XXII

MYsleepwastroubled,andwhenIwokethenextmorningthesunhadonlyjustrisen. ItwasSaturday,the14thofApril1488. Iwenttomywindowandsawacloudlesssky,brilliantlyyellowoverintheeast,andelsewhereliquidandwhite,hardeninggraduallyintoblue.Therayscamedancingintomyroom,andinthemincessantlywhirledcountlessatomsofdust.Throughtheopenwindowblewthespringwind,ladenwiththescentsofthecountry,theblossomsofthefruittrees,theprimrosesandviolets.Ihadneverfeltsoyoungandstrongandhealthy.Whatcouldonenotdoonsuchadayasthis!IwentintoMatteo'sroom,andfoundhimsleepingascalmlyasifthiswereanordinarydaylikeanyother. 'Rise,thousluggard!'Icried. Inafewminuteswewerebothready,andwewenttoChecco.Wefoundhimseatedatatablepolishingadagger. 'DoyourememberinTacitus,'hesaid,smilingpleasantly,'howtheplotagainstNerowasdiscoveredbyoneoftheconspiratorsgivinghisdaggertohisfreedmantosharpen?Whereuponthefreedmanbecamesuspicious,andwarnedtheEmperor.' 'Thephilosopherstellustoriseonthemistakesofothers,'Iremarkedinthesametone. 'Onereasonformyaffectiontowardsyou,Filippo,'heanswered,'isthatyouhavenicemoralsentiments,andapleasantmoralwayoflookingatthings.' Heheldouthisdaggerandlookedatit.Thebladewasbeautifullydamaskeened,thehiltbejewelled. 'Look,'hesaid,showingmetheexcellenceofthesteel,andpointingoutthemaker'sname.Then,meditatively,'Ihavebeenwonderingwhatsortofblowwouldbemosteffectiveifonewantedtokillaman.' 'Youcangetmostforce,'saidMatteo,'bybringingthedaggerdownfromaboveyourhead—thus.' 'Yesbutthenyoumaystriketheribs,inwhichcaseyouwouldnotseriouslyinjureyourfriend.' 'Youcanhithimintheneck.' 'Thespaceistoosmall,andthechinmaygetintheway.Ontheotherhand,awoundinthelargevesselsofthatregionisalmostimmediatelyfatal.' 'Itisaninterestingsubject,'Isaid.'Myopinionisthatthebestofallblowsisanunderhandone,rippingupthestomach.' ItookthedaggerandshowedhimwhatImeant. 'Therearenohindrancesinthewayofbon