Commentary Purg XXIII 76-84

The entire context of this intimate recollection invites us to believe that Forese (to leave to one side the question of Dante's own behavior), in his life on earth, had behaved in ways that suggested to his friend that his salvation was not exactly to be expected.  Dante's question is amusing.  Since Forese, dead for less than four years (he died in July 1296), had lived most of his life a sinner (and thus was late in his repentance), why did Dante not find him down on the lower slopes of the mountain in ante-purgatory?  (This is possibly a sort of compromise, a far more polite question than 'Why did I not find you in hell?')