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ed by fleecy clouds as if not to acknowledge my prayers or my predicament。 It seemed absolutely certain I was going to die。
I was going to fall victim to these demons。 She was right。 How could I possibly exact the revenge they deserved？ How in Hell could I do it！ Yet I believed in my purpose utterly。 I believed in my revenge as pletely as I believed in her； this witch whom I had touched with my very own fingers； who had dared to kindle a wanton conflict in my soul； who had e with her rades of the night to slaughter my family
I couldn't overmaster the images of the night before； of her standing bewildered in the chapel door。 I couldn't get the taste of her off my lips。 All I had to do was think of her breasts； and my body would weaken as if she were feeding my desire from her nipple。
Make this subside； I prayed。 You cannot run。 You cannot go off to Florence； you cannot live forever with nothing but the memory of the slaughter you saw； that is impossible； unthinkable。 You cannot。
I wept when I realized that I wouldn't be alive now if it had not been for her。
It was she； the ashen…haired one I was cursing with every breath； who had stopped her hooded panion from killing me。 It would have been a plete victory！
A calm came over me。 Well； if I was going to die； there was no choice； really。 I would get them first。 I would somehow do it。
As soon as the sun was up； so was I； and walking around the town； my saddlebags over my shoulder casually； as if they didn't contain a fortune； I sized up quite a portion of Santa Maddalana； with its treeless； narrow…stoned streets； built centuries before； perhaps some of its buildings with their wild patternless mortared stones going back even to Roman times。
It was a marvelously peaceful and prosperous town。
The forges were already at work； and so were the cabinetmakers and also the saddlemakers； there were several shoemakers dealing in some fine slippers as well as the workaday boots； and quite a cluster of jewelers and men who worked in a great variety of precious metals； as well as the usual swordmakers； men who made keys and the like and those who dealt in hides and furs。
I passed more fancy shops than I could count。 One could buy fancy fabrics here； right from Florence； I supposed； and lace from north and south it seemed； and Oriental spices。 The butchers were having a time of it with the abundance of fresh meat。 And there were many wine shops； and I passed at least a couple of busy notaries； letter writers and the like； and several doctors or； rather； apothecaries。
Carts were rolling through the front gates； and there was even a little crush in the streets now and then before the sun was even high enough to e fiercely down over the close…tiled roofs and hit the bare stones on which I plodded uphill。
The churches rang their bells for Mass； and I saw plenty of schoolchildren rushing past me； all rather clean and neatly dressed； and then two little crews being paraded by monks into the churches； both of which were quite antique and had no ornament on the front at all； save for statues deep in niches … saints who scarcely had any features left to them at all … the heavily patched stones of the facades obviously having weathered the frequent earthquakes of this region。
There were two rather ordinary bookshops that had almost nothing much； except the prayer books one would expect to find； and these at very high prices。 Two merchants sold really fine wares from the East。 And there was a cluster of carpet sellers； too； who dealt in an impressive variety of country…made goods and intricate carpets from Byzantium。
Lots of money was changing hands。 There were well…dressed people showing off their fine clothes。 It seemed a self…sufficient place； though there were travelers ing uphill with the clop of horses' hooves echoing on the barren walls。 And I think I spied one neglected and very much fortified convent。
I passed at least two more inns； and as I crisscrossed through the barely passable alleyways here and there； I ascertained that there were actually three basic streets to the town； all running parallel up and down the hill。
At the far deep end were the gates by which I had entered； and the huge farmers' markets opened now in the piazza。
At the high end was the ruined fortress or castle where once the Lord had lived … a great cumbersome mass of old stones； of which only a part was visible from the street； and in the lower floors of this plex there were the town's governing offices。 There were several small grottoes or piazzas； and old fountains almost crumbled away but still giving forth their gurgling water。 Old women were busy； shuffling along with their market baskets and their shawls in spite of the warmth； and I saw beautiful young girls about giving me the eye； all of them very young。 I didn't want any part of them。
As soon as Mass was over and school had begun； I went to the Dominican church … the largest and most impressive of the three I could readily see … and asked at the rectory for a priest。 I had to go to Confession。
There came out a young priest； very handsome with well…formed limbs and a healthy look to his plexion and a truly devout manner to him； his black and white robes very clean…looking。 He looked at my attire； and my sword； indeed he took me in very respectfully but quite prehensively； and obviously presuming me to be a person of importance； invited me into a small room for the Confession。
He was gracious more than servile。 He had no more than a crown of golden hair clipped very short around the top of his bald head； and large almost shy eyes。
He sat down； and I knelt close to him on the bare floor； and then out of me came the whole lurid tale。
With bowed head； I went on and on with it； rushing from one thing to another； from the first hideous happenings that had so stirred my curiosity and alarm； to my father's fragmented and mysterious words and at last to the raid itself and the dreadful assassination of everyone in our pound。 By the time I came to the death of my brother and sister； I was gesticulating madly； and all but shaping my brother's head with my hands in the empty air； and gasping and unable to catch my breath。
Only when I was utterly finished with every last word did I look up and realize that the young priest was staring down at me in perfect distress and horror。
I didn't know what to make of his expression。 You could have seen the very same face on a man startled by an insect or an approaching battalion of bloody murderers。 What had I expected； for the love of God？
〃Look； Father；〃 I said。 〃All you have to do is send someone up that mountain and see for yourself！〃 I shrugged； and implored him with my open hands。 〃That's all！ Send someone to look。 Nothing's stolen； Father； nothing's taken； but what I took！ Go look！ I'll wager nothing has been disturbed except by ravens and buzzards if such are like to go up there。〃
He said nothing。 The blood was palpitating in his young face； and his mouth was open and his eyes had a dazed； miserable look。
Oh； this was too marvelous。 A silky boy of a priest； probably fresh out of the seminary used to hearing nuns tell of evil thoughts； and men once a year muttering resentfully about vices of the flesh because their wives had dragged them to their duty I became incensed。
〃You are under the Seal of the Confessional；〃 I said； trying to be patient with him； and not to play the Lord too much； because I could do that with priests if I wasn't careful； they made me so mad when they were stupid。 〃But I will give you permission； under the Seal； to send a messenger up that mountain to see with your own eyes。。。〃
〃But son； don't you see；〃 he said； speaking with surprising resolve and firmness in his low voice。 〃The Medici themselves may have sent this band of assassins。〃
〃No； no； no； Father；〃 I pleaded； shaking my head。 〃I saw her hand fall。 I cut off the creature's hand； I tell you。 I saw her put it back。 They were demons。 Listen to me。 These are witches； these are from Hell； these beings； and there's too many of them for me to fight alone。 I need help。 There's no time for disbelief。 There's no time for rational reservations。 I need the Dominicans！〃 He shook his head。 He didn't even hesitate。
〃You are losing your mind； son；〃 he said。 〃Something dreadful has happened to you； there's no doubt of that； and you believe all this； but it didn't happen。 You are imagining things。 Look； there are old women around who claim they make charms。。。〃
〃I know all that；〃 I said。 〃I know an ordinary alchemist or witch when I see one。 This was no side…street magic； Father； no country bunch of curses。 I'm telling you； these demons slaughtered everyone in the castle； in the villages。 Don't you see？〃
I went into the lurid particulars again。 I told how she had e into the window of my room； but then when I was halfway through it； I realized how utterly worse I was making it by going on about Ursula。
Why； this man thought I'd woken in a hot dream； imagining a damned succubus。 This was futile； this entire enterprise。
My heart was hurting me in my chest。 I was sweating all over。 This was a waste of time。 〃Give me absolution； then；〃 I said。
〃I want to ask something of you；〃 he