Silvestro closed his eyes. His countenance took an expression of repose. Savonarola held his breath in holy expectancy.
Suddenly Maruffi opened his eyes, slowly turned his head like one listening, looked out of the window, and a smile of good nature, peace, almost of intelligence, brightened his face.
'The birds!' he said; 'do you hear the birds? To be sure, the grass is springing in the meadows, and the first little yellow flowers! 'Tis enough. It's time to think of God now. Come! let us flee this sinful world; let us flee together to the desert!' And rocking himself, he began to sing in a sweet, lazy voice.
Suddenly he sprang to his feet, ran to Savonarola, seized his hand and cried, choking with excitement:—
'I have seen—I have seen—May the rats devour your nose! You head of an ass—I have seen——'
'Speak, dear brother; speak quickly!'
'Flames! Flames!' cried Maruffi.
'Well? And besides?'
'Flames rising from a stake, and in the midst of the flames a man——'
'Who?'