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ought all night when the Turk breached the walls。 Nothing frightened him。 He was carried to safety only because he was shot。〃
〃And the guns； Sir？〃 I asked。 〃Were they so very big？〃
〃And I suppose you were there！〃 cried the black…haired man to the redhead； before the redhead could answer me。
〃My Father was there！〃 said the redhead man。 〃And lived to tell it。 He was with the last ship that slipped out of the harbor with the Venetians； and before you speak； Sir； mind you； you don't speak ill of my Father or those Venetians。 They carried the citizenry to safety； Sir； the battle was lost。。。〃
〃They deserted； you mean；〃 said the black…haired man。
〃I mean slipped out carrying the helpless refugees after the Turks had won。 You call my Father a coward？ You know no more about manners than you know about war。 You're too stupid to fight with； and too drunk。〃
〃Amen；〃 said my Master。
〃Tell him；〃 said the red…haired man to my Master。 〃You； Marius De Romanus； you tell him。〃 He took another slobbering gulp。 〃Tell him about the massacre； what happened。 Tell him how Giovanni Longo fought on the walls until he was hit in the chest。 Listen； you crackbrained fool！〃 he shouted at his friend。 〃Nobody knows more about all of it than Marius De Romanus。 Sorcerers are clever； so says my whore； and here is to Bianca Solderini。〃 He drained his glass。
〃Your whore； Sir？〃 I demanded。 〃You say that of such a woman and here in the presence of drunken disrespectful men？〃
They paid no mind to me； not the red…haired man； who was again draining his goblet； or the others。
The blond…haired dancer staggered over to me。 〃They're too drunk to remember you； beautiful boy；〃 he said。 〃But not I。〃
〃Sir； you stumble at your dance；〃 I said。 〃Don't stumble in your rounds with me。〃
〃You miserable little whelp；〃 said the man； and fell towards me； losing his balance。 I darted out of the chair to the right。 He slipped over the chair and fell to the floor。
There was uproarious laughter from the others。 The two remaining dancers gave up their patterned steps。
〃Giovanni Longo was brave；〃 my Master said calmly； surveying everything and then returning his cool glance to the red…haired man。 〃They were all brave。 But nothing could save Byzantium。 Her hour had e。 Time had run out for the Emperors and chimney sweeps。 And in the holocaust that followed； so much was irretrievably lost。 Libraries by the hundreds were burnt。 So many sacred texts with all their imponderable mysteries went up in smoke。〃
I backed away from the drunk attacker； who rolled over on the floor。
〃You lousy little lapdog！〃 the sprawling man shouted at me。 〃Give me your hand； I tell you。〃
〃Ah； but Sir；〃 I said； 〃I think you want more than that。〃
〃And I'll have it！〃 he said； but he only skidded and fell back down again with a miserable groan。
One of the other men at table…handsome but older； with long thick wavy gray hair and a beautifully lined face； a man who had been gorging himself in silence on a greasy joint of mutton…looked up at me over the joint and at the fallen； twisting man who struggled to get to his feet。
〃Hmmm。 So Goliath falls； little David；〃 he said； smiling up at me。 〃Mind your tongue； little David； we are not all stupid giants； and your stones are not for throwing just yet。〃
I smiled back at him。 〃Your jest is as clumsy as your friend； Sir。 As for my stones； as you put it； they'll stay right where they are in their pouch and wait for you to stumble in the way of your friend。〃
〃Did you say the books； Sir；〃 asked the red…haired man of Marius； pletely oblivious to this little exchange。 〃The books were burnt in the fall of the greatest city in the world？〃
〃Yes； he cares about books； this fellow；〃 said the black…haired man。 〃Sir； you better look to your little boy。 He's a goner； the dance has changed。 Tell him not to mock his elders。〃
The two dancers came towards me； both as drunk as the man who had fallen。 They made to caress me； simultaneously being with great odoriferous and heavy breathing a beast with four arms。
〃You smile at our friend rolling around on the ground？〃 one of them asked； sticking his knee between my legs。
I backed up； barely escaping the rude blow。 〃Seemed the kindest thing I could do；〃 I answered。 〃Being that my worship was the cause of his fall。 Don't plunge into such devotions； yourself； Sirs。 I haven't the slightest inclination to answer your prayers。〃
My Master had risen。
〃I tire of this；〃 he said in a cold； clear voice that echoed through the tapestries off the walls。 It had a chilling sound to it。
All looked at him； even the struggling man on the floor。
〃Indeed！〃 said the black…haired man； looking up。 〃Marius De Romanus； is it？ I've heard of you。 I don't fear you。〃
〃How merciful for you；〃 said my Master in a whisper with a smile。 He placed his hand on the man's head and the man whipped himself back and away； almost falling off the bench； but now he was most definitely afraid。
The dancers took their measure of my Master； no doubt trying to gauge whether he would be easy to overwhelm。
One of them turned on me again。 〃Prayers； Hell！〃 he said。
〃Sir； mind my Master。 You weary him； and in weariness he is a perfect crank。〃 I snatched back my arm as he meant to take it。
I backed away even further； into the very midst of the boy musicians so that the music rose about me like a protective cloud。
I could see panic in their faces； yet they played all the faster； ignoring the sweat on their brows。
〃Sweet； sweet； gentlemen；〃 I said。 〃I like it。 But play a requiem； if you will。〃
They gave me desperate glances but no other regard。 The drum beat on and the pipe made its snaky melody and the room throbbed with the strumming of the lutes。
The blond…haired man on the floor screamed for help； as he absolutely couldn't get up； and the two dancers went to his aid； though one shot his watchful darts at me。
My Master looked down at the black…haired challenger and then pulled him straight up from the bench with one hand and went to kiss his neck。 The man hung in my Master's grip。 He froze like a small tender mammal in the teeth of a great beast； and I almost heard the great draught of blood run out of him as my Master's hair shivered and fell down to cover the fatal repast。
Quickly； he let the man drop。 Only the red…haired fellow observed all this。 And he seemed in his intoxication not to know what to make of it。 Indeed he raised one eye； wondering； and drank again from his filthy sloppy cup。 He licked the fingers of his right hand； one by one； as if he were a cat； as my Master dropped his black…haired panion facedown on the table； indeed； right into a plate of fruit。
〃Drunken idiot；〃 said the red…haired man。 〃No one fights for valor； or honor； or decency。〃
〃Not many in any event；〃 said my Master looking down at him。
〃They broke the world in half； those Turks；〃 said the red…haired man； still staring at the dead one； who surely stared stupidly at him from the smashed plate。 I couldn't see the dead man's face； bu