battle helmet； and behind him his wings were heavily sheathed in gold。
He wore a suit of armor； with the breastplates decorated and the shoulders covered with immense buckles； and around his waist was a blue sash of silk。 His sword was sheathed； and on one lax arm he wore his shield； with its red cross。 I had never seen his like。
〃I need you！〃 I declared。 I stood up； knocking the bench back。 I reached out so that it would not clatter to the floor。 I faced him。
〃You need me！〃 he said in muted outrage。 〃You do！ You who would lead off Ramiel and Setheus from Fra Filippo Lippi。 You need me？ Do you know who I am？〃
It was a gorgeous voice； rich； silken； violent and piercing though deep。 〃You have a sword；〃 I said。
〃Oh； and for what？〃
〃Killing them； all of them！〃 I said。 〃Going there with me by day to their castle。 Do you know what I am speaking of？〃
He nodded。 〃I know what you dreamt and what you babbled and what Ramiel and Setheus have gleaned from your feverish mind。 Of course I know。 You need me； you say； and Fra Filippo Lippi lies in bed with a whore who licks his aching joints； and one in particular that aches for her！〃
〃Such talk from an angel；〃 I said。
〃Don't mock me； I'll slap you；〃 he said。 His wings rose and fell as if he were sighing with them； or gasping rather； at me in umbrage。
〃So do it！〃 I said。 My eyes were feasting fiendishly on his glistering beauty； on the red silk cloak that was clasped just below the bit of tunic that showed above his armor； at the solemn smoothness of his cheeks。 〃But e with me to the mountains and kill them；〃 I implored him。
〃Why don't you go yourself and do it？〃
〃Do you think I can？〃 I demanded。
His face went serene。 His lower lip gave the smallest most thoughtful pout。 His jaw and neck were powerful； more powerful by far than the anatomy of Ramiel or Setheus； who seemed more youths； and this their splendid elder brother。 〃You are not the Fallen One； are you？〃 I asked。
〃How dare you！〃 he whispered； waking from his slumber。 A terrible frown broke over him。
〃Mastema； then； that's who you are。 They said your name。 Mastema。〃
He nodded and sneered。 〃They would； of course； say my name。〃
〃Which means what； great angel？ That I can call on you； that I have the power to mand you？〃 I turned and reached for the book of St。 Augustine。
〃Put down that book！〃 he said impatiently yet coolly。 〃There is an angel standing before you； boy； look at me when I speak to you！〃
〃Ah； you speak like Florian； the demon in that far castle。 You have the same control； the same modulation。 What do you want of me； angel？ Why did you e？〃
He was silent； as if he couldn't produce an answer。 Then； quietly； he put a question to me。 〃Why do you think？〃
〃Because I prayed？〃
〃Yes；〃 he said coldly。 〃Yes！ And because they have e to me on your account。〃
My eyes widened。 I felt light fill them up。 But the light didn't hurt them。 A soft cluster of sweet noises filled my ears。
On either side of him there appeared Ramiel and Setheus； their milder； gentler faces focused on me。
Mastema raised his eyebrows again as he looked down at me。
〃Fra Filippo Lippi is drunk；〃 he said。 〃When he wakes up； he'll get drunk again until the pain stops。〃
〃Fools to rack a great painter；〃 I said； 〃but then you know my thoughts on that。〃
〃Ah； and the thoughts of all the women in Florence；〃 said Mastema。 〃And the thoughts of the great ones who pay for his paintings； if their minds were not on war。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Ramiel； glancing imploringly to Mast