During this conversation, Malipieri
stood listening, and when it ended he nodded, as if he were satisfied,
and after shaking hands with the Baron he went up the grand staircase
without a word.
It was all very mysterious, and the porter shook his head as he turned
into his lodge after fastening the postern; but he said nothing to his
wife about what had passed.
From what he had been told, he now naturally expected that a number of
masons would come in a day or two in order to begin the work of
strengthening the foundations; but no one came, and everything went on
as usual, except that the postern was kept shut. He supposed that
Malipieri was not ready, but he wisely abstained from asking
questions. Then Malipieri asked him for the address of Pompeo Sassi,
and wrote it down in his pocket-book, and went out. That was on the
morning after he had dined at the Baron's house, for it was not his
habit to waste time when he wanted information.
Sassi received Malipieri in a little sitting-room furnished with a
heterogeneous collection of utterly useless objects, all of which the
old agent treasured with jealous affection, and daily recommended to
the care of the elderly woman who was his only servant. The sofa and
chairs had been new forty years ago, and though the hideous red-and-
green stuffs with which they were covered were still tolerably vivid
in colours the legs did not look safe, and Malipieri kept his feet
well under him and sat down cautiously.
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