Weary and sick at heart, the venerable prelate sighed as he
reviewed all the entangling perplexities, which had, so
unconsciously to himself, become woven like a web about his innocent
and harmless personality, and so absorbed was he in thought that he
did not hear the door of his room open, and so was sot aware that
his foundling Manuel had stood for some time silently watching him.
Such love and compassion as were expressed in the boy's deep blue
eyes could not however radiate long through any space without some
sympathetic response,--and moved by instinctive emotion, Cardinal
Felix looked up, and seeing his young companion smiled,--albeit the
smile was a somewhat sad one.
"Where have you been, my child?" he asked gently, "I have missed you
for some hours."
Manuel advanced a little, and stood between the pale afternoon light
reflected through the window, and the warmer glow of the wood fire.
"I have been to the strangest place in all the world!" he answered,
"The strangest,--and surely one of the most wicked!"
The Cardinal raised himself in his chair, and bent an anxious
wondering look upon the young speaker.
"One of the most wicked!" he echoed, "What place are you talking
of?"
"St.
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