tanelli, and
saw the heaving of the cross upon his breast.

He raised his eyes at last, and gave the benediction with a hand that
was not quite steady.

"God is merciful," he said. "Lay your burden before His throne; for it
is written: 'A broken and contrite heart shalt thou not despise.'"

He turned away and walked through the market-place, stopping everywhere
to speak to the people, and to take their children in his arms.

In the evening the Gadfly, following the directions written on the
wrapping of the image, made his way to the appointed meeting-place. It
was the house of a local doctor, who was an active member of the "sect."
Most of the conspirators were already assembled, and their delight at
the Gadfly's arrival gave him a new proof, if he had needed one, of his
popularity as a leader.

"We're glad enough to see you again," said the doctor; "but we shall be
gladder still to see you go. It's a fearfully risky business, and I, for
one, was against the plan. Are you quite sure none of those police rats
noticed you in the market-place this morning?"

"Oh, they n-noticed me enough, but they d-didn't recognize me.
Domenichino m-managed the thing capitally. But where is he? I don't see
him."

"He has not come yet. So you got on all smoothly? Did the Cardinal give
you his blessing?"

"His blessing? Oh, that's nothing," said Domenichino, coming in at the
door. "Rivarez, you're as full of surprises as a Christmas cake. How
many more talents are you going to astonish us with?"

"What is it now?" asked the Gadfly languidly. He was leaning back on a
sofa, smoking a cigar. He still wore his pilgrim's dress, but the white
beard and wig lay beside him.

"I had no idea you were such an actor. I never saw a thing done so
magnificently in my life. You nearly moved His Eminence to tears."

"How was that? Let us hear, Rivarez."

The Gadfly shrugged his shoulders. He was in a taciturn and laconic
mood, and the others, seeing that nothing was to be got out of him,
appealed to Domenichino to explain. When the scene in the market-place
had been related, one young workman, who had not joined in the laughter
of the rest, remarked abruptly:

"It was very clever, of course; but I don't see what good all this
play-acting business has done to anybody."

"Just this much," the Gadfly put in; "that I can go where I like and do
what I like anywhere in this district, and not a single man, woman, or
child will ever think of suspe