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〃Why do you prolong this？〃 he asked。
〃I will not hurt you。 Neither will my panion；〃 I said。 I sighed。 It would have been that moment in a conversation when I would have reached for the cup or the tankard and taken a drink。 My hunger hurt me。 I wondered if the thirst hurt Ursula。 I stared at the priest's wine； which was nothing to me now； nothing； and I looked at his face； sweating in the light of the candle； and I went on：
〃I want you to know that I saw them； that I talked to them； these angels。 They tried to help me to destroy those monsters who held sway over this town； and over the souls of those here。 I want you to know； Father。〃
〃Why； son； why tell me？〃
〃Because they were beautiful； and they were as real as we are； and you have seen us。 You have seen hellish things； you have seen sloth and treachery； cowardice and deceit。 You see devils now； vampires。 Well； I want you to know that with my own eyes I saw angels； true angels； magnificent angels； and that they were more glorious than I can ever tell you in words。〃
He regarded me thoughtfully for a long time； and then he looked at Ursula； who sat troubled and looking up at me； rather afraid that I would unduly suffer； and then he said：
〃Why did you fail them？ Why did they e with you in the first place； and if you had the aid of angels； why did you fail？〃
I shrugged my shoulders。 I smiled。 〃For love。〃 He didn't answer。
Ursula leaned her head against my arm。 I felt her free hair brushing my back as she let me feel her weight。
〃For love！〃 the priest repeated。
〃Yes； and for honor as well。〃
〃Honor。〃
〃No one will ever understand it。 God will not accept it； but it's true； and now； what is there； Father； that divides us； you and I； and the woman who sits with me？ What is between us … the two parties … the honest priest and the two demons？〃
The little man chuckled suddenly。 He had slapped down a marvelous run of cards。 〃Look at that！〃 he said。 He looked up at me with his clever little eyes。 〃Oh； your question； forgive me。 I know the answer。〃
〃You do？〃 asked the priest； turning to the little old man。 〃You know the answer？〃
〃Of course； I do；〃 said his father。 He dealt out another card。 〃What separates them now from a good Confession is weakness and the fear of Hell if they must give up their lives。〃 The priest stared at his father in amazement。 So did I。
Ursula said nothing。 Then she kissed me on the cheek。 〃Let's leave them now；〃 she whispered。 〃There is no more Santa Maddalana。 Let's go。〃
I looked up； around the darkened room of the Inn。 I looked at the old barrels。 I looked in haunted perplexity and appalling sorrow at all things that humans used and touched。 I looked at the heavy hands of the priest； folded on the table before me。 I looked at the hair on his hands； and then up at his thick lips and his large watering and sorrowful eyes。
〃Will you accept this from me？〃 I whispered。 〃This secret； of angels？ That I saw them！ I！ And you； you see what I am； and you know therefore that I know whereof I speak。 I saw their wings； I saw their halos； I saw their white faces； and I saw the sword of Mastema the powerful； and it was they who helped me sack the castle and lay waste to all the demons save for this one； this child bride； who is mine。〃
〃Child bride；〃 she whispered。 It filled her with delight。 She looked at me； musingly； and hummed a soft； old…fashioned air； one of those threads of songs from her times。
She spoke to me in an urgent persuasive whisper； squeezing my arm as she did：
〃e； Vittorio； leave these men in peace； and e with me； and I'll tell you how indeed I was a child bride。〃 She looked at the priest with renewed animation。 〃I was； you know。 They came to my father's castle and purchased me as such； they said that I must be a virgin； and the midwives came and brought their basin of warm water； and they examined me and they said I was a virgin； and only then did Florian take me。 I was his bride。〃
The priest stared fixedly at her； as if he could not move if he wanted to move； and the old man merely glanced up again and again； cheerfully； nodding as he listened to her； and went on playing with his cards。
〃Can you imagine my horror？〃 she asked them。 She looked at me； tossing her hair back over her shoulder。 It was in its ripples again from the plaits in which she'd had it bound earlier。 〃Can you imagine when I climbed onto the couch and I saw who was my bridegroom； this white thing； this dead thing； such as we look to you？〃
The priest made no answer。 His eyes filled slowly with tears。 Tears！
It seemed a lovely human spectacle； bloodless； crystalline； and such an adornment for his old soft face； with its jowls and fleshy mouth。
〃And then to be taken to a ruined chapel；〃 she said； 〃a ruined place； full of spiders and vermin； and there before a desecrated altar； to be stripped and laid down and taken by him and made his bride。〃
She let go of my arm； her arms forming a loose embracing gesture。 〃Oh； I had a veil； a great long beautiful veil； and a dress of such fine flowered silk； and all this he tore from me； and took me first with his lifeless； seedless stone…hard organ and then with his fang teeth； like these very teeth which I have now。 Oh； such a wedding； and my father had given me over for this。〃 The tears coursed down the priest's cheeks。
I stared at her； transfixed with sorrow and rage； rage against a demon I had already slaughtered； a rage that I hoped could reach down through the smoldering coals of Hell and find him with fingers like hot tongs。 I said nothing。 She raised her eyebrow； she cocked her head。
〃He tired of me；〃 she said。 〃But he never stopped loving me。 He was new to the Court of the Ruby Grail； a young Lord and seeking at every turn to increase his might and his romance！ And later； when I asked for Vittorio's life； he couldn't refuse me on account of our vows exchanged on that stone altar so long ago。 After he let Vittorio leave us； after he had him cast down in Florence； certain of Vittorio's madness and ruin； Florian sang songs to me； songs for a bride。 He sang the old poems as though our love could be revived。〃
I covered my brow with my right hand。 I couldn't bear to weep the blood tears that flow from us。 I couldn't bear to see before me； as if painted by Fra Filippo； the very romance she described。 It was the priest who spoke。
〃You are children；〃 he said。 His lip trembled。 〃Mere children。〃
〃Yes；〃 she said in her exquisite voice； with certainty and a small accepting smile。 She clasped my left hand in hers and rubbed it hard and tenderly。 〃Children forever。 But he was only a young man； Florian； just a young man himself。〃
〃I saw him once；〃 said the priest； his voice thick with his crying but soft。 〃Only once。〃
〃And you knew？〃 I asked。
〃I knew I was powerless and my faith was desperate； and that around me were bonds that I could not loose or break。〃
〃Let's go now； Vittorio； don't make him cry anymore；〃 said Ursula。 〃e on； Vittorio。 Let's leave here。 We need no blood tonight and cannot think of harming them； cannot even。。。〃
〃No； beloved； never；〃 I said to her。 〃But take my gift； Father； please； the only clean thing which I can give； my testimony that I saw the angels； and that they upheld me when I was weak。〃
〃And won't you take absolution from me； Vittorio！〃 he said。 His voice rose； and his chest seemed to increase in size。 〃Vittorio and Ursula； take my absolution。〃
〃No； Father；〃 I said。 〃We cannot take it。 We don't want it。〃
〃But why？〃
〃Because； Father；〃 said Ursula kindly； 〃we plan to sin again as soon as we possibly can。〃
14
THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY
SHE didn't lie。
We journeyed that night to my father's house。 It was nothing for us to make that journey； but it was many miles for a mortal； and word had not reached that forlorn farmland that the threat of the night demons； the vampires of Florian； was gone。 Indeed； it is most likely that my farms were still deserted because ghastly tales were given out by those who had fled Santa Maddalana； traveling over hill and valley； mouth to mouth。 It didn't take me long to realize； however； that the great castle of my family was occupied。 A horde of soldiers and clerks had been hard at work。 As we crept over the giant wall after midnight； we found that all the dead of my family had been properly buried； or placed in their proper stone coffins beneath the chapel； and that the goods of the household； all of its abundant wealth； had been taken away。 Only a few wagons remained of those which must have already started their progress south。 The few who slept in the offices of my father's steward were keepers of the accounts of the Medici bank； and on tiptoe； in the dim light of a star…studded sky； I inspected the few papers they had left out to dry。
All of the inheritance of Vittorio di Raniari had been collected and catalogued； and was being taken on to Florence for him； to be placed in safety with Cosimo until such time as Vittorio di Raniari was twenty…four years of age and could thereby assume responsibility for himself as a man。
Only a few soldiers slept in the barracks。 Only a few horses were quartered in the stables。 Only a few squires and attendants slept in proximity to their Lor