"Eh?" The old monk looked surprised.
"It does not matter," Ercole explained. "Is not a mass for a man good
for a woman also?"
"We say 'his' soul or 'her' soul, as the case may be, my son."
"Is that written in the book of the mass?" inquired Ercole
distrustfully.
"Yes. Also, most people tell us the baptismal name of the dead person."
"Must I do that too?" Ercole asked, by no means pleased.
"Not unless you like," the monk answered, looking at him with some
curiosity.
"But it is in the book of the mass that you must say 'his' or 'her'
soul?"
"Yes."
"Then the masses will not be good unless you say the right word." Ercole
paused a moment in deep thought, and looked down at his hat. "It will be
better to say the masses for a female," he said at length, without
meeting the monk's eyes.
"Very well," the latter answered. "I will say the first mass to-morrow."
"Thank you," said Ercole. "My respects!"
He made a sort of bow and hurried away, followed by Nino. The old monk
watched him thoughtfully, and shook his head once or twice, for he
guessed something of the truth, though by no means all.
CHAPTER XVI
"One might almost think that you wished to marry Aurora yourself," said
Corbario, with a sneer.
He was standing with his back to the fire in the great library of the
villa, for it was late autumn again; it was raining hard and the air was
raw and chilly.
"You may think what you please," Marcello answered, leaning back in his
deep leathern chair and taking up a book.
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