The only other occupant of the car was a priest dressed in the garb of his order—a low black hat, with broad brim turned up at the sides, long black robe with a cape, and the usual black bow trimmed with a narrow edge of white at the throat—the common costume of a Continental priest. He was a pleasant-looking old man with nearly white hair; and it was plain that he was accustomed to making the ascent, for he paid no attention to the strange surroundings, but sat quietly reading a small book.
“If you tell me what it is, you can have it,” Harry said, nudging Kit with his elbow and directing his eyes toward the priest. “I suppose it’s a man, though it’s dressed like a woman. What in the world do they put black petticoats on their priests for in this part of the world? But take a look at the hat, will you? Nobody could invent an uglier hat than that, not if he sat up nights thinking about it.”
Before Kit could reply a bell tapped, the brakeman turned the little iron wheel by his side, and the car began to ascend—not quietly and smoothly, like most elevators, but with an oscillating motion and the noise of a great rush of water.
In half a minute, as they went up, they were far above the roof of the pavilion, above everything about them but the hill, and Marseilles seemed to lie at their feet. It was a grand sight from the very beginning, and grew grander every moment.
“Yes, it’s a big thing, Kit,” Harry cried. “It’s the greatest sight we’ve seen yet. London hadn’t anything like this to offer.”
At this minute the priest closed his little book and leaned over toward the boys.
“Is this your first visit to the Church of Our Lady, my young friends?” he asked, very pleasantly and in excellent English. “You seem to be strangers. You must let me be your guide when we get to the top, for I am quite familiar with the place.”
It was such a surprise to the boys that they barely had presence of mind to answer politely. And Harry could hardly look at the wonderful view for thinking of the remarks he had made about the obliging priest’s clothes.