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Now and then； slipping discreetly behind the King and Queen； she took from her precious bundle a gorgeous gown of silk and clothed herself with care in it； this to sleep in my arms； after I had covered her with warm pliments and kisses。
Never had I known such peace with Pandora。 Never had I known such warm simplicity。
Yet it was Pandora who filled my mind…Pandora traveling the cities of the North； Pandora with her Asian panion。
At last there came an evening when； after a furious hunt； in exhaustion
and satiation； Bianca asked to be returned early to the shrine； and I found myself in possession of a priceless three hours before dawn。
I also found myself in possession of a new measure of strength which I had perhaps unwittingly concealed from her。
To a distant Alpine monastery I went； one which had suffered much due to the recent rise of what scholars call the Protestant Reformation。 Here I knew I would find frightened monks who would take my gold and assist me in sending a letter to England。
Entering the empty chapel first； I gathered up every good beeswax candle in the place； these to replenish those of the shrine； and I put all of the candles into a sack which I had brought with me。
I then went to the scriptorium where I found an old monk who was writing very fast by his single candle。
He looked up as soon as he found me standing in his presence。
〃Yes；〃 I said at once； speaking his German dialect。 〃I am a strange man e to you in a strange way； but believe me when I say that I am not evil。〃
He was gray…haired； tonsured； and wore brown robes； and he was a bit cold in the empty scriptorium。 He was utterly fearless as he gazed at me。
But I told myself that I had never looked more human。 My skin was as black as that of a Moor and I wore the rather drab gray garments which I had taken from some doomed miscreant。
Now as he continued to stare； quite obviously not in any mood to sound a general alarm； I did my old trick of placing before him a purse of gold coins for the good of the monastery which needed it badly。
〃I must write a letter；〃 I said； 〃and see that it reaches a place in England。〃
〃A Catholic place？〃 he asked as he looked at me； his gray eyebrows thick and arched as he raised them。
〃I should think so；〃 I said with a shrug。 Of course I couldn't describe to him the secular nature of the Talamasca。
〃Then think again；〃 he said。 〃For England is no longer Catholic。〃
〃What on earth do you mean？〃 I asked。 〃Surely the Reformation has not reached such a place as England。〃
He laughed。 〃No； not the Reformation precisely；〃 he said。 〃Rather the vanity of a King who would divorce his Spanish Catholic wife； and who has denied the power of the Pope to rule against him。〃
I was so dejected that I sat down on a nearby bench though I'd been given no invitation to do it。
〃What are you？〃 asked the old monk。 He laid down his quill pen。 He stared at me in the most thoughtful manner。
〃It's no matter；〃 I said wearily。 〃Do you think there's no chance that a letter from here could reach a castle called Lorwich in East Anglia？ 〃
〃I don't know；〃 said the monk。 〃It might well happen。 For there are some who oppose King Henry VIII and others who do not。 But in general he has destroyed the monasteries of England。 And so any letter you write from me cannot go to one of them； only directly to the castle。 And how is that to happen？ We have to think on it。 I can always attempt it。〃
〃Yes； please； let us attempt it。〃
〃But first； tell me what you are；〃 he asked again。 〃I won't write the letter for you unless you do so。 Also I want to know why you stole all the good candles in the chapel and left the bad ones。〃
〃You know I did this？〃 I asked。 I was being extremely agitated。 I thought I had been silent as a mouse。
〃I'm not an ordinary man；〃 he said。 〃I hear things and see things that people don't。 I know you're not human。 What are you？〃
〃I can't tell you；〃 I said。 〃Tell me what you think I am。 Tell me if you can find any true evil in my heart。 Tell me what you see in me。〃
He gazed at me for a long time。 His eyes were deeply gray； and as I looked at his elderly face I could easily reconstruct the young man he had been； rather resolute； though his personal strength of character was far greater now even though he suffered human infirmity。
At last he turned away and looked at his candle as though he had pleted his examination of me。
〃I am a reader of strange books；〃 he said in a hushed but clear voice。 〃I have studied some of those texts which have e out of Italy pertaining to magic and astrology and things which are often called forbidden。〃
My pulse quickened。 This seemed extraordinary good fortune。 I did not interrupt。
〃I have a belief that there are angels cast out of Heaven；〃 he said； 〃and that they do not know what they are any longer。 They wander in a state of confusion。 You seem one of those creatures； though if I am right； you will not be able to confirm it。〃
I was so struck by the curiosity of this concept that I could say
nothing。 At last I had to answer。
〃No； I'm not such。 I know it for certain。 But I wish that I were。 Let me confide in you one terrible secret。〃
〃Very well；〃 he said。 〃You may go to Confession to me if you like； for I am an ordained priest； not simply a monk； but I doubt I shall be able to give you Absolution。〃
〃This is my secret。 I have existed since the time when Christ walked the Earth though I never knew of him。〃
He considered this calmly for a long time； looking into my eyes and then away to his candle； as if this were a little ritual with him。 Then he spoke：
〃I don't really believe you；〃 he said。 〃But you are a mystifying being； with your black skin and blue eyes； with your blond hair； and with your gold which you so generously put before me。 I'll take it； of course。 We need it。〃
I smiled。 I loved him。 Of course I wouldn't tell him such a thing。 What would it mean to him？
〃All right；〃 he said； 〃I'll write your letter for you。〃
〃I can write it myself；〃 I said； 〃if only you give me the parchment and the pen。 I need for you to send it； and establish this place for the receipt of an answer to it。 It's the answer which is so important。〃
He obeyed me at once； and I turned to the task； gladly accepting the quill from him。 I knew he was watching me as I wrote but it didn't matter。
Raymond Gallant；
I have suffered a dreadful catastrophe； following upon the very night which I met with you and talked to you。 My palazzo in Venice was destroyed by fire； and I myself injured beyond my own imagining。 Please be assured that this was not the work of mortal hands； and some night should we meet I shall most willingly
explain to you what happened。 In fact； it would give me great satisfaction to describe to you in detail the identity of the one who sent his emissaries to destroy me。 As for now； I am far too weakened to attempt vengeance either in words or actions。
I am also too weakened to journey to Lorwich in East Anglia； and thanks to forces which I cannot describe I do have shelter similar to that which you offered me。
But I beg you to tell me if you have had any recent intelligence
of my Pandora。 I beg you to tell me if she has made herself known to you。 I beg you to tell me if you can help me to reach her by letter。 Marius。
Having finished the letter； I gave it over to the priest who promptly added the proper address of the monastery； folded the parchment and sealed it。
We sat in silence for a long moment。
〃How shall I find you；〃 he asked； 〃when an answer reaches here？〃
〃I'll know；〃 I said； 〃as you knew when I took the candles。 Forgive me for taking them。 I should have gone into a city and bought them from a proper merchant。 But I have bee such a traveler of the sleepy night。 I do things far too much at random。〃
〃So I can see；〃 he answered； 〃for though you began with me in German； you are now speaking Latin in which you wrote your letter。 Oh； don't be angry。 I didn't read a single word； but I knew it was Latin。 Perfect Latin。 A Latin such as no one speaks today。〃
〃