Faldoni, parts 2968 - 2971

 2968. This strange accident of fate had the kind of consequences you might expect. Although the old monk who talked to himself had been making statements, comments, and even predictions for many years and none of his remarks had ever had any connection to anything in real life, now, suddenly, this incident having to do with his comment about cantaloupe turned the crazy old man into a celebrity.

 2969. After the death of the Archbishop, everything the old mumbler said was seized upon and examined for its significance. Even though his statements were never related to anything in reality, it didn’t matter because everyone began to look for hidden meanings and symbolism in his remarks. Every obscure statement became a possible prognostication with a possible interpretation. 

 2970. His remark that God made the sun a cube, then a pyramid, and then a sphere seemed to mean that the pointed arch in architecture was a mistake and the architects should stick with the round arch because, obviously all the heavenly structures were round or at least very roundish.

2971. The old man’s gibberish about the shape of the sun became a cogent argument against the new gothic forms that were attacking Italy at that time. The Italians considered the invasion of the new forms as a kind of barbarian invasion to be resisted, and so when the pointed arch was discussed in the dinning hall of the monastery at dinner you might hear someone exclaim.