nothing more than a
Latin phrase?
Soon the bells began to ring from all the church-towers of the city, and
a stream of people in gala attire poured toward St. Peter's. Poor Blanka
sat at her window with eyes fixed on a certain corner, around which she
had the day before seen Manasseh Adorjan's form disappear. The clocks
struck twelve, thirteen, fourteen--by Italian reckoning of time; the
crowds began to thin, and at last every one seemed to have betaken
himself to St. Peter's. An open carriage halted in the now deserted
street in front of the hotel, and Blanka recognised in its occupant the
very person whose image had been so persistently before her mind's eye.
"Pardon me, princess, for intruding," began Manasseh in greeting, as he
entered the young lady's presence; "but yesterday I saw that you were
disappointed at not being able to attend the Easter service at St.
Peter's. I have found means to remove that disappointment, I hope."
The princess felt her pulse quicken with eager delight, while at the
same time she shrank back in nameless apprehension of what the young man
might be going to propose.
"I fear it is too late," she replied, quietly. "I am not even dressed
for the occasion."
"You have time enough," returned the other, reassuringly. "The French
minister's wife has kindly offered to take you with her. Seats for the
ladies of the embassy have been reserved and can be easily reached by a
special entrance. They are very near the _loggia_ where the papal
blessing will be pronounced. In an hour Madame Rossi will be here; that
will give you time to get ready."
"And are you going with us?"
"No, that will be impossible, as the reserved seats are for ladies only;
but I will escort Madame Rossi and her daughter to your door, and you
will, I am sure, find them very pleasant company. For myself, I shall
hunt up some sort of a perch where I can get a view of the day's
festivities."
So saying, the young man hurried away.
Against this plan Gabriel Zimandy could raise no objections. Indeed, he
saw the policy of making friends with the French embassy, and as long as
Manasseh was not to accompany the party his professional schemes were in
no wise endangered.
When Manasseh returned with the French ladies he sought the lawyer.
"Come, my friend," he urged, "if your legs have nothing to say against
it, if your religious belief permits, and if you have studied your Latin
speech enough for one day, I will find y
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