I would like to tell you all about it; how Nino saw the sacristan of the Pantheon that evening, and ascertained from his little almanac—­which has all kinds of wonderful astrological predictions, as well as the calendar—­when it would be full moon.  And perhaps what Nino said to the sacristan, and what the sacristan said to Nino, might be amusing.  I am very fond of these little things, and fond of talking too.  For since it is talking that distinguishes us from other animals, I do not see why I should not make the most of it.  But you who are listening to me have seen very little of the Contessina Hedwig as yet, and unless I quickly tell you more, you will wonder how all the curious things that happened to her could possibly have grown out of the attempt of a little singer like Nino to make her acquaintance.  Well, Nino is a great singer now, of course, but he was little once; and when he palmed himself off on the old count for an Italian master without my knowledge, nobody had ever heard of him at all.

Therefore since I must satisfy your curiosity before anything else, and not dwell too long on the details—­the dear, commonplace details—­I will simply say that Nino succeeded without difficulty in arranging with the sacristan of the Pantheon to allow a party of foreigners to visit the building at the full moon, at midnight.  I have no doubt he even expended a franc with the little man, who is very old and dirty, and keeps chickens in the vestibule—­but no details!

Oh the appointed night Nino, wrapped in that old cloak of mine (which is very warm, though it is threadbare), accompanied the party to the temple, or church, or whatever you like to call it.  The party were simply the count and his daughter, an Austrian gentleman of their acquaintance, and the dear baroness—­that sympathetic woman who broke so many hearts and cared not at all for the chatter of the people.  Everyone has seen her, with her slim, graceful ways, and her face that was like a mulatto peach for darkness and fineness, and her dark eyes and tiger-lily look.  They say she lived entirely on sweetmeats and coffee, and it is no wonder she was so sweet and so dark.  She called me “count”—­which is very foolish now, but if I were going to fall in love, I would have loved her.  I would not love a statue.  As for the Austrian gentleman, it is not of any importance to describe him.

These four people Nino conducted to the little entrance at the back of the Pantheon, and the sacristan struck a light to show them the way to the door of the church.  Then he put out his taper, and let them do as they pleased.