"That's the name. Well, it's not at all improbable that this Serafino
told Ignatius that, immediately after his retirement to the sacristy
with the old man, certain strangers began to question Paolo, giving
him money. Thereupon Ignatius sends for Paolo. 'Paolo,' he demands _ex
cathedra_, 'what did these strangers say to you?' perhaps threatening
to dismiss him from his post, or, still more, threatening the poor
fellow with excommunication, if he should refuse to disclose his
knowledge. Paolo blurts out the truth, and lets the padre know that
we are deeply interested in learning what the old man's confession
was about. Whereupon the reverend Father, not at all desirous of
our becoming cognisant of statements given under the seal of the
confessional, delivers judgment: 'Paolo you have done very wrong. Give
up those silver coins to your holy mother the Church; and as a penance
recite to me next holy-day the 119th Psalm, and remember to keep out
of the way till these strangers have left Rivoli.' I may be wrong, but
it's my opinion that something of this sort has taken place."
We were soon within the streets of Rivoli. All the inhabitants seemed
to have turned out of their homes, and by the merriment of their talk
and the brightness of their gala dresses were contributing to the
gaiety of the scene.
The centre of attraction was the market-place, where picturesquely-clad
hunters and shepherds were displaying their skill with the rifle to
admiring and applauding crowds. These sons of William Tell did not
receive from us the attention that their feats deserved, for our
eyes were continually wandering from them to scan the faces of the
spectators. Paolo, however, and the nameless old man from Dover were
not to be seen.
From the sweet singing-contests in the cathedral we wandered to the
meadows outside the town, where youths and flower-crowned maidens
danced, wreathing and twining in pretty figures on the greensward, and
thence back again to the town, peeping in each tavern, resonant with
jollity and song, and odorous with the fragrance of the fir-cones that
strewed the floor. But we could not find Paolo or the mysterious old
man.
Tired at length of prosecuting a search that seemed to promise no
success, we turned our attention to the innocent diversions, which
were protracted till the moon, rising above the shining snows of the
mountain-tops, projected the shadow of the cathedral belfry across the
market-place. The white light silvered the quaint gables, was reflected
from the diamond panes of many a casement, and, mingling with the glare
of the torches carried by some of the crowd, produced a picturesque and
romantic effect.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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