the mother of the Son, the bride of the Holy
Ghost. Without her God had not been able to create the world, for had
she rejected the angel Gabriel, the Son could never have become man,
mankind could never have been redeemed, and God could not have created
the world without everlasting torment, which his love would have
forbidden Him. Therefore did the whole world worship Mary, and the
stars were only the large rose-wreath, which the Angels completed, and
the milky way the tassels thereof In the rocky districts natural
temples to Mary were to be found which even the wild beasts reverenced,
and lately a young shepherd discovered one of these Madonna images in a
stalactite cavern in Rhaetia, by following one of his sheep, who daily
at Vesper-time disappeared into this cavern, and the youth was
astonished to see how the lamb bowed its knee and bleated at the altar
of Mary as if to greet her. The water which was gathered from this
cavern was efficacious against fever and gout, against fires, and it
healed demoniacs. Yea it even worked on the soul, for a violent sinner
who for years had neglected his easter duties, drank of this water
without knowing it, and immediately the blessed potion took effect and
he hastened to the confessional.

Father Antonio had almost talked himself out of breath in his praise of
Maria, for the way up hill was steep. As he now stood still and
inquired of the silent novice what he had to say in reference to all
these miracles of the kingdom of Grace, the latter quoted as answer a
verse out of Tibullus to Isis the Mother of the Gods. "That thou canst,
testify all the tablets, which hang painted to thy honour around the
Temple." By this Father Antonio knew that this silent youth was no mere
visionary, and from Trent through the bare valley of the Adda to
Bolseno, whence Father Antonio diverged towards the snow-covered Pass
of the Brenner, the conversation became monosyllabic. Only on the other
side of the Alps, behind Innsbruck, did the companions break into a
lively quarrel. They had remained in the town quietly, as Brother
Antonio had business to attend to. His purse was as he said, quite
empty, and to his astonishment Paul found himself woke up at early dawn
and bidden to hurry away, as the innkeeper must be robbed of the amount
of his bill. The Novice raised no opposition, but when his Superior
left the door, he laid on the table one of the two gold pieces, which
had been given him in Venice to d