I cannot understand why the Church should keep jewels."
"That is because you are ignorant," said the priest roughly.
Manuel raised his grave blue eyes and fixed them steadily upon him.
"That may be," he said, "Yet I think it is nowhere written in the
Gospel that Christ cared for the world's wealth or the world's
possessions. When they are offered to Him did he not say, 'Get thee
behind me, Satan'! The only gem he prized was the 'pearl of great
price,'--the pure and perfect human soul."
"The Church is the manufactory of those pearls," said the priest,
with something between a grin and a sneer.
"Then the Church needs no other jewels" returned Manuel quietly,
with a little gesture of his hand, "These glittering baubles you
show, are out of place."
The priest glanced him over with angry contempt. Then he said to the
Cardinal,
"Your Eminence will have trouble with that boy," he said. "His
opinions are heretic."
The Cardinal smiled a little.
"You think so? Nay, there is something of truth in what he says,
notwithstanding his simplicity of utterance, which is not perhaps in
accordance with convention. I confess that I share his opinions
somewhat. Certainly I esteem myself happy that in my far-off diocese
there are none of the world's precious things, but only the unprized
prayers of the faithful.
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