TE17 Mysterious Montenegro

Dominik

XIX

The heat was oppressive that summer. I sat on a carega 20 in the shade of Dominik’s chamber, and we listened to Ioanus, a young priest of pleasant appearance, as he read new lines from the bishop’s biography, in which he praised himself.

“Have I chosen the right words?” he asked abruptly, his face burning with self-satisfaction.

“The right words, yes, but . . .”

“I know what you will say—that there is no ode to the Lord.”

“If we add a little humility to the tale of one’s services to humanity, I would say people will more readily believe it.”

“Thank you for the fine reading, Ioanus,” Dominik told the priest, who bowed and went out. Then he nimbly took a scroll from the table and reached it to me. “This is my last will. I want you to take it, Brother Matija, because I know you will see that it be fulfilled in every detail, as I intended.” While I sat there silently, in surprise, I saw the same light in his eyes as when he held up the chalice toward Šćepan. 21 It seemed to 20 . A type of chair (Venetian). 21 . Šćepan is the Montenegrin form of Stephen. This shady character, from an impoverished patrician family in Svač, abuses his role as court tax collector and attempts to buy himself power and influence.

27