The Marble Faun

Looking at the dead monk—who the sacristan explains was named Brother Antonio—Miriam is shocked to realize that it is the model. The three friends notice blood trickling from the dead man’s nostrils into his beard, which Kenyon says indicates that he died from a violent accident. Alone, Miriam speaks to the dead monk, saying that she is not afraid to meet him on Judgment Day.

The sacristan gives Miriam and Donatello a tour of the cemetery underneath the church, where monks of many centuries are buried and skeletons and skulls of unearthed bodies line the walls. They see the spot that is reserved for Brother Antonio, and as they leave Miriam gives the sacristan money to say votive Masses for the monk’s soul.

Walking in the gardens of the Villa Medici, Miriam and Donatello commiserate about the murder. Miriam tells Donatello that she loves him, but Donatello says that he can never be happy again and does not respond to Miriam’s signs of affection. Miriam bids him farewell and tells him to return home and forget about what has happened: “[A]ll that has passed will be recognized as but an ugly dream” (146). As Donatello goes home alone, imagined sounds and faces haunt and frighten him.

Miriam goes to Hilda’s house, fearing that she might have seen the murder. Hilda tells Miriam that she must break off their friendship because of what happened the previous night. Miriam tells Hilda that she is “terribly severe” and “merciless” because she has no conception of sin. Hilda reveals that, before the murder, she saw Miriam give Donatello a “look of hatred, triumph, vengeance” that indicated her desire to have the old monk killed (153).

Hilda asks Miriam what she (Hilda) should do to find emotional relief. Miriam tells her not to reveal the crime to the police, since the Roman justice system would not try Miriam fairly and turning in her friend would cause Hilda more grief. Hilda should instead confide in Kenyon. As Miriam leaves, Hilda reflects on how the guilt of sinners taints the innocent.