The Bellini Card

106

The bells of San Sebastiano were ringing when Signora Contarini sallied forth in her best bonnet. Her husband had willingly ceded his position on her arm to Stanislaw Palewski, who walked solemnly at her side. Behind them came Maria, holding the speechless young man by one hand and a small sister by the other. Her brother followed with two children.

The Contarinis were going to Mass.

“The mad boy should come,” the signora had decided. “Why not? He’s a Christian, isn’t he?”

“How can you tell, signora?” Palewski replied. “He might be a Moor, like Yashim.”

She shook her head vigorously. “Believe me, signore, he’s a Christian. As I hope you are, signore.”

The man remained quiet until they reached the church, when he began to utter small cries, patting the doorway with his hands and nodding amiably. Some of the parishioners stared, but Signora Contarini kept her chin level and swept her entourage grandly inside, where they had some difficulty in pressing the man into a pew. He seemed to want to go around and around the walls, touching everything. Only when Father Andrea entered did the man grow still, his stubbly head cocked in wonder at the motions of the priest.

As the Communion approached, the signora became a little agitated.

“He must stay with the children,” she hissed.

They shuffled forward to the altar rail. Palewski knelt between Signora Contarini and Maria to receive the host.

“In nomine Patris, et filii, et spiritus sancti.”

“Amen.”

Palewski lifted the wafer to his mouth.

Maria nudged him. The signora was putting the wafer in her mouth, and beyond her knelt the speechless young man.

Palewski glanced sideways. The man’s face was transfigured by an expression of-what, exactly? It was the expression worn by an apostle in a medieval Assumption. Amazement? Fear?

Signora Contarini’s head jerked with impatience when she saw the man.

“In nomine Patris, et filii, et spiritus sancti,” Father Andrea murmured, holding out the wafer.

The man reached up. He took the priest’s hand in his and brought it to his cheek.

Father Andrea murmured a blessing. He made to move on, but the man seemed unwilling to let him go.

As he stooped to say something in the man’s ear, Palewski saw a look of confusion cross his face. Then the color drained from his cheeks.