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from his forehead； heaved a despairing sigh。
〃A thousand thanks； princess；〃 answered the cardinal to her； in very good
French； but with an intolerable Italian accent； 〃I am really overcome
with so much kindness。〃
〃Will not your Lordship take some refreshment？〃 said the princess to the
bishop； as she turned towards the sideboard。
〃With your permission； madame； I will take a little iced coffee；〃 said
the prelate； making a prudent circuit to approach the dishes without
passing before the fire。
〃And will not your Eminence try one of these little oyster…patties？ They
are quite hot；〃 said the princess。
〃I know them already； princess；〃 said the cardinal； with the air and look
of an epicure； 〃they are delicious； and I cannot resist the temptation。〃
〃What wine shall I have the honor to offer your Eminence？〃 resumed the
princess； graciously。
〃A little claret； if you please； madame；〃 and as Father d'Aigrigny
prepared to fill the cardinal's glass； the princess disputed with him
that pleasure。
〃Your Eminence will doubtless approve what I have done；〃 said Father
d'Aigrigny to the cardinal； whilst the latter was gravely despatching the
oyster…patties； 〃in not summoning for to…day the Bishop of Mogador； the
Archbishop of Nanterre； and our holy Mother Perpetue； the lady…superior
of St。 Mary Convent； the interview we are about to have with his
Reverence Father Rodin and Abbe Gabriel being altogether private and
confidential。〃
〃Our good father was perfectly right；〃 said the cardinal； 〃for； though
the possible consequences of this Rennepont affair may interest the whole
Church； there are some things that are as well kept secret。〃
〃Then I must seize this opportunity to thank your Eminence for having
deigned to make an exception in favor of a very obscure and humble
servant of the Church；〃 said the princess to the cardinal； with a very
deep and respectful curtsey。
〃It is only just and right； madame；〃 replied the cardinal； bowing as he
replaced his empty glass upon the table； 〃we know how much the Church is
indebted to you for the salutary direction you give to the religious
institutions of which you are the patroness。〃
〃With regard to that； your Eminence may be assured that I always refuse
assistance to any poor person who cannot produce a certificate from the
confessional。〃
〃And it is only thus； madame；〃 resumed the cardinal； this time allowing
himself to be tempted by the attractions of the crawfish's tails； 〃it is
only thus that charity has any meaning。 I care little that the
irreligious should feel hunger； but with the pious it is different；〃 and
the prelate gayly swallowed a mouthful。 〃Moreover；〃 resumed he； 〃it is
well known with what ardent zeal you pursue the impious； and those who
are rebels against the authority of our Holy Father。〃
〃Your Eminence may feel convinced that I am Roman in heart and soul； I
see no difference between a Gallican and a Turk；〃 said the princess；
bravely。
〃The princess is right；〃 said the Belgian bishop： 〃I will go further； and
assert that a Gallican should be more odious to the church than a pagan。
In this respect I am of the opinion of Louis XIV。 They asked him a favor
for a man about the court。 ‘Never；' said the great king； ‘this person is
a Jansenist。'‘No； sire； he is an atheist。''Oh！ that is different； I
will grant what he asks；' said the King。〃
This little episcopal jest made them all laugh。 After which Father
d'Aigrigny resumed seriously； addressing the cardinal： 〃Unfortunately； as
I was about to observe to your Eminence with regard to the Abbe Gabriel；
unless they are very narrowly watched； the lower clergy have a tendency
to become infected with dissenting views； and with ideas of rebellion
against what they call the despotism of the bishops。〃
〃This young man must be a Catholic Luther！〃 said the bishop。 And；
walking on tip…toe； he went to pour himself out a glorious glass of
Madeira； in which he soaked some sweet cake； made in the form of a
crozier。
Led by his example； the Cardinal； under pretence of warming his feet by
drawing still closer to the fire； helped himself to an excellent glass of
old Malaga； which he swallowed by mouthfuls； with an air of profound
meditation； after which he resumed： 〃So this Abbe Gabriel starts as a
reformer。 He must be an ambitious man。 Is he dangerous？〃
〃By our advice his superiors have judged him to be so。 They have ordered
him to come hither。 He will soon be here； and I will tell your Eminence
why I have sent for him。 But first； I have a note on the dangerous
tendencies of the Abbe Gabriel。 Certain questions were addressed to him；
with regard to some of his acts； and it was in consequence of his answers
that his superiors recalled him。〃
So saying； Father d'Aigrigny； took from his pocket…book a paper； which he
read as follows：
〃‘Question。Is it true that you performed religious rites for an
inhabitant of your parish who died in final impenitence of the most
detestable kind； since he had committed suicide？
〃‘Answer of Abbe Gabriel。I paid him the last duties； because； more than
any one else； because of his guilty end； he required the prayers of the
church。 During the night which followed his interment I continually
implored for him the divine mercy。
〃‘Q。Is it true that you refused a set of silver…gilt sacramental
vessels； and other ornaments； with which one of the faithful； in pious
zeal； wished to endow your parish？
〃‘A。I refused the vessels and embellishments； because the house of the
Lord should be plain and without ornament； so as to remind the faithful
that the divine Saviour was born in a stable。 I advised the person who
wished to make these useless presents to my parish to employ the money in
judicious almsgiving； assuring him it would be more agreeable to the
Lord。'〃
〃What a bitter and violent declamation against the adorning of our
temples！〃 cried the cardinal。 〃This young priest is most dangerous。
Continue； my good father。〃
And； in his indignation； his Eminence swallowed several mouthfuls of
strawberry…cream。 Father d'Aigrigny continued。
〃‘Q。Is it true that you received in your parsonage； and kept there for
some days； an inhabitant of the village； by birth a Swiss； belonging to
the Protestant communion？ Is it true that not only you did not attempt
to convert him to the one Catholic and Apostolic faith； but that you
carried so far the neglect of your sacred duties as to inter this heretic
in the ground consecrated for the repose of true believers？
〃‘A。One of my brethren was houseless。 His life had been honest and
laborious。 In his old age his strength had failed him； and sickness had
come at the back of it； almost in a dying state； he had been driven from
his humble dwelling by a pitiless landlord； to whom he owed a year's
rent。 I received the old man in my house； and soothed his last days。
The poor creature had toiled and suffered all his life； dying； he uttered
no word of bitterness at his hard fate； he recommended his soul to God
and piously kissed the crucifix。 His pure and simple spirit returned to
the bosom of its Creator。 I closed his eyes with respect； I buried him；
I prayed for him； and； though he died in the Protestant faith； I thought
him worthy of a place in consecrated ground。'〃
〃Worse and worse！〃 said the cardinal。 〃This tolerance is monstrous。 It
is a horrible attack on that maxim of Catholicism： ‘Out of the pale of
the Church there is no salvation。'〃
〃And all this is the more serious； my lord；〃 resumed Father d'Aigrigny；
〃because the mildness； charity； and Christian devotion of Abbe Gabriel
have excited； not only in his parish； but in all the surrounding
districts； the greatest enthusiasm。 The priests of the neighboring
parishes have yielded to the general impulse； and it must be confessed
that but for his moderation a wide…spread schism would have commenced。〃
〃But what do you hope will result from bringing him here？〃 said the
prelate。
〃The position of Abbe Gabriel is complicated； first of all； he is the
heir of the Rennepont family。〃
〃But has he not ceded his rights？〃 asked the cardinal。
〃Yes； my lord； and this cession； which was at first informal； has lately；
with his free consent； been made perfectly regular in law； for he had
sworn； happen what might； to renounce his part of the inheritance in
favor of the Society of Jesus。 Nevertheless； his Reverence Father Rodin
thinks； that if your Eminence； after explaining to Abbe Gabriel that he
was about to be recalled by his superiors； were to propose to him some
eminent position at Rome； he might be induced to leave France； and we
might succeed in arousing within him those sentiments of ambition which
are doubtless only sleeping for the present； your Eminence； having
observed； very judiciously； that every reformer must be ambitious。〃
〃I approve of this idea；〃 said the cardinal； after a moment's reflection；
〃with his merit and power of acting on other men； Abbe Gabriel may rise
very high； if he is docile； and if he should not be so； it is better for
the safety of the Church that he should be at Rome than herefor you
know； my good father； we have securities that are unfortunately wan