WHENitwasnightandthepiazzadeserted,AndreaandIandtheoldstewardwentoutandmadeourwaytotheplacewherethehorriblecorpsewaslying.Wewrappeditinalongblackclothandtookitupsilently,bearingittothechurchwhereforgenerationstheOrsihadbeenburied.Adark-robedmonkmetusinthenaveandledthewaytoadoor,whichheopenedthen,asiffrightened,leftus.Wefoundourselvesinthecloisters.Welaidthebodydownunderanarchandadvancedintothecentre,wherewasaplotofgreenscatteredoverwithlittlecrosses.Wetookspadesandbegantodigathinraindrizzleddownandthegroundwasstiffandclayey.ItwashardworkandIsweatedItookoffmycoatandallowedtheraintofallonmeunprotectedIwassoonwettotheskin.SilentlyAndreaandIturnedupthesoil,whilePietro,beneaththecloisters,watchedbythebodyandprayed.Wewerekneedeepnow,andstillwethrewupheavyspadefulsofclay.AtlastIsaid,—
'Itisenough.'
Weclimbedoutandwenttothebody.Wetookitupandboreittothegrave,andreverentlywelaiditin.Pietroplacedacrucifixontheoldmaster'sbreast,andthenwebegantopileintheearth.
Andsowithoutpriests,withoutmourning,inthedeadofnight,andbythedrizzlingrain,wasburiedOrsoOrsi,thegreatheadofthefamily.Inhistimehehadbeenexcellentinwarandinalltheartsofpeace.Hehadbeennotedforhisskillincommerceinpoliticshehadbeenthefirstofhiscity,and,besides,hehadbeenagreatandgenerouspatronofthearts.Buthelivedtoolong,anddiedthusmiserably.
NextdayIseta