Milan, 30 October 1816, 11 a.m.
Cenacolo Vinciano, Borgo delle Grazie
Irina Varga left the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, having donated to the Domenican Order.
She chanced upon Henri Beyle remonstrating with a non-commissioned officer of the Austrian Army preventing him access to the refectory.
Having shown a permit from Field Marshal Bellegarde, she took Beyle by the arm and brought him into the building.
‘Thank you, Irina, but this isn’t the end of it. I’ll have that i***t out of employment!’
‘Let it lie, Henri. He was only following order’.
‘Since when has the most Catholic of dynasties, the Habsburgs, prevented access to a church?’
‘Since the convent in question played host to an Austrian garrison’.
‘This I did not know,’ answered a mortified Beyle.
‘Are you
