The Dodge Club; Or, Italy in MDCCCLIX — John Shaqi
The Dodge Club; Or, Italy in MDCCCLIXDe Mille, James
Philosophy
The Dodge Club; Or, Italy in MDCCCLIX
De Mille, James
Italy -- Fiction
They had nothing to do but to wait patiently. Mr. Figgs and the Doctor
lounged about the sofas. Buttons and Dick strolled about the town.
Hearing strains of music as they passed the cathedral, they turned in
there to listen to the service. Why there should be service, and full
service too, they could not imagine.
"Can it be Sunday, Dick?" said Buttons, gravely.
"Who can tell?" exclaimed Dick, lost in wonder.
The cathedral was a small one, with nave and transept as usual, and in
the Italian Gothic style. At the end of the nave stood the high altar,
which was now illuminated with wax-candles, while priests officiated
before it. At the right extremity of the transact was the organ-loft,
a somewhat unusual position; while at the opposite end of the transept
was a smaller door. The church was moderately filled. Probably there
were as many people there as it ever had. They knelt on the floor with
their faces toward the altar, Finding the nave somewhat crowded,
Buttons and Dick went around to the door at the end of the transept,
and entered there. A large space was empty as far as the junction with
the nave. Into this the two young men entered, very reverently, and on
coming near to the place where the other worshipers were they knelt
down in the midst of them.
While looking before him, with his mind full of thoughts called up by
the occasion, and while the grand music of one of Mozart's masses was
filling his soul, Buttons suddenly felt his arm twitched. He turned.
It was Dick.
Buttons was horrified. In the midst of this solemn scene the young
man was convulsed with laughter. His features were working, his lips
moving, as he tried to whisper something which his laughter prevented
him from saying, and tears were in his eyes. At last he stuck his
handkerchief in his mouth and bowed down very low, while his whole
frame shook. Some of the worshipers near by looked scandalized,
others shocked, others angry. Buttons felt vexed. At last Dick raised
his face and rolled his eyes toward the organ-loft, and instantly
bowed his head again. Buttons looked up mechanically, following the
direction of Dick's glance. The next instant he too fell forward,
tore his handkerchief out of his pocket, while his whole frame shook
with the most painful convulsion of laughter.
And how dreadful is such a convulsion in a solemn place! In a church,
amid worshipers; perhaps especially amid worshipers of another creed,
for then one is suspected of offering deliberate insult. So it was
here. People near saw the two young men, and darted angry looks at
them.
Now what was it that had so excited two young men, who were by no
means inclined to offer insult to any one, especially in religious
matters?
It was this: As they looked up to the organ-loft they saw a figure
there.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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