The night was growing thinner, and, suddenly, even as I rose, a light gleamed from one of the Windows of the guard-house.
"God be thanked for that fellow's early rising," I cried out.

"Come, Madonna, let us be moving." And I added my newly-conceived reasons for quitting the place without further delay.
Cursing us for being so early abroad--a curse to which I responded with a sonorous "Pax Domini sit tecum" the still somnolent sentinel opened the post and let us pass.

I was glad in the end that we had waited and thus avoided the necessity of showing my ring, for should inquiries be made concerning two monks, that ring of mine might have betrayed the identity of one of them.

I gave thanks to Heaven that I knew the country well.

A quarter of a league or so from Pesaro we quitted the high-road and took to the by-paths with which I was well acquainted.
Day came, grey and forbidding at first, but presently the rain ceased and the sun flashed out a thousand diamonds from the drenched hedge-rows.
We plodded on; and at length, towards noon, when we had gained the neighbourhood of the village of Cattolica, we halted at the hut of a peasant on a small campagna.