Earnestly did the good Felix, thinking Gherardi was a friend,
explain again his utter unconsciousness of any miracle having been
performed at his hands, and with equal fervour did he plead the
cause of Vergniaud, in the spirit and doctrine of Christ, pointing
out that the erring Abbe was, without any subterfuge at all, truly
within proximity of death, and that therefore it seemed an almost
unnecessary cruelty to set the ban of excommunication against a
repentant and dying man. Gherardi heard all, with a carefully
arranged facial expression of sympathetic interest and benevolence,
but gave neither word nor sign of active partisanship in any cause.
He had another commission in charge from Moretti, and he worked the
conversation dexterously on, till he touched the point of his secret
errand.
"By the way," he said gently, "among your many good and kindly
works, I hear you have rescued a poor stray boy from the streets of
Rouen--and that he is with you now. Is that true?"
"Quite true," replied the Cardinal, "But no particular goodness can
be accredited to any servant of the Gospel for trying to rescue an
orphan child from misery."
"No--no, certainly not!" assented Gherardi--"But it is seldom that
one as exalted in dignity as yourself condescends--ah, pardon me!--
you do not like that word I see!"
"I do not understand it in OUR work," said the Cardinal, "There can
be no 'condescension' in saving the lost.
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