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But above all I knew their faces； their innocent pink…tinged faces； their serene full yet narrow eyes。
The light melted down； somber and stormy still； though the sun was burning up there behind the gray sky。 My eyes began to water。 〃Look at their wings；〃 I whispered。 The men couldn't see。
〃I know the wings。 I know them both； look； the angel with the blond hair； the ringlets in rows ing down his head； it's from the Annunciation； and the wings； his wings are made like the peacock； brilliantly blue； and the other； his feathers are tipped in the purest dust of gold。〃
The angel with the crown of flowers gestured excitedly to the other； from a mortal man； the gestures； the posture； would have evinced anger； but it was nothing so heated as that。 The angel was only seeking to be understood。
I moved slowly； pulling loose of my helpful panions； who couldn't see what I saw！
What did they think I stared at？ The gaping shop； the apprentices in the deep shadows within； the meager half…tinted flashes of canvases and panels； the yawning mouth beyond which the work was carried out。
The other angel shook his head somberly。 〃I don't go along with it；〃 he said in the most serene and lilting voice。 〃We can't go that far。 Do you think this doesn't make me weep？〃
〃What？〃 I cried out。 〃What makes you weep？〃
Both angels turned。 They stared at me。 In unison； they collected their dark； multicolored and spectacled wings close to themselves； as though they meant to shrink thereby into invisibility； but they were no less visible to me； shining； both so fair； so recognizable。 Their eyes were full of wonder as they gazed at me。 Wonder at the sight of me？
〃Gabriel！〃 I cried out。 I pointed； 〃I know you； I know you from the Annunciation。 You are both Gabriel； I know the paintings； I have seen you； Gabriel and Gabriel； how can it be？〃
〃He can see us；〃 said the angel who had been gesturing so pointedly His voice was subdued but seemed to reach my ears effortlessly and gently。 〃He can hear us；〃 he said； and the wonder in his face increased； and he looked above all innocent and patient； and ever so gently concerned。
〃What in the name of God are you saying； boy？〃 asked the old man beside me。 〃Now； collect your wits。 You're carrying a fortune in your bags。 Your hands are covered in rings。 Now speak sensibly。 I'll take you to your family； if you'll only tell me who they are。〃
I smiled。 I nodded； but I kept my eyes fixed on the two startled and amazed angels。 Their clothes appeared light； near translucent； as though the fabric were not of a natural weave any more than their incandescent skin was natural。 All of their makeup was more rarefied； and fine…woven with light。
Beings of air； of purpose； made up of presence and of what they do … were these the words of Aquinas ing back to me； the Summa Theologica on which I had learnt my Latin？
Oh； how miraculously beautiful they were； and so safely apart from all around them； standing transfixed in the street in their quiet wide…eyed simplicity； pondering as they gazed with passion and interest at me。
One of them； the one crowned with flowers； the one who wore the sky…blue sleeves； the one who had so caught my heart when I had seen him in the Annunciation with my father； the one with whom I had fallen in love； moved towards me。
He became larger as he drew closer； taller； slightly larger all over than an ordinary being； and so full of love in the soundless shuffle of his loose and gracefully spilling clothes that he seemed more immaterial and monumentally solid； more perhaps the very expression of God's creation； than anything of flesh and blood might be。
He shook his head and smiled。 〃No； for you are yourself the very finest of God's creation；〃 he said in a low voice that stole its way through the chatter that surrounded me。
He walked as if he were a mortal being； with clean naked feet over the wet dirty stones of the Florentine street； oblivious to the men who could not see him as he stood now so close to me； letting his wings spread out and then folding them again tight； so that I only saw the high feathered bones of them above his shoulders； which were sloped like those of a young boy
His face was brilliantly clean and flushed with all the radiant color Fra Filippo had painted。 When he smiled； I felt my entire body tremble violently with unadulterated joy
〃Is this my madness； Archangel？〃 I asked。 〃Is this their curse e true； that I shall see this as I gibber and incur the scorn of learned men？〃 I laughed out loud。
I startled the gentlemen who had been trying so much to help me。 They were thoroughly flustered。 〃What？ Speak again？〃
But in a shimmering instant； a memory descended upon me； illuminating my heart and soul and mind all in one stroke； as though the sun itself had flooded a dark and hopeless cell。
〃It was you I saw in the meadow； you I saw when she drank my blood。〃
Into my eyes he looked； this cool collected angel； with the rows and rows of immaculate blond curls and the smooth placid cheeks。
〃Gabriel； the Archangel；〃 I said in reverence。 The tears flooded to my eyes； and it felt like singing to cry。
〃My boy； my poor wretched boy；〃 said the old merchant。 〃There is no angel standing in front of you。 Pay attention； now； please。〃
〃They can't see us；〃 said the angel to me simply。 Again came his smooth easy smile。 His eyes caught the light falling from the brightening sky as he peered into me； as if he would see deeper with every moment of his study。
〃I know；〃 I answered。 〃They don't know！〃
〃But I am not Gabriel； you must not call me that；〃 he said very courteously and soothingly。 〃My young one； I am very far from being the Archangel Gabriel。 I am Setheus； and I'm a guardian angel only。〃 He was so patient with me； so patient with my crying and with the collection of blind and concerned mortals around us。
He stood close enough for me to touch； but I didn't dare。 〃My guardian angel？〃 I asked。 〃Is it true？〃
〃No；〃 said the angel。 〃I am not your guardian angel。 Those you must somehow find for yourself。 You've seen the guardian angels of another； though why and how I don't know。〃
〃Don't pray now；〃 said the old man crankily。 〃Tell us who you are； boy。 You said a name before； your father； tell us。〃
The other angel； who stood as if too shocked to move； suddenly broke his reserve and he too came forward in the same silent barefooted style； as though the roughened stones and the wet and dirt could not mar him or harm him。
〃Can this be good； Setheus？〃 he asked。 But his pale iridescent eyes were focused on me with the same loving attention； the same rapt and forgiving interest。
〃And you； you are in the other painting； I know you too； I love you with my whole heart；〃 I said。
〃Son； to whom are you speaking？〃 demanded the younger man。 〃Whom do you love with your whole heart？〃
〃Ah； you can hear me？〃 I turned to the man。 〃You can understand me。〃
〃Yes； now tell me your name。〃
〃Vittorio di Raniari；〃 I said； 〃friend and ally of the Medici； son of Lorenzo di Raniari； Castello Raniari in the north of Tuscany； and my father is dead； and all my kinsmen。 But …〃
The two angels stood right before me； together； one head inclined towards the other as they regarded me； and it seemed that the mortals； for all their blindness； could not block the path of the angels' vision or e between me and them。 If only I had the courage。 I so wanted to touch them。
The wings of the one who'd spoken first were rising； and it seemed a soft shimmer of gold dust fell from the awakening feathers； the quivering； sparkling feathers； but nothing rivaled the angel's meditative and wondering face。
〃Let them take you to San Marco；〃 said this angel； the one named Setheus； 〃let them take you。 These men mean well； and you will be put in a cell and cared for by the monks。 You cannot be in a finer place； for this is a house under Cosimo's patronage； and you know that Fra Giovanni has decorated the very cell in which you'll stay。〃
〃Setheus； he knows these things；〃 said the other angel。
〃Yes； but I am reassuring him；〃 said the first angel with the simplest shrug； looking wonderingly at his panion。 Nothing characterized their faces so much as subdued wonder。
〃But you；〃 I said； 〃Setheus； may I call you by name； you'll let them take me away from you？ You can't。 Please don't leave me。 I beg you。 Don't leave me。〃
〃We have to leave you；〃 said the other angel。 〃We are not your guardians。 Why can't you see your own angels？〃
〃Wait； I know your name。 I can hear it。〃
〃No；〃 said this more disapproving angel； waving his finger at me as if correcting a child。
But I would not be stopped。 〃I know your name。 I heard it when you were arguing； and I hear it now when I look at your face。 Ramiel； that's your name。 And both of you are Fra Filippo's guardians。〃
〃This is a disaster；〃 whispered Ramiel； with the most touching look of distress。 〃How did this occur？〃
Setheus merely shook his head； and smiled again generously。 〃It has to be for the good； it must be。 We have to go with him。 Of course we do。〃
〃Now？ Leave now？〃 demanded Ramiel； and again； for all the urgency； there was no anger。 It was as though the thoughts were purified of all lower emotions； and of cour