In the feverish state in which he had found himself ever since leaving the station, his astonishment at not finding things such as he had expected, the many shocks that his imagination had received, aggravated his passion beyond endurance, and brought him an acute desire to satisfy himself immediately.

Nine o'clock had struck but a few minutes previously, he had the whole morning before him to repair to the Boccanera palace, so why should he not at once drive to the classic spot, the summit whence one perceives the whole of Rome spread out upon her seven hills?
And when once this thought had entered into his mind it tortured him until he was at last compelled to yield to it.
The driver no longer turned his head, so that Pierre rose up to give him this new address: "To San Pietro in Montorio!" On hearing him the man at first looked astonished, unable to understand.
He indicated with his whip that San Pietro was yonder, far away.

However, as the priest insisted, he again smiled complacently, with a friendly nod of his head.

All right! For his own part he was quite willing.
The horse then went on at a more rapid pace through the maze of narrow streets.

One of these was pent between high walls, and the daylight descended into it as into a deep trench.