But Innocentio did not have time to answer. Dressed in black and accompanied by an official of the Court, the stranger who had travelled with them from Rome appeared at the Door. A whisper ran through the congregation of Hospitallers.
The Grand Frère approached and greeted the two strangers. The words they exchanged, though quietly spoken, sounded like sword cuts. And the Pope’s man, who was unknown to them all, was not at all reticent today. The monks watched out of the corner of their eyes, suspicious. Finally the three men came out into the porch.
The secret hope which the appearance of this blackrobed man from Rome had kindled in Efthymios’ heart grew stronger. For Fra-Toumas to be angry and shout like this means… he was thinking. And he was beginning to hope that with this new inter
