Part 54 (1/2)
The Cardinal regarded him straightly.
”True! But for you, a mere child, to say to the Head of the Church what Christ said to St. Peter, will be judged as blasphemy. I have never urged you, as you know, to tell me who you are, or where you came from.
I do not urge you now. For I feel that you have been sent to me for some special purpose--that young as you are, you have been entrusted by a Higher Power with some mission to me--for you possess the spirit of inspiration, prophecy and truth. I dare not question that spirit!
Wherever I find it, in the young, in the old, in the wise or the ignorant I give it welcome. For you have uttered not only what I have myself thought, but what half the world is thinking, though you are only one of those 'babes and sucklings out of whose mouth the Lord hath ordained wisdom.' But what you have said at the Vatican will be judged as heresy--and I shall be counted heretic for having permitted you to speak thus boldly.”
”Your permission was not asked,” said Manuel simply, ”I was summoned to the Vatican, but I was not told what to say to the Pope. I spoke as I felt. No one interrupted me. The Pope listened to all my words. And I said no more than is true.”
”Truth is judged as libel nowadays in the world,” answered the Cardinal, ”And we have to confront the fact that we have incurred the displeasure, and have also invited the vengeance of the Sovereign Pontiff. Thus we must expect to suffer.”
”Then he who is called the visible Head of Christianity objects to the truth, and is capable of vengeance!” said Manuel, ”That is a strange contradiction! But I will suffer whatever he pleases to inflict upon me. You shall suffer nothing!”
The Cardinal smiled gravely.
”My child, I am old, and whatever trouble is in store for me cannot last long. But I must guard you from harm with all the remaining powers of my life. Having const.i.tuted myself your protector and defender, I must continue to protect and defend. And so, Manuel, tomorrow or the next day I shall take you away to England. So far, at least, I will defy the powers of Rome!”
His eyes flashed, and his whole person seemed to be invested with sudden strength, dignity and command. He pointed to the crucifix on the table before him.
”He, the Holy One of the Heavens, was crucified for speaking the truth,--I can do no better than follow His divine example! If my soul is stretched on the crossbeams of injustice--if every tender emotion of my heart is tortured and slain--if I am stripped of honour and exposed to contempt, what matter! My glorious Master suffered likewise.”
Manuel was silent. He stood near the great chimney where the wood fire burned and crackled, casting a ruddy glow through the room. After a few minutes he turned his fair head towards the Cardinal with an earnest, scrutinising gaze in his expressive eyes.
”Then, dear friend, you are not angry? You do not reproach me for what I have done?”
”Reproach you? I reproach no one!” said Bonpre,--”Least of all, a child! For you speak unconsciously--as genius speaks;--you cannot weigh the meaning of your words, or the effect of what you say on the worldly or callous minds which have learned to balance motives and meanings before coining them into more or less ambiguous language. No!--I have nothing to reproach you with, Manuel,--I am thankful to have you by my side!”
His eyes rested again upon the crucifix for a moment, and he went on, more to himself than to the boy,--
”In the early days of our Lord, He spoke to the wise men in the Temple, and they were 'astonished at his understanding and answers.' But they did not reprove Him,--not then,--on the contrary, they listened. How often in our own days do young children ask us questions to which we cannot reply, and which they themselves perchance could easily answer if they but knew how to clothe their thoughts with speech! For the Spirit of G.o.d is made manifest in many ways, and through many methods;--sometimes it whispers a hint or a warning to us in the petals of the rose, sometimes in the radiance of the sunset on the sea, sometimes in the simple talk of a child younger even than you are,--'Except ye become as little children--!”
He paused in his dreamy utterance, and turned in his chair listening.
”What is that?” There was a noise of hurrying footsteps and murmuring voices,--that sort of half-m.u.f.fled confusion in a household which bodes something wrong,--and all at once Prince Sovrani threw open the door of the Cardinal's apartments without ceremony, crying out as he entered,--
”Where is Angela?”
The Cardinal rose out of his chair, startled and alarmed.
”Angela?” he echoed, ”She is not here!”
”Not here!” Prince Sovrani drew a sharp breath, and his face visibly paled,--”It is very strange! Her studio is locked at both entrances--yet the servants swear she has not pa.s.sed out of the house!
Besides she never goes out without leaving word as to where she has gone and when she is coming back!”
”Her studio is locked on both sides!” repeated the Cardinal, ”But that is quite easy to understand--her picture is unveiled, and no one is to be permitted to see it until to-morrow.”
”Yes--yes--” said the Prince Pietro impatiently, ”I know all that,--but where is Angela herself? There is no sign of her anywhere! She cannot have gone out. Her maid tells me she was not dressed to go out. She was in her white working gown when last seen. Santissima Madonna!”--and old Sovrani gave a wild gesture of despair--”If any harm has happened to the child . . .”
”Harm? Why what harm could happen? What harm could happen?” said the Cardinal soothingly,--”My dear brother, do not alarm yourself needlessly--”
”Let us go to the studio,” interposed Manuel suddenly--”She may not have heard you call her.”
He moved in his gentle light way out of the room, and without another word they followed. Outside the studio door they paused, and Prince Sovrani tried again and again to open it, calling ”Angela!” now loudly, now softly, now entreatingly, now commandingly, all to no purpose. The servants had gathered on the landing, afraid of they knew not what, and one old man, the Prince's valet, shook his head dolefully at the continued silence.