“I hardly think he would condescend to that!” returned the Cardinal calmly, “It would not be worth his while.  You must remember, that to one of his particular views, Church excommunication, either for his father or himself, would mean nothing.  He makes himself responsible for his conduct to God only.  And whatever his faults he certainly believes in God!”

Moretti read through the telegram again.

“We must place this before His Holiness,” he said, “And it will very seriously annoy him!  I fear your Eminence,” here he gave a quick meaning look at Bonpre, “will be all the more severely censured for having pardoned the Abbe’s sins.”

“Is it wrong to forgive sinners?” asked Manuel, his clear young voice breaking through the air like a silver bell rung suddenly,—­ “And when one cannot reach the guilty, should one punish the innocent?”

Moretti scowled fiercely at the fair candid face turned enquiringly near his own.

“You are too young to ask questions!” he said roughly—­“Wait to be questioned yourself—­and think twice—­aye three times before you answer!”

The bright expression of the boy’s countenance seemed to become intensified as he heard.

“’Take no thought how or what ye shall speak, for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak!’” he said softly—­“’For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you!’”

Moretti flushed angrily, and his hand involuntarily clenched.

“Those words were addressed by our Lord to His Apostles,” he retorted—­“Apostles, of whom our Holy Father the Pope is the one infallible representative.  They were not spoken to an ignorant lad who barely knows his catechism!”

“Yet were not the Apostles themselves told,” went on Manuel steadily, “to be humble as ignorant children if they would enter the Kingdom of Heaven?  And did not Christ say, ’Whoso offendeth one of these little ones which believe in Me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depths of the sea!’ I am sure there are many such little ones who believe in Christ,—­perhaps too, without knowing any catechism,- -and even Apostles must beware of offending them!”

“Does this boy follow your teaching in the quoting of Scripture with so glib a tongue?” asked Moretti, turning sharply round upon the Cardinal.

Bonpre returned his angry look with one of undisturbed serenity.

“My son, I have taught him nothing!” he replied, “I have no time as yet—­and I may add—­no inclination, to become his instructor.  He speaks from his own nature.”

“It is a nature that needs training!” said Gherardi, smiling blandly, and silencing by a gesture Moretti’s threatening outburst of wrath, “To quote Scripture rashly, without due consideration for the purpose to which it is to be applied, does not actually constitute an offence, but it displays a reprehensible disregard and ignorance of theology.  However, theology,” here he smiled still more broadly, “is a hard word for the comprehension of the young!  This poor little lad cannot be expected to grasp its meaning.”