said by the Parsons.

"Let them leave first," replied Paul in the Italian language, "it looks
less remarkable." In fact the four parsons rose at the same moment and
left the room in a noisy manner, without honoring the brothers with a
bow.

"German politeness," laughed Paul.

"They are beasts," said the artist, "Could I but saw away the facade of
the new building and send it off to Florence, I should consider it a
good action;" washing down by a last swallow of water the bad
impression made on him, he took his brother's arm and went out on the
Market place, where the dark massive Church opposite stood out boldly
in the quiet square now resplendent with the light of a clear moon.
Felix made his way towards the Schloss, Paul towards the bridge. The
young Priest saw naught of the metallic gleam of the moonlit river,
naught of the mist, which rolled in fairylike play around the valley,
he was full of the blasphemies, which he had heard, of the plans of the
wicked Priests, who wished to swell the army of those who deny the holy
Trinity. It seemed to him not improbable, that all the influential and
important men, who that day had gathered round the table, were secret
allies of the Arians, But with one blow would he destroy this nest of
Satan, this was his inward vow, and if he had known but one sentiment
of mercy, when the cause of God was in question, it would not have
availed in this case, opposed to the thirst for revenge of the
Neapolitan, who had apparently treated the vulgar insults of these
coarse men with contempt, whilst in reality his heart was fired with
the desire, to pay them back in his own peculiar coin. Sylvan
especially, that handsome man vain as a peacock, was the principal
object of his wrath, a man who had been granted the highest honors of
the Catholic Church, and who to-day openly admitted the fundamental
principle of all gregarious animals, ever to hasten thither where the
best pasturage was to be found. As soon as Paul had reached his room,
he drew up in a secret cypher a full report of what he had heard on
this memorable evening. "Up to the present," thought Paul dipping his
pen, "I have only slain small foxes and wild boars, who were desolating
the vineyard of the Lord, to-day has a spotted royal stag, who breaks
through the forest with spreading antlers, received an arrow in his
heart." With a feeling of triumph did he lie down, to be in readiness
to forward his letters the first thing in the mor