Chapter 38 Chapter Thirty-Seven

The consecration of the altar was presided over by the bishop, who, after a hasty affair, ate and drank a few things at will, and departed with some rich bundles of cloth and a silver chalice. It was the priest who had heard Tommaso's confession then presided over Mass.He was an old friend of my grandfather's family who had taught me catechism and listened to my first confessions when I was a child.The ceremony is simple.Luca, who was sitting in the second row, was like a piece of yeast, which made the pastor work harder.My brother was hot under Savonarola.At first our conversation was nothing more than old-fashioned

Replay, but also very sincere.When I mentioned the ban issued by the Pope, and how much it would trouble Savonarola's followers, Luca flew into a rage, declaring that Savonarola was a champion of the people and that only God had the power to remove him from Kicked off from the pulpit, as long as he wants, he can start preaching again at any time regardless of the leader of the thieves and whores in Rome. Indeed, there was a clear and strong logic in my brother's extremes when he spoke of the corruption of that entrenched church in Rome.However, should Savonarola recover, the Pope must not tolerate such a challenge to his authority.Will he use force to stop it?of course not.What if it leads to religious division?Of course I can't stand a religion that devalues ​​art and beauty, but does that mean I support a mercenary religion where bishops and popes plunder the wealth that belongs to the church and pass it on to their illegitimate children?Religious divisions are unimaginable, and one of them has to surrender.

The painter is standing in the back and I can feel him looking at me.We've been flirting with each other all morning, but we dare not take any real action.Tommaso watched us vigilantly, but when Cristoforo appeared he immediately forgot about us.The two of them hurriedly exchanged greetings at the dim sum table in the yard, nervous as stallions, and Mom and I pretended not to notice.They hardly spoke, and when the ceremony was about to begin, Tommaso said goodbye first, and turned to the chapel with a rather reluctant manner.I tried not to look my husband in the eye, but I couldn't help but see Luca's expression as they walked past.Blood is thicker than water, but can it overcome faith?

"You're absolutely right about your painter." Back at my husband's house, we sat in his mostly deserted garden and watched dusk fall. "He is indeed very talented, but considering the current environment in the city, he'd better go to Rome or Venice to seek development." He paused and said, "What's even better is that your expression and temperament have not been distorted .how long have you sat and let him draw?" "Just a few afternoons," I said, "but it was a long time ago." "That's all the more creditable. He noticed the changes in the child and in you. What could make such a man willing to self-mutilate so cruelly?"

It seems my husband didn't overlook much. "He lost his faith for a while," I said quietly. "Ah! Poor man. Did you get him back? Well, you saved something, Alexandra." He paused, then added, "Something we have to discuss now." Discuss, if you don't already know. Tommaso's disease... his disease is contagious." "You're not saying you're sick, are you?" I felt a twinge of fear. "No, but I've got to tell you, it's possible for both of us to get sick." "Where did he get it?" I asked recklessly. He laughed, even though the question wasn't funny at all. "My dear, it doesn't make much sense to ask a teacher for a crime. Three years ago, I met your brother in a gambling hall over the old bridge, and I became a love fool. He was only 15 years old at that time, rebellious, like a A colt. Maybe I'm stupid to think that this infatuation will always be yours."

"Yes, I told you," I said, "how long will it be before we find out if we have the disease?" He shrugged. "This is a new plague for all of us, and the only hope is that it doesn't seem fatal." "But there's something worse," he said softly. "There's another contagion in town." I looked at him and he lowered his eyes. "Oh, my God, wouldn't it? When did it happen?" "A week ago, maybe longer. People started dying a few days ago. The government will keep it secret for as long as possible, but it will blow up soon."

Although neither of us said anything more, the words had already drifted in the air, slipped out the door, floated through the windows onto the street, and into thousands of homes in the city.Fear of disease spreads far faster than the disease itself.Whether God was so moved by the piety of the Florentines that he himself summoned these faithful men and women to heaven, or... or what, I don't know.