The Marino Palace was not actually far from Milan Cathedral; there was no need to take a carriage at all.
Yet Rolbon still accompanied Georgiana into the carriage waiting at the entrance. Deliberately taking a detour, they headed for the cathedral with an honor guard clearing the way.
"Look at this." Rolbon took out two small portraits from his briefcase.
"This is Countess Antonietta Fagnani. She manages La Scala Opera House and has just returned from Venice." Rolbon handed Georgiana the portrait of a woman.
Georgiana remembered seeing the opera house's manager before. He had been a bald, middle-aged man.
"Her husband entrusted the estate to her management. Count Fagnari and two others manage the Royal Opera House. There is something else I hope will not surprise you too much: Countess Fagnari is currently passionately involved with a poet named Foscolo." As Rolbon spoke, he handed Georgiana the other portrait. This time, it was an old man.
"This is Count Lambertenghi. He has just inspected the construction of the Simplon Tunnel. In a while, he and the council of elders of Milan Cathedral will ask you some questions regarding 'charity.'"
"What questions do they have?" Georgiana set down the portraits.
"You will know soon enough," Rolbon said.
After passing around a building, they saw Milan Cathedral.
Leonardo da Vinci's manuscripts contained three Vitruvian Men. One was well known, while another used the structure of a Latin cross—or rather, the roof of Milan Cathedral. Unlike many cathedrals, it could be climbed, and from there one could overlook all of Milan.
Yet she thought of a film—not Cleopatra making her grand entrance, but Scarlett passing wounded soldiers in the square beneath Atlanta's blazing sun and swirling dust.
Hobbes had once said that eternal tranquility of the soul did not exist in this