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esstraighttothegoalwithclearnessofmindandstrengthofwill.Helooksatthingsastheyare,puttingasideallvainappearances,andwhenhisintelligencehasshownhimthemeanstohisend,heisafoolifherefusesthem,andheisawisemanifheusesthemsteadilyandunhesitatingly."Iknowtheend,andIwillattainit.Iknowthemeans,andIwillusethemsteadily,withouthesitation.' 'Iamgladtohearyouspeaklikethatatlast!'saidMatteo.'Weshallhaveplentytohelpus.TheMoratiniwilljoinatonce.JacopoRonchiandLodovicoPansecchiaresobitteragainsttheCounttheywillcomewithusassoonastheyhearyouhavedecidedtokilltheenemyofusall.' 'Youareblind,Matteo.Doyounotseewhatwemustdo?Youmistakethemeansfortheend.' 'Whatdoyoumean?' 'ThedeathofGirolamoisonlyameans.Theendisfurtherandhigher.' Matteodidnotspeak. 'Imustkeepmyhandscleanfromanybasemotive.ItmustnotseemthatIaminfluencedbyanypersonalincentive.Nothingmustcomefromme.Theideaofassassinationmustcomefromoutside.' 'Whomdoyou—' 'IthinkBartolomeoMoratinimustproposeit,andIwillyieldtohisinstances.' 'Good!thenIwillgotohim.' 'Thatwillnotdoeither.NeitheryounorImustbeconcernedinit.AfterwardsitmustbecleartoallmindsthattheOrsiwereinfluencedsolelybythepublicwelfare.Doyousee?Iwilltellyouhowitmustbe.Filippomusthelpus.HemustgotoBartolomeo,andfromhisgreataffectionforustalkofourdangerandintreatBartolomeotopersuademetotheassassination.Doyouunderstand,Filippo?' 'Perfectly!' 'Willyoudoit?' 'Iwillgotohimto-morrow.' 'Waittillthenewsoftheattempthasspread.' IsmiledatthecompletenesswithwhichCheccohadarrangedeverythinghehadevidentlythoughtitallout.Howhadhisscruplesdisappeared? Theblacknessofthenightwassinkingbeforethedawnwhenwebadeoneanothergood-night.