sword, short enough for a
boy but long enough to kill, that hung from his jeweled belt.

Ugolini shook his head. "No one has the right to say that another is in
sin. Only God sees the soul. _Judge not, lest ye be judged._"

Sophia found it hard to believe that this was the same man whose panic
she had struggled to overcome a few hours earlier. He was suddenly the
perfect clergyman, attentive, sympathetic, sententious.

"Yes, and for what should I be judged?" The contessa lifted both hands
now. "For exacting justice?"

"If you have any doubts, dear Madama," Ugolini said, "I will be happy to
give you absolution."

That was a nice touch, thought Sophia. If she confessed to him, that
would certainly put her under his influence.

But even as they talked, across town the podesta's men might be tearing
Daoud's body to pieces. Sophia felt her stomach knot. She shook her head
as vigorously as she dared, to drive away the hideous images without
attracting attention to herself.

_Hurry! Dear God, make them hurry!_

"I _have_ no doubts," said the old lady firmly. "Besides, I have my own
chaplain. I would not wish another person on earth to know me as well as
he does. But I do thank you for your kind thought, Cardinal. I am glad
to see that not all the princes of the Church think alike in this
matter."

"I am sure Cardinal Piacenza is quite alone," said Ugolini.

The contessa shrugged. "I do not know about that. Since His Holiness
left, no one has called on me. I have been feeling quite abandoned."

Now Sophia began to feel a stronger hope than ever. The old lady liked
to be flattered by princes of the Church. Perhaps she could be won over
after all.

"Surely your guest, Cardinal de Verceuil, attends you often," Ugolini
ventured.

The contessa sniffed. "That Frenchman. He is no more civilized than his
Tartars. I would rather he left me alone. The French are all rather
barbaric. Of course, that fine young Simon de Gobignon--he is most
attractive." She grinned with a lasciviousness that startled Sophia.
"This palace has not been the same since he went back to France."

"Back to France?" Ugolini stared. "I thought he, too, was going to
Perugia."

Sophia felt a ball of ice suddenly encase her heart. She had told
Ugolini, as she told Daoud, that Simon was going to Perugia. She prayed
Ugolini would not suspect that she had been lying.

"Oh, no," said the contessa. "France. He told me himself when he took
leave of me.