They were both tall men, and they stood with their cowls over their
tonsures, in the conventual attitude, their hands tucked away into the
ample sleeves of their brown habits. One of this twain was broader than
his companion and very erect of carriage, such as was unusual in a monk.
His mouth and the half of his face were covered by a thick brown beard, and
athwart his countenance, from under the left eye across his nose and cheek,
ran a great livid scar to lose itself in the beard towards the right jaw.
His deep-set eyes regarded me so intently that I coloured uncomfortably
under their gaze; for accustomed as I was to seclusion, I was easily
abashed. I turned away and went slowly along the gallery to the end; and
yet I had a feeling that those eyes were following me, and, indeed, casting
a swift glance over my shoulder ere I went indoors, I saw that this was so.
That evening at supper I chanced to mention the matter to Fra Gervasio.
"There was a big bearded capuchin in the yard at alms-time to-day--" I was
beginning, when the friar's knife clattered from his hand, and he looked at
me with eyes of positive fear out of a face from which the last drop of
blood had abruptly receded. I checked my inquiry at the sight of him thus
suddenly disordered, whilst my mother, who, as usual, observed nothing,
made a foolish comment.
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