"Your Eminence has heard all this," he said coldly, addressing the
Cardinal who sat rigidly in his chair, silent and very pale.
"I have," replied Bonpre in a low strained tone.
"And I presume your Eminence permits--?"
"Why talk of permission?" interrupted the Cardinal, raising his eyes
with a sorrowful look, "Who is to permit or deny freedom of speech
in these days? Have I--have you--the right to declare that a man
shall not express his thoughts? In what way are we to act? Deny a
hearing? We cannot--we dare not--not if we obey our Lord, who says,
'Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to
them.' If we ask for ourselves to be heard, we must also hear."
"We may hear--but in such a case as the present one must we not also
condemn?" demanded Moretti, watching the venerable prelate narrowly.
"We can only condemn in the case of a great sin," replied Bonpre
gently, "and even then our condemnation must be passed with fear and
trembling, and with full knowledge of all the facts pertaining to
the error. 'Judge not that ye be not judged.' We are told plainly
that our brother may sin against us not only seven times but seventy
times seven, and still we are bound to forgive, to sustain, to help,
and not to trample down the already fallen.
Pages:
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350