His reign is over, in Paris at least!"
"Stop!" said the Cardinal, rising suddenly, "I forbid you,
Vergniaud, to tell me these things! If they are true, then shame
upon you and upon all the clergy of this unhappy city to stand by
and let such disgrace to yourselves, and blasphemy to our Master,
exist without protest!"
His tall spare figure assumed a commanding grandeur and authority,--
his pale face flushed and his eyes sparkled--he looked inspired--
superb--a very apostle burning with righteous indignation. His words
seemed to have the effect of an electric shock on the Abbe,--he
started as though stung by the lash of a whip, and drew himself up
haughtily . . . then meeting the Cardinal's straight glance, his head
drooped, and he stood mute and rigid. Leigh, though conscious of
embarrassment as the witness of a strong reproof administered by one
dignitary of the Church to another, yet felt deeply interested in
the scene,--Angela shrank back trembling,--and for a few moments
which, though so brief, seemed painfully long, there was a dead
silence. Then Verginaud spoke in low stifled accents.
"You are perfectly right, Monseigneur! It IS shame to me!--and to
the priesthood of France! I am no worse than the rest of my class,--
but I am certainly no better! Your reproach is grand,--and just! I
accept it, and ask your pardon!"
He bent one knee, touched the Cardinal's ring with his lips, and
then without another word turned and left the room.
Pages:
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223