" The count fell back listlessly,
a gap made in his thoughts by the sudden disappearance of a clue.
"Charles treats us as mendicants; but if he should chance to see the
coffers of our order, he would know we had received something else
beside a crust for shriving." The count looked up again so quickly,
Dempsy caught himself and wondered what he had been saying, and what
his last words were; for he had been thinking aloud, as it were.
"Aye, aye, I was saying if Charles could see the riches of our
coffers, he would know the sale of Indulgences had not been a little.
Thou seest, count, we have here at the monastery great treasure, our
coffers are filled with priceless articles of virtue that will, no
doubt, be carried to Rome and be laid in the reliquary of Santa Maria
Maggiore or St. Andrew Corsini or St. Peters. We have some priceless
bones--" Adrian shuddered and relaxed his attention--"they have brought
us great, good fortune; we have bits of clothing--thou dost well know
most of the saints were plainly attired--that some day will be worth
much, perhaps not in my day nor thine, but when age comes, when we
grow a little further from the saints.
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