It does not often rain heavily in Rome, late in the spring, for any
long time, but when Malipieri looked out the next morning, it was
still pouring steadily, and the sky over the courtyard was uniformly
grey. It is apparently a law of nature that exceptions should come
when least wanted.
In spite of the weather Malipieri went out, however, and did not even
send for a cab. The porter was in a particularly bad humour and eyed
him distrustfully, for he had been put to the trouble of cleaning the
stairs where the three men had left plentiful mud in their track
during the night. Malipieri nodded to the old man as usual, and was
about to go out, but turned back and gave him five francs. Thus
mollified the porter at once made a remark about the atrocious weather
and proceeded to ask how the work was progressing.
"I have explored a good deal," answered Malipieri. "The Senator is
coming to-morrow, and you had better sweep carefully. He looks at
everything, you know."
He went out into the pouring rain, keeping a sharp lookout from under
the edge of the umbrella he held low over his head. He had grown
cautious of late. As he expected, he came upon one of the respectable
men he now met so often, before he had turned into the Piazza Agonale.
The respectable man was also carrying his umbrella low, and looking
about him as he walked along at a leisurely pace.
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