Springing upright suddenly, his
voice rang out like a clarion, discordantly yet clearly.
"In the name of God," he cried, "Who and what is this boy! How came
he with Cardinal Bonpre? And you, Domenico!--do you stand by and
permit this affront to me!--the living Head of the Church! From a
child!--a tramp of the streets!--who dares to speak to me!--who
dares to reproach, to prophesy--aye, to blaspheme! and teach Me,--"
"As One having authority,--and not as the Scribes!" said Manuel,
with one swift flashing glance, which like a shaft of lightning
seemed to pierce through flesh and bone,--for, as he met that
radiant and commanding look, the jewel-like eyes of the Pope lost
their lustre and became fixed and glassy,--he put his hand to his
throat with a choking gasp for breath,--and like a dead body which
had only been kept in place by some secret mechanical action, he
fell back in his chair senseless, his limbs stretching themselves
out with a convulsive shudder into stark immovability.
Gherardi started from his stupor, and rushed to his assistance,
ringing the bell violently which summoned the valet from the
antechamber,--and Moretti, with a fierce oath, pushing Manuel aside,
rushed to the chair in which the Pope's fainting figure lay,--all
was confusion;--and in the excitement and terror which had
overwhelmed Cardinal Bonpre at the unprecedented scene, Manuel
suddenly touched him on the arm.
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