sfolk of many
classes. I could see that Monna Vittoria was in the thick of the crowd
that followed the Car of Triumph, and presently she made her way beneath
the shelter of the arcade, and stood there hard by one of the pillars,
watching the lady Beatrice on her throne and Simone dei Bardi keeping so
close beside her. And Simone, as I believe, had no knowledge of
Vittoria's presence.

Now, when that brave company came into the place where we stood, Dante,
that had stood by our sides listlessly enough, turned away from us as
suddenly and sharply as if he had received an order. So he turned, and,
turning, he saw in full view the face of the lady Beatrice as she sat on
her car of triumph; and, at the sight of her, he gave a great cry, and
then stood silent and stiff as if spellbound.

Guido, delighted by the girl's beauty, cried to him, not looking at him,
"Is she not fair?"

But I saw what strange case our Dante was in, and pulled at Guide's
sleeve and jerked his attention to my friend, saying, "Our Dante stands
at gaze as if he were sun-dazzled."

Guido turned to Messer Dante and saw the rapture in his face, and,
seeing, questioned him. "Is she not fair?" he asked, and his glance
travelled again to where the May-queen sat.

And Dante answered him, speaking very slowly, as a man might speak in
some sweet sleep when he dreamed a dear dream, "She is the loveliest
woman in the world." He paused for a moment, and then added, in a lower
tone, "She is the child I worshipped."

Now, I could plainly read amazement and doubt on Messer Guido's face
when he heard Dante speak thus strangely, and he caught at his arm and
shook it a little gently, as one would do that wishes to wake a sleeping
man. "You are dreaming, for sure," he said.

But Dante only answered him very quietly, still keeping his rapturous
face fixed on the girl as she and her company came nearer. "She is the
lady of my dreams."

Now I, that was glancing in much bewilderment from Dante, where he stood
at gaze so radiant, to the fair girl on her gilded car, saw, or thought
I saw, all of a sudden, a look in the girl's eyes that betokened more
knowledge of Dante than merely the knowledge that a man stood in the
roadway and stared at her beauty. So I whispered to Guido in his ear,
"See, she seems to note him, and, as I think, with recognition."

Now, even as I said this, the little company that carried the Queen of
Beauty came to a halt some yards from the gate