w, rose very good-humoredly from the
table and the converse and the wine, and going a little ways apart,
listened to what his old servant, who seemed so agitated and aghast, had
to tell him.

When Messer Folco heard what it was that his man had to say, Messer
Folco frowned sternly, and expressed a disbelief so emphatic and so
angry that there was nothing for the poor servitor to do but to call
Maleotti himself, who, with great seeming reluctance and with many
protestations of regret, that must have made him seem like a
particularly mischievous monkey apologizing for stealing nuts, repeated,
with a cunning lack of embellishment, the plain statement that he had
made to the retainer. Thereupon, Messer Folco, in a great rage which it
took all his boasted philosophy to keep under control, called to him two
or three of his old cronies that were still lingering about the deserted
tables. These folk were, indeed, also his kinsfolk, and it was from one
of them that I had the particulars which I am about to set forth with
almost as much certainty as if I had seen them myself.

Making hurried excuses to those few that remained at the table, Messer
Folco and his friends quitted the room upon their errand of folly. And
Maleotti, having done his devil's work, departed upon other business of
his master's, that was no less damnable in its nature and no less
threatening to Simone's enemies.

Messer Folco and his friends hurried swiftly and in silence through the
still, moon-lit gardens till they came to the gateway that Dante had
opened and the little staircase whereby Dante had ascended. Passing
through this gateway and mounting those steps, Messer Folco and his
friends came to the loggia and stood there for a moment in silence. Had
they been less busy upon a bad and unhappy errand, they must needs have
been enchanted by the beauty of all that lay before and around them in
that place and on that night of summer.

The air was very hot upon the loggia, and the night was very still. All
over the field of the sky the star-candles were burning brightly, and it
scarcely needed the torches that certain of Messer Folco's companions
carried to see what was to be seen. Those of Messer Folco's kinsfolk
that stood huddled together about the entrance of the loggia, curious
and confused at the suddenness of the unlovely business, could see that
their leader looked very pale and grave as he crossed the pavement and
struck sharply with his clinche