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y family was occupied。 A horde of soldiers and clerks had been hard at work。 As we crept over the giant wall after midnight； we found that all the dead of my family had been properly buried； or placed in their proper stone coffins beneath the chapel； and that the goods of the household； all of its abundant wealth； had been taken away。 Only a few wagons remained of those which must have already started their progress south。 The few who slept in the offices of my father's steward were keepers of the accounts of the Medici bank； and on tiptoe； in the dim light of a star…studded sky； I inspected the few papers they had left out to dry。
All of the inheritance of Vittorio di Raniari had been collected and catalogued； and was being taken on to Florence for him； to be placed in safety with Cosimo until such time as Vittorio di Raniari was twenty…four years of age and could thereby assume responsibility for himself as a man。
Only a few soldiers slept in the barracks。 Only a few horses were quartered in the stables。 Only a few squires and attendants slept in proximity to their Lords。
Obviously the great castle； being of no strategic use to Milanese or German or French or Papal authority； or to Florence； was not being restored or repaired； merely shut down。
Well before dawn； we left my home； but before going； I took leave of my father's grave。
I knew that I would e back。 I knew that soon the trees would climb the mountain to the walls。 I knew that the grass would grow high through the crevices and cracks of the cobblestones。 I knew that things human would lose all love of this place； as they had lost their love of so many ruins in the country round。 I would return then。 I would e back。
That night； Ursula and I hunted the vicinity for the few brigands we could find in the woods； laughing gaily when we caught them and dragged them from their horses。 It was a riotous old feast。
〃And where now； my Lord？〃 my bride asked me towards morning。 We had again found a cave for shelter； a deep and hidden place； full of thorny vines that barely scratched our resilient skin； behind a veil of wild blueberries that would hide us from all eyes； including that of the great rising sun。
〃To Florence； my love。 I have to go there。 And in its streets； we'll never suffer hunger； or discovery； and there are things which I must see with my own eyes。〃
〃But what are those things； Vittorio？〃 she asked。
〃Paintings； my love； paintings。 I have to see the angels in the paintings。 I have to。。。 face them； as it were。〃
She was content。 She had never seen the great city of Florence。 She had； all her wretched eternity of ritual and courtly discipline； been contained in the mountains； and she lay down beside me to dream of freedom； of brilliant colors of blue and green and gold； so contrary to the dark red that she still wore。 She lay down beside me； trusting me； and； as for me； I trusted nothing。
I only licked the human blood on my lips and wondered how long I might have on this earth before someone struck off my head with a swift and certain sword。
15
THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
THE city of Florence was in an uproar。
〃Why？〃 I asked。
It was well past curfew； to which no one was paying much attention； and there was a huge crowd of students congregated in Santa Maria Maggiori … the Duomo … listening to a lecture by a humanist who pleaded that Fra Filippo Lippi was not such a pig。
No one took much note of us。 We had fed early； in the countryside； and wore heavy mantles； and what could they see of us but a little pale flesh？
I went into the church。 The crowd came out almost to the doors。
〃What's the matter？ What's happened to the great painter？〃
〃Oh； he's done it now；〃 said the man who answered me； not even bothering to look at me or at the slender figure of Ursula clinging to me。
The man was too intent on looking at the lecturer； who stood up ahead； his voice echoing sharply in the overwhelming large nave。
〃Done what？〃
Getting no answer； I pushed my way a little deeper into the thick； odiferous human crowd； pulling Ursula with me。 She was still shy of such an immense city； and she had not seen a Cathedral on this scale in the more than two hundred years of her life。
Once again I put my question to two young students； who turned at once to answer me； fashionable boys both； about eighteen； or what they called then in Florence giovani； being the most difficult of youths； too old to be a child； such as I was； and too young to be a man。
〃Well； he asked for the fairest of the nuns to pose for the altarpiece that he was painting of the blessed Virgin； that's what he did；〃 said the first student； black…haired and deep…eyed； staring at me with a cunning smile。
〃He asked for her as a model； asked that the convent choose her for him； so that the Virgin he painted would be most perfect； and then。。。〃 The other student took it up。
〃。。。 he ran off with her！ Stole the nun right out of the convent； ran off with her and her sister； mind you； her blood…kindred sister； and has set up his household right over his shop； he and his nun and her sister； the three of them； the monk and the two nuns。。。 and lives in sin with her； Lucrezia Buti； and paints the Virgin on the altarpiece and does not give a damn what anyone thinks。〃
There was jostling and pushing in the crowd about us。 Men told us to be quiet。 The students were choking on their laughter。
〃If he didn't have Cosimo；〃 said the first student； lowering his voice in an obedient but mischievous whisper； 〃they'd string him up； I mean her family； the Buti； would at least； if not the priests of the Carmelite Order； if not the whole damned town。〃
The other student shook his head and covered his mouth not to laugh out loud。
The speaker； far ahead； advised all to remain calm and let this scandal and outrage be handled by the proper authorities； for everyone knew that nowhere in all of Florence was there a painter any greater than Fra Filippo； and that Cosimo would tend to this in his own time。
〃He's always been tormented；〃 said the student beside me。
〃Tormented；〃 I whispered。 〃Tormented。〃 His face came back to me； the monk glimpsed years ago in Cosimo's house in the Via Larga； the man arguing so fiercely to be free； only to be with a woman for a little while。 I felt the strangest conflict within； the strangest darkest fear。 〃Oh； that they don't hurt him again。〃
〃One might wonder；〃 came a soft voice in my ear。 I turned； but I saw no one who could have spoken to me。 Ursula looked about。
〃What is it； Vittorio？〃
But I knew the whisper； and it came again； bodiless and intimate； 〃One might wonder； where were his guardian angels on the day that Fra Filippo did such a mad thing？〃
I turned in a mad frantic circle； searching for the origin of the voice。 Men backed away from me and made little gestures of annoyance。 I snatched up Ursula's hand and made for the doors。
Only when I was outside in the piazza did my heart stop pounding。 I had not known that with this new blood I could feel such anxiety and misery and fear。
〃Oh； run off with a nun to paint the Virgin！〃 I cried out under my breath。
〃Don't cry； Vittorio；〃 she said。
〃Don't spe