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5
PERHAPS mortals feel this way when they hunt the big beasts of the forest and of the jungle。 For me； as we went down the stairs from the ceiling into the banquet room of this new and highly decorated palazzo； I felt a rabid excitement。 Men were going to die。 Men would be murdered。 Men who were bad； men who had wronged the beautiful Bianca； were going to be killed without risk to my all…powerful Master； and without risk to anyone whom I knew or loved。
An army of mercenaries could not have felt less passion for these individuals。 The Venetians in attacking the Turks perhaps had more feeling for their enemy than I。
I was spellbound； the scent of blood was already in me insofar as it was symbolic。 I wanted to see blood flow。 I didn't like Florentines anyway； and I certainly didn't understand bankers； and I most definitely wanted swift vengeance； not only for those who had bent Bianca to their will but on those who had put her in the path of my Master's thirst。
So be it。
We entered a spacious and impressive banquet hall where a party of some seven men was gorging itself on a splendid supper of roast pork。 Flemish tapestries； all very new and with splendid hunting scenes of lords and ladies with their horses and hounds； were hung from great iron rods all through the room； covering even the windows and falling heavily to the very floor。
The floor itself was a fine inlay of multicolored marble； fashioned in pictures of peacocks； plete with jewels in their great fanlike tails。
The table was very broad； and three men sat behind the table all on one side； virtually slobbering over heaps of gold plates littered with the sticky bones offish and fowl； and the roasted pig himself； poor swollen creature； whose head remained； ignominiously grasping the inevitable apple as though it were the ultimate expression of his final wish。
The other three men…all young and somewhat pretty and most athletic； by the look of their beautifully muscled legs…were busy dancing in an artful circle； hands meeting in the center； as a small gathering of boys played the instruments whose pounding march we had heard on the roof。
All appeared somewhat greasy and stained from the feast。 But not a member of the pany lacked long thick fashionable hair； and ornate； heavily worked silk tunics and hose。 There was no fire for heat； and indeed none of these men needed any such； and all were tricked out in velvet jackets with trimmings of powdered ermine or miniver or silver fox。
The wine was being slopped from the pitcher into the goblets by one who seemed quite unable to manage such a gesture。 And the three who danced； though they had a courtly design to enact； were also roughhousing and shoving one another in some sort of deliberate mockery of the dance steps that all knew。
I saw at once that the servants had been dismissed。 Several goblets had spilled。 Tiny gnats； despite the winter； had congregated over the shiny half…eaten carcasses and the heaps of moist fruit。
A golden haze hung over the room which was the smoke from the tobacco of the men which they smoked in a variety of different pipes。 The background of the tapestries was invariably a dark blue； and this gave the whole scene a warmth against which the rich varicolored clothes of the boy musicians and the dinner guests shone brilliantly。
Indeed； as we entered the smoky warmth of the room； I felt intoxicated by the atmosphere； and when my Master bid me sit down at one end of the table； I did so out of weakness； though I shrank from touching even the top of the table； let alone the edge of the various plates。
The red…faced； bawling merrymakers took no notice of us。 The thumping din of the musicians was sufficient to render us invisible； because it overpowered the senses。 But the men were far too drunk to have seen us in perfect silence。 Indeed； my Master； after planting a kiss on my cheek； went to the very center of the table； to a space left there； presumably by one of those cavorting to the music； and he stepped over the padded bench and sat down。
Only then did the two men on either side of him； who had been shouting at one another adamantly about some point or other； take notice of this resplendent scarlet…clad guest。
My Master had let the hood of his cape fall； and his hair was wondrously shaped in its prodigious length。 He looked the Christ again at the Last Supper with his lean nose and mild full mouth； and the blond hair parted so cleanly in the middle； and the whole mass of it alive from the damp of the night。
He looked from one to the other of these guests； and to my astonishment as I looked down the table at him； he plunged into their conversation； discussing with them the atrocities visited upon those Venetians left in Constantinople when the twenty…one…year…old Turk； Sultan Mehmet II； had conquered the city。
It seemed there was some argument as to how the Turks actually breached the sacred capital； and one man was saying that had not the Venetian ships sailed away from Constantinople； deserting her before the final days； the city might have been saved。
No chance at all； said the other； a robust red…haired man with seemingly golden eyes。 What a beauty！ If this was the rogue who misled Bianca； I could see why。 Between red beard and mustache； his lips were a lush Cupid's bow； and his jaw had the strength of Michelangelo's superhuman marble figure。
〃For forty…eight days； the cannons of the Turk had bombarded the walls of the city；〃 he declared to his consort； 〃and eventually they broke through。 What could be expected？ Have you ever seen such guns？〃
The other man； a very pretty dark…haired olive…skinned fellow with rounded cheeks very close to his small nose and large velvet black eyes； became furious and said that the Venetians had acted like cowards； and that their supported fleet could have stopped even the cannons if they had ever e。 With his fist he rattled the plate in front of him。 〃Constantinople was abandoned！〃 he declared。 〃Venice and Genoa did not help her。 The greatest empire on Earth was allowed on that horrible day to collapse。〃
〃Not so；〃 said my Master somewhat quietly； raising his eyebrows and tilting his head slightly to one side。 His eyes swept slowly from one man to the other。 〃There were in fact many brave Venetians who came to the rescue of Constantinople。 I think； and with reason； that even if the entire Venetian fleet had e； the Turks would have continued。 It was the dream of the young Sultan Mehmet II to have Constantinople and he would never have stopped。〃
Oh； this was most interesting。 I was ready for such a lesson in history。 I had to hear and see this more clearly； so I jumped up and went round the table； pulling up a light cross…legged chair with a fortable red leather sling seat； so that I might have a good vantage point on all of them。 I put it at an angle so that I might better see the dancers； who even in their clumsiness made quite a picture； if only because of their long ornate sleeves flapping about and the slap of their jeweled slippers on the tile floor。
The red…haired one at table； tossing back his long