Sophia was about to apologize when a shout from outside stopped her.
"The mistress of the whores' house is in this cart. I saw her get into it."
"Now she sees how God punishes fornicators."
"We should never have let her move into our street."
"Let her get her house and all of her filth out of here."
Sophia shrank back into the cart, her heart quaking. She had seen mobs tear people to pieces.
She said, "Tilia, that crowd frightens me, and the podesta's men may not be much protection. Let us get out of here, please."
"I will show you what I think of that crowd," said Tilia. She pushed her way to the front of the cart and stood beside Riccardo with her hands on her hips. Sophia could see people gathered, white faces in the moonlight, red faces in the torchlight.
"Ignoranti!" Tilia shouted. "Fannulloni! My house is the best on your street. The rest is one big, foul quintana. Where were you idlers when my men were murdered and my women were raped by a gang of foreigners? Home pissing in your pants, eh? Brave Orvietans you are. Get out of my way."
Sophia heard a muttering from the crowd, but no one tried to answer Tilia. Sophia shook her head.