“Well, I will venture to do it; for in these times of revolutionary impiety, a solemnly Christian death would produce a very salutary effect on the public.  It would indeed be proper to make the necessary preparations to embalm the reverend father:  he might then lie in state for some days, with lighted tapers, according to Romish custom.  My secretary would furnish the design for the bier; it would be very splendid and imposing; from his position in the Order, Father Rodin is entitled to have everything in the most sumptuous style.  He must have at least six hundred tapers, and a dozen funeral lamps, burning spirits of wine, to hang just over the body, and light it from above:  the effect would be excellent.  We must also distribute little tracts to the people, concerning the pious and ascetic life of his reverence—­”

Here a sudden noise, like that of some piece of metal thrown angrily on the floor, was heard from the next room, in which was the sick man, and interrupted the prelate in his description.

“I hope Father Rodin has not heard you talk of embalming him, my lord,” said Rousselet, in a whisper:  “his bed touches the partition, and almost everything is audible through it.”

“If Father Rodin has heard me,” answered the cardinal, sinking his voice, and retiring to the other end of the room, “this circumstance will enable me to enter at once on the business; but, in any case, I persist in believing that the embalming and the lying in state are required to make a good effect upon the public.  The people are already frightened at the cholera, and such funeral pomp would have no small influence on the imagination.”

“I would venture to observe to your Eminence, that here the laws are opposed to such exhibitions.”

“The laws—­already the laws!” said the cardinal, angrily; “has not Rome also her laws?  And is not every priest a subject of Rome?  Is it not time—­”

But, not choosing, doubtless, to begin a more explicit conversation with the young doctor, the prelate resumed, “We will talk of this hereafter.  But, tell me, since my last visit, has the reverend father had any fresh attacks of delirium?”

“Yes, my lord; here is the note, as your Eminence commanded.”  So saying Rousselet delivered a paper to the prelate.  We will inform the reader that this part of the conversation between Rousselet and the cardinal was carried on at a distance from the partition, so that Rodin could hear nothing of it, whilst that which related to the embalming had been perfectly audible to him.

The cardinal, having received the note from Rousselet, perused it with an expression of lively curiosity.  When he had finished, he crumpled it in his hand, and said, without attempting to dissemble his vexation, “Always nothing but incoherent expression.  Not two words together, from which you can draw any reasonable conclusion.  One would really think this man had the power to control himself even in his delirium, and to rave about insignificant matters only.”