Part 41 (2/2)
”That is most true,” replied Caesar, looking at him with his impa.s.sive air.
”I understand why Rome is the real school for learning, integrally, both ancient and modern history.”
”Most certainly,” agreed Caesar.
Don Calixto, who knew neither Italian nor French, found a source of help, for the days he was to spend in Rome, in Caesar's friends.h.i.+p, and made him accompany him everywhere. Caesar was able to collect and preserve, though not precisely cut in bra.s.s, the phrases Don Calixto uttered in front of the princ.i.p.al monuments of Rome.
In front of the Colosseum, his first exclamation was: ”What a lot of stone!” Then recalling his role of orator, he exclaimed: ”The spirits are certainly daunted and the mind darkened on thinking how men could have sunk to such abysses of evil.”
”Don Calixto is referring to those holes,” thought Caesar, looking at the cellars of the Circo Romano.
From the Colosseum the carriage went to the Capitol, and then Don Calixto a.s.serted with energy:
”One cannot deny that, say what you will, Rome is one of the places most fertile in memories.”
Don Calixto was an easy traveller for his _cicerone_. He far preferred talking to being given explanations; Caesar had said to him: ”Don Calixto, you understand everything, by intuition.” And being thus rea.s.sured, Don Calixto kept uttering terrible absurdities.
One day Don Calixto went to see the Pope, in evening clothes and with his abdomen covered with decorations, and he asked Caesar if a photographer couldn't take his picture in the act of leaving the carriage, so that the photograph would have Saint Peter's as a background.
”Yes, I think so. Why not? The only thing will be that the photographer will charge you more.”
”I don't mind that. Could you arrange it for me?”
”Yes, man.”
What Don Calixto desired was done.
”How did the Pope impress you?” Caesar asked him as he came out
”Very favourably, very favourably indeed.”
”He has a stupid face, hasn't he?”
”No, man, not at all. He is like a nice country priest. His predecessor was no doubt more of a diplomat, more intelligent.”
”Yes, the other seemed more of a rogue,” said Caesar, laughing at the precautions Don Calixto took in giving his opinion.
The proofs of the photographs came in the evening, and Don Calixto was enchanted with them. In one of them you could see the Swiss guard at the door, with his lance. It was splendid. Don Calixto would not permit Caesar to go to his hotel, but invited him for dinner; and after dinner told him he was so indebted that he would be delighted to do anything Caesar asked him.
”Why don't you make me a Deputy?” said Caesar, laughing.
”Do you want to be one?”
”Yes, man.”
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