Silvester and learn
whether perchance the Marchioness or Senhor M. Angelo happened to be
there. The servant was not long in returning, telling me that Senhor M.
Angelo and Senhor Lactancio and Brother Ambrose were all together in the
friar's cell, which was itself in St. Silvester, but that no mention
whatever had been made of the Marchioness. I went on towards St.
Silvester, but the truth is that I intended to pass before it and to
return to the city, when I saw coming a certain Capata, a great servitor
of the Marchioness, and a very honourable person and my friend. I being on
horseback and he on foot, I was obliged to dismount; and he having told me
that he had been sent by the Marchioness, we went into St. Silvester. As
we were entering Senhores, M. Angelo and M. Lactancio were coming out by
way of the garden or court, in order to take their siesta under the trees
by the running water.
"Oh! welcome," said Senhor Lactancio, "both of you; you could not arrive
at a better moment; you have been very wise to fly from the confusion in
the city and take shelter in this quiet haven."
"That is all very well," we said, "but this flattery does not console us,
nor is it sufficient to compensate us for the loss of the absent one."
"He said that for the Marchioness," said Senhor Michael, "and you are so
far right, that if you had not come this instant I might have gone."
Conversing thus we sat down on a stone bench in the garden at the foot of
some laurels, on which there was room for all of us, and we were very
comfortable, leaning back against the green ivy which covered the wall,
and from there we could see a good part of the city, very graceful and
full of ancient majesty.
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