"There is place enough and to spare, Signori," said the old man,
pointing with a languid and wearylike gesture to the huge pile of
half-dilapidated conventual buildings on the southern side of the
church; "you can put horse and carriage as they stand into the old
barn there, without undoing a buckle. I will open the door for your
lordships, if it will hang together so that it can be opened."
The lawyer and the Commissary dismounted from the carriage, and the
former proceeded to lead his horse into the huge barn of the
convent; while the latter employed himself in observing every detail
of the surrounding localities with those rapid all-seeing and all-
remembering glances that the habits and education of his profession
had rendered a part of his nature, preparatory to the investigations
they had both come to make.
CHAPTER XI
In Father Fabiano's Cell
"You can enter the Basilica at your pleasure, Signori; the gate is
unlocked," said the lay-brother, indicating the entrance to the
church with a half-formed gesture of his hand, which fell to his
side again when he had half raised it, as if the effort of extending
his arm horizontally had been too much for him. It was a matter of
course to him that any human beings who came to St. Apollinare could
have no business there but to see the old walls, which he, the
friar, would have given so much never to see again.
Pages:
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552