Gherardi made a
quick step forward.
"My lord Cardinal!" he said significantly, "Should not your waif and
stray have been taught how to comport himself before he came here?
He does not kneel to the Holy Father!"
The Cardinal opened his lips to speak, but Manuel stayed him by a
slight gesture.
"I may not kneel to any man!" he said, "But to God only! For it is
written,' Call no man your Father upon the earth, for One is your
Father which is in Heaven. Neither be ye called Masters, for One is
your Master, even Christ.' How then," and he came nearer to the
Pope's foot-stool, "can you be called 'Father'? or 'Holy'? For there
is none Holy but God!"
The deep silence which had fallen like a spell upon them all in the
antechamber, fell now with redoubled impressiveness. The Pope,
gripping the arms of his gilded chair, forced himself fully upright,
and his lips trembled.
"Whence came you, and of what parentage are you?" he asked slowly,
enunciating his words with even more than his usual harsh
distinctness.
"That is my own secret!" answered the boy--"The Cardinal accepted me
without question!"
"Which is but a fresh proof of the Cardinal's unwisdom," said the
Pope severely, "And we shall not follow his example in this or in
any other matter!" And turning to Moretti he enquired, "Does this
boy understand he is here as a witness to the miracle effected at
Rouen?"
"As a witness to the Truth--yes! I understand!" said Manuel quickly,
before Moretti could answer.
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