DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4996#0097
INTERIOR OF THE CONVENT.
79
flowers and pot-herbs relieved the conventual gloom of the little
paved courts ; and vines were occasionally trained about the walls,
or upon a rude trellis. Here and there a sleek, indulged, well-con-
ditioned cat, sat gravely perched upon a familiar stone. Mounting
a flight of steps, we paid a short visit to the Superior, whose room
looks down into the principal court: it was neatly whitewashed, and
furnished with a divan, but entirely destitute of ornament. Though
in appearance naturally grave and reserved, he was evidently kind-
hearted ; and in the most hospitable manner produced his little store
of choice fruit, which he peeled himself, and presented, an attendant
handing liqueur. I found it had been a trying season for the con-
vent, a severe rain-storm had carried away portions of the garden-
walls, and a terrible and most destructive flight of locusts had
swept all the conventual gardens, both here and at Tor ; while
the new buildings had occasioned an outlay, which, however, was
principally met, as I understood, out of the funds at the disposal of
the Greek archbishop. All this, as I was privately informed by
Pietro, weighed much upon the spirits of the worthy Superior.
Descending the steps, accompanied by him, into the little court,
we saw the Ikonomos and Librarian seated on a bench in front of
the humble apartment of the latter functionary. They rose to
salute us ; the Ikonomos, upon whom, as, I need hardly say, his appel-
lation implies, devolves the immediate charge of all the temporal
arrangements of the convent, besides the business of communicating
with the Arabs, was a fine-looking old Greek, with mingled keen-
ness and prudence expressed in his marked countenance, the effect
of which was heightened by a long white beard. The Librarian
was decidedly the gentleman of the convent; his manners were
bland, and his courtesy as frank and sincere as it was refined;
and he had evidently a desire to obtain information from the world
beyond. "With the assistance of Pietro, and of a few words of
Italian which the Librarian had picked up, we contrived to establish
a sort of conversation; and, evidently to their satisfaction, I invited
myself to their religious service and succeeding repast on the follow-
ing morning.
79
flowers and pot-herbs relieved the conventual gloom of the little
paved courts ; and vines were occasionally trained about the walls,
or upon a rude trellis. Here and there a sleek, indulged, well-con-
ditioned cat, sat gravely perched upon a familiar stone. Mounting
a flight of steps, we paid a short visit to the Superior, whose room
looks down into the principal court: it was neatly whitewashed, and
furnished with a divan, but entirely destitute of ornament. Though
in appearance naturally grave and reserved, he was evidently kind-
hearted ; and in the most hospitable manner produced his little store
of choice fruit, which he peeled himself, and presented, an attendant
handing liqueur. I found it had been a trying season for the con-
vent, a severe rain-storm had carried away portions of the garden-
walls, and a terrible and most destructive flight of locusts had
swept all the conventual gardens, both here and at Tor ; while
the new buildings had occasioned an outlay, which, however, was
principally met, as I understood, out of the funds at the disposal of
the Greek archbishop. All this, as I was privately informed by
Pietro, weighed much upon the spirits of the worthy Superior.
Descending the steps, accompanied by him, into the little court,
we saw the Ikonomos and Librarian seated on a bench in front of
the humble apartment of the latter functionary. They rose to
salute us ; the Ikonomos, upon whom, as, I need hardly say, his appel-
lation implies, devolves the immediate charge of all the temporal
arrangements of the convent, besides the business of communicating
with the Arabs, was a fine-looking old Greek, with mingled keen-
ness and prudence expressed in his marked countenance, the effect
of which was heightened by a long white beard. The Librarian
was decidedly the gentleman of the convent; his manners were
bland, and his courtesy as frank and sincere as it was refined;
and he had evidently a desire to obtain information from the world
beyond. "With the assistance of Pietro, and of a few words of
Italian which the Librarian had picked up, we contrived to establish
a sort of conversation; and, evidently to their satisfaction, I invited
myself to their religious service and succeeding repast on the follow-
ing morning.