The Palace of the Careteds

The countess took out a leaf of vellum covered with faded writing. Some ragged ends of silken thread were still attached to the leaf, as if it had been torn out of a book. Can you read italian? She asked agnes. Agnes answered silently by an inclination of her head. He placed himself behind her chair so that he could look over her shoulder and help her to understand the writing on the leaf render it into english. It ran as follows: i have now completed my literary survey of the first floor of the palace. At the desire of my noble and gracious patron, the lord of this glorious edifice, i next ascend to the second floor and