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The very old man chimed in that there had been a whole family down with the plague out in the country not very long ago； but they had been taken to Lucca。
〃It was the generosity of。。。 who was it； my son； I don't。。。〃
〃Oh； what does it matter？〃 said the innkeeper。 〃Signore；〃 he said to me； 〃some more wine。〃
〃For my guests；〃 I gestured。 〃I have to be off。 Restless limbs；〃 I said。 〃I must see what books are for sale。〃
〃This is a fine place for you to stay；〃 said the priest with sudden conviction； his voice soft as he continued to gaze at me； his eyebrows knitted。 〃A fine place indeed； and we could use another scholar。 But …〃
〃Well； I'm rather young myself；〃 I said。 I made ready to rise； putting one leg over the bench。 〃There are no young men here of my age？〃
〃Well； they go off； you see；〃 said the elfin one。 〃There are a few； but they are busy at the trades of their fathers。 No； the rapscallions don't hang around here。 No； young man； they do not！〃
The priest studied me as if he didn't hear his father's voice。
〃Yes； and you're a learned young man；〃 said the priest； but he was clearly troubled。 〃I can see that； and hear it in your voice； and all about you is thoughtful and clever … 〃 He broke off。 〃Well； I guess you'll be on your way very soon； won't you？〃
〃You think I should？〃 I asked。 〃Or stay； which is it？〃 I made my manner mild； not unkind。
He gave me a half…smile。 〃I don't know；〃 he said。 Then he looked dour again and almost tragic。 〃God be with you；〃 he whispered。
I leant towards him。 The innkeeper； seeing this confidential manner； turned away and busied himself somewhere else。 The old elfin one was talking to his cup。
〃What is it； Father？〃 I asked in a whisper。 〃Is the town too well…off； is that it？〃
〃Go on your way； son；〃 he said almost wistfully。 〃I wish I could。 But I'm bound by my vow of obedience and by the fact that this is my home； and here sits my father； and all the others have vanished into the wide world。〃 He became suddenly hard。 〃Or so it seems；〃 he said。 And then； 〃If I were you； I wouldn't stay here。〃 I nodded。
〃You look strange； son；〃 he said to me in the same whisper。 Our heads were right together。 〃You stand out too much。 You're pretty and encased in velvet； and it's your age； you're not really a child； you know。〃
〃Yes； I see； not very many young men in the town at all； not the sort who question things。 Just the old and the placent and those who accept and who don't see the tapestry for the one small monkey embroidered in the corner。〃
He didn't answer this overzealous streak of rhetoric； and I was sorry I'd said it。 In that little lapse perhaps my anger and my pain had flashed through。 Disgusting！ I was angry with myself。
He bit his lip； anxious for me； or for himself； or for both of us。
〃Why did you e here？〃 he asked sincerely； almost protectively。 〃By which way did you e？ They said you came in the night。 Don't leave by night。〃 His voice had bee such a whisper I could scarcely hear him。
〃You don't need to worry about me； Father；〃 I said。 〃Pray for me；〃 I said。 〃That's all。〃
I saw in him a species of fear as real as that which I had seen in the young priest； but it was even more innocent； for all his age； and all his wrinkles； and the wetness of his lips with the wine。 He looked fatigued by that which he couldn't prehend。
I stepped free of the bench and was on my way when he grasped my hand。 I bent my ear to his lips。
〃My boy；〃 he said； 〃there's something。。。 something 。。。〃
〃I know； Father；〃 I said。 I patted his hand。
〃No； you don't。 Listen。 When you leave； take the main road south； even if it's out of your way。 Don't go north； don't take the narrow road north。〃
〃Why not？〃 I demanded。
Doubting； silent； utterly stricken； he let go of me。
〃Why not？〃 I said in his ear。
He was no longer facing me。 〃Bandits；〃 he said。 〃Toll bandits who control the road； they'll make you pay to go through。 Go south。〃 He turned sharply away from me and began to speak to his father in a soft gentle scolding manner as if I was already on my way。 Left。
I was stunned as I set foot in the hollow street。 〃Toll bandits？〃
Many shops were shut now； as was definitely the custom after the heavy meal； but others were not。
My sword weighed a ton on my hip； and I felt feverish from the wine and dizzy from all these people had revealed to me。
So； I thought； my face burning； we have a town here with no young men； no cripples； no half…wits； no diseased people and no unwanted children！ And on the road north we have dangerous bandits。
I moved downhill； walking faster and faster； and went out the wide…open gates and into the open country。 The breeze was at once magnificent and wele。
All around me lay rich； well…tended fields； vineyards； patches of orchard and farmhouses … lush and fertile vistas which I couldn't see when I had e in by darkness。 As for the road north； I could see nothing of it due to the immense size of the town； whose uppermost fortifications were northward。 I could see； below on a ridge； what must have been the ruins of the convent and； way down the mountain and far off to the west； what might have been the monastery。
I made my way to two farms within the hour； having a cup of cool water with both farmers。
It was all the same； talk of a paradise here； free of miscreants and the horror of executions； absolutely the most peaceful place in the world； and only well…formed children everywhere。
It had been years since any bandits had dared to linger in the woods。 Of course you never knew who might pass through； but the town was strong and kept the peace。 〃Oh； not even on the north road？〃 I asked。
Neither farmer knew anything about any north road。
When I asked what became of the unhealthy； the lame； the injured； it was the same。 Some doctor or other； or priest； or order of friars or nuns； had taken them off to a university or city。 The farmers sincerely couldn't remember。
I came back into the town well before twilight。 I went poking around； in and out of every shop； in a near systematic manner； eyeing everyone as closely as I might without attracting undue attention。
Of course I couldn't hope to cover even one street of the place； but I was determined to discover what I could。
In the booksellers； I went through the old Ars Grammatica and Ars Minor； and the big beautiful Bibles that were for sale； which I could only see by asking that they be taken out of the cabinets。 〃How do I go north from here？〃 I asked the bored man who leaned on his elbow and looked at me sleepily。
〃North； nobody goes north；〃 he said； and yawned in my face。 He wore fine clothes without a sign of mending； and good new shoes of well…worked leather。 〃Look； I have much finer books than that；〃 he said。
I pretended interest； then explained politely that all were more or less what I had and did not need； but thank you。
I went into a tavern where men were busy at dice and shouting over the game； lustily； as though they had nothing better to do。 And then through the bakers' district； where the bread smelled wondrously delicious； even to me。
I had never felt so utterly alone in my life； as I walked among these people listening to their pleasant talk and hearing the same tale of safety and blessings over and over again。
It froze my blood to think of nightfall。 And what was this mystery of the road north？ Nobody； nobody but the priest； even raised an eyebrow at the mention of that point of the pass。
About an hour before dark； I happened into one shop where the proprietor； a dealer in silks and lace from Venice and Florence； was not so patient with my idle presence； as others had been； in spite of the fact that I obviously had money。
〃Why are you asking so many questions？〃 she said to me。 She seemed tired and worn out。 〃You think it's easy to take care of a sick child？ Look in there。〃
I stared at her as if she'd lost her mind。 But then it dawned on me； clear and cold。 I knew exactly what she meant。 I poked my head through a curtained doorway and saw a child； feverish and sick； slumbering in a dirty narrow bed。
〃You think it's easy？ Year after year she doesn't get better；〃 said the woman。 〃I'm sorry；〃 I said。 〃But what's to be done？〃
The woman tore out her stitches and put down her needle。 She seemed past all patience。 〃What's to be done？ You mean to tell me you don't know！〃 she whispered。 〃You； a clever man like you！〃 She bit into her lip。 〃But my husband says； No； not yet； and so we go on with it。〃
She went back to her work； muttering to herself； and I； horrified and struggling to keep a straight face； made my way on。 I went into a couple more shops。 Nothing special happened。 Then in the third on my way； I found an old man very out of his wits and his two daughters both trying to keep him from tearing his clothes off。 〃Here； let me help you；〃 I said at once。
We got him down in the chair； got his shirt over his head； and finally he stopped making incoherent noises。 He was very wizened and drooling。
〃Oh； thank God； this won't go on long；〃 said one of the daughters； wiping her brow。 〃It's a mercy。〃
〃Why won't it go on long？〃 I asked。
She glanced up at me； and away； and then back again。 〃Oh； you're a stranger here； Signore； forg