er; that any sentiments he
entertained for the young Chevalier were simply such as a sincere pity
suggested; that he never heard of a cause so utterly hopeless; that even
if powerful allies were willing and ready to sustain his pretensions,
the young man's own defects of character would defeat their views; that,
from all he could hear--for of himself he owned to know nothing--Gerald
was the last man in Europe to lead an enterprise which required great
daring and continual resources, and, in fact, none could be his partisan
save from a sense of deep compassion.

The elaborate pains he took to impress all this upon Massoni convinced
the Pere that it was not the real sentiment of his Eminence, and he was
not much surprised at a hasty summons to the Cardinal's palace on the
evening of the day he had first communicated the news.

'The first mine has been sprung!' muttered Massoni, as he read the
order and prepared to obey it.

The Cardinal was in his study when the Pere arrived, and, continued to
pace up and down the room, briefly addressing a few words as Massoni
entered and saluted him.

'The old Cardinal Monga had a saying, that if some work were not found
out to employ the Jesuits, they were certain to set all Europe in a
flame. Was there not some truth in the remark, Pere Massoni? Answer me
frankly and fairly, for you know the body well!' Such was the speech by
which he addressed him.

'Had his Eminence reckoned the times in which Jesuit zeal and wisdom had
rescued the world from peril, it would have been a fitter theme for his
wisdom.'

'It is not to be denied that they are meddlers, sir,' said the Cardinal
haughtily.

'So are the sailors in a storm-tossed vessel. The good Samaritan
troubled himself with what, others might have said, had no concern for
him.'

'I will not discuss it,' said his Eminence abruptly. 'The world has
formed its own vulgar estimate of your order, and I, at least, agree
with the majority. He paused for a second or two, and then, with a tone
of some irritation, said, 'What is this story Rome is full of, about
some Egyptian woman, or a Greek, arrested and confined by a warrant of
the Holy Office; they have mingled your name with it, somehow?'

'A grave charge, your Eminence; Satanic possession and witchcraft----'

'Massoni,' broke in Caraffa, with a malicious twinkle of his dark eye,
'remember, I beseech you, that we are alone. What do you mean, then, by
witchcraft?'

'Were I to say