"Aurelia in Savoy, I assure you.
Whatever it is, however, we have no need to take it to heart, Messer Blondel.

Believe me, it comes from, and is not on its way to, the Grand Duke's library at Turin." The Syndic showed his displeasure by putting the map from him.
"Your taste is rather for other things," Basterga continued, affecting to misunderstand the act.

"This illuminated manuscript, now, may interest you?
It is in characters which are probably strange to you ?" "Is it Hebrew ?" the Syndic muttered stiffly, his temper still asserting itself.
"No, it is in the ancient Arabic character; that into which the works of Aristotle were translated as far back as the ninth century of our era.
It is a curious treatise by the Arabic sage, Ibn Jasher, who was the teacher of Ibn Zohr, who was the teacher of Averroes.

It was carried from Spain to Rome about the year 1000 by the learned Pope Sylvester the Second, who spoke Arabic and of whose library it formed part." "Indeed!" Blondel responded, staring at it.

"It must be of great value.
How came it into your possession, Messer Basterga ?" Basterga opened his mouth and shut it again.