Finally the mob get the better of the situation. The gate is fired, the crowd stream into the building . After an age the Jesuits and fellow travellers are brought out and marched through the crowd and cast into a secured room nearby. The Abbot of St George appeals for the mob to dismiss - they do so eventually and reluctantly!Afterwards the Abbot unlocks the door and goes into the Jesuits. He offers them safe passage NOW or their safety cannot be guaranteed...
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"I fear you put us both in an awkward position," replied Msgr. de Chiaroscuro. "You must see that we cannot depart with our commission undischarged, and you will find it awkward to explain the writings--writings already forwarded on to the Holy Office-- the which so stirred up the mob to the Holy Father, should he request an ad limina with you, perhaps on the occasion of your own commission to oversee an abbey the Society is organising for your order near one of our reductions on the Mosquito Coast. Whether we are spared or not, another party of legates, no doubt escorted by the Austrian army, is certain to follow after us to make inquisition into these events.
Msgr. de Chiaroscuro paused a moment to let the significance of the Mosquito Coast sink in, waiting until he saw the flicker of distaste flash over the abbot's saturnine features.
"What would resolve this, to the satisfaction of nearly everyone, I credit, is your assistance in identifying the foreign agents active in the Banat, beginning with the agents of a particular society whose seal I believe you will recognise..."
Speak Gentlemen- we will listen but our patience is rather short.........
The Jesuit casts his eyes expansively about the room.
"Let us consider the recent guest of the Voivde, the English 'gentleman' George Selwyn, to commence. How comes such an initiate of the Dilettanti and other disreputable societies, and associate of the rapidly ascendant Lord Bute, to find himself exchanging witticisms about the dinner table with the court of the Voivde?"
The Voivde chooses his own friends.We are tired of disscussions pertaining to Secret socities. Some say that you gentlemen belong to a society of some noteiaty yourself!
Enough ! You have fifteen minutes to leave the Banat before I tell those mobs outside where you have gone. Quickly now ,begone from this place via the clandestien tunnel I will show you! Goodbye and I trust we shall not meet again!
"What an incredible opportunity missed," sighed Msgr. de Chiaroscuro to his fellow Jesuits as they trudged along the dank corridor, lit by the guttering flare of a single torchlight held by Nebbio walking slightly ahead of them.
"We gave him every opportunity we could; God knows what the Austrians will make of him," replied Fr. Koncsak, still nursing his arm in a sling from the broken collarbone suffered in the riot.
"We'll have to see if Ombra or Nube found anything at all of use about Hellfire ties in the brothels before the riots. Once the Austrians move in it will be weeks before the brothels calm down enough to allow the staff to be motivated to talk."
"Nonetheless," Fr. Boscovich consoled himself, "we do have the leads in Mieczyslaw and Britannia on which to follow up..."
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