But now
his anger was transferred to her confessor who had bewitched her, to all
those Roman prelates who had paid her court--a mere child, not able to
defend herself nor to understand, killing herself for a question beyond
her! And Marcantonio, for love of her, useless and unmanned! It was more
than his senatorial pride could endure to find himself powerless under
such complications. To appease his wrath he denounced Fra Francesco
through the Bocca di Leone, but when the friar was sought for, by order
of the Ten, he was not found. Fra Paolo was appealed to, for he was the
friend of the gentle confessor; but he had not known his plans. "If his
conscience held him not, it was well for him to flee," he said, "and
best for Venice."
But when Fra Paolo was alone in his cell, which, in those days of
greatness, he would not exchange for quarters at the Ducal Palace though
the Senate pleaded, the memory of a confidential talk held since this
quarrel with Rome began brought a hint of the reason for this sudden
flight.
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