“However much I speak to the point, I shall take two hours.”
“You can keep the details for another time.”
“The story is devoid of interest without the details”
“Well, well, you can tell me the whole story in brief, without losing much of the interest.”
“Very good; after that I can say no more. I must tell your lordship, then, that, the State Inquisitors shut me up under the Leads; that after fifteen months and five days of imprisonment I succeeded in piercing the roof; that after many difficulties I reached the chancery by a window, and broke open the door; afterwards I got to St. Mark’s Place, whence, taking a gondola which bore me to the mainland, I arrived at Paris, and have had the honour to pay my duty to your lordship.”
“But.... what are The Leads?”
“My lord, I should take a quarter of an hour, at least, to explain.”
“How did you pierce the roof?”
“I could not tell your lordship in less than half an hour.”
“Why were you shut up?”