in honour of the Cardinal, who was the guest of Cavaliere Giacopo and
under the guidance of Archbishop Francesco, as deputy of his Holiness
the Pope.

In the vast congregation everybody of importance in Florence was
assembled, with two notable exceptions--the mother and the only brother
of Lorenzo il Magnifico. The Domina Lucrezia, who had suddenly retired
from the prominent position she held at the Court of her son, remained
at Careggi with the venerable Madonna Contessina, Cosimo's widow, upon
whom she waited with the utmost devotion.

The other absentee was, once more, Giuliano! Consternation seized upon
the conspirators, for the slaughter would not be complete without the
shedding of his blood.

The preliminary anthems were being sung as the procession of the
celebrant of the Mass, with his sacred ministers moved from the New
Sacristy, and every head was bowed before the symbol of the cross.
Hesitation on the part of the confederates meant ruin, and, perhaps,
death: this no one knew better than Francesco de' Pazzi. Beckoning to
Bernardo Bandino, he led the way to the north door of the Cathedral, and
hurried off with him to the Medici Palace, not many yards away.

Asking to see the Lord Giuliano, the porter led them into the courtyard,
and presently the groom of the chamber conducted them into the young
prince's apartment. Giuliano was nearly dressed, and his valet was
giving some final touches to his abundant brown hair and to his robes.

"Hasten, my lord, the Mass is in saying, or you will be too late,"
exclaimed Francesco, "we have come to conduct you to the Duomo."
Giuliano was in a gleeful mood, and joked his visitors upon their
unexpected attentions. At length he cried out: "Lead on, Pazzo--Medico
will follow!"

Taking him in his humour, Francesco slipped his arm round Giuliano's
waist--apparently as a mark of good-fellowship, but really for the
purpose of feeling whether he was wearing armour under his blue velvet
tunic. With Bandino on the other side, the three made the rest of their
way through the dense crowd in the Via Larga, being greeted respectfully
by old and young, though many wondered at "_Il bel Giulio's_" unwonted
companions.

Entering the Duomo, the three stood a moment whilst a clear course was
made for Giuliano to the centre of the congregation. Lorenzo and the
clergy and dignitaries within the choir were already upon their knees,
ready to prostrate themselves as the celebrant held alo