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and of course it was so； it was perfectly so。
Setheus leaned close to the old man； who couldn't of course either see him or hear him； and he said in the old man's ear： 〃Take the boy to San Marco； have him put in a goodly cell； for which he has plenty of money； and have him nursed to health。〃 Then he looked at me。 〃We'll go with you。〃
〃We can't do that；〃 said Ramiel。 〃We can't leave our charge； how can we do such a thing without permission？〃
〃It's meant to be。 This is permission。 I know that it is；〃 said Setheus。 〃Don't you see what's happened？ He's seen us and he's heard us and he's caught your name； and he would have caught mine if I hadn't revealed it。 Poor Vittorio； we are with you。〃
I nodded； almost ready to weep at the sound of myself addressed。 The whole street had gone drab and hushed and indistinct around their large； quiet and flushed figures； the finespun light of their garments stirring about them as if the celestial fabric were subject to the invisible currents of the air which men cannot feel。
〃Those are not our real names！〃 said Ramiel scoldingly to me； but gently； as one would scold an infant。
Setheus smiled。 〃They are good enough names by which to call us； Vittorio；〃 he said。
〃Yes； take him to San Marco；〃 said the man beside me。 〃Let's go。 Let the monks handle all this。〃
The men rushed me towards the mouth of the street。
〃You'll be very well cared for at San Marco；〃 said Ramiel； as though he were bidding me farewell； but the two angels were moving beside us； and only falling a little behind。
〃Don't you leave me； either of you； you can't！〃 I said to the angels。
They seemed perplexed； their lovely folded gossamer robes unstained by rain； the hems clean and shining as if they had not touched the street； and their bare feet looking so exquisitely tender as they followed at our pace。
〃All right；〃 said Setheus。 〃Don't worry so； Vittorio。 We're ing。〃
〃We can't simply leave our charge like this for another man； we can't do it；〃 Ramiel continued to protest。 〃It's God's will； how can it be otherwise？〃
〃And Mastema？ We don't have to ask Mastema？〃 asked Ramiel。
〃Why should we ask Mastema？ Why bring care to Mastema？ Mastema must know。〃
And there they were； arguing again； behind us； as I was hurried through the street。
The steel sky gleamed； then grew pale and gave way above to blue as we came to an open piazza。 The sun shocked me； and made me sicken； yet how I wanted it； how I longed for it； and yet it rebuked me and seemed to scourge me as if it were a whip。
We were only a little ways from San Marco。 My legs would soon give out。 I kept looking over my shoulder。
The two lustrous； gilded figures came on； silently； with Setheus gesturing for me to go along。 〃We're here； we're with you；〃 said Setheus。
〃I don't know about this； I don't know！〃 said Ramiel。 〃Filippo has never been in such trouble； he has never been subjected to such temptation； such indignity …〃
〃Which is why we have been drawn off now； so that we do not interfere with what must take place with Filippo。 We know we were on the very verge of getting into trouble on account of Filippo and what Filippo has done now。 Oh； Filippo； I see this； I see the grand design。〃
〃What are they talking about？〃 I demanded of the men。 〃They're saying something about Fra Filippo。〃
〃And who would that be； who is talking； may I ask？〃 said the old man； shaking his head as he escorted me along； the young madman in his charge with the clanking sword。
〃My boy； be quiet now；〃 said the other man； who took the larger burden of supporting me。 〃We can understand you only too well now； and you are making less sense than ever； talking to people that no one can see and hear。〃
〃Fra Filippo； the painter； what's happening with him？〃 I demanded。 〃There's some trouble。〃
〃Oh； it is unbearable；〃 said the angel Ramiel behind me。 〃It is unthinkable that this should happen。 And if you ask me； which no one has and no one will； I believe that if Florence were not at war with Venice； Cosimo de' Medici would protect his painter from this。〃
〃But protect him from what？〃 I demanded。 I looked into the eyes of the old man。
〃Son； obey me；〃 said the old man。 〃Walk straight； and stop banging me with that sword。 You are a great Signore； I can see this； and the name of the Raniari rings loud in my ears from the distant mountains of Tuscany； and the gold on your right hand alone weighs more than the dowry of both of my daughters put together； not to mention the gems； but don't shout in my face。〃
〃I'm sorry。 I didn't mean to。 It's only； the angels won't say precisely。〃
The other man who led me so kindly； who helped me honestly with the saddlebags in which was my fortune； and did not even seek to steal anything from me； began to speak：
〃If you're asking about Fra Filippo； he's deep into trouble again。 He's being put to the torture。 He's on the rack。〃
〃No； that can't happen； not to Filippo Lippi！〃 I stopped dead and shouted。 〃Who would do such a thing to the great painter？〃
I turned； and the two angels suddenly covered their faces； as tenderly as ever Ursula had covered hers； and they started weeping。 Only their tears were marvelously crystalline and clear。 They merely looked at me。 Oh； Ursula； I thought with excruciating pain suddenly； how beautiful are these creatures； and in what grave do you sleep beneath the Court of the Ruby Grail that you cannot see them； cannot see their silent secret progress through the city streets？
〃It's true；〃 said Ramiel。 〃It's all too terribly true。 What have we been； what sort of guardians； that Filippo has gotten himself into this trouble； that he is so contentious and deceiving； and why have we been so helpless？〃
〃We are only angels；〃 said Setheus。 〃Ramiel； we do not have to accuse Filippo。 We are not accusers； we are guardians； and for the sake of the boy who loves him； don't say such things。〃
〃They can't torture Fra Filippo Lippi；〃 I cried out。 〃Who did he deceive？〃
〃He did it to himself；〃 said the old man。 〃He's into fraud this time。 He sold off a mission； and everybody knows that one of his apprentices painted too much of the work。 He's been put on the rack； but he didn't really get hurt。〃
〃Didn't really hurt him！ He's only magnificent！〃 I said。 〃You tell me they tortured him。 Why was he tortured； how can anyone justify such a stupidity； such an insult； it's an insult to the Medici。〃
〃Silence； child； he confessed；〃 said the younger of the two mortal men。 〃It's almost over。 Some monk if you ask me； Fra Filippo Lippi； if he isn't chasing women； he's in a brawl。〃
We had e to San Marco。 We stood in the Piazza San Marco right before the doors of the monastery； which were flush with the street； as was the case with all such buildings in Florence； as if the Arno never overflowed its banks； which it did。 And I was glad； oh； so glad to see this haven。
But my mind was rampant。 All memories of demons and horrid murder had been swept clean from me in an instant by the horror that the artist whom I cherished most in all the world had been put on the rack like a mon criminal。
〃He sometimes。。。 well；〃 said Ramiel； 〃behaves like a mon。。。 criminal。〃
〃He'll get out of it； he'll pay a fine；〃 said the old man。 He rang the bell for the monks。 He patted me with a long； tired； dry hand。 〃Now stop crying； child； stop。 Filippo is a nuisance； everybody knows it。 If only there were a little of the saintliness of Fra Giovanni in him； only a little！〃
Fra Giovanni。 Of course； by this man； Fra Giovanni； they meant the great Fra Angelico； the painter who in centuries to e would bring the awestruck to all but kneel before his paintings； and it was in this monastery that Fra Giovanni worked and lived； it was here that； for Cosimo； he painted the very cells of the monks。
What could I say？ 〃Yes； yes； Fra Giovanni； but I don't。。。 I don't。。。 love him。〃 Of course I loved him； I honored him and his wondrous work； but it was not like my love for Filippo； the painter I had glimpsed only once。 How explain these strange things？
A surge of nausea caused me to bend double。 I backed away from my kindly helpers。 I heaved up the contents of my stomach into the street； a bloody stream of filth from the demons who had fed me。 I saw it drip and flow into the street。 I smelled the putrid stench of it； and I saw it spill from me into the cracks between the cobblestones； this mess of half…digested wine and blood。
The whole horror of the Court of the Ruby Grail seemed manifest in this moment。 Hopelessness seized me； and I heard the whisper of demons in my ear； witless and scorned； and I doubted all that I'd seen； all that I was； all that had transpired only moments before。 In a dreamy woodland； my father and I rode together and we talked of Filippo's paintings； and I was a student and a young lord and had all the world before me； and the strong good smell of the horses filled my nostrils with the smell of the woods。
Witless and scorned。 Mad when you might have been immortal。
As I rose up again； I leant back against the wall of the monastery。 The light of the blue sky was bright enough to shut my eyes； but I bathed in its warmth。 Slowly； as my stomach settled； I tried to gaze steadily before me； to fight the pa