‘No. Well, we’ll say no more under that heading. I’ve called upon you, Mr Alleyn, in preference to anybody else, on account of a matter that has arisen. It may be no great matter and it may be all to the contrary.’

‘Yes?’

‘If it’s not putting too much upon you I’d be very greatly obliged if you’d be kind enough to look in at the basilica.’

‘Of course. Is it—?’

‘Well now, it may be. It may be and then again it may not and to tell you the truth I’m loath to call down a great concourse of the pollis upon me and then it turning out to be a rat.’

‘A rat, Father Denys?’

‘Or rats. The latter is more like it. Over the head of the strength.’

‘The strength, did you say?’

‘I did that. The strength of the aroma.’

‘I’ll be with you,’ Alleyn said, ‘in fifteen minutes.’

His professional homicide kit was in the bottom of his wardrobe. He took it with him.

CHAPTER 8
Return of Sebastian Mailer

S. Tommaso in Pallaria looked different after sunset. Its façade was dark against a darkening sky and its windows only faintly illuminated from within. Its entrance where Violetta had cursed Sebastian Mailer was quite given over to shadows and its doors were shut.

Alleyn was wondering how he would get in when Father Denys moved out of the shadows.

‘Good evening and God bless you,’ he said.

He opened a little pass-door in the great entry and led the way in.

The smell of incense and hot candles seemed more noticeable in the dark. Galaxies of small flaming spearheads burned motionless before the saints. A ruby lamp glowed above the high altar. It was a place fully occupied within itself. A positive place.

Brother Dominic came out of the Sacristy and they walked into the vestibule with its shrouded stalls. The lights were on in there and it felt stuffy.

‘It’s like enough a fool’s errand I’ve brought you on and you maybe not eaten yet,’ said Father Denys. ‘I may tell you it’s not been done without the authority of my Superior.’

‘I’m entirely at your service, Father.’

‘Thank you, my son. We’ve had this sort of trouble before, d’ye see, over the head of the excavations and all. Rat trouble. Though Brother Dominic’s been after them in a very big way and it was our belief they were exterminated. And wouldn’t we look the fools if we’d stirred up Signor Bergarmi and his body of men and they fully occupied with their task?’

‘Shall we have a look where the trouble seems to be?’

‘A look is it? A smell, more likely. But come along, come along.’