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〃I need you！〃 I declared。 I stood up； knocking the bench back。 I reached out so that it would not clatter to the floor。 I faced him。
〃You need me！〃 he said in muted outrage。 〃You do！ You who would lead off Ramiel and Setheus from Fra Filippo Lippi。 You need me？ Do you know who I am？〃
It was a gorgeous voice； rich； silken； violent and piercing though deep。 〃You have a sword；〃 I said。
〃Oh； and for what？〃
〃Killing them； all of them！〃 I said。 〃Going there with me by day to their castle。 Do you know what I am speaking of？〃
He nodded。 〃I know what you dreamt and what you babbled and what Ramiel and Setheus have gleaned from your feverish mind。 Of course I know。 You need me； you say； and Fra Filippo Lippi lies in bed with a whore who licks his aching joints； and one in particular that aches for her！〃
〃Such talk from an angel；〃 I said。
〃Don't mock me； I'll slap you；〃 he said。 His wings rose and fell as if he were sighing with them； or gasping rather； at me in umbrage。
〃So do it！〃 I said。 My eyes were feasting fiendishly on his glistering beauty； on the red silk cloak that was clasped just below the bit of tunic that showed above his armor； at the solemn smoothness of his cheeks。 〃But e with me to the mountains and kill them；〃 I implored him。
〃Why don't you go yourself and do it？〃
〃Do you think I can？〃 I demanded。
His face went serene。 His lower lip gave the smallest most thoughtful pout。 His jaw and neck were powerful； more powerful by far than the anatomy of Ramiel or Setheus； who seemed more youths； and this their splendid elder brother。 〃You are not the Fallen One； are you？〃 I asked。
〃How dare you！〃 he whispered； waking from his slumber。 A terrible frown broke over him。
〃Mastema； then； that's who you are。 They said your name。 Mastema。〃
He nodded and sneered。 〃They would； of course； say my name。〃
〃Which means what； great angel？ That I can call on you； that I have the power to mand you？〃 I turned and reached for the book of St。 Augustine。
〃Put down that book！〃 he said impatiently yet coolly。 〃There is an angel standing before you； boy； look at me when I speak to you！〃
〃Ah； you speak like Florian； the demon in that far castle。 You have the same control； the same modulation。 What do you want of me； angel？ Why did you e？〃
He was silent； as if he couldn't produce an answer。 Then； quietly； he put a question to me。 〃Why do you think？〃
〃Because I prayed？〃
〃Yes；〃 he said coldly。 〃Yes！ And because they have e to me on your account。〃
My eyes widened。 I felt light fill them up。 But the light didn't hurt them。 A soft cluster of sweet noises filled my ears。
On either side of him there appeared Ramiel and Setheus； their milder； gentler faces focused on me。
Mastema raised his eyebrows again as he looked down at me。
〃Fra Filippo Lippi is drunk；〃 he said。 〃When he wakes up； he'll get drunk again until the pain stops。〃
〃Fools to rack a great painter；〃 I said； 〃but then you know my thoughts on that。〃
〃Ah； and the thoughts of all the women in Florence；〃 said Mastema。 〃And the thoughts of the great ones who pay for his paintings； if their minds were not on war。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Ramiel； glancing imploringly to Mastema。 They were of the same height； but Mastema didn't turn； and Ramiel came forward some； as if to catch his eye。 〃If they weren't all so carried away with war。〃
〃War is the world；〃 said Mastema。 〃I asked you before； Vittorio di Raniari； do you know who I am？〃
I was shaken； not by the question； but that the three had now e together； and that I stood before them； the only mortal being； and all the mortal world around us seemed to sleep。
Why had no monk e down the passage to see who whispered in the library？ Why had no Watchman of the night e to see why the candles floated along the passage？ Why the boy murmured and raved？ Was I mad？
It seemed to me quite suddenly and ludicrously that if I answered Mastema correctly； I would not be mad。
This thought brought from him a small laugh； neither harsh nor sweet。
Setheus stared at me with his obvious sympathy。 Ramiel said nothing but looked again to Mastema。
〃You are the angel；〃 I said； 〃whom the Lord gives permission to wield that sword。〃 There came no response from him。 I went on。 〃You are the angel who slew the firstborn of Egypt；〃 I said。 No response。 〃You are the angel； the angel who can avenge。〃
He nodded； but only really with his eyes。 They closed and then opened。 Setheus drew close to him； lips to his ears。
〃Help him； Mastema； let us all go help him。 Filippo cannot use our counsel now。〃
〃And why？〃 demanded Mastema of the angel beside him。 He looked at me。
〃God has given me no leave to punish these demons of yours。 Never has God said to me； 'Mastema； slay the vampires； the lemures； the larvae； the blood drinkers'。 Never has God spoken to me and said； 'Lift your mighty sword to cleanse the world of these'。〃
〃I beg you；〃 I said。 〃I； a mortal boy； beg you。 Kill these； wipe out this nest with your sword。〃
〃I can't do it。〃
〃Mastema； you can！〃 declared Setheus。
Ramiel spoke up。 〃If he says he cannot； he cannot！ Why do you never listen to him？〃
〃Because I know that he can be moved；〃 said Setheus without hesitation to his patriot。 〃I know that he can； as God can be moved。〃 Setheus stepped boldly in front of Mastema。
〃Pick up the book； Vittorio；〃 he said。 He stepped forward。 At once the large vellum pages； heavy as they were； began to flutter。 He put it in my hand； and marked the place with his pale finger； barely touching the thick black crowded writing。 I read aloud： And therefore God who made the visible marvels of Heaven and Earth does not disdain to work visible miracles in Heaven and Earth； by which He arouses the soul； hitherto preoccupied； with visible things； to the worship of Himself。
His finger moved； and my eyes moved with it。 I read of God： To Him； there is no difference between seeing us about to pray and listening to our prayers； for even when His angels listen； it is He Himself who listens in them。
I stopped； my eyes full of tears。 He took the book from me to guard it from my tears。
A noise had penetrated our small circle。 Monks had e。 I heard them whispering in the corridor； and then the door swung open。 Into the library they came。
I cried； and when I looked up I saw them staring at me； two monks whom I didn't know or didn't remember； had never known。
〃What is it； young man？ Why are you here alone crying？〃 the first spoke。
〃Here； let us take you back to bed。 We'll bring you something to eat。〃
〃No； I can't eat it；〃 I said。
〃No； he can't eat it；〃 said the first monk to the other。 〃It still makes him sick。 But he can rest。〃 He looked at me。
I turned。 The three radiant angels stood silently staring at the monks who could not see them； who had no clue that the angels were there！ 〃Dear God in Heaven； please tell me；〃 I said。 〃Have I gone mad？ Have the demons won out； have they so polluted me with their blood and their potions that I see things which are delusions； or am I e like Mary to the tomb to see an angel there？〃
〃e to bed；〃 said the monks。
〃No；〃 said Mastema； quietly addressing the monk who didn't even see him or hear him。 〃Let him stay。 Let him read to quiet his mind。 He is a boy of education。〃
〃No； no；〃 said the monk； shaking his head。 He glanced to the other。 〃We should let him stay。 He's a boy of education。 He can read quietly。 Cosimo said that he must have anything he desired。〃
〃Go on； leave him now；〃 said Setheus softly。
〃Hush；〃 said Ramiel。 〃Let Mastema tell them。〃
I was too flooded with sorrow and happiness to respond。 I covered my face； and when I did so I thought of my poor Ursula； forever with her demon Court； and how she had wept for me。 〃How could that be？〃 I whispered into my own fingers。
〃Because she was human once； and has a human heart；〃 said Mastema to me in the silence。
The two monks were hurrying out。 For one moment the collection of angels was as sheer as light； and I saw through them to the two retreating figures of the monks who closed up the doors as they left。
Mastema looked at me with his still； powerful gaze。
〃One could read anything into your face；〃 I said。
〃So it is with almost all angels all of the time；〃 he answered。
〃I beg you；〃 I said。 〃e with me。 Help me。 Guide me。 Do what you just did with those monks！ That you can do； can't you？〃 He nodded。
〃But we can't do more than that； you see；〃 said Setheus。
〃Let Mastema say；〃 said Ramiel。
〃Go back to Heaven！〃 said Setheus。
〃Please； the both of you； be quiet；〃 said Mastema。 〃Vittorio； I cannot slay them。 I have no leave。 That you can do； and with your own sword。〃
〃But you'll e。〃
〃I'll take you；〃 he said。 〃When the sun rises； when they sleep under their stones。 But you must slay them； you must open them to the light； and you must set free those awful wretched prisoners； and you must stand before the townsmen； or let loose that crippled flock and flee。〃
〃I understand。〃
〃We can move the stones away from their sleeping places； can't we？〃 asked Setheus。 He put up his hand to hush Ramiel before Ramiel could protest。 〃We'll have to do it。〃
〃We can do that；〃 said Mastema。 〃As we can stop a beam from falling on Filippo's