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die； but he couldn't fight on。
〃Oh； God；〃 said Riccardo。 He clutched his dagger。 But he obviously couldn't bring himself to hack away at the unarmed man。
The Englishman went over on his side。 He drew his knees up。 He grimaced and he laid his head down on the stone； his face formal as he took a deep breath。 He fought terrible pain and the certainty that he would die。
Riccardo stepped forward and laid the tip of his sword on Lord Harlech's cheek。
〃He's dying； let him die；〃 I said。 But the man continued to breathe。
I wanted to kill him； I really wanted to； but it was impossible to kill someone who lay there so placid and so brave。
His eyes took on a wise； poetical expression。 〃And so it ends here；〃 he said in a small voice that perhaps Riccardo didn't even hear。
〃Yes； it ends；〃 I said。 〃End it nobly。〃
〃Amadeo； he slew the two children！〃 said Riccardo。
〃Pick up your dagger； Lord Harlech！〃 I said。 I kicked the weapon at him。 I pushed it right at his hand。 〃Pick it up； Lord Harlech；〃 I said。 The blood was running down my face and down my neck； tickling and sticky。 I couldn't stand it。 I wanted more to wipe my own wounds than to bother with him。
He turned over on his back。 The blood came out of his mouth and out of his gut。 His face was wet and shiny； and his breathing became very labored。 He seemed young again； young as he had when he threatened me； an overgrown boy with a big mop of flaming curls。
〃Think about me when you begin to sweat； Amadeo；〃 he said； his voice still small； and now hoarse。 〃Think about me when you realize that your life； too； is finished。〃
〃Run him through；〃 said Riccardo in a whisper。 〃He could take two days to die with that wound。〃
〃And you won't have two days；〃 said Lord Harlech from the floor； panting； 〃with the poisoned cuts I gave you。 Feel it in your eyes？ Your eyes burn； don't they Amadeo？ The poison goes into the blood； and it strikes the eyes first。 Are you dizzy？〃
〃You bastard；〃 said Riccardo。 He stabbed the man with his rapier right through his tunic； once； twice； then three times。 Lord Harlech grimaced。 His eyelids fluttered； and out of his mouth came a final gout of blood。 He was dead。
〃Poison？〃 I whispered。 〃Poison on the blade？〃 Instinctively； I felt my arm where he had cut me。 My face； however； bore the deeper wound。 〃Don't touch his sword or dagger。 Poison！〃
〃He was lying； e； let me wash you；〃 said Riccardo。 〃There's no time to waste。〃
He tried to pull me from the room。
〃What are we going to do with him； Riccardo！ What can we do！ We're here alone without the Master。 There are three dead in this house； maybe more。〃
As I spoke I heard steps at both ends of the great room。 The little boys were ing out of their hiding places； and I saw one of the teachers with them； who had apparently been keeping them out of the way。
I had mixed feelings on this score。 But these were all children； and the teacher an unarmed man； a helpless scholar。 The older boys had all gone out； as was the custom in the morning。 Or so I thought。
〃e on； we have to get them all to a decent place；〃 I said。 〃Don't touch the weapons。〃 I signaled for the little ones to e。 〃We'll carry him to the best bedchamber； e on。 And the boys as well。〃
As the little ones struggled to obey； some of them began to cry。
〃You； give us a hand！〃 I said to the teacher。 〃Watch out for the poisoned weapons。〃 He stared at me wildly。 〃I mean it。 It's poison。〃
〃Amadeo； you're bleeding all over！〃 he cried shrilly in a panic。 〃What poisoned weapons？ Dear God save us all！〃
〃Oh； stop it！〃 I said。 But I could stand this situation no longer； and as Riccardo took charge of the moving of the bodies； I rushed into my Master's bedroom to attend to my wounds。
I dumped the whole pitcherful of water into the basin in my haste； and grabbed up a napkin with which to catch the blood that was flowing down my neck and into my shirt。 Sticky； sticky mess； I cursed。 My head swam； and I almost fell。 Grabbing the edge of the table； I told myself not to be Lord Harlech's fool。 Riccardo had been right。 Lord Harlech had made up that lie about the poison！ Poison the blade； indeed！
But as I told myself this story； I looked down and saw for the first time a scratch； apparently made by his rapier on the back of my right hand。 My hand was swelling as if this were an insect's venomous work。
I felt my arm and my face。 The wounds there were swelling； great welts forming behind the cuts。 Again； there came the dizziness。 The sweat dripped off me right into the basin； which was now full of red water that looked like wine。
〃Oh； my God； the Devil's done this to me；〃 I said。 I turned and the entire room began to tilt and then to float。 I rocked on my feet。
Someone caught me。 I didn't even see who it was。 I tried to say Riccardo's name； but my tongue was thick in my mouth。
Sounds and colors mingled in a hot； pulsing blur。 Then with astonishing clarity I saw the embroidered baldaquin of the Master's bed； over my head。 Riccardo stood over me。
He spoke to me rapidly and somewhat desperately； but I couldn't make out what he said。 Indeed； it seemed he spoke a foreign tongue； a pretty one； very melodious and sweet； but I couldn't understand a word of it。
〃I'm hot；〃 I said。 〃I'm burning； I'm so hot that I can't bear it。 I have to have water。 Put me in the Master's bath。〃
He didn't seem to have heard me at all。 On and on he went with his obvious pleading。 I felt his hand on my forehead and it burned me； positively burned me。 I begged him not to touch me； but this he didn't hear； and neither did I！ I wasn't even speaking。 I wanted to speak； but my tongue was too heavy and too big。 You'll get the poison； I wanted to cry。 I could not。
I closed my eyes。 Mercifully I drifted。 I saw a great sparkling sea； the waters off the island of the Lido； crenelated and beautiful beneath the noonday sun。 I floated on this sea； perhaps in a small bark； or maybe just on my back。 I couldn't feel the water itself； but there seemed nothing between me and its gentle tossing waves that were big and slow and easy and carried me up and then down。 Far off； a great city gleamed on the shore。 At first I thought it was Torcello； or even Venice； and that I had been turned around somehow and was floating towards the land。 Then I saw it was much bigger than Venice； with great piercing reflective towers； as if it had been made entirely of brilliant glass。 Oh； it was so lovely。
〃Am I going there？〃 I asked。
The waves seemed then to fold over me； not with a suffocating wetness； but merely a quiet blanket of heavy light。 I opened my eyes。 I saw the red of the taffeta baldaquin above。 I saw the golden fringe sewn on the velvet bed curtains； and then I saw Bianca Solderini there above me。 She had a cloth in her hand。
〃There wasn't enough poison on those blades to kill you；〃 she said。 〃It's merely made you sick。 Now； listen to me； Amadeo； you must take each breath with quiet force and resolve to fight this sickness and to get well。 You must ask the very air itself to make you strong； and be