But he never
troubled himself seriously as to the possible growth of any
"movement", or "society", or "crusade"; as experience had taught him
that no matter how ardently thinkers may propound theories, and
enthusiasts support them, there is always a dense and steady wave of
opposition surging against everything new,--and that few can be
found whose patience will hold out sufficiently long to enable them
to meet and ride over that wet wall of dull resistance.
Monsignor Gherardi was a most useful man at the Vatican, as he never
failed to comfort the Pope whenever that Holy Personage was cast
down or afraid of brooding disasters. When the Representative of the
ever-merciful Christ ventured to give it out as his Christian
opinion that the unhappy and maltreated Dreyfus would be found
guilty Monsignor Gherardi smilingly agreed with him. When His
Holiness denounced Freemasonry as a wicked association, formed for
atheistical and revolutionary purposes, Gherardi, though he knew
well enough that it was a fraternity formed for the mutual help and
sustainment of its members, denounced it too;--in the gardens of the
Vatican, but not elsewhere. There was nothing really either in the
way of Freemasonry or other sort of "society", that he was afraid
of;--no anxiety whatever troubled his mind, except the possibility
of losing money by some incautious speculation.
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