Arrival at the Moonlit Colosseum
Arrival at the Moonlit Colosseum Franz’s reverie is broken by the sight of the Colosseum’s dark, frowning ruins, where pale moonlight flickers through the openings. The carriage halts near the Meta Sudans, the young men alight, and a cicerone appears as if he had sprung from the ground.
Abundance of Colosseum Guides
Abundance of Colosseum Guides In addition to the hotel guide, a special cicerone for each monument materializes at the Colosseum, illustrating Rome’s overwhelming supply of guides. A quote from Martial praises the monument’s superiority over the pyramids and the wonders of Babylon.
Albert’s First Impressions of the Colosseum
Albert’s First Impressions of the Colosseum Albert and Franz do not resist their ciceroni, since only guides may carry torches at the monument. Albert, visiting for the first time, is deeply moved by the ruins, which appear doubly grand under the mysterious light of a southern moon.
Franz Seeks Solitude and Hides Behind a Column
Franz Seeks Solitude and Hides Behind a Column Having made seven or eight prior visits, Franz abandons Albert to the guides’ routine tour and climbs a half-dilapidated staircase. He seats himself at the foot of a column, where a large aperture gives him an unobstructed view of the ruin’s interior.
Mysterious Stranger Approaches the Column
Mysterious Stranger Approaches the Column While watching Albert and the guides, Franz hears a stone dislodge on the opposite staircase, as if under a careful, quiet footstep. A figure gradually emerges into the moonlight: a man in a brown mantle and broad-brimmed hat, who pauses and listens, evidently awaiting someone. Franz instinctively draws back behind his pillar to remain hidden.
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