ght. He found a new element of something lovable in the persons whom
he had most disliked; and Montanelli, who for five years had been his
ideal hero, was now in his eyes surrounded with an additional halo, as
a potential prophet of the new faith. He listened with passionate
eagerness to the Padre's sermons, trying to find in them some trace of
inner kinship with the republican ideal; and pored over the Gospels,
rejoicing in the democratic tendencies of Christianity at its origin.

One day in January he called at the seminary to return a book which he
had borrowed. Hearing that the Father Director was out, he went up to
Montanelli's private study, placed the volume on its shelf, and was
about to leave the room when the title of a book lying on the table
caught his eyes. It was Dante's "De Monarchia." He began to read it and
soon became so absorbed that when the door opened and shut he did not
hear. He was aroused from his preoccupation by Montanelli's voice behind
him.

"I did not expect you to-day," said the Padre, glancing at the title of
the book. "I was just going to send and ask if you could come to me this
evening."

"Is it anything important? I have an engagement for this evening; but I
will miss it if------"

"No; to-morrow will do. I want to see you because I am going away on
Tuesday. I have been sent for to Rome."

"To Rome? For long?"

"The letter says, 'till after Easter.' It is from the Vatican. I would
have let you know at once, but have been very busy settling up things
about the seminary and making arrangements for the new Director."

"But, Padre, surely you are not giving up the seminary?"

"It will have to be so; but I shall probably come back to Pisa, for some
time at least."

"But why are you giving it up?"

"Well, it is not yet officially announced; but I am offered a
bishopric."

"Padre! Where?"

"That is the point about which I have to go to Rome. It is not yet
decided whether I am to take a see in the Apennines, or to remain here
as Suffragan."

"And is the new Director chosen yet?"

"Father Cardi has been nominated and arrives here to-morrow."

"Is not that rather sudden?"

"Yes; but----The decisions of the Vatican are sometimes not communicated
till the last moment."

"Do you know the new Director?"

"Not personally; but he is very highly spoken of. Monsignor Belloni, who
writes, says that he is a man of great erudition."

"The seminary will miss you terribly."

"I d