THE JESUIT 
 
 BY 
 
 FELICIA BUTTZ CLARK 
 
 New York: EATON & MAINS 
 Cincinnati: JENNINGS & GRAHAM
 
 Copyright, 1908, by 
 EATON & WAINS.
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 PAOB 
 
 Chapter I i 
 
 Chapter II 14 
 
 Chapter III 19 
 
 Chapter IV 33 
 
 Chapter V 40 
 
 Chapter VI 50 
 
 Chapter VII 60 
 
 Chapter VIII 71 
 
 Chapter IX 86 
 
 Chapter X 102 
 
 Chapter XI 112 
 
 Chapter XII 126 
 
 Chapter XIII 139 
 
 Chapter XIV 153 
 
 Chapter XV 173 
 
 Chapter XVI 187 
 
 Chapter XVII 192 
 
 Chapter XVIII 205 
 
 Chapter XIX 216 
 
 Chapter XX 234 
 
 Chapter XXI 243 
 
 Chapter XXII 253 
 
 Chapter XXIII 266 
 
 Chapter XXIV 272 
 
 iii 
 
 on 
 
 76 
 
 - . ^)
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 IT was the time of the vintage in Rome. Grapes 
 hung in full purple clusters in the vineyards around 
 the villas on the Roman Campagna, where clouds 
 chased each other to and fro, tossed by the light 
 breezes of late September, and cast fitful shadows 
 on the withered grass of the wide fields. 
 
 In a garden belonging to a monastery on one of 
 the Seven Hills from which Rome surveyed the 
 world long years ago, and proclaimed herself mis- 
 tress, the terraced rows of grapevines were laden 
 with luscious fruit. A Franciscan monk, in coarse, 
 brown garb, was perched on the top of a ladder 
 in the middle of one of the straight avenues, covered 
 by trellises through which the afternoon sun sifted 
 gaily. Leaning comfortably against the wooden 
 railing, the monk cut off the clusters of fruit with 
 his long scissors, and dropped them into a basket 
 fastened to his ladder. This he did with the utmost 
 care, so that he should not mar their beauty nor 
 injure their symmetry. Being a lover of the lovely 
 in nature or art, Brother Antonio detested imper- 
 fection in anything. He lifted an especially fine 
 cluster and held it out into a broad band of sun- 
 light, that he might thoroughly enjoy its rich purple 
 color, the faint down upon the grapes, and the regu- 
 lar form of the fruit. 
 
 I
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " Fit for the gods ! " he exclaimed aloud. " On 
 this very spot, two thousand years ago, Pan would 
 have plucked thee and eaten thee, while his pipe lay 
 idle yonder against the gnarled trunk of some gray 
 tree." 
 
 "You old heathen! Talking about the ancient 
 gods of Rome here in the heart of modern civiliza- 
 tion," interrupted a fresh, clear voice. 
 
 As calmly as if he had not been startled by this 
 sudden interruption to his train of thought, Fra 
 Antonio gently laid the bunch of grapes in the 
 basket beside its fellows, and, parting the large 
 leaves of the vine which so closely covered the trel- 
 lises, looked down into the eager young face which 
 was upturned toward him. 
 
 " What dost thou want ? " he asked, gruffly, 
 though his eyes twinkled. "Is not this thine hour 
 in the infirmary?" 
 
 " As I am so soon to leave the Monastery, I am 
 released from that duty. Brother Anselmo takes 
 my place, at his own request. Throw me down a 
 bunch of grapes, please, good Brother Antonio." 
 
 "'Good Brother Antonio!'" mocked the old 
 monk. Apparently moved by the appeal, Fra Antonio 
 selected the smallest of the clusters still left hanging 
 on the vine and dropped it into the slender white 
 hands extended to receive it. 
 
 " Um-m ! " responded the voice below. " If you 
 cannot do better for me than this, I shall help 
 myself." 
 
 2
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 So saying, he stretched his strongly built figure 
 higher and broke off the fruit which he desired, 
 remaining deaf to the remonstrances of the monk 
 on the ladder, who had now thrown back his hood 
 and stood plainly disclosed to view. His scant hair, 
 around the shaven crown, was quite gray; his 
 features were rugged, browned from exposure to 
 the sunshine of the south. His eyes were brown 
 and singularly lustrous, and his mouth was wide, 
 thin-lipped, yet kindly. 
 
 " The baby of the Monastery ! " he remarked, 
 satirically. 
 
 " Precisely so. The grapes are excellent, thank 
 you, Brother Antonio." He drew nearer to the 
 ladder. " Do you know when Padre Veroni will 
 return ? " 
 
 The question was put in a half-whisper, and the 
 old monk replied with the same caution, and with 
 a total change of expression, as he leaned down 
 from his perch. 
 
 " In a few days, I believe. Personally, I have 
 not heard anything from him since he left Rome. 
 Fra Antonio is too humble a being for him to re- 
 member. But this morning, as I was passing 
 through the long corridor, I heard our Superior 
 say, * Yes, Padre Veroni is due at Naples today 
 and will soon come to Rome.' ' 
 
 "Today!" 
 
 " Precisely." 
 
 There was a leer of curiosity on Fra Antonio's 
 
 3
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 face and a catlike stealthiness in his voice as he 
 said : " I wonder that thou comest to me for infor- 
 mation. Thou wast ever his pet and favorite 
 among us all. Whatever the rest of us might do, 
 Paolo could do no wrong; Paolo was perfect and 
 beyond reproach." 
 
 "Don't, Brother Antonio!" pleaded Don Paolo, 
 reaching up to grasp the horny hand upon the 
 ladder. 
 
 Fra Antonio's expression softened. " I ask thy 
 pardon, boy," he responded, shortly. " Thou 
 knowest that I love thee we all do but some- 
 times things hurt, especially when one grows old 
 and white-haired. Satisfy my curiosity. Why is 
 it that thou, who wast once so dear to Padre Veroni, 
 has fallen into disfavor? Has he never written to 
 thee?" 
 
 " Once only. Addio, Brother Antonio," and be- 
 fore the monk could protest Don Paolo was away, 
 his black robes mingling with the dark vines and 
 the neutral tints of the tree trunks. 
 
 Fra Antonio returned to his work. " I might 
 have known that he would not tell me," he mut- 
 tered. " A more close-mouthed lad never came to 
 this Monastery in all the years I've been here. And 
 yet I've loved the boy who could help it? What 
 could have caused the trouble between them ? Padre 
 Veroni educated him, spent hours with him every 
 day, taught him, if I may be forgiven for speaking 
 after the manner of the world, taught him the 
 
 4
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 secrets of the trade; and of secrets the good father 
 knows not a few; petted him, spoiled him. And, 
 behold, a year ago he goes off to America without 
 bidding his favorite good-by, and does not unbend 
 enough even to let him know when he intends to 
 return. Verily, this is a queer world, a very queer 
 world." 
 
 Shaking his tonsured head sadly at the peculiar- 
 ities of human beings, Fra Antonio fastened up 
 his brown gown that he might not trip on it, de- 
 scended the ladder slowly, and carried his basket 
 of purple grapes to the kitchen of the Monastery, 
 reserving for himself the one perfect cluster which 
 he had so greatly admired. 
 
 Frou-Frou, the green parrot with a red crest, 
 hooted at him from his post on the branch just out- 
 side the kitchen door, and croaked out a hoarse 
 " Buon giorno," in return for which greeting Fra 
 Antonio threw the bird a grape, which it caught 
 deftly in its hooked beak. Paying no attention to 
 the request for more, the monk drew his brown robe 
 closely around him and went away to his cell. 
 
 Don Paolo passed out from beneath the arch of 
 shadow formed by the grape arbor and went on 
 through the garden, between ilex trees of extreme 
 age, twisted and gnarled by the ravages of time 
 and weather, between rose trees on which a few 
 belated roses of summer still lingered, or, falling 
 to pieces at the slight jar of his footsteps, dropped 
 fragrant petals on the well-worn path. Finding 
 
 5
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 his way through flowers and trees, past bubbling, 
 laughing fountains he went, until he came to a wall 
 half-hidden under an ivy vine, a stocky growth of 
 a century or more. Leaning his elbows on the wall, 
 he feasted his eyes on the scene spread out before 
 him: on Rome, with her towers and domes, her 
 palaces, her hovels, her beauty, and her wickedness. 
 Far beneath flowed the river Tiber, sluggishly mov- 
 ing, like a mighty animal, toward her goal, the 
 gay, blue Mediterranean. Sitting down, at last, on 
 an old stone bench near by, the young priest became 
 absorbed in a book which he drew from beneath 
 his gown. So interested was he that he did not 
 notice the approaching footsteps, and lifted his eyes 
 with a dazed expression as a shadow fell across the 
 white page. Startled at the unexpected presence of 
 the Superior he sprang to his feet, and for an 
 instant aroused to a sense of fear, he made an effort 
 to conceal the book which he had been reading. 
 Then throwing back his head, he boldly faced the 
 stern man, who looked straight into his eyes. 
 
 When the Superior spoke his tone was cool and 
 smooth, with that quality in it which suggests highly 
 tempered steel, capable of cutting keenly, deeply, 
 direct to the heart. 
 
 " Don Paolo is growing more literary in his 
 tastes. I loved him better when he spent more 
 time on his knees in the chapel, and fewer hours in 
 company with heretical authors who poison the 
 mind and pervert the imagination. This company 
 
 6
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 which he loves drives him to seek secluded, sheltered 
 places, where he may enjoy their society without 
 fear of interruption. 
 
 The steel cut deep, indeed, into the soul of the 
 priest. Don Paolo drew a deep breath, turned 
 pale and trembled. It was no small matter to be 
 accused of heresy by the Abbot of one of the largest 
 monasteries in Rome, a monastery where he had 
 passed almost all his life. It might mean a great deal 
 to a priest just entering on his career, as he was 
 going out into the world to make a name for him- 
 self. A bishopric, or even a cardinal's hat may 
 loom up in a vision before the mind of a man be- 
 ginning the life of the active priesthood, and Don 
 Paolo knew that he felt within him the germs of a 
 powerful ambition. The disapproval of the Abbot 
 could easily bring to him loss of position, of con- 
 fidence, of all that was dear to him, all that could 
 help him in the future which lay before him, bright 
 and alluring. A taint of heresy would ruin all, and 
 Paolo Gregori was but a man, in spite of his priestly 
 garb, a man with ambitions and hopes. No wonder 
 that he trembled in the presence of one who held 
 his future in his power as one holds a precious glass 
 bauble which may be dashed at will into a thousand 
 pieces. Yet there were other things to be considered. 
 The young priest's mind had long been agitated on 
 other questions. How far was it right for a man 
 to be enslaved to his religion? To what extent is 
 a man a free agent? These thoughts flashed like 
 
 7
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 lightning through his mind, but from force of habit 
 he lowered his glance submissively. 
 
 " What art thou reading? " 
 
 He meekly handed the parchment-covered volume 
 to the Superior. 
 
 " Renan, eh ? Well, it might be worse. All 
 young men go through these years of uncertainty 
 and doubt. They have the disease as sure as they 
 suffer in childhood from measles and whooping 
 cough." He smiled dryly. 
 
 Don Paolo bowed. " Tell me," he said, for- 
 getting the difference between the Abbot and him- 
 self, " tell me, what is truth ? Where can I find 
 it? I seek it in prayer, and cannot find it. I say 
 mass before the altar, and my heart is not enlight- 
 ened. There must be truth, divine truth, some- 
 where ! Help me to find it ! " 
 
 It was the bitter cry of a soul longing for the 
 light, a cry uttered ages before, echoing back and 
 forth in the darkness of human life and suffering. 
 It touched even the narrow consciousness of the 
 Abbot. He laid his hand kindly on the young man's 
 shoulder. 
 
 " It is an old question, boy. Thousands of men 
 have sought to solve it." 
 
 " And have they always failed ? " 
 
 There was no avoiding the earnest glance of 
 those eyes which held his so potently. 
 
 " These matters are fortunately not in our hands. 
 The Church, our mother, has decided all questions 
 
 8
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 according to the wisdom of the fathers. Our 
 responsibility ends there. We can rest quietly, 
 trusting to the wisdom of those who are wiser than 
 we are," he replied, smoothly. The judgment of 
 the Church had always been sufficient for him. Why 
 should it not be for this priest, so young and inex- 
 perienced ? 
 
 Don Paolo clenched his hands tightly. The 
 Church! Since his childhood he had relied on her 
 for his soul's salvation. He felt within him the 
 stirring of an independent nature; he wanted to 
 know for himself. 
 
 " Doesn't God know ? " he whispered, with in- 
 tensity. 
 
 The Abbot shivered in spite of his strong will 
 and his habitual self-control. " Thou art nervous 
 and overwrought," he said, kindly. " We will dis- 
 cuss this at another time. Padre Veroni will be 
 here tomorrow," he added, irrelevantly. 
 
 " So I have heard." 
 
 " Has he written to thee? " 
 
 " One letter has come to me during his absence, 
 and that referred only to some business matters 
 which were in my hands. It is evident that he is 
 still angry with me for daring to cross his will. I 
 am very sorry, but it cannot be helped." 
 
 The two men still stood by the ivy-covered wall, 
 as they had stood ever since the beginning of 
 their unusual conversation. The sun was setting 
 gloriously. The figure of the priest in his black 
 
 9
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 gown, assumed but a short time before, was sil- 
 houetted against the rose color in the heavens. 
 Susceptible in his very soul to the influence of 
 nature, Don Paolo breathed heavily as he watched 
 the constant changes in the ever-varying masses of 
 clouds, the quick transformation from rose to blood- 
 red, and again to brilliant saffron, from purple to 
 dull gray, while the delicate blue of the sky altered 
 to pale green and lemon, as the ball of fire sank 
 suddenly to rest. All the time the question he had 
 asked repeated itself in his brain. Doesn't God 
 know where a man may find truth? He who made 
 the soul, who fashioned the mind, who endowed 
 his creation with the power to think and reason, could 
 he not hold communion with that which belonged to 
 himself by birthright ? If he revealed his mysteries 
 to the fathers of the Church ages before, why not 
 reveal them to men of this later age? Had not a 
 man the power to decide some things as an indi- 
 vidual? Conscious of his doubts and rebellious 
 feelings toward a system which had regulated his 
 actions and thoughts ever since he could remem- 
 ber, he watched the last glow of the rose and flame 
 die away. 
 
 The Abbot paid little attention to the sunset: 
 his thoughts were concentrated on the man beside 
 him. As a boy of ten, he had come to the Monastery 
 to study; there he had remained all through his 
 youth. It could not be possible that now, just as he 
 arrived at manhood, when a brilliant career lay be- 
 
 10
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 fore him, he would be drawn away from the faith 
 by strange doctrines and heresies. The Abbot was 
 a man of experience and knew men well. He could 
 perceive the signs of unrest and mental disturbance. 
 A feeling of desire to be independent of the Church, 
 to act for himself, to judge for himself these were 
 symptoms of that graver disease, heresy. Padre 
 Veroni had noticed these signs in Don Paolo before 
 he left Rome. Knowing how the boy loved and 
 respected him, the shrewd Jesuit priest had tried to 
 rebuke him by withdrawing his affection and 
 appearing to neglect his protege. Well, tomorrow, 
 Padre Veroni would come. He was wise in the 
 ways of the world and would know how to act. 
 Don Paolo was talented, highly educated, and with 
 unusual gifts in speech. He must not be lost to the 
 Church. 
 
 " Thou wilt remain for supper," said the Su- 
 perior, as they walked toward the Monastery in the 
 purple shadows of twilight, which falls so suddenly 
 in southern lands. 
 
 The Abbot entered the long refectory on the 
 ground floor, and passed between the lines of monks 
 to his special place at the end of the room. Large 
 lamps shed a mellow glow over a scene which was 
 more than picturesque. A high vaulted ceiling, 
 bare whitewashed walls, relieved only by two paint- 
 ings of saints conspicuous in the calendar, long 
 tables ranged beneath the iron-barred windows, and 
 the monks gowned in brown cloth, with cords 
 
 ii
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 around their waists, rosaries at their sides, and with 
 tonsured heads, standing, quietly waiting this was 
 the picture presented by the refectory which had 
 been used by the Franciscans for two hundred years 
 and more. It was a fast day, and Don Paolo knelt 
 on the stone floor near Fra Antonio, while he ate 
 the lentil soup and drank a portion of sour, red 
 wine. Immediately after the completion of the 
 simple meal, the priest passed with the monks into 
 the chapel, kneeling down in the shadow of a tall 
 pillar. 
 
 The few candles on the altar accentuated the 
 gloom of the evening. The voice of the Abbot and 
 the responses of the monks echoed back hollowly 
 from the arches above. Don Paolo joined mechanic- 
 ally in the responses, but his soul was deeply moved. 
 He was no longer satisfied with the doctrines of the 
 Church; he was a seeker after truth, reaching out 
 blindly to grasp a guiding hand. Feeling helpless 
 and alone, he bent forward until his forehead 
 touched the mosaic of the pavement. A less con- 
 scientious man would have dismissed the doubts 
 and fears; Don Paolo could not do this and retain 
 his self-respect. Yet he knew that although the Abbot 
 might be kind to him, he was already regarded with 
 suspicion ; and suspicion meant distrust and danger. 
 It was as if a dark pit opened before him, a pit of 
 disgrace and suffering. Knowing this, he still sought 
 to learn more of divine truth. In what way would 
 God disclose it to him? 
 
 12
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Later he went to the reception room of the 
 Superior. " At what time will Padre Veroni re- 
 turn tomorrow ? " he inquired. 
 
 The Abbot reread the telegram which lay on the 
 desk in front of him. "At 2:10, by the express 
 from Naples. It would be well if thou shouldst go 
 to the station to meet him." 
 
 " I will do so," Don Paolo replied, quietly.
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 THE Lapeers had met Padre Veroni on the 
 steamer, soon after they sailed from New York for 
 Naples. By the time they were safely seated on the 
 express train which carried them swiftly toward the 
 city of the Caesars the awe which they had felt 
 particularly Mrs. Lapeer in being in daily contact 
 with a real priest of the Roman Catholic Church 
 had perceptibly diminished. Having lived all her 
 life in a strictly Protestant circle, her only knowl- 
 edge of that Church being through her servants who 
 went frequently to mass and attended confession 
 with praiseworthy regularity, Mrs. Lapeer had felt 
 considerable constraint at first in the presence of the 
 tall priest. 
 
 Padre Veroni occupied the seat on the right of 
 the captain, and as Fay Lapeer sat next to him, 
 and Mrs. Lapeer and Janet occupied the opposite 
 places, it was inevitable that acquaintance should 
 ripen as a tropical plant grows in the sunshine 
 with extraordinary rapidity. 
 
 When Padre Veroni decided that he would go 
 to Rome on the very train which the Lapeers had 
 selected, there was general rejoicing. Fay confided 
 to Janet that there was no one who could give so 
 much information or prove so entertaining as the 
 priest, and that she considered him "perfectly
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 lovely," an opinion which amused Janet greatly 
 and would have afforded Father Veroni much enter- 
 tainment, had he heard it, for special reasons of his 
 own. 
 
 " Yonder you can see Saint Peter's," said Padre 
 Veroni, pointing out the blue-gray dome which 
 stood clearly defined against a cloudless sky. 
 
 " It doesn't look very large," suggested Fay 
 Lapeer. 
 
 Padre Veroni smiled as he looked down into 
 her bright face. The girl was of good height, but 
 the priest towered above her, his stature accentuated 
 by the straight lines of his black cassock. 
 
 " It marks the greatest and holiest spot in Rome," 
 he replied, " and it is and ever will be the center 
 around which the life of the city and of the world 
 circles, a center for Catholics and Protestants alike. 
 Beneath that dome Saint Peter's body rests, and 
 near there our Holy Father lives; from that spot 
 go forth influences which mold the world, which 
 control and guide the movements of nations, the 
 decision of kings." 
 
 It was dramatic, and yet, though he spoke with 
 warmth, the priest showed no visible excitement. 
 Although an Italian, his command of the English 
 tongue was almost perfect, much of his life having 
 passed in countries under English domination. A 
 very slight accent, a rolling of the " r " or a broad 
 fullness given to a vowel, only added to his general 
 attractiveness. 
 
 15
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " I thought it had never been proved that Saint 
 Peter was in Rome," responded Janet's calm voice. 
 Fay said that there were times when Janet's calm- 
 ness ceased to be a virtue and became exasperating. 
 This was one of the times, evidently, for Padre 
 Veroni's face flushed slightly. 
 
 " I was not aware that the matter was open to 
 discussion, since Saint Peter was the first Bishop 
 of Rome," the priest replied, blandly. 
 
 There was a painful pause. Janet bit her lip 
 to keep back the impetuous words. 
 
 " Saint Peter's is the largest church in the world, 
 I understand," Mrs. Lapeer said, with a timid at- 
 tempt to relieve the situation. 
 
 A gleam of amusement lighted the priest's 
 black eyes and the tense expression which his own 
 words and those of Janet had brought to his face 
 vanished. 
 
 " You will find the measurement of the various 
 cathedrals which are noted for their size marked 
 on the pavement of Saint Peter's, Mrs. Lapeer," he 
 responded, courteously. " It has always been a 
 unique fact that you Americans think more about 
 size than beauty or historical interest," he continued, 
 but noticing that Mrs. Lapeer was annoyed by this 
 criticism, he quickly added, with that tact which so 
 characterized Padre Veroni, and so fascinated those 
 who came in contact with him : " This is not to be 
 wondered at when one considers the immense pros- 
 perity and extent of your beautiful land.'" 
 
 16
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " We are coming into the station ! " exclaimed 
 Fay, eagerly. 
 
 Very soon the party of three ladies, followed by 
 the priest, left the train with the bustling, hurrying 
 crowd, and were hospitably welcomed by the porter 
 of the hotel-pension, where they had reserved rooms. 
 
 As they passed out of the long station a young 
 priest emerged from a throng of persons who were 
 waiting at the entrance and, to the astonishment of 
 Janet, lingering behind her mother and Fay, respect- 
 fully removed his broad-brimmed beaver hat and 
 kissed the thin white hand held out to him by Padre 
 Veroni. 
 
 Since entering Rome Padre Veroni seemed to be 
 a different man. The customs and manners of his 
 people enveloped him as with a garment. Only a few 
 hours before he had been Americanized, Anglicized. 
 Now he became Italian, polite, and ceremonial to 
 the last degree. Janet marveled at the change, 
 which her mother and Fay did not notice, being too 
 much interested in the objects of interest pointed 
 out by him: the splendid fountain, at whose dedi- 
 cation Pope Pius IX made his last public appear- 
 ance, "before he entered his prison, the Vatican," 
 the priest explained; the magnificent ruins of the 
 once stately Baths of Diocletian, where five thou- 
 sand Romans could luxuriously bathe at one time; 
 the palace of Queen Margherita, the mother of 
 Victor Emmanuel, king of Italy, " a gracious lady, 
 who was as s good a Catholic as her husband, King
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Humbert, had been a bad one," commented the 
 priest. 
 
 Janet was too inexperienced to know that even 
 the air of Rome is full of mystery, of subtle changes 
 and weird influences which alter the character and 
 point of view of those who yield themselves to it 
 as surely and as quietly as the waves of the sea 
 modify the coast line of a country. Rome, the 
 mysterious, the wonderful, casts her fascination 
 over native and foreigner alike, often entangling 
 their minds and even souls in a web so filmy, so 
 gauzy, that one does not realize his bondage until 
 he is caught tightly in the threads. 
 
 18
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 THE Speranza was a pension of high grade and 
 price. Padre Veroni would not have recommended 
 it to Mrs. Lapeer if he had not first adroitly drawn 
 from her information which assured him that she 
 was fully able to pay well for comfort and even 
 luxury. The evenings spent on the deck with these 
 ladies had been fruitful, for Mrs. Lapeer was guile- 
 less and confiding. Before the steamer was three 
 days out from New York the priest was in pos- 
 session of facts which were of interest to him. 
 Padre Veroni was a priest and, furthermore, a 
 member of the Society of Jesus, that organization 
 which has made and unmade kingdoms, whose 
 power is felt, not seen, which rules with a rod of 
 iron, which commands and its members must obey. 
 He had been trained in a school which produces 
 men who are astute, keen in their judgment of per- 
 sons, ready to turn everything to the advantage of 
 the Church whose interests they are bound to pro- 
 tect. Having been taught that the end justifies the 
 means, Padre Veroni thought it no harm to induce 
 Mrs. Lapeer to open her mind to him, to allow him, 
 entirely without her own volition, to probe the 
 depths of her soul. 
 
 He had learned of her childhood, surrounded by 
 the protection of loving parents; of her marriage 
 
 19
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 to a man who humored every whim ; of the fortune 
 which her father left her, and her lucky speculation 
 in Chicago property ; of her husband's sudden death, 
 whereby she was left mistress of a large amount of 
 money, diminished only by legacies to Janet and 
 Fay which made them independent. He learned 
 of the advantageous offers of marriage which both 
 girls had already received and refused, and he ascer- 
 tained how deeply Mrs. Lapeer longed to have them 
 marry into distinguished and even titled families. 
 Her love for them, sincere and unselfish, bred 
 visions of dukes and princes on their knees, offering 
 coronets to her daughters. 
 
 It was after one of these conversations, during 
 which neither Janet nor Fay had been present, that 
 Padre Veroni paced the deck for an hour, deep in 
 thought, and decided that this was a case where pres- 
 entation to the "Holy Father" would be desirable, 
 together with the gift of tickets to the coming cele- 
 bration of the fiftieth anniversary of Pius IX's pro- 
 mulgation of that new dogma, the "Immaculate 
 Conception of the Virgin Mary." Mrs. Lapeer's 
 soul might be benefited thereby. To be sure, she 
 had informed him that they were all members in 
 good and regular standing in a prominent Protestant 
 church in Clyde, near Chicago, where their country 
 home was; but he had assured her that it would 
 be a pleasure, really, a pleasure, to assist her in 
 seeing something of the inner life of the Church in 
 Rome. He hinted that he knew a cardinal and one 
 
 30
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 or two archbishops who were equally impartial in 
 their views, and Mrs. Lapeer had glowed with pride 
 when he suggested that an introduction from him 
 would open the doors of the palaces of the "Blacks," 
 or clerical circles, to her beautiful daughters. When 
 Padre Veroni mentioned the Speranza as a pension 
 which was eminently respectable, on the verge of 
 aristocracy, where a lady could receive visitors who 
 frequented the inner and most sacred circles of 
 Roman society, Mrs. Lapeer at once resolved to 
 secure rooms there. 
 
 It occurred to her, later, that Padre Veroni had 
 not intimated that he, too, would be a guest here, 
 and she was, consequently, surprised to see him 
 seated at a small table alone. At the close of din- 
 ner the priest joined them and guided them into 
 a drawing room, brilliantly lighted by electric bulbs 
 in an old Venetian glass chandelier, a combination 
 which impressed Janet as peculiar and not pleas- 
 ing. 
 
 " They ought to have candles in," she said, in- 
 tending to speak to Fay, whom she supposed to be 
 near her. 
 
 " I quite agree with you," said a melodious voice 
 at her side, and she turned to face a woman, not 
 much older than herself, dressed in the somber garb 
 of a widow. " Very poor taste," continued the 
 stranger, " but it is typical of a land where ancient 
 ruins stand shoulder to shoulder with modern 
 buildings, and where one stumbles upon interesting 
 
 21
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 statues in the most incongruous places. O, Padre 
 Veroni, I am delighted to see you back in old 
 Rome!" 
 
 The priest smiled as she extended to him an un- 
 usually small and beautifully formed hand, which 
 he grasped cordially. 
 
 " The pleasure is mine, Lady Eger. Is it not 
 rather early for you to be in our city ?" 
 
 " Yes, I am a month ahead of my usual time, but 
 Rome draws me; I cannot stay away." 
 
 Lady Eger lowered her voice as she spoke, and 
 the priest replied, sympathetically : " I understand 
 I understand. People cannot remain far from 
 Rome when they have once felt her fascination; 
 and if foreigners are so affected by it, can you not 
 imagine how we feel, we who are so fortunate as 
 to possess her for our birthright ? " 
 
 Scarcely realizing why she did so, Janet had 
 lingered near and had listened to the conversation. 
 Overcome by a sense of her rudeness, for she saw 
 that the priest and the lady were old friends, she 
 would have moved away. Padre Veroni detained 
 her by a touch on the arm. 
 
 " Lady Eger, I want to present to you a young 
 American lady, Miss Janet Lapeer, from Chicago, 
 a fellow-passenger of mine on the Arcania, to- 
 gether with her mother and sister." 
 
 " They are the two standing yonder by the table, 
 are they not? The beautiful girl in white is your 
 sister? I have already exchanged views with 
 
 22
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Miss Lapeer on the subject of that tasteless com- 
 bination of Venetian work of art and our gray 
 electric illumination. I foresee that I shall like 
 Miss Lapeer, if we begin by disliking the same 
 things." 
 
 Padre Veroni joined some acquaintances who 
 claimed his attention, and Lady Eger continued, 
 vivaciously: "Let us sit down here in these two 
 easy chairs and be comfortable. Would you like 
 a cup of coffee? Yes? I thought so. Giovanni, 
 bring two coffees or perhaps your mother and 
 sister will join us Giovanni, four coffees! Mind 
 you bring it strong ! " 
 
 Janet was dazed and scarcely caught her breath 
 before she found herself presenting her mother and 
 Fay to this voluble but charming stranger. Her 
 equilibrium returned with her feeling of amuse- 
 ment when she noticed the look of awe with which 
 her mother regarded Lady Eger. Mrs. Lapeer's 
 head swam a little. Was Lady Eger a baroness, 
 or a countess, or what ? Should one call her " My 
 lady," or would that savor too much of "below 
 stairs"? A woman of good sense and refinement 
 rarely fails to do the proper thing if she stops 
 to think, and Mrs. Lapeer very wisely decided 
 to call her "Lady Eger" and keep on the safe 
 side. 
 
 " Sugar, Mrs. Lapeer? Two lumps or three? I 
 take three, for it is so bitter and strong. I think 
 Padre Veroni told me that you come from Chicago. 
 
 23
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 I had a brother who went to America seven or eight 
 years ago Sir John Hamilton. You don't re- 
 member ever meeting him, do you ? " 
 
 " No, I do not," Mrs. Lapeer roused herself suf- 
 ficiently to remark. "I do not remember ever meet- 
 ing Sir John Hamilton." 
 
 " Well, possibly it was not Chicago he went to. 
 He bought a ranch somewhere out there," she re- 
 plied with pleasing vagueness. 
 
 " There are no ranches in Chicago, or near it," 
 began the irrepressible Fay, her eyes dancing with 
 fun, but Lady Eger did not stop to listen. She had 
 kept a careful watch on Padre Veroni's movements, 
 and seeing that he had risen to leave the room, she 
 excused herself to Mrs. Lapeer, saying that she 
 would see her in the morning, and walked away 
 to join the priest. 
 
 A few minutes later, when the three ladies passed 
 out into the hall on their way upstairs, they saw 
 her in a small library leaning forward eagerly, her 
 piquant face illuminated by a circle of light from a 
 shaded electric light on an onyx table. Opposite 
 her was Padre Veroni. They were so engrossed 
 in conversation that they did not notice the rustle 
 of skirts as the Lapeers passed by. 
 
 It was about nine o'clock the next morning that 
 Janet entered the drawing room, seeking for a 
 quiet corner where she could study her Baedeker 
 and lay out a plan for the day's sight-seeing. She 
 started back in surprise for Padre Veroni stood by 
 
 24
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 the window talking with the priest who had met 
 him at the station. 
 
 " I will go up now and get it," she heard him 
 say. " Ah, Miss Lapeer, good morning ! I hope 
 you rested well on your first night in Rome." 
 
 " Very nicely, thank you." 
 
 Padre Veroni passed out of the door. Then, as 
 if moved by a sudden impulse, he returned and mo- 
 tioned to the priest who still stood at the window. 
 
 " Paolo, come here. Miss Lapeer, you desire to 
 know our people as well as our ruins." (How well 
 he had gauged her character.) "Allow me to in- 
 troduce Don Paolo Gregori, canon of one of our 
 best churches." 
 
 For the first time in her life Janet found herself 
 in a peculiar position. A young man, a priest, was 
 waiting for her to say something, and she did not 
 know how to begin ! How did one talk to a priest ? 
 On theism? To be sure, Padre Veroni had been 
 both priest and Italian, but he was older and had 
 taken the initiative. 
 
 Don Paolo did not appear to be embarrassed, 
 for he was looking at her with an expression 
 of curiosity. But why did he not say some- 
 thing? 
 
 " Do you speak English ? " she finally ventured, 
 in desperation. 
 
 " No, mademoiselle. I can read your language, 
 but have never had an opportunity to speak. If" 
 you do not object to speak in French " 
 
 25
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 There was in his manner an odd hesitancy and 
 diffidence which set Janet at her ease. 
 
 It was fortunate for Janet that a French govern- 
 ess had guided her in the intricate paths of verbs 
 and crooked adjectives, so that she could reply with- 
 out embarrassment in that language. Notwith- 
 standing the fact that Don Paolo's acquaintance 
 with women had been very slight, his life hav- 
 ing been passed in a monastery and college for 
 priests, he felt no fear in conversing with an Amer- 
 ican girl. He regarded her in the light of a novelty, 
 a strange being from another land, from that coun- 
 try across the sea where so many bizarre actions 
 were constantly reported in the daily papers, where 
 women ruled and men worked to keep them in 
 pretty clothes. 
 
 " Mademoiselle is an American ? " he said, tenta- 
 tively. 
 
 " Yes. Have you been in America ? " 
 
 "Alas, no. It has never been my good fortune 
 to visit your great country. 
 
 Janet smiled with national pride which was soon 
 to have a fall. 
 
 " Great in extent of territory, in resources, and 
 in wealth, but not so great as Italia is," he con- 
 tinued quietly. " No land on the face of the earth 
 has what we have had for centuries, a grand history. 
 From us has gone forth the best in art, science, and 
 literature. Look at Michelangelo, Raphael, and 
 Dante; and, even in modern times, at the inventors 
 
 26
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 and scientists, most of whom are Italians. Ah! we 
 have reason to be proud." 
 
 Janet gasped at this eloquence. The priest could 
 talk and talk well. 
 
 " I never thought of that," she remarked, 
 ashamed to tell him how little she knew of Roman 
 history, how the emperors were not realities to her 
 but names to be learned. Not for worlds would she 
 have let him know that, until she met Padre Veroni, 
 she had supposed that all Italians were like those 
 who dug the ditches and laid the railroad ties in her 
 native land. It was unpardonable ignorance and 
 she blushed with shame. 
 
 " And in religion," Don Paolo went on, now quite 
 warmed up to his subject, and forgetting that he 
 was talking to that enigma of modern civilization, 
 the American girl of the period, " in religion, Italy 
 has been the mother. From the steps of the Church 
 of Saint Gregory, down yonder by the Arch of Con- 
 stantine, Gregory the Great sent the monk Au- 
 gustine forth, with a little band of barefoot com- 
 panions, to evangelize England, a barbarous coun- 
 try where men were subject to Druid priests and 
 human sacrifices were made to their gods." 
 
 Don Paolo's hands moved nervously and, in his 
 enthusiasm, his face was lighted and his eyes 
 flashed. Well had Don Paolo earned the title 
 " Silver tongue " from his fellow students ! 
 
 " And from England it came across the seas to 
 us," rejoined Janet, aroused in her turn. "But 
 
 27
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 but England is Protestant, and so is America. If 
 your Pope sent us the gospel, how is it that we are 
 not Catholic today ? " 
 
 Don Paolo hesitated. 
 
 " Is mademoiselle a Protestant ? Ah, then it is 
 well that we do not discuss the question. From my 
 standpoint, I might say something to hurt made- 
 moiselle's feelings. Yet, if you allow it, it would 
 afford me much pleasure if, one day, I might hear 
 from you some facts concerning the Protestant 
 religion, as it is today. I am interested," he 
 added, hurriedly, for Padre Veroni approached 
 them. 
 
 A few minutes later Janet stood at the window 
 and watched the two priests walking down the street 
 beneath the shadow of the sycamore trees. Both 
 were tall, the older man austere in his appearance, 
 the younger slender and graceful, in spite of the dis- 
 figuring robes held in by a broad black sash. On 
 the other side of the street were at least a dozen 
 men in scarlet gowns, with black hats, and a dozen 
 more followed a little distance behind them, and 
 still another squad, all hastening along with books 
 under their arms. 
 
 " Like birds of paradise, aren't they? " remarked 
 Lady Eger. " Did I startle you by coming in so 
 quietly? I beg your pardon, I coughed, but you 
 did not hear me. No scene in Rome is complete 
 without some of those scarlet students in it. One 
 comes across them everywhere, on the Pincio, on 
 
 28
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 the Corso, playing ball in the Villa Borghese, and 
 they always add just the desirable touch of color." 
 
 " What a lot of priests one sees here ! There 
 go some more, but they have black on, with blue 
 sashes." 
 
 " Rome would not be Rome without the priests. 
 Those scarlet students are from the famous German 
 college. You will see where they live some day. 
 You have been talking with Don Paolo, Miss 
 Lapeer. Sometime you must tell me what you think 
 of him. He is a great favorite of mine." 
 
 " How did she know I was talking to Don 
 Paolo ?" queried Janet, mentally. " She was not 
 here." 
 
 " Good morning, Mrs. Lapeer," continued Lady 
 Eger, vivaciously, " and Miss Fay, as sweet as a 
 May morning ! Were you going out ? May I walk 
 a little way with you? I suppose you are going 
 first to Saint Peter's, that is the Mecca of all Eng- 
 lish and American tourists." 
 
 Mrs. Lapeer smiled and answered : " We had 
 thought of going there first. It is so awkward, 
 isn't it, going about in a strange city, where one 
 does not know the language? Both my daughters 
 speak French, which is some help." 
 
 " A great deal. With French, one can go any- 
 where. Would you care could I be of any assistance 
 to you, if I should accompany you ? I do not wish 
 to intrude, and some people prefer to do their sight- 
 seeing alone." 
 
 29
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 There was a pretty air of timidity in the manner 
 of making this offer, and Mrs. Lapeer and Fay re- 
 plied in one voice : " We should be delighted to 
 have you with us, Lady Eger." 
 
 In response to her half-shy glance at Janet, she, 
 too, felt constrained to say : " Your knowledge of 
 the city will be of the greatest assistance to us," 
 although she felt that she would have been glad to 
 have the first glance at the " Citta Eterna " alone. 
 Lady Eger's vivacity was a little wearisome to a 
 person who wished to think and dream, as Janet 
 loved to do. 
 
 11 Then, if you do not mind waiting while I pur- 
 chase a new pair of gloves these are positively 
 disreputable we can take a carriage afterward to 
 the church and get home in plenty of time for 
 luncheon." 
 
 " That reminds me, girls, that we need gloves," 
 said Mrs. Lapeer. 
 
 In a few moments Fay was reveling in a box of 
 white and tan gloves, holding up her hand to have 
 them tried on, while Janet, who declared that her 
 wants were supplied for the present, amused her- 
 self in watching the ever-moving crowds on the 
 Via Nazionale. One would not see better dressed 
 women in New York. And the men were fine-look- 
 ing, although, as a rule, not very tall. Priests were 
 here, too, jostled by officers in trim uniform, peasant 
 girls selling boutonnieres, beggars presenting boxes 
 of matches to the passers-by, parties of young ladies, 
 
 30
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 accompanied by eagle-eyed chaperons, and blase 
 men, who sauntered by, swinging their canes and 
 twisting their waxed moustaches. 
 
 Janet turned her attention to the interior of the 
 shop and found herself intently observing Lady 
 Eger, who had just drawn on a pair of long black 
 suede gloves, and who was absorbed in consid- 
 ering the weighty question as to whether they were 
 a proper fit. Who was Lady Eger, anyway? She 
 was an enigma to be solved. Janet assured herself 
 that the process of solution would take some time. 
 Lady Eger talked a great deal but said little. 
 Yet she was by no means lacking in intelligence. 
 Her black eyes were keen and searching, her lips 
 were firm and her chin as square as would be be- 
 coming in womankind. Her soft brown hair was 
 partially hidden under a widow's bonnet, from 
 which hung a dainty black veil, in the most correct 
 style. Mrs. Lapeer was small, but years had added 
 to her portliness; Lady Eger was about the same 
 height, and so slender, and delicately formed that 
 she characterized the word " petite." Her black 
 dress, relieved only by sheer linen bands at neck and 
 wrists, perfectly fitted her well-rounded form. She 
 was decidedly English, but there certainly was 
 French blood in her; perhaps only a strain from 
 some grandmother who had been mistress of a 
 chateau on the banks of the Loire, but who had 
 left an inheritance to Lady Eger of daintiness, 
 grace, and attractiveness.
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Janet forgot that she was staring until Lady 
 Eger lifted her face from the contemplation of her 
 gloves and smiled at her. She had been studying 
 Lady Eger, and Lady Eger knew it. 
 
 " How do you like them, Miss Lapeer ? I think 
 they will do very well. Now, shall we go? " asked 
 Lady Eger, calmly.
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 AT the great door of Saint Peter's Church a hush 
 fell upon them all. It was so vast, this building 
 which contained a wealth of art and so many 
 treasures of the Church. Fay spoke in whispers. 
 Many people were in the church, but they seemed 
 to be only a few, when compared with the immense 
 nave, the tremendous height of the pillars, and the 
 awesome sense of space. The Lapeers entered and 
 then stood, amazed at the riches of decoration, the 
 numberless statues, the exquisite mosaics, and the 
 paintings, all of which were made by the hands of 
 master artists. The morning sunshine penetrated 
 a window at the very end of the apse, and a shaft 
 of gold fell across the pavement and transformed 
 a marble figure on the tomb of one of the popes 
 into a creature of life, that seemed to breathe and 
 become flesh. 
 
 About a dozen people were kneeling in a splendid 
 chapel opening from a side aisle. Priests were cele- 
 brating mass. Their voices, as they intoned, 
 echoed dully through the high, arched spaces. Mrs. 
 Lapeer and her daughters stopped just outside the 
 doorway, but Lady Eger passed in and sank upon 
 her knees, crossed herself, and appeared to be 
 absorbed in her devotions. 
 
 Fay exchanged a glance with Janet and raised 
 33
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 her eyebrows. Janet was dumb with surprise. It 
 had not occurred to her that Lady Eger, an English- 
 woman, was a Roman Catholic. She smiled a little 
 at her own ignorance and simplicity. Why should 
 she not be one? All the English were not Protes- 
 tants any more than all the Americans were. 
 
 Her sensibilities, strongly Protestant, were to 
 have another shock, and one from which Janet 
 could not recover so quickly. They went slowly 
 toward the high altar, surmounted by Bernini's 
 Baldacchino, admiring, as they passed, the various 
 works of art. 
 
 " Yonder stands a statue of the Empress Helena, 
 the mother of Constantine, who found the true 
 cross at Jerusalem and brought a piece of it back 
 to Rome. In the opposite niche is that of Saint 
 Veronica, whose handkerchief was offered to our 
 Saviour that he might bathe the blood and sweat 
 from his brow, and when he returned it the hand- 
 kerchief bore the imprint of his face. On festas 
 it is shown to the people from the balcony up 
 there," Lady Eger explained. 
 
 Could it be possible that she believed all this ? 
 
 "I think that is a beautiful legend," said Fay, 
 enthusiastically. " Have you a book, Lady Eger, 
 where one could read about all these things? It 
 would make them so real." 
 
 " Indeed I have. I will get it for you when we 
 go back to the pension." 
 
 On the right of the nave, just before one reaches 
 34
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 the high altar, stands a very ancient statue of Saint 
 Peter. The hand is upraised in benediction, the 
 first two fingers of the right hand being extended 
 in precisely the same manner as that used by Pope 
 Pius X when he enters Saint Peter's in state and 
 bestows his blessing upon the crowds. The face, 
 as well as the body and drapery, is of black basalt 
 and the head is surrounded by a nimbus. 
 
 Janet and Fay watched the people, as they came 
 forward to the statue and kissed the toe of the right 
 foot, lowered their foreheads to touch it, and then 
 kissed it again, bent the knee before it, and went 
 away. Instinctively the words flashed into Janet's 
 mind : " Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven 
 image. . . . Thou shalt not bow down thyself to 
 them nor worship them. For I, the Lord thy God, 
 am a jealous God " What was this but idolatry, as 
 much as in any heathen land? And yet she had 
 supposed that Italy was a Christian country; that 
 paganism was a thing of the past. 
 
 One after another men, women, and children 
 approached and performed this act. Some were old 
 and bowed with care ; others were young and gayly 
 dressed. One mother brought her baby and touched 
 the foot with her hand, afterward rubbing it on 
 the infant's forehead and muttering prayers as she 
 did so, as if there were some healing power in the 
 bronze statue. The lights sparkled red in the 
 massive gold lamps above the tomb of the apostle, 
 the mosaics glistened in rich color, the splendid 
 
 35
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 frescoes and priceless marbles represented the wealth 
 of a sovereign and the poor woman, with her 
 baby, sought help and comfort from a bronze 
 image ! 
 
 A slight movement roused Janet from her mus- 
 ings. Lady Eger passed swiftly through the groups 
 of people and stooping, pressed her lips to the toe, 
 where a moment before, a rough-looking-man, 
 with tobacco-stained beard and bleared eyes had 
 placed his. Leaning forward, she laid her forehead 
 upon the cold and lifeless foot, kissed it again, 
 and returned. 
 
 This was more than Janet could bear in silence. 
 Turning abruptly she passed rapidly down the nave 
 and out on the broad porch, facing the spacious 
 piazza, its obelisk and fountains, its colonnade and 
 marble statues. It was now high noon, so the dull, 
 heavy boom of a cannon announced, and, mechanic- 
 ally, together with everyone near her, she took out 
 her watch, saw that it was correct to the second, 
 and replaced it in her belt. It was one of those 
 actions which one performs unconsciously while the 
 mind is absorbed in thought. Ever the query arose : 
 How could an intelligent woman, such as Lady 
 Eger, believe in these things? There were many 
 ignorant persons, whose actions could be easily un- 
 derstood, but Lady Eger! 
 
 " Yonder is our carriage, Miss Lapeer. Shall we 
 walk around under the colonnade ? The sun is very 
 hot at noon."
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 In the heat of her disgust and anger Janet dis- 
 liked Lady Eger most vehemently at that moment, 
 and she felt that the lady herself knew it; she no- 
 ticed everything without seeming to. In silence she 
 followed Fay and her mother, both of whom were 
 in the best of spirits. Already she realized that 
 some subtle influence was at work to separate her 
 from those whom she loved so dearly. Neither 
 Mrs. Lapeer nor Fay had been affected as she had 
 been by the occurrences of the morning. As the 
 carriage started, she saw Lady Eger reach over to 
 shake hands with a gentleman, to whom she spoke 
 in fluent Italian. She followed his look of admira- 
 tion to Fay's sweet face, and knew that Lady Eger 
 was speaking of them both, for he at once trans- 
 ferred his glance to herself, and she dropped her 
 eyes to avoid meeting it. 
 
 " Marquis Guido di Cassini," Lady Eger ex- 
 plained later. " One of the best-known men in 
 Rome. He belongs to a very old family. Not the 
 impecunious kind, either; at least, it is common re- 
 port that he is wealthy and he is unmarried. I have 
 asked him to call tomorrow evening, on purpose to 
 meet you all." 
 
 " So kind of you," murmured Mrs. Lapeer, 
 secretly impressed by the marquis, or his title, it 
 would have been hard to tell which. 
 
 " Not at all. It is a pleasure to present such 
 charming girls as your daughters to my friends," 
 added Lady Eger, in a low tone, audible to Mrs. 
 
 37
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Lapeer only, " and if you will allow me, I will get 
 them the entree into some of the best families 
 here." 
 
 " How can we ever repay your goodness ! " ex- 
 claimed Mrs. Lapeer, in raptures at the prospect of 
 a winter " in society " in Rome. 
 
 Lady Eger's eyes gleamed with a peculiar ex- 
 pression. 
 
 " I shall have my reward, my dear lady, do not 
 fear. Isn't virtue always its own reward ? " she re- 
 plied, lightly. " We shall be late for luncheon, 
 after all. The first train from Naples must be in, 
 for I see a carriage at the door, with a lot of lug- 
 gage on it. Somebody has arrived." 
 
 A gentleman superintended the removal of his 
 numerous bags and packages, paid the coachman, 
 and turned to enter the house just as the Lapeers 
 and Lady Eger reached the door. 
 
 Lady Eger gave a gasp of joy, and rushed toward 
 him, holding out both hands to grasp his big ones. 
 " John ! " she exclaimed, ecstatically, " where did 
 you drop from? " 
 
 " From across the big water, Hortense. Thought 
 I'd come over and see this great city you've been 
 talking so much about. Are you glad to see me, 
 or shall I go back again to my ranch ? " 
 
 He looked down upon her benevolently from his 
 six feet two of height. 
 
 " Glad," echoed Lady Eger. " Indeed you are 
 not going back to that horrid ranch. Mrs. Lapeer, 
 
 38
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 this is my brother, Sir John Hamilton. Miss 
 Lapeer, Miss Fay Lapeer, my brother." 
 
 When Sir John Hamilton shook hands with 
 Janet she felt as if a fresh breeze from the West, 
 where man has a chance to breathe and expand, 
 had enveloped her. She remembered once riding 
 for miles across the prairies, with the strong wind 
 in her face and masses of wild flowers spread out 
 around her like a gorgeous carpet. The hearty 
 grasp of his hand brought it all back the ex- 
 hilaration, the inspiration, the desire to know and 
 to do. 
 
 " I am glad to know you, Miss Lapeer," he said, 
 cordially. Then, allowing the ladies to pass in, 
 he followed his sister upstairs. 
 
 39
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 " WHEN shall we go to see Alda Pierce? " asked 
 Janet, a week later, coming into her mother's room 
 after a brisk walk in the Villa Borghese. 
 
 Fay lay on the sofa absorbed in her book. She 
 roused herself sufficiently to say : " It does not seem 
 to me that there is any hurry about it. Lady Eger 
 knows her slightly, she said, and she intimated that 
 Mrs. Pierce is not in society here in Rome." 
 
 " Society is the loser then," retorted Janet, flush- 
 ing. " Alda is the sweetest woman I ever knew, 
 and would adorn a circle more refined than that of 
 Roman princes and nobles." 
 
 " You are really growing tart, Janet," remon- 
 strated her sister. " It's a very bad symptom. 
 Lady Eger says it's a sure sign of advancing years." 
 
 Janet closed her lips to keep back another retort. 
 She was very tired of hearing Lady Eger quoted. 
 Since the day in Saint Peter's she had avoided the 
 little lady, declining invitations to go sight-seeing 
 or calling. 
 
 " What are you reading, Fay ? " 
 
 " The Lives of the Saints, by Mrs. Jamieson. 
 It's perfectly lovely. I had no idea that there were 
 women who lived such beautiful lives and did such 
 miraculous things. I cannot understand why we do 
 not have such tales in our church, or why we must 
 
 40
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 be so dull and tasteless in the style of our churches. 
 Compare our church at home with these here the 
 lovely paintings, the soft light, and the beautiful 
 carvings. In themselves they are enough to excite 
 one to devotion. Lady Eger says " 
 
 Janet fled to the other room and Fay settled back 
 again to her book. Going to the window Janet 
 looked out upon the garden below and sighed. Why 
 was it that Fay had been so different since they had 
 come to Rome? Was it Lady Eger's influence 
 which was changing her so ? And the mother she 
 too was altered. Her conversation ran continuously 
 on society, marquises and counts, the Pope and the 
 Vatican. " Marquises " reminded her of the Mar- 
 quis di Cassini, whom Lady Eger had invited to 
 meet them. Janet could not restrain a smile at the 
 remembrance of Sir John Hamilton and his sister's 
 guest the great tall, breezy Englishman and the 
 dapper, up-to-date scion of a noble family, with 
 waxed moustaches and hair smooth as satin. Sir 
 John had a habit of rumpling his mass of brown 
 curls when he was intent on anything of interest to 
 him, and a conversation with Padre Veroni on sub- 
 jects on which they were diametrically opposed had 
 produced a startling effect just before the marquis 
 arrived. 
 
 Lady Eger had a private sitting room, a cozy cor- 
 ner, where a wood fire crackled and blazed and shed 
 a cheery blaze over photographs of men and women, 
 noted in art, music, and literature, over a couch
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 covered with a handsome Kelim brought from Con- 
 stantinople, a very inviting resting place with its 
 piles of gaily covered cushions, over small tables 
 of odd shapes, laden with the latest books. Flowers 
 nestled in quaint brass bowls of beaten ware and a 
 cluster of early chrysanthemums in sunshine tints 
 grew and blossomed in a large Japanese vase. There 
 were no electric lights here, but candles in majolica 
 and glass holders, fastened to the walls at intervals, 
 beamed with benign light and beautified and ideal- 
 ized the room. On a tiny table, quite by itself, 
 stood a silver frame containing a large picture of 
 Pope Pius X, in his white cassock, seated at a table, 
 writing. It was a room exactly like Lady Eger, 
 dainty, charming. 
 
 The marquis proved to be an excellent talker. He 
 was interested in the questions of the day, in the 
 condition of Italy under the present administration 
 of the House of Savoy, an administration of which 
 he very strongly approved and did not hesitate to 
 say so. 
 
 " It is true that the taxes are a terrible weight 
 upon the people," he said. 
 
 " Any worse than they were thirty-five years 
 ago? " inquired Sir John. 
 
 The marquis frowned. Then he laughed, and 
 with quick Italian wit parried the question. 
 
 " I really cannot say. I was not born then, hav- 
 ing done the world the favor of arriving five years 
 later." 
 
 42
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Sir John joined in the hearty laugh which went 
 around at his expense. He stood up and thrust his 
 fingers through his hair. His figure was built on a 
 generous scale and was not graceful, though it gave 
 the impression of strength, both of mind and of 
 body. 
 
 " At least, if they do pay more taxes, they have 
 a right to call their souls their own, which is more 
 than they had when the Popes had temporal power, 
 if one may believe all the tales one hears." 
 
 The marquis bowed. " We agree on these points, 
 Sir John, although you are a Protestant and I am a 
 Catholic by birth. You are an Englishman and I 
 am an Italian. Our views can scarcely be expected 
 to harmonize and yet I love my country as much as 
 you do yours. Now, Lady Eger " Sir John gave 
 a sudden movement and knocked off a bowl of 
 roses with his elbow. It made a happy diversion, 
 and the conversation turned to less argumentative 
 themes. 
 
 Lady Eger leaned back in her large easy chair, 
 held up a sandal-wood fan to screen her eyes, and 
 watched her guests. She looked smaller and more 
 delicate that night, in her long gown of filmy black. 
 
 Sir John talked to Janet, telling her about the 
 great ranch he had out in California, where the 
 lilies bloomed by the thousands, huge fields of them, 
 white and stately, and where the roses overran his 
 house and hung in clusters around his windows. 
 The feeling of space grew as Janet listened to him 
 
 43
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 he seemed so big in heart and views and experi- 
 ence. In an old, conservative city he was com- 
 pressed like a strong north wind confined within 
 the limits of a narrow cave. 
 
 " There are no flowers here in Italy to compare 
 with ours, Miss Lapeer. You've never been in 
 California, so you cannot understand. I love the 
 place." 
 
 " I thought you were an Englishman, Sir John," 
 she said, smiling at him as he overflowed the small 
 gilt chair on which he was trying to be comfortable. 
 
 " So I am and always shall be a genuine Brit- 
 isher; but my home is in America and always will 
 be as long as God allows me to live and work." 
 
 " Has Lady Eger ever been out to see your 
 ranch?" 
 
 Sir John's kindly face clouded. " No, I am sorry 
 to say, she does not care to come. The truth is, 
 Miss Lapeer, Rome has a terrible grip on her in 
 more ways than one. It's one reason I came, to tell 
 the truth, and I feel that you will understand when I 
 talk to you. You seem to be different from the rest. 
 She was the dearest girl at home, so gay and 
 simple-hearted. Five years ago she married the 
 best fellow I ever knew and he died. Maybe she'll 
 tell you about it some day; I hope you'll be friends, 
 Miss Lapeer, I really do. She needs a woman friend, 
 God knows. These priests have her in their clutches. 
 Pardon me if I speak strongly; I feel strongly and 
 have reason to. You are not fascinated by these 
 
 44
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 black-robed men with their shifting, insincere eyes 
 and all the glitter of their services, are you ? " He 
 leaned anxiously forward to catch her answer. 
 
 " Not in the least. Quite the contrary." 
 
 " I was sure of it. But look out for your sister, 
 Miss Lapeer. One does not have to live here per- 
 manently to be conversant with the methods of the 
 Roman Church. I am not ignorant of these priests, 
 their wiles and their enticing ways. Keep an eye 
 on her or they will get her, surely." 
 
 Janet involuntarily turned her eyes toward her 
 sister, and Sir John smiled in the midst of his 
 earnestness. 
 
 " O, I don't mean that there is any danger this 
 minute. The marquis is quite harmless at present, 
 though he'll bear watching he'll bear watching. 
 As I was saying, Lord Eger died two years after 
 their marriage and Hortense was heartbroken over 
 it. Some other griefs entered into it which it is 
 not necessary to mention. She thought travel would 
 divert her mind and I went everywhere with her for 
 a year. She and I are quite alone in the world. 
 It did relieve her suffering somewhat and as my 
 business in America really required my personal 
 supervision, and as she was as happy here in Rome 
 as I could expect her to be anywhere, I left her. I 
 have been very sorry since that I did. I might have 
 kept the bloodhounds off. She went over to the 
 Church of Rome that's the long and short of it; 
 went over with all the intensity of her nature. They 
 
 45
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 knew just how to draw her, how to sympathize with 
 her. Padre Veroni ah, he's a deep man, deep as 
 the sea and twice as dangerous Padre Veroni was 
 plausible and touched her wounds so delicately that 
 they began to heal and she thought it was the 
 Church and not Padre Veroni ; so she gave up the 
 faith of her childhood, and adopted this new one. 
 If it had brought her peace, I do not know that I 
 should have the heart to object, but she is not happy 
 I see it and feel it. She is fearfully bigoted and 
 goes to more extremes in forms and ceremonies than 
 those who are born Roman Catholics; but perverts 
 almost always do that. They always want to keep 
 ahead for fear they can't keep even, I think. She 
 needs a friend, a woman who understands her 
 nature better than a clumsy man like myself." 
 
 " I don't know what I could do, Sir John," Janet 
 responded, with hesitation. 
 
 " Against Padre Veroni and the Jesuits and all 
 their machinery? My dear young lady, you can 
 do nothing in a contest with them. A child cannot 
 safely and successfully play with edged tools. But 
 you can wait the chance to act her friend, can't 
 you?" 
 
 His tone now was one of earnest pleading as of a 
 big brother anxious for the safety of his little sister. 
 It touched Janet strangely. 
 
 " I will try," she said, and rose, as her mother 
 was saying good-night to Lady Eger. 
 
 The conviction came to Janet this autumn after- 
 46
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 noon that she had not kept her compact with Sir 
 John. She had not tried to help Lady Eger; and 
 yet, how could she? Lady Eger seemed to be a 
 shrewd woman of the world, skilled in many arts 
 of subterfuge and guile by these years under the 
 tutelage of Padre Veroni and his associates. An 
 American girl could not cope with her. And there 
 was Sir John's warning about Fay that they would 
 try to entangle her in a web from which she 
 could not extricate herself. Conscience twinges 
 pricked Janet? Was she not allowing precious 
 moments to slip by? Even now Fay was fill- 
 ing her mind with the beautiful myths of the 
 Roman Church, for beautiful they are indeed, these 
 legends of Saint Agnes, and Saint Catharine of 
 Sienna, and Saint Bridget, and Saint Elizabeth of 
 Hungary the lives of good women, many of whom 
 suffered for righteousness' sake in the early history 
 of the Christian faith, maidens and matrons whom 
 we revere for their purity and usefulness. But the 
 tales have been embroidered during these centuries 
 with supernatural designs, miracles, and remarkable 
 cases of healing, until the simple-hearted saints 
 themselves would be horrified and amazed could 
 they know for what purpose their life stories are 
 being used. Still, they were tales to fascinate the 
 mind of a girl and cause her to see in everything 
 connected with the Church something mysterious 
 and attractive. 
 
 With sudden resolution Janet knelt down beside 
 47
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 her narrow bed and prayed with more earnestness 
 than she had prayed for some weeks. This new 
 country with its marvelous treasures had drawn 
 her mind from higher thoughts; she had forgotten 
 to " seek those things which are above and not those 
 which are of the earth." The line of an old hymn 
 ran through her mind : " A need for earnest prayer." 
 When she rose from her knees it was with renewed 
 strength for a battle which she felt sure was immi- 
 nent, a battle in which her own feeble strength 
 would count for nothing; " but with God all things 
 are possible." 
 
 She put on her hat and drew on her gloves as once 
 more she entered her mother's room. 
 
 " Hasn't mamma come back yet ? It's such a 
 lovely day. Come, little sister, let's go for a walk. 
 You'll make your head ache if you read so long." 
 She smoothed back Fay's hair, loosened above her 
 smooth, white forehead. " Do come, dear. I'm 
 tired of going around alone." 
 
 Fay flung away her book. " Of course, I'll go 
 if you really want me. You've been so strange and 
 cold lately. I could not imagine why. And you 
 never would go out with us when Lady Eger asked 
 us to go. I've missed you Janet, so much, you 
 dear, old sister." 
 
 Fay's energetic hug was nearly ruinous to Janet's 
 new autumn hat, but she did not mind that now. 
 
 " Then hurry and get dressed. I'll go wherever 
 you like." 
 
 48
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " No. I'll go where you want to, even to see 
 Alda Pierce." 
 
 Thinking it better to take advantage of Fay's re- 
 markable spirit of self-sacrifice Janet led the way 
 toward the home of the only friend she had in 
 Rome. 
 
 49
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 MRS. PIERCE was at home, the trim maid inti- 
 mated by nod and smile, ushering them into a room 
 which bore unmistakable evidence of American taste 
 in furnishing. The windows were high and wide, 
 admitting a flood of afternoon sunshine. An open 
 piano was strewn with music, an abundance of books 
 were on shelves and tables, and some tea-roses were 
 artistically arranged in a majolica bowl. 
 
 " It looks exactly like Alda ! " exclaimed Janet. 
 " And there is a picture of our old room and 
 the campus, and a group of our class. I won- 
 der if she looks any older. She was the dearest 
 girl!" 
 
 The door opened to admit a woman carrying an 
 infant in her arms. Her smooth brown hair was 
 slightly loosened about her face, her eyes were 
 brown, and large; her mouth was formed like a 
 bow from the hands of Cupid, and her dress was 
 of dark brown, the color of her eyes, very simply 
 made, but of exquisite taste. 
 
 " Alda ! " said Janet. " I am so glad to see you 
 again, after five years how long it seems since you 
 sailed for Naples with your husband ! " 
 
 " No more glad than I am to see you here in my 
 home. And Fay too. Fay has grown." 
 
 " Now that's a shame of you, Mrs. Pierce, to 
 50
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 twit me on my youth. I'm twenty years old, I'd 
 have you know." 
 
 " And fifteen when I saw you last. You certainly 
 have grown." 
 
 They all laughed and baby stretched out its little 
 arms to Janet, who seized upon her eagerly. 
 
 " You darling ! how did you know that I wanted 
 to cuddle you? What's her name, Alda? And 
 how old is she ? " 
 
 " She is Alda number two," broke in Mr. Pierce's 
 deep voice. " How do you do, Miss Lapeer and 
 Miss Fay. We are delighted to see you. And your 
 mother, is she well ? " 
 
 " Very well, and will be glad to see you at the 
 Speranza." 
 
 " Is that where you are stopping? " inquired Mrs. 
 Pierce, with a curious intonation. 
 
 '' Yes. Is there anything wrong about the place, 
 Alda? Please tell me frankly. Aunt Mary told 
 us we had better go to the Windsor, but on the 
 steamer we met Padre Veroni." 
 
 " Padre Veroni ! " exclaimed Mr. and Mrs. Pierce 
 in unison. " Go on, Janet, this waxes inter- 
 esting and may prove exciting," added Mrs. 
 Pierce. 
 
 Janet began to look anxious. 
 
 " Well, we met the priest, and mamma liked him 
 very much ; so when he recommended us to go to the 
 Speranza we went. Tell me what is wrong, Alda, 
 please do." 
 
 51
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " Nothing is wrong, dear, only it is a perfect 
 hotbed of Roman Catholicism, so we are assured, 
 though comfortable and pleasant. Naturally, many 
 people stop there who are not Catholics. Do you 
 know Lady Eger ? " 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 "And like her?" 
 
 There was a painful pause, broken by Fay, who 
 had been playing with the baby. She now raised 
 her head, a little defiantly, it seemed to Janet. 
 
 " Lady Eger is a lovely woman and has helped 
 us so much in seeing Rome and planning our trips. 
 I don't know what we should have done without 
 her. And as to the pension, I have never found a 
 placfc where the service and table were so good or 
 people were so generally kind." 
 
 " That is all true," Janet added. " We have cer- 
 tainly no reason to be dissatisfied there; quite the 
 contrary." 
 
 Fay sent a grateful look toward Janet. A bright 
 red spot burned in each cheek and a threatened 
 storm was averted by Janet's cautious remark. 
 
 Mrs. Pierce laid her hand softly on Fay's. " My 
 dear, I meant no offense either to Lady Eger or to 
 the pension, and nothing was farther from my 
 thoughts than to gossip. We who work here in 
 Rome, and are interested heart and soul in our 
 work, naturally keep our wits sharpened all the 
 time." 
 
 " What do you think about Padre Veroni ? "
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 asked Janet of Mr. Pierce, going directly to the 
 point. 
 
 Mrs. Pierce was showing Fay some of the odd 
 Italian ornaments which they had accumulated dur- 
 ing the five years of their residence in Rome, so 
 that the conversation could not be heard. 
 
 " He is a priest of the most polished type, suave, 
 a man who knows men and probes to the very depths 
 of their souls. I may say that he is a very unusually 
 intelligent man, high-bred, speaking several lan- 
 guages, and is all the more dangerous for these 
 characteristics. He has been sent on important mis- 
 sions to Spain and Austria by the Pope and is very 
 much in favor at the Vatican. It is reported that 
 he has declined a bishopric. The general opinion 
 is that it is not due to extreme modesty or to a 
 desire to work in a humble sphere, but to an ambi- 
 tion to wear a cardinal's hat, without passing 
 through any intermediate stages. These opinions 
 may wrong him. I do not know." 
 
 " Here comes the tea," said Mrs. Pierce. " You 
 do not know how much pleasure it gives me, Janet, 
 to have you in our home. Tell me all about the 
 people in Clyde. What a charming place that was 
 such lovely houses, with beautiful lawns and gay 
 flowers! Will you hold baby while I pour the tea, 
 Janet ? See how quiet she is with you." 
 
 Janet clasped her arms around the tiny form 
 which nestled so warmly against her. The child 
 laid her head, covered with soft, yellow curls, back
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 against her and Janet felt a new warmth in her 
 heart. 
 
 The door opened, admitting a man who was so 
 large that he seemed to fill the room with his 
 presence. 
 
 " Sir John ! " exclaimed Mr. Pierce, rising hastily 
 to greet his guest. " We could have no more joyful 
 surprise. Alda, here is Sir John Hamilton, returned 
 from the wilds of California." 
 
 " Say, rather, from the paradise of California," 
 Sir John corrected, shaking hands with Mrs. Pierce ; 
 and then, bowing to Janet, he seated himself by 
 Fay. 
 
 " You have come back now to stay a while with 
 us, haven't you, Sir John ? " asked Mrs. Pierce. 
 
 " As long as my sister wants me to." 
 
 " Ah ! " responded Mrs. Pierce, expressively. 
 
 " I have arranged my business matters so that I 
 can stay away for two years, if necessary. I must 
 confess to a tremendous longing for broad fields 
 and great, lonely distances where one can commune 
 with nature. In these conservative old cities I feel 
 oppressed and cannot get my breath. This morn- 
 ing, I went for a long hard ride on the Campagna ; 
 it comes the nearest to an open space of anything 
 around here." 
 
 " Sir John Hamilton ! " exclaimed a lady behind 
 him. " Have you forgotten an old friend ? When 
 did you come to Rome ? " 
 
 Sir John took the hand of a white-haired, portly 
 54
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 woman in both his. " Mrs. Potter ! This is an 
 unexpected pleasure? Have you just returned from 
 the country? Tell me what you have been doing 
 in these years of my absence, my dear lady. I see 
 that Rome is still here." 
 
 " Rome ! Sir John ! Rome is eternal, immortal. 
 New worlds may be discovered, new continents arise 
 out of the sea, and new nations be born, but Rome 
 still holds the scepter in her seat upon the Seven 
 Hills." 
 
 " Hear ! Hear ! Mrs. Potter is a Romaphile, 
 Miss Lapeer." 
 
 " You have come from America, I hear. How 
 could you stand it out there among those dreadful 
 cowboys, who carry revolvers in both hands and 
 shoot if you differ with them ? " 
 
 " A little overdrawn, Mrs. Potter, if you please. 
 The cowboy is more or less a fiction of the imagina- 
 tion. He still exists in dime novels " 
 
 " I have been to see Buffalo Bill's Wild West 
 Show, the 'greatest in the world/ Sir John. I 
 know that America is full of Indians and cowboys." 
 
 Fay laughed outright and Mrs. Potter turned her 
 spectacles upon her. The eyes behind the spectacles 
 were twinkling merrily. 
 
 " You are an American, aren't you, my dear ? A 
 pretty good specimen of one, too. Got any Indian 
 blood in you ? " 
 
 Sir John's hearty laughter aroused Mr. and Mrs. 
 Pierce, who were deep in conversation with two 
 
 55
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Italian gentlemen. Their hostess came toward 
 them. 
 
 " I beg your pardon, Mrs. Potter, I have not 
 given you any tea." 
 
 " Make it weak, my dear, with plenty of sugar. 
 And, Miss Lapeer," she continued, as Janet con- 
 signed Alda to a neat maid and rose to go, " come 
 and see me 22 Via Parma, second floor and 
 bring your sister. I like Americans, though I never 
 had any desire to go to your country. It's too new 
 and big for me, but just about suits Sir John, who 
 requires considerable room. My regular day at 
 home is Wednesday, but don't come then. Come 
 some morning. By the way, have you a mother or 
 any sort of chaperon along with you? You are 
 both entirely too handsome to be over here alone, 
 but one can never tell what queer things you people 
 are going to do next You are so youthful and 
 confiding." 
 
 " Our mother is with us," replied Janet, puzzled 
 to know whether she ought to be on her dignity with 
 this remarkable old lady, whose tight white curls on 
 each side of her forehead fell beneath a very large 
 bonnet with red flowers in the front, or whether to 
 follow her inclination and laugh. 
 
 " Then bring her along, or, better yet, you come 
 alone some morning, my dear, if your sister doesn't 
 object, and ask your mother to bring her on Wednes- 
 day, at four, remember. Sit down here, Sir John, 
 and tell me all about yourself."
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " What a funny old lady ! " Fay said to Mrs. 
 Pierce, who accompanied them to the door of the 
 apartment. 
 
 " Very funny, but as good as gold. She is 
 greatly interested in all good works, and has a large 
 number of acquaintances in Rome. One of her 
 dearest friends is the sister of a prominent cardinal, 
 and another is the chief lady in waiting to the queen 
 mother. Good-by, girls. Do come again, and 
 soon. I am so busy with the baby and our work, 
 but I shall certainly call with Mr. Pierce to return 
 your visit and see Mrs. Lapeer." 
 
 " Of all the queer characters ! " Fay continued 
 on the walk home. " I shall love to see her home. 
 It must be like herself full of all sorts of oddities. 
 She's not very complimentary, to invite mother and 
 me to come with everybody else, while you are in- 
 vited to a private session." 
 
 " I am coming to the conclusion that there 
 are more different people and peculiar characters 
 to be found in Rome than anywhere else in the 
 world," Janet replied. " Let us go down to the 
 top of the Spanish steps, Fay, and watch the sun 
 set." 
 
 Along the marble balustrade at the top of the 
 broad staircase leading down to the Piazza di 
 Spagna, a number of persons were standing. Be- 
 hind them rose the obelisk in front of the great 
 church connected with the Convent of the Holy 
 Trinity. Many carriages rolled by, carrying ladies, 
 
 57
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 tourists, officers to and from the Pincian Hill. At 
 that hour hundreds of people gathered in the park, 
 some to drive among the palms and roses, others to 
 gossip in their carriages, sitting under the shade of 
 a splendid oak or ilex. 
 
 Those who were watching the orb of day as he 
 sank to repose in soft coverlets of rose clouds stood 
 absolutely silent. All were not by any means 
 strangers or tourists. Better than his daily bread, 
 the Italian loves the beautiful; it is to him the breath 
 of life, the inspiration of his soul. A grocer's boy, 
 bearing a huge basket on his head, set his load on 
 the balustrade, put his hands in his pockets, and 
 prepared to enjoy the feast of rich color. A poor 
 woman, bowed with the weight of great sorrow and 
 suffering, leaned against the railing and reveled in 
 the beauty of the scene before her. An officer, bril- 
 liant in uniform and gold braid, with his wife, 
 stood shoulder to shoulder with a stout German in 
 rough tweed suit and Tyrolese hat, decorated with 
 a cock's feather. A few carriages stopped and the 
 ladies held their lace parasols down to protect their 
 complexions from the glare while gazing at the fast- 
 disappearing ball of fire. The towers of Rome were 
 flooded with gorgeous red light. The haze upon 
 distant Monte Mario became translucent and 
 glorious, then faded to dull blue for the sun had 
 set. 
 
 The grocer's boy picked up his load, hoisted it to 
 his head and walked away, whistling cheerily. The 
 
 58
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 old woman stretched out her hand with a begging 
 whine to the officer, who dropped a coin into it. 
 The carriages drove on to the Pincio, and Fay and 
 Janet went home through the shadows of the Via 
 Sistina. 
 
 59
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 THE Marchesa di Cassini came duly with her 
 three daughters to make a call on Mrs. Lapeer. As 
 a result of this visit and a proper exchange of cards, 
 an invitation came to the Lapeers at the Speranza. 
 The card bore a coronet, and beneath it the name 
 of the marchioness, who would be at home on Satur- 
 day, November 10, from five to seven o'clock, at 
 the Palazzo Cassini. 
 
 November 10 was a stormy day. Clouds hung 
 bleakly over Rome and rain fell in torrents, while 
 the sirocco, the damp, depressing south wind, blew, 
 and moisture clung to the walls and the marble 
 stairways and made everything disagreeable. It 
 had its effect upon the temper, too, and it was easy 
 to see that Lady Eger was badly moved from her 
 usual tranquil condition, and even Sir John, the 
 personification of cheerfulness, smoked moodily 
 alone. 
 
 " So you do not want to go to tea with the Mar- 
 chesa di Cassini," Janet heard Lady Eger ask her 
 brother when they rose from a dismal luncheon. 
 
 " No, Hortense, I do not," he replied with 
 decision. 
 
 A few minutes later, when Janet entered the par- 
 lor she found Sir John there, pacing the floor with 
 long impatient strides. 
 
 60
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " It's like being shut up in a cage, and a gilded 
 cage at that," he grumbled. 
 
 " Why don't you go out, Sir John ? " 
 
 " What's the use ? I must either walk the streets 
 or shut myself up in a cab with the cover up and a 
 rubber apron drawn over me. And now comes that 
 tea at the Marchesa's! I told Hortense I wouldn't 
 go, but I suppose I'll have to, if only to keep my eye 
 upon those gentlemen in the black gowns, who will 
 inveigle her into leaving them all her money if I 
 don't stand guard! Not that I want her money, 
 Miss Lapeer," he added, hastily, a deep red flush 
 mounting to his forehead. " I do not mind if she 
 throws it away to the beggars in the street, but I 
 do not want the Roman Church to have the fortune 
 dear, good Arthur left to her. And they know just 
 how to wheedle the gold out of one's pocket, Miss 
 Lapeer, I assure you they do. Now I've eased my 
 mind, I feel better. It looks as if the clouds 
 were breaking away. I'll go cheerfully into that 
 nest of ' Blacks" and drink my tea and find out 
 what they're up to, but only on Hortense's account. 
 If it were not for her well, if it were not for her, 
 I should not be here at all." 
 
 Sir John laughed and the cloud passed from his 
 honest face. When Janet saw him again he was 
 drinking tea from a costly cup and talking to an 
 elderly gentleman in fluent Italian. He made a 
 grimace at her over his cup and continued the con- 
 versation. 
 
 61
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 The Cassini Palace was massive and imposing. 
 It consisted of three stories built in large blocks of 
 brown stone, the windows on the ground-floor being 
 heavily barred with iron. At the great door stood 
 a man in uniform, wearing a huge cocked hat 
 trimmed with gold lace, slightly tarnished with long 
 usage. He removed this hat as the carriage drove 
 into the court, where the ladies alighted at the foot 
 of a very wide marble staircase, having on one side 
 a railing of marble, and on the other side, in niches, 
 a number of very valuable, very ancient statues. 
 
 " I wish we had thought to get a coupe from the 
 livery stable," murmured Mrs. Lapeer, going slowly 
 up the stairs. " In the midst of all this grandeur 
 our poor little numbered cab looks insignificant." 
 
 " I do not believe it makes any difference," re- 
 sponded Janet, gently. " To these people we are 
 nothing but Americans, and they will never give us 
 a second thought." 
 
 " I am not so sure of that," said Mrs. Lapeer to 
 herself, having her own reasons for thinking other- 
 wise. 
 
 Very keenly she noted the furnishings and ar- 
 rangements of the palace, the splendid courtyard, 
 where many carriages waited already, the long 
 series of salons opening out of each other, richly 
 carpeted, decorated with magnificent paintings and 
 sculpture, generously supplied with furniture in gilt 
 and damask. No, observe as closely as she would, 
 Mrs. Lapeer could see no sign of the decadent, im- 
 
 62
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 pecunious nobility which she had feared might be a 
 reason for the very marked attention which the 
 Marquis di Cassini was paying to her daughter 
 Fay. 
 
 The marquis came forward to meet them from a 
 group of men. " Mother, Mrs. Lapeer and her 
 daughters," he announced, pushing through the 
 crowd which surrounded the hostess. 
 
 " I am more than delighted to see you," said the 
 marchioness in French to Mrs. Lapeer. 
 
 As far as she was concerned, the language might 
 have been Choctaw, for Mrs. Lapeer could not un- 
 derstand one word of French. 
 
 Being a lady of resources, she smiled, easily imag- 
 ining what the marchesa would be likely to say under 
 the circumstances, murmured a few polite sentences 
 in her own tongue, and passed on to a post of 
 observation, leaving her daughters to do and say 
 the proper thing. 
 
 " I have great hopes of Fay," Mrs. Lapeer said 
 to Janet a few minutes later. " Do you see how the 
 marquis bends toward her ? How devoted he looks ! 
 She would adorn these halls, Janet, and I should 
 so pray that she would be happy." 
 
 Mrs. Lapeer and Janet stood a little apart from 
 the chattering crowds of men and women, near a 
 heavily curtained window. The sounds from the 
 street below penetrated faintly through the glass 
 and draperies. Janet grasped the mantel of a tall 
 console standing near her to keep from falling with 
 
 63
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 a sudden faintness. If a thunderbolt had struck her 
 it could not have been more startling. She, too, had 
 noticed the very evident admiration which the mar- 
 quis had shown for Fay. But it did not surprise 
 her. Ever since she had been a baby Fay had been 
 a center of attraction. 
 
 " What do you mean, mamma ? " 
 
 " Janet, I have seen it coming for a month, and 
 both hoped and feared that it might be possible for 
 the dear child to love him. It would be such a 
 conquest, Janet. A marquis, and not a poor fellow 
 who wants to exchange a title for our wealth a 
 genuine nobleman, with wealth and position. Our 
 Fay would be a marchioness, a member of a fine old 
 Roman family, with generations behind them, and 
 a coat-of-arms, and all that. I've been looking 
 around and everything shows prosperity." 
 
 " A conquest ! " groaned Janet. 
 
 " Of course it would be. My grandfather was a 
 country storekeeper and your father's mother was 
 a farmer's daughter. Your father would be so 
 pleased, Janet." 
 
 Mrs. Lapeer's face was quite flushed in her excite- 
 ment. 
 
 " I had hopes before, but now I have certainty. I 
 intended to tell you today, though I haven't men- 
 tioned it to her. Last evening the marquis told me 
 he loved her and asked me to sanction the marriage. 
 It was really embarrassing, and such a responsibility 
 for me to take. I longed so for your father." 
 
 64
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Janet groaned again. If her good, sensible father 
 were only here! How soon they would leave the 
 marquis and his title and fortune and Rome itself 
 behind them ! Janet could not tell whether she hated 
 or loved Rome. 
 
 " I told him that I could not give him a definite 
 answer. That in America girls decided these mat- 
 ters for themselves. If Fay loved him, I should 
 not oppose the marriage; but I wouldn't for the 
 world drive her into anything against her will. And 
 he said " 
 
 " Miss Lapeer, you have forgotten your promise. 
 You have never come to see me." 
 
 " O, Mrs. Potter ! " exclaimed Janet, glad of the 
 diversion. 
 
 " This is your mother, I suppose. Madame, I am 
 glad to make your acquaintance. I have already 
 fallen in love with your daughter." 
 
 " Really, Mrs. Potter, I have not had a free morn- 
 ing since " 
 
 " My dear, no excuses, I beg of you. Once I 
 came to Rome for the first time. I shall never for- 
 get it. How sad that there can be only one first 
 time for everything in our lives! The down is 
 rubbed so soon from the peach. I see that your 
 other daughter is already a favorite, Mrs. Lapeer. 
 The young marquis has eyes for no one else. I have 
 heard flattering remarks made about her, and some 
 prognostications for the future." 
 
 '* Very kind," murmured Mrs. Lapeer. 
 65
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " I am not so sure that they are kind," was the 
 unexpected reply. 
 
 Mrs. Lapeer looked surprised and a trifle an- 
 noyed. This old lady was almost offensive in speak- 
 ing so familiarly of Fay and the marquis. It was 
 not pleasing to have Fay's name bandied about 
 lightly on the lips of strangers. 
 
 Janet hastened to say : " You know all these peo- 
 ple, do you not, Mrs. Potter ? Can you tell me who 
 they are?" 
 
 " With pleasure, yes, I know almost all of them 
 some only too well. Have you had any tea yet ? 
 Let us go into the dining room." 
 
 " Call Fay, Janet," said Mrs. Lapeer, suddenly 
 eager to have her daughter under her protection 
 again. Mrs. Potter's words had disturbed her 
 strangely. 
 
 Half way down the long salon they noticed a 
 sudden pause and parting in the crowd, and advan- 
 cing toward them came a man of about sixty-five 
 years of age. A small, scarlet skull cap was set well 
 back on his iron-gray hair, scarlet trimmings were 
 on his black robes, and scarlet stockings showed 
 above his shoes as he walked in a dignified manner, 
 bowing to acquaintances and occasionally stopping 
 to speak to a friend. Close beside him was Padre 
 Veroni and a little behind came Don Paolo Gregori, 
 whom Janet had not seen since the morning after 
 her arrival in Rome. He was paler and thinner, 
 she thought, and there were hollows around his 
 
 66
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 eyes which told of night vigils and long prayers 
 before the altar. Don Paolo was still a seeker after 
 that truth which ever eluded him. 
 
 " Cardinal Perotti ! " exclaimed Mrs. Potter, in 
 a subdued voice. " My dear, you are in the presence 
 of the power behind the throne, of the most polished 
 diplomat in Rome." 
 
 Mrs. Lapeer stepped to one side as she saw the 
 three priests advancing, and Janet and Fay did the 
 same, but Mrs. Potter advanced serenely, calmly 
 facing the cardinal, whose austere face softened to a 
 smile when he saw her. 
 
 " It is Madame Potter ! My dear lady, I am de- 
 lighted to meet you. You have passed the summer 
 in the Abruzzi, haven't you ? " 
 
 " With the sister of Cardinal Massimini, Emin- 
 enza." 
 
 " Precisely. I saw him a day or two ago and he 
 told me of the great kindness which you showed to 
 the poor peasants in the village. Ah, Madame, if 
 all Protestants showed your liberality, your gen- 
 erosity !" He raised his hands expressively. Padre 
 Veroni spoke a few words in his ear. 
 
 " Ah, yes. Where are they? " was the cardinal's 
 response. 
 
 " Directly in front of you, Eminenza." 
 
 " Madame will permit ? " the prelate asked, and 
 with a bow he passed on, followed by the two priests. 
 The crowd behind closed in again, and the laughter 
 and hum of conversation began once more. 
 
 67
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " This is Mrs. Lapeer, Eminenza," said Padre 
 Veroni. " Cardinal Perotti wishes to know you, 
 Mrs. Lapeer. And these are her daughters, the 
 American girls of the period, Eminenza." 
 
 The cardinal comprehended the group in a glance. 
 He saw the loving, ambitious mother, in her ma- 
 tronly dignity, stately, composed Janet, and Fay, 
 charming in her youthful beauty. 
 
 " Then the American girl of the period is just 
 what she ought to be," responded the cardinal. It 
 was one of his gifts that he knew the right thing 
 to say at the right moment. 
 
 The priests passed on and Mrs. Lapeer and her 
 daughters escaped to the dining room. Mrs. Potter 
 had disappeared, so they made their way with some 
 timidity to a long table on one side of the splendid 
 room. No prince could boast more exquisite tapes- 
 tries than these heirlooms of the sixteenth century. 
 There was no handsomer carved furniture to be 
 found in Rome than this which belonged to the 
 Marquis di Cassini. Servants, wearing the Cas- 
 sini livery, brown cloth with pink facings, stood 
 behind the tables, ready to dispense the dainty re- 
 freshments to the guests. 
 
 It was then that Janet saw Sir John, who soon 
 forsook his elderly companion and came to see what 
 he could do for Mrs. Lapeer's comfort. 
 
 " Tea, Mrs. Lapeer ? Sandwiches and cake ? 
 Please take a good supply, for, big as I am, those 
 dignified gentlemen behind the table frighten me. 
 
 68
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 I do not dare risk provoking their wrath a second 
 time. We'll just keep these plates here and they'll 
 be convenient when you want more." 
 
 " Thank you, so much, Sir John," said Mrs. 
 Lapeer, sinking down into a large chair which he 
 moved toward her. " I am tired ! " 
 
 " So am I," confided Sir John. " I am always 
 tired at receptions. They are an invention of the 
 evil one to punish man for his misdeeds." 
 
 " I have not seen Lady Eger," said Janet. 
 
 " O, she's here somewhere. There she is yonder, 
 talking to the Princess Malatesta." 
 
 " Is that a princess ? " exclaimed Fay in such sur- 
 prise that they all laughed. 
 
 ;< Yes, and one of the biggest ones. They do not 
 wear their coronets always, but take them off for a 
 rest. Joking aside though, I hope you will come 
 here some time to an evening affair. They do not 
 give any yet, for the season is not open. Carnival 
 time is the height of gaiety. It is really a wonder- 
 ful sight. Then the princesses wear their coronets 
 and the display of gems is magnificent." 
 
 " I do hope the marchioness will invite us," sighed 
 Fay. 
 
 " I think she will, if you are very sweet to her. 
 Here comes the cardinal for his cup of tea. If 
 you've finished, suppose we go back into the Green 
 Salon." 
 
 Sir John hastily led the way out, brushing by 
 Padre Veroni with little ceremony. 
 
 69
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 "What makes him dislike priests so?" inquired 
 Fay when they had bidden the marchioness and her 
 three daughters good-by effusively, and the marquis 
 had accompanied them to their carriage, appearing 
 to be sublimely oblivious to the fact that it was 
 a numbered hack, that the coachman's nose was red, 
 and the horse limped. 
 
 " I don't know, I am sure," replied the mother, 
 who was absorbed in her own thoughts. 
 
 Janet was silent. She began to understand why 
 Sir John Hamilton disliked Padre Veroni. 
 
 70
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 " THOSE are the Americans of whom you spoke," 
 the cardinal said, leaning his head against the high 
 back of his leather-covered chair. 
 
 A gilt cardinal's hat, with his coat-of-arms, was 
 stamped on the back of this and every other chair 
 in the room. It was the library of a student. Long 
 bookcases lined the walls. Tables on which reading 
 lamps were conveniently placed stood in front of 
 easy chairs. The whole aspect was pleasing and 
 attractive. It was dark outside and the light from 
 the lamp on the desk in front of the cardinal shed a 
 yellow radiance over his face and that of Padre 
 Veroni who sat near him. The rest of the room lay 
 in deep shadows. It was a scene worthy of Rem- 
 brandt's brush the darkness, the narrow circle of 
 light, the two faces, the touch of bright color in the 
 cardinal's scarlet cap, the glitter of his ring as he 
 nervously tapped his white fingers on the green 
 cloth covering the desk. 
 
 " Yes, those are the ones." 
 
 " Tell me about them once more. I have for- 
 gotten the details or, perhaps, I was not listening 
 intently when you told me before. There are three 
 ladies." 
 
 " Yes, the mother, Mrs. Lapeer, is the widow of 
 a wealthy lumberman " 
 
 71
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " What is a lumberman ? " interrupted the car- 
 dinal. Padre Veroni smiled. 
 
 " I forgot that your Eminence had never been 
 in America. He is not a man who cuts timber, 
 necessarily, but the proprietor of a large lumber 
 yard, from which boards are shipped all over the 
 country. We, in Italy, where wood is scarce and 
 expensive, cannot comprehend the vastness of this 
 business." 
 
 " I understand. Go on," commanded the car- 
 dinal. " This Signor Lapeer made his wealth in 
 selling boards. Rather a strange business, but as 
 long as he got rich, it is no doubt perfectly re- 
 spectable and certainly clean." 
 
 Padre Veroni smiled again, dutifully, at the 
 humor of his superior. 
 
 " And the name Lapeer is it French ? " 
 
 " I fancy it is. From something Mrs. Lapeer 
 said I inferred that her husband's family came from 
 Canada and the name was probably La Pierre, vul- 
 garized into Lapeer." 
 
 The cardinal nodded. " I understand," he re- 
 peated. " The daughters have some French blood. 
 That accounts for Go on." 
 
 " To make the story short, I ascertained that Mrs. 
 Lapeer is an ambitious woman, not for herself but 
 for her children. She is absolutely in control of a 
 large fortune; but more than that, the daughters 
 have about a million francs apiece." 
 
 A short exclamation of surprise broke from the 
 72
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 cardinal's lips. " The board business must have 
 been profitable," he observed. 
 
 " They have no other close relatives. There is a 
 sister whom Mrs. Lapeer mentioned, but she lives 
 far out in the West and is not a person of much 
 consequence. The daughters are very attractive." 
 
 " Particularly the older one," remarked the car- 
 dinal. 
 
 " Your Eminence has sharp eyes and an excellent 
 intuition in character. Miss Janet is intelligent, re- 
 fined, and, while not beautiful, has a remarkable 
 face. Every time I look at her I think what a 
 dignified abbess she would make." 
 
 " She has no leanings toward the monastic life ? " 
 
 " Your Eminence forgets that they are Prot- 
 estants," protested Padre Veroni, spreading out his 
 hands in deprecation. 
 
 His glance encountered that of the cardinal, on 
 whose thin lips there was a dry smile. 
 
 " Yes," he said, simply. 
 
 " The younger daughter is gay, thoughtless, and 
 as attractive as most American girls are, and that 
 is saying a good deal. But she lacks depth." 
 
 " She has a million francs, I believe? " 
 
 " So I understood from her mother." 
 
 " Mrs. Lapeer seems to be a confiding woman to 
 have disclosed so much of her private affairs." 
 
 " Mrs. Lapeer would enjoy the confessional, 
 Eminenza. She is the type of woman for whom the 
 confessional was made. She delights to pour out 
 
 73
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 her soul to someone whom she considers her su- 
 perior, especially a clergyman. I have no doubt she 
 goes to her minister at home in the same spirit." 
 
 " And Padre Veroni knew just how to draw her 
 out," remarked the cardinal. 
 
 The priest smiled consciously. 
 
 " What are you going to do about it ? " 
 
 " It is for your Eminence to say," was Padre 
 Veroni's humble reply. 
 
 " Nonsense ! I should have asked, what have you 
 done about it? You certainly have not allowed all 
 these weeks to pass without some efforts." 
 
 " I recommended them to go to the Speranza." 
 
 "Ah! and they went?" 
 
 ' Yes. I decided to take rooms there myself 
 for reasons of convenience." 
 
 " I see." 
 
 " Then I introduced them to Lady Eger." 
 
 " You are a general, Padre Veroni. Should the 
 Black Pope's seat become vacant, I know no better 
 candidate for his place." 
 
 Padre Veroni glanced furtively around, as if to 
 pierce the darkness. " Are we alone, Eminenza ? 
 Even the walls have ears." 
 
 In reply the cardinal touched a button on his desk 
 and a door opened immediately. 
 
 " Turn on the electric lights, Giuseppe." 
 
 " Yes, Eminenza." 
 
 A flood of illumination fell upon the tall book- 
 cases, the carved chairs, the mosaic tables. 
 
 74
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " You see we are quite alone," he said, with a 
 touch of scorn in his voice. "So Lady Eger will 
 attend to the rest. Very well. The end will be 
 achieved without doubt." 
 
 " There is another factor which enters into the 
 question." 
 
 "What is that?" 
 
 " Marchese di Cassini is a regular visitor at the 
 Speranza." 
 
 "Lady Eger?" 
 
 " No, he calls on the Lapeers. Tomorrow, if it 
 is pleasant, they will go to the Castelli Romani in 
 his new automobile." 
 
 " Which one is it that he wishes to marry? " 
 
 " The younger one, Miss Fay." 
 
 By which it will be seen that Padre Veroni kept 
 a closer watch on Mrs. Lapeer and her family than 
 any of them dreamed. 
 
 " And the marquis is liberal ? " 
 
 " Decidedly. He will represent his constituency 
 in the Parliament this year. He has been to the 
 San Rossore within the last three weeks, to pay a 
 visit to the king." 
 
 " It is strange that he has these tendencies when 
 his father was so intimate with Leo XIII; and his 
 mother is a devoted Roman Catholic. Floria is 
 now in a convent, isn't she ? " 
 
 " She will take the veil in the spring. Eminenza, 
 the marquis is a type of the Italian man of the 
 present day. We hold on to the women through the 
 
 75
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 confessional and our control spiritually and some- 
 times more than spiritually and through them con- 
 trol also their families. But the men are beginning 
 to think for themselves. They are slipping away 
 from us. If the day ever comes when church and 
 state are separated in France, it will be a serious 
 blow to the Church's power here in Italy. Already 
 there are mutterings of unrest in Spain, our strong- 
 hold for so many centuries. And in the ranks of 
 the priesthood, there is constant agitation. Sedi- 
 tious and heretical books are circulated. The Prot- 
 estants are making strides even here in Rome. The 
 liberal influences are permeating the ranks of the 
 people. Schools are being established everywhere, 
 not under our control, but by the government, and 
 by the Protestants, and the youth are being in- 
 structed in new ideas of liberty * the voice of the 
 people is the voice of God,' and all that." 
 
 " The Pope has commanded Don Mazzetti to 
 vacate the chair of theology in the college," added 
 the cardinal. 
 
 ' Yes, because he has lectured on free will and 
 the right of independent thought. The movement is 
 growing. There are hidden fires in the Church, as 
 dangerous as those which smolder in the heart of 
 Vesuvius and Etna, which are liable to break out 
 at any moment. It does no permanent good to 
 depose Don Mazzetti. His teachings are imprinted 
 on the minds of the students ; they will follow him. 
 The cry of reform in the Church has already begun
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 and the Protestants are fermenting it and pushing 
 on the movement. Something must be done. Look 
 at Pierce over yonder in the center of Rome. 
 He is establishing schools in country districts; he 
 is purchasing property in all parts of Italy for the 
 missionary society he represents. They send mis- 
 sionaries to Italy, missionaries to the land which 
 gave the Church to them! We shall have to do 
 something about this matter, and soon. The emi- 
 grants go to America and return, bringing fresh 
 ideas of liberty, freedom, and equality and all such 
 nonsense from that rich republic. They bring over 
 heretical views, too, and during the long winter 
 evenings they talk about these things among their 
 families and friends. The consequence is that many 
 adopt the Protestant religion, or, if not, the in- 
 fluence of the parish priest is diminished. In one 
 case, the population of an entire village have for- 
 saken the faith of their fathers, and Pierce has sent 
 a minister there, a sort of colporteur who sells Bibles 
 to the people for miles around. The priest got hold 
 of some of the Bibles and burned them in the public 
 square, but it created such a disturbance that he was 
 obliged to desist. Things are coming to a pretty 
 pass when a priest is at the mercy of a crowd of 
 miserable contadini! This happened in southern 
 Italy and Sicily, too." 
 
 Padre Veroni did not add, as he might have done, 
 " and where, up to within a few years, until the 
 establishment of schools by the government, seventy- 
 
 77
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 five per cent of the population could neither read nor 
 write." 
 
 In his excitement the priest had risen from his 
 chair and was pacing the floor of the long library, 
 pausing for a moment in front of the cardinal to 
 emphasize some remark with a rapid gesture, then 
 continuing his walk. 
 
 " I cannot think that matters are as bad as you 
 say," rejoined the cardinal. " Our priests are loyal 
 to the Church, and it will be many a long year, even 
 centuries, before the Pope of Rome will give place 
 to a Protestant bishop." 
 
 " That is true, but the cry is ' Reform ! re- 
 form ! ' Have you read Fogazzaro's new book, 
 II Santo?" 
 
 " No." 
 
 " Read it, then, Eminenza. I warn you that you 
 will not like it any more than I did. It will be 
 placed on the Index of forbidden books, of course. 
 In fact, the Pope is already preparing the proper 
 document absolutely forbidding any publisher to 
 print it, or any shopkeeper to place it on sale on pain 
 of excommunication. But what good will that do? 
 The evil is done, as in the case of Mazzetti. The 
 book has sold enormously; it may have been trans- 
 lated into English for all I know, and it will con- 
 tinue to be printed and sold. Thousands of men 
 in Italy today snap their fingers at the bull of ex- 
 communication. We are not in the Dark Ages, 
 but in the twentieth century, where even the auto- 
 
 78
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 cratic Czar of the Russias has to bow to the will of 
 the people." 
 
 " I will read Fogazzaro's book." 
 
 "Do so, your Eminence," Padre Veroni's eyes 
 twinkled " before it is placed on the Index." 
 
 "About the marquis?" 
 
 " I had forgotten him, in this matter of such vital 
 importance to me. I will watch the progress of 
 events. Strange to say, it was Lady Eger who pre- 
 sented the young man to Mrs. Lapeer, and invites 
 him to her room." 
 
 " Lady Eger may need watching. One can never 
 rely on the converts. Their early training predis- 
 poses them to peculiar ideas." 
 
 " Lady Eger is all right. Converts are often 
 more bigoted than we are. It is the influence of her 
 brother." 
 
 " Is he back again ? I thought that the wild 
 West had swallowed him up." 
 
 " He is too big to be swallowed. Really, I like 
 the man, he is so wholesome and hearty. But he 
 is an important element in the affair. I have my 
 suspicion that he is attracted " 
 
 The servant opened the door noiselessly. 
 
 " The dinner is served, Eminenza." 
 
 " You will remain, Veroni ? I should like to talk 
 with you further on these matters and others." 
 
 "As your Eminence wishes," replied Padre 
 Veroni, walking toward the dining room with the 
 cardinal. 
 
 79
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 The man held a heavy velvet portiere aside 
 that they might enter, and another servant stood 
 waiting behind the cardinal's chair, while a third 
 was motionless in front of the sideboard, on 
 which a number of massive pieces of silver were 
 arranged. 
 
 A cover had already been laid for Padre Veroni, 
 who was a frequent visitor to the cardinal. The 
 apartment was in a wing of the Vatican palace on 
 the second, or main, floor of that great building, 
 under whose ample roof not only the Pope and his 
 personal attendants but several cardinals and other 
 officials of the Vatican have their homes. So enor- 
 mous is the palace, that these different persons can 
 have separate apartments, containing many rooms, 
 and a host of servants, without interfering in any 
 way one with the other. 
 
 The round table was covered with a cloth of finest 
 Flanders linen, in the center of which the cardinal's 
 coat-of-arms was woven. Light fell in subdued 
 radiance from a superbly wrought silver lamp sus- 
 pended above the table. A cluster of delicate pink 
 chrysanthemums in a rare vase were in the center. 
 The china was in the best taste, the service unsur- 
 passed, and the dinner very simple but fit for an 
 epicure. 
 
 Cardinal Perotti was a flower worshiper. His 
 rooms were always decorated with plants in full 
 blossom, according to the season. In different parts 
 of the dining hall were tall palms, rose trees covered 
 
 80
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 with buds and blossoms, and even the humble violet, 
 forced to flower at this unseasonable time, shed its 
 delicate fragrance from a small glass bowl beside 
 the cardinal's plate. 
 
 With the coming of the fruit the servants disap- 
 peared, leaving the cardinal and his guest alone over 
 their wine and grapes, fresh from the cardinal's 
 own vines in his vineyard several miles outside the 
 city walls. 
 
 " I wanted to ask you about Don Paolo. Is he 
 doing well ? " 
 
 " As far as his work is concerned, he is very suc- 
 cessful." 
 
 "What is the trouble with him? I noticed his 
 serious manner, his apparent sadness today. Even 
 in the crowd at this afternoon's reception he was 
 absent-minded and silent." 
 
 Padre Veroni broke off a cluster of long white 
 grapes, before he spoke. " It is the same old story 
 reform and all that. He has an idea that the 
 Church has lost her former simplicity and earnest- 
 ness ; that he cannot consent to make the Church the 
 supreme and final arbiter in all questions, even those 
 of doctrine. He wants to think for himself and 
 decide for himself." 
 
 " There are a good many others like him in the 
 world," remarked the cardinal, raising his glass so 
 that the light shone through the ruby liquid. Then 
 he drained the wine to the last drop. 
 
 ;< Yes, that is true. But why can't he think what 
 81
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 he pleases, believe what he pleases, and stay in the 
 Church?" 
 
 " As some of the rest of us have," responded the 
 cardinal dryly. " For my part, I think all this agi- 
 tation is foolish, a waste of time and a tremendous 
 wear on the nerves. Life is too short for us to try 
 to solve the mysteries, and the Church very kindly 
 and wisely takes the responsibility off our shoulders. 
 But some men are not built on this plan. Fools are 
 not all dead yet. Does Don Paolo wish to leave the 
 priesthood ? " 
 
 " O, no. He has not gone as far as that. He is 
 groping and doubting and struggling." 
 
 " He needs more to do. He needs to have his 
 ambitions aroused. Is he a man of ability ? " 
 
 " Of great ability. He is one of the most eloquent 
 preachers I have ever heard." 
 
 " Have him' appointed special preacher during 
 Lent, in one of the most popular churches, and it 
 will excite his pride and arouse him. Take him 
 frequently to the Vatican and let the Pope see him 
 often." 
 
 Padre Veroni hesitated. " I am afraid the 
 disease has gone deeper than that, Eminenza, and 
 cannot be eradicated by such measures, but I will 
 try." 
 
 " He is a favorite of yours ? " 
 
 " I love him as though he were my own son, 
 Eminenza. His mother, the widow of my cousin, a 
 noble woman, gave him into my charge when she 
 
 82
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 died. He was then ten years old, a cheery, bright 
 boy, who soon grew to love me. I educated him 
 
 at the Monastery of , and trained him for the 
 
 priesthood. To my knowledge, he is thoroughly 
 upright. Until a year or so ago there never was a 
 cloud between us. Then I found that he was read- 
 ing heretical books. I reproved him, perhaps more 
 severely than was wise, and punished him by refus- 
 ing to say farewell to him or holding any communi- 
 cation with him during my absence in America. 
 On my return, the Abbot told me that Paolo had 
 continued that which I condemned, but from the 
 liberal, socialistic views had begun to interest him- 
 self in atheism, a natural sequence. I decided to 
 adopt other tactics, made friends with him again, 
 and tried to take him with me to social gatherings 
 such as that today. The evil has gone deep." 
 
 " Has he read Fogazzaro's book about reform in 
 the Church?" 
 
 " I believe he has. I saw it in his room." 
 
 " Has he taken any special interest in the evan- 
 gelical religion ? " 
 
 " Not to my knowledge. His great desire seems 
 to be to tear aside the veil of mystery which the 
 Church has thrown around various doctrines, and to 
 learn for himself." 
 
 " There lies his extreme danger," continued the 
 cardinal, rising from the table. " To think for one- 
 self is the essence of rebellion. The Church is our 
 mother and thinks for us." 
 
 83
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Padre Veroni knelt before the cardinal, and kissed 
 his hand. 
 
 " Until we meet again, Eminenza," he said. 
 
 The cardinal smiled slyly. 
 
 " So the marquis is not to marry the fair Ameri- 
 can ? " he asked. 
 
 Padre Veroni avoided meeting his glance. 
 
 " I do not know," he replied. 
 
 " How much did you say her fortune is ? " 
 
 " A million francs." 
 
 " Do she and her sister manifest any signs of 
 coming into the fold ? " 
 
 " Not as yet, Eminenza. I do not think, in fact, 
 I am positive, that Miss Lapeer does not like me or 
 Lady Eger either. She is a girl of strong character 
 and has a will of her own. Also, she is a Protestant 
 of the most difficult type to reach, like Sir John." 
 
 "And the other?" 
 
 " It remains to be seen." 
 
 " By the way, I have some tickets for the cele- 
 bration of the Immaculate Conception, on Decem- 
 ber 6. Would you care to have them for Lady Eger 
 and the others ? The seats are in the front row and 
 very near where the Pope will celebrate mass." 
 
 " If you can spare half a dozen, I can use them 
 all," replied the priest. " Good night, Eminenza." 
 
 The cardinal paced deliberately up and down the 
 long corridor. Frescoes which had seen the passing 
 of three centuries were on the ceiling above his head. 
 How many plots and intrigues had been formed 
 
 84
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 within these walls ! The men who had made them 
 had long since been laid in eternal rest beneath altars 
 or in high niches, where their tombs were sur- 
 mounted by peaceful effigies in marble, figures with 
 folded hands and limbs laid straight, and cardinal's 
 hats hung, faded and old, above them. The Vatican 
 walls had stood while a long procession of popes 
 and cardinals had lived their lives, leaving behind 
 them the results of good or ill. Their influence 
 lived still in the Roman Catholic Church and in 
 many instances had contributed in making it what 
 it is today a political machine, powerful, far- 
 reaching, with its center in the Vatican, and just 
 enough remaining of the former truth and purity 
 of the early Church fathers to permit it to hold sway 
 over the spiritual natures of the people who bow at 
 its altars. 
 
 " A million francs ! " mused the cardinal. " The 
 Convent of Our Lady of Sorrows needs a fresh en- 
 dowment. Ah, well, we will see. Stranger things 
 have happened, and every means available must be 
 used in the interests of the Church."
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 FRA ANTONIO threw bits of bread at the green 
 crested parrot whose perch was near the door of 
 the Monastery kitchen. 
 
 " Art never satisfied, greedy bird ? " he asked, 
 sharply. 
 
 The parrot cocked an eye at him so impudently 
 that the monk was forced to laugh. 
 
 " An-co-ra ! " croaked the parrot in tones of com- 
 mand, and Fra Antonio meekly threw him another 
 piece. 
 
 " There, that is absolutely the last, Frou-Frou. 
 Thou needest not scold. I will not give thee 
 more." 
 
 " Let me feed him," said Don Paolo, who had 
 come quietly up behind the monk. " Isn't it a 
 glorious day, Fra Antonio? Your favorite heathen 
 gods must be reveling in the sunshine and delicious 
 air. I believe it was Pan you invoked the last time 
 I was here, when the grapes were still on the vines." 
 
 Don Paolo's face was no longer sad and wistful, 
 but mischievous. 
 
 " Thou art as impertinent as the parrot, Paolo. 
 No, he cannot have any more to eat. He will die 
 of acute indigestion some day, or have a fit. Yes, 
 thou wilt, thou wicked bird," he continued, shaking 
 his finger at the chattering parrot. " Look out ! 
 
 86
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 He'll bite thy finger off if thou goest too near him! 
 I don't see why we keep him anyway. He never 
 even catches flies, let alone does any useful work." 
 
 " Don't be so cross, good Brother Antonio. After 
 I have finished my errand to the Superior I am 
 going out into the open country on the Campagna, 
 where the little pink-tipped daisies make a soft 
 carpet for my feet, and the birds sing a morning 
 hymn to the sun. If I were a heathen, I believe I'd 
 be a nature worshiper it's all so beautiful." 
 
 " Didst ever write poetry, Paolo ? " asked the 
 monk, so solemnly that the young priest laughed 
 again. 
 
 " I don't mind telling you that I tried once, 
 Brother Antonio, but I was not successful. Would 
 you not like to go for a walk, too ? " 
 
 Fra Antonio shook his bare head. Stooping he 
 gathered some dead leaves from the stalk of a white 
 chrysanthemum. 
 
 " No, I don't want to go. Except when the Su- 
 perior has sent me on an errand or for some special 
 purpose, I never go outside these walls. Here is my 
 world and one that I love, too. Art leaving so soon, 
 Paolo? How goes thy work ?" 
 
 " I'll tell you another time, Fra Antonio. Your 
 god Pan is playing on his pipe out yonder and is 
 calling me. Addio ! " 
 
 " What a boy he is ! " thought Fra Antonio, 
 watching the straight black figure until it dis- 
 appeared in the light shadow beneath the olives. 
 
 87
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " Happy youth, our playtime! Now, when one is 
 as old as I am, with rheumatism in my joints and 
 forced to bend over in the garden or in the chapel, 
 one has reason to complain. Since he is reconciled 
 to Padre Veroni I do not believe that lad has a 
 care in the world, still less a sorrow." 
 
 Utterly ignorant of the conflict which was rend- 
 ing Paolo's soul, and which was then driving him 
 relentlessly to seek the solitude of the open Cam- 
 pagna, Fra Antonio bent to his labors among the 
 flowers and vegetables, work which he dearly en- 
 joyed in spite of all his grumbling. To produce 
 the most perfect rose, the most spotless lily, the 
 finest vegetables, was Fra Antonio's ambition ; and, 
 indeed, there may have been worse ones and more 
 harmful, over yonder behind the gray walls of the 
 splendid Vatican palace. Since he entered the 
 Monastery as a young man Fra Antonio had been 
 entirely contented with his lot, and had apparently 
 never made any effort to inquire below the surface, 
 accepting his food and drink as a part of his due, 
 and praying in the chapel night and morning with 
 the regularity of a machine. 
 
 Don Paolo walked out the gate of San Giovanni 
 near the Church of Saint John Lateran, past the 
 stands of the market woman, where late grapes 
 in white and purple were piled in abundance, and 
 went briskly out into the open country. Soon leav- 
 ing behind him the overcrowded tenement houses, 
 occupied by hundreds of poor people because the 
 
 88
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 rents are cheaper outside the walls, he struck off to 
 the left, away from the noise and confusion, from 
 the jingling bell on the tram going to Frascati, and 
 sauntered through a by-path. Along the side, in the 
 grass, were the pink-tipped daisies of the field, 
 growing by the thousand. He picked a few and 
 held them in his hand as he walked, as though 
 their freshness and beauty rested him and soothed 
 his troubled spirit. It is only the man wrapped 
 up in self and selfish interests who cannot feel the 
 restful power of nature and of nature's God, speak- 
 ing to him through the wonderful objects which 
 he has created. Pascal's sister wrote: "I was ad- 
 miring just now a little landscape presented by 
 my room, as it was being illuminated by the rising 
 sun. How pretty it was ! Never did I see a more 
 beautiful effect of light upon the paper, thrown 
 through painted trees. It was diaphanous, trans- 
 parent. It was almost wasted on my eyes. It ought 
 to have been seen by a painter. And yet, does not 
 God create the beautiful for everybody?" Some- 
 thing of this thought was in Don Paolo's mind as 
 he marked the lavish profusion of these dainty 
 blossoms, each one perfect in itself, blooming on 
 the lonely Campagna, merely to be seen by the pass- 
 ing peasant in his winecart, or by the occasional 
 pedestrian. 
 
 Emerging from the sidepath the priest passed out 
 into the high road. The Campagna lay spread out 
 before him, a dull, brown field, stretching far, far 
 
 89
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 away to the line of faint blue mountains on the 
 horizon. Here and there were ruins of old castles, 
 or fortresslike houses, with only one or two small 
 square windows high up, near the roof. Long- 
 horned cattle grazed near and lifted their heads as 
 he went by. 
 
 There was a rumble and a toot. The priest 
 pressed up to the roadside to avoid disaster, as a 
 huge automobile rocked toward him. It stopped 
 suddenly, a little beyond him, and the driver alighted 
 to examine one of the wheels. 
 
 Don Paolo went slowly on, knowing that he could 
 not be of the slightest service if a breakage had 
 occurred, as he had never been in an automobile 
 in his life and had an idea that they were uncanny 
 machines, liable to explode at the least provocation. 
 Still, it seemed discourteous not to make some offer 
 of assistance. 
 
 The gentleman who was bending over the wheel 
 raised his head just as Don Paolo arrived on the 
 scene. 
 
 " It's all right," he said cheerfully, nodding to 
 the ladies in the vehicle. " Nothing is broken." 
 
 Another man had stepped to the ground and 
 stood looking on, with his hands in his pockets. 
 
 " Get in and we'll go on," said the first man, 
 proceeding to jump into his seat. 
 
 " It's Don Paolo ! " exclaimed a voice which 
 sounded familiar. " What are you doing so far out 
 in the country ? You must be a good walker." 
 
 90
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " I am, Lady Eger. I was tempted out by the 
 fine weather." 
 
 Don Paolo removed his broad beaver hat with 
 its narrow cord of black and stood bareheaded at 
 the side of the motor car. 
 
 " I say, Hamilton, suppose we ask him to go 
 with us," suggested the Marquis di Cassini. " Poor 
 chap, he looks as if he needed a change. See the 
 hollows in his temples and the blue veins in his 
 forehead." 
 
 Sir John nodded acquiescence and the Marquis 
 said : " Jump in, Don Paolo. We're going for a 
 spin around the mountains and have a free place. 
 Get in, quick." 
 
 Don Paolo hesitated. He had a faint idea that 
 it would not be very dignified for a priest to fly 
 through the country in an automobile. In fact, he 
 had a lingering remembrance of a certain prohi- 
 bition against the use of such undignified vehicles, 
 issued by the Holy Father himself. It was a great 
 temptation. The sun, the soft air, the blue line of 
 the hills held out alluring charms, and he suddenly 
 decided to yield to his desire. 
 
 " I will go," he said, smiling at his own daring. 
 
 In an instant he was in the car, the marquis had 
 put on full speed, and the Campagna was but a blur 
 of brown, so rapidly did they get over the ground. 
 Both Sir John and the marquis were in front and 
 Don Paolo, to his embarrassment, found himself 
 facing Lady Eger and Janet. 
 
 91
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " Have you forgotten me, Don Paolo ? " inquired 
 Janet. 
 
 " By no means, Miss Lapeer." 
 
 "Then you have met Don Paolo!" exclaimed 
 Lady Eger, surprised. 
 
 " Only once. My sister is the young lady beside 
 you, sir, Miss Fay Lapeer. 
 
 After all, it was not so embarrassing as the priest 
 had feared. The ladies talked among themselves in 
 English, occasionally exchanging remarks with Don 
 Paolo, just enough to make him feel at ease. He, 
 true to his priestly habits, drew a small breviary 
 from his pocket and began to read, glancing up at 
 times to see how much distance they had covered. 
 
 They climbed the hill to Frascati, leaving the 
 road at a point near the town and striking off to 
 the right. The olive groves were thicker now, 
 vines hung over the old gray walls of the villas. 
 Sharply pointed cypress trees were above the walls, 
 the green of their lacy leaves looking black against 
 the deep blue sky. On and on they went. The 
 grade became steeper. 
 
 The marquis pulled up sharply in front of an im- 
 posing iron gate in the wall. It was opened at 
 once and the car rolled through it, and passing 
 under rows of dark ilex trees, through which the 
 sun could not penetrate, he guided the auto to the 
 door of a white villa and stopped it. 
 
 " What a surprise ! " said Fay, " where are we, 
 Marquis? Is this a fairy villa? 
 
 92
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " Will you alight, ladies ? This is my property, 
 and I trust you will consider yourselves in your own 
 home." 
 
 " It certainly is a delightful surprise," said Lady 
 Eger. " I did not know you had a villa here." 
 
 " We do not come to it very often ; at least, my 
 mother does not. She prefers our castle in the 
 Abruzzi. My sister Floria and I love this place." 
 
 "She is the one in the convent, isn't she?" 
 asked Fay, whose romantic fancy was seized by 
 the villa and its beautiful grounds. 
 
 " The same. She is to be allowed to come home 
 by a special dispensation after Christmas, and then 
 I hope you will see her. She Is my favorite sister. 
 Come in, ladies. Pina, show the ladies to a room 
 where they can rest, if they wish, before luncheon, 
 which we will take out here on the terrace." 
 
 The marquis indicated a broad porch paved with 
 black and white blocks of marble and surrounded 
 by a marble railing, over which tea roses were 
 growing in wild luxuriance and were still full of 
 blossoms. 
 
 Sir John and the marquis walked to the end of the 
 terrace and, leaning on the rail, looked down upon 
 the park spread out before them. 
 
 " It's a fine place you have here, Marquis." 
 
 " I'm glad you like it. I have kept it in perfect 
 order because I like to run away from Rome some- 
 times and spend a few days here." 
 
 " I wonder whether you feel as I do," replied 
 
 93
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Sir John. " I can't breathe in Rome. It smothers 
 me. It is history piled on history, century piled on 
 century. The Romans are bound by custom. It 
 oppresses and stifles me." 
 
 The marquis laughed softly. 
 
 " I do not think it affects me in that way. I was 
 born there, and brought up to know nothing else 
 but these restraints, which I suppose do strike a 
 stranger as oppressive. I love the country, however, 
 and there are times when I want to be alone, to 
 think and dream and plan. There isn't much time 
 for that in Rome." 
 
 " We have forgotten the priest ! " exclaimed the 
 marquis, suddenly. "He's gone off for a walk. I 
 must go after him. He'll think me very rude." 
 
 " I'll stay here and smoke, if you don't object," 
 said Sir John. 
 
 A servant arranged a table on the terrace, spread 
 it with a white cloth, and brought out the necessary 
 dishes, casting glances of curiosity at the tall 
 Englishman who still leaned on the railing. 
 
 "Was ever anything more lovely?" remarked 
 Janet, beside him, and he threw his cigar down into 
 the grass. 
 
 " It's like a bit of an old book, isn't it ? And 
 yonder goes the peacock. See how vain he is and 
 how he struts along and shows his fine tail. I can't 
 imagine an Italian villa without a peacock. It 
 was a pleasing idea of the marquis to bring us 
 here." 
 
 94
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " And the old sundial ! O, Sir John, what time 
 is it? I want to see how near the shadow which 
 has crossed that dial for hundreds of years comes 
 to the modern time piece." 
 
 " I suppose the dial ought to be exact, as the sun 
 regulates it, Miss Lapeer." 
 
 Sir John followed Janet with long strides, as she 
 ran eagerly to the dial. 
 
 " See the beautiful lizard like a mass of 
 emeralds in the light ! " 
 
 " You are the first young lady I have seen who 
 did not run when she saw a lizard, and cry, * O, Sir 
 John, see that horrid thing ! ' 
 
 Janet looked reproachfully at him. " It isn't very 
 nice of you to express such views about my sex, 
 although I appreciate the compliment, I assure you 
 I do. What time is it, please ? " 
 
 "Half-past eleven." 
 
 " And the dial says it is noon. Your watch isn't 
 right, Sir John." 
 
 " You make me think of a story I read the other 
 day. An Irishman had a watch he considered a 
 perfect timekeeper. He was traveling in Switzer- 
 land and climbed to the summit of Pilatus to see 
 the sun rise. Watch in hand, he waited for the 
 orb of day to appear. Finally, he got impatient. 
 * By my watch, it's time he was here ! ' he ex- 
 claimed. ' And begorra, if he waits another half 
 minute, he'll rise behind time ! ' 
 
 " What are you two laughing about ? " called 
 95
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Lady Eger. " The marquis says you must come 
 back. Luncheon is ready and I'm so hungry, after 
 that delightful ride over the Campagna. Do hurry, 
 John." 
 
 Time seemed to stay its course that day at the 
 villa. The peacock spread his fanlike tail and 
 shrieked out his strange, piercing call to his mate 
 down by the sundial. The flowers nodded sleepily 
 on the old gray wall. The water in the fountain 
 fell softly and musically into the basin below, where 
 calla lilies grew in a profusion of foliage, and 
 masses of ferns crowded each other in tropical 
 luxuriance. Luncheon served, Lady Eger leaned 
 back in a rattan chair and closed her eyes for a 
 siesta. Janet noticed how tired she looked, as they 
 went down the marble steps leading from the ter- 
 race to the garden, following the owner of this 
 charming villa, the priest, and Fay. 
 
 Sir John turned back. " I will come at once," 
 he said. " Please go on slowly, and I will overtake 
 you." 
 
 Janet watched him cover his sister with a light, 
 gay-colored silk blanket, and then, when he stooped 
 and kissed her good-by, she hurried on with a 
 strange new feeling in her heart. Sir John was so 
 strong, and Janet, who, at home, had been accused 
 of a tinge of woman's suffrage and emancipation 
 views, felt peculiarly weak and helpless here in 
 Rome. The very air was laden with intrigue and 
 plot and counterplot, which a woman's mind could 
 
 96
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 not penetrate, and locked doors which her feeble 
 hand could not open. 
 
 When Sir John joined her they went on together 
 in silence and soon came upon the priest, standing 
 where the full breadth of the beauty of the Cam- 
 pagna lay before him. 
 
 " Isn't it like the sea ! " exclaimed Janet, clasping 
 her hands. " Down yonder as we came from Rome 
 it seemed barren and brown, except for the great 
 white patches of daisies. Up here it has a blue 
 haze like that over the Mediterranean. Rome 
 where is Rome? " 
 
 " Over there," replied Sir John, indicating a gray 
 cloud several miles away. " There lies Rome." 
 
 The priest said not a word at first, but was ab- 
 sorbed in the beauty of the scene. 
 
 " Where is the marquis ? " inquired Sir John, in 
 response to a searching glance which Janet cast 
 down the shady path ahead of them. 
 
 " He and Miss Fay went on," replied the priest, 
 drawn from his reverie, " but I I could not." 
 
 " You have doubtless been in these mountains 
 many times, Don Paolo," said Janet. 
 
 " Yes, mademoiselle. But the view is always 
 wonderful, more wonderful each time." 
 
 " It makes me think of the prairies," remarked 
 Sir John. 
 
 Janet nodded. Her mind was with Fay. Ought 
 she to follow her? 
 
 While she was making her decision the English- 
 97
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 man threw himself full length at the foot of an 
 enormous umbrella pine. The priest with a motion 
 invited Janet to a seat on an old stone bench, in 
 the shadow of a drooping vine, and he continued 
 to stand, with his delicate white hands half hidden 
 beneath his black gown. 
 
 " You are going to see the Pope, mademoiselle? " 
 
 " Yes, Don Paolo. We expect to have a private 
 audience soon. Padre Veroni is to let us know the 
 proper time." 
 
 " You see him often, do you not ? " inquired Sir 
 John. 
 
 " Very frequently. I am every day at the 
 Vatican, by orders of the Holy Father. He has 
 shown me much favor." 
 
 Don Paolo sighed as he spoke, as though the 
 favor of Pius X might be more of a weight than a 
 blessing to him. 
 
 " One must be so very particular at the Vatican," 
 he added, hastily, as if to explain the sigh, " and 
 one must take much heed to his words, a very 
 little expression of opinion is repeated as if it were 
 of great importance. Several times I have been 
 severely reproved for matters which I considered 
 of no consequence. I would prefer to be a priest 
 in a small village in the heart of the Appenines, 
 than serve daily at the Vatican." 
 
 Sir John laughed, and there was the reflection 
 of a smile on Don Paolo's face. 
 
 " I am unwise to talk to you, I know, but you 
 98
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 are Protestants and my words will not be repeated 
 certainly not to Padre Veroni," he said, with a 
 sharp glance at Janet. 
 
 " Certainly not," she responded, promptly, read- 
 ing his glance. " The Jesuit priest does not like me 
 nor I him," she felt like adding, but desisted for 
 wisdom's sake. 
 
 Don Paolo was more at his ease. 
 
 " I know that I express only what many of my 
 colleagues think without putting into words. I am 
 more frank shall I say more reckless? At the 
 Vatican there are wheels within wheels. Every- 
 thing leads to something else. It is like a huge 
 game." 
 
 "With religion left out," remarked Sir John. 
 
 Don Paolo's eyelids quivered slightly. 
 
 " Of all the gamblers I ever saw, the priests are 
 the worst, and the most unscrupulous, and have 
 ever been so," continued Sir John, sitting up and 
 running his fingers through his hair, a sure sign 
 for him of excited interest. When Sir John talked 
 he did not mince words. 
 
 Janet held her breath. This was bold language 
 to a priest. 
 
 "They gamble with men's souls and reputations 
 and aspirations, and the prizes are ambition and 
 luxury and show. Not all do this. There are good 
 and holy priests who live righteous lives and serve 
 God in meekness, but they are usually in the end 
 the tools of the others. The whole system is 
 
 99
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 wrong. The Church of the fathers was pure 
 and upright, but look what the popes have added 
 to it the confessional, the worship of the Ma- 
 donna, the doctrine of the infallibility of the 
 Madonna, the doctrine of the infallibility of the 
 Pope, and last, but in my mind one of the most 
 harmful, the dogma of the Immaculate Conception 
 of the Virgin. When Pius IX could not find any 
 other means of attracting the people he promulgated 
 a new dogma, and in a couple of weeks it will be 
 celebrated gorgeously here in Rome. I tell you, 
 Don Paolo, though I suppose I ought to beg your 
 pardon for doing so, as we have broken bread to- 
 gether, I tell you, the system is wrong! Where 
 does the beautiful gospel of Christ come in, and 
 his atonement for our sins ? Where is our Mediator? 
 Is it Mary, the honored mother of our Lord? Is 
 it the saints, is it the priests, or the Pope ? No, no. 
 It is none of these. ' For there is one God, one 
 mediator between God and man, the man Christ 
 Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all.' ' Neither 
 is there salvation in any other, for there is no other 
 name given among men by which we may be saved ; 
 for at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow.' One 
 cannot find a passage in the Bible where it justifies 
 the worship of Mary, or the dogma of her Immac- 
 ulate Conception. 
 
 Don Paolo's face had grown very pale. His hands 
 trembled. He held them out to feel for something 
 tangible, something he could grasp. His faith in 
 
 100
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 the Church had long been undermined, it was now 
 slipping from him. He was like a drowning man, 
 who had lost his hold on the board which had sup- 
 ported him and feared to perish. 
 
 " Is that true ? " he stammered. 
 
 " True ! Of course it's true, man. Read your 
 Bible and you will find out. It's the principle, the 
 system of your Church which is wrong, Don Paolo ; 
 it is the system of men and not of God." 
 
 Don Paolo stretched out his hand to Sir John, 
 who grasped it warmly. " I believe you are right," 
 said the priest earnestly and fearlessly ; " but what 
 will take its place ? " 
 
 Sir John looked closely into his face. " If you 
 really mean that, come around and see me," he said. 
 
 " I must go and find Fay." Janet sprang up, her 
 conscience troubling her for having forgotten her 
 sister. 
 
 IOJ
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 THE marquis and Fay were alone in a pretty little 
 bower formed by bowlders of rock and heavy ivy 
 vines, the growth of many years. To the Italian it 
 was a novel sensation. He had never been alone 
 with a young lady before. The faithful chaperon 
 was always within sight or hearing of her charge. 
 He felt slightly embarrassed at first, but seeing how 
 absolutely at her ease Fay was, he sat down and 
 prepared to make the most of his opportunity. One 
 thing must be clearly understood, the marquis was a 
 thorough gentleman, from the crown of his glossy 
 head to the toe of his patent leather boot of ex- 
 tremely small size in proportion to his height. Al- 
 though the Italian was insignificant in stature when 
 standing beside a giant like Sir John, he was by no 
 means a pigmy, being taller than Fay Lapeer. He 
 had no intention of saying anything which could 
 embarrass the young lady left so unexpectedly alone 
 with him. Mrs. Lapeer had told him that in 
 America young ladies decided questions for them- 
 selves. His instinct told him, that he must win her 
 heart before he could ask for her hand. 
 
 Fay began the conversation. 
 
 " I suppose the others will be here in a moment, 
 Marquis. How soon must we return to Rome ? " 
 
 The marquis consulted his watch. 
 102
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " In about two hours, I think. We ought to 
 start by half-past four and it is now three o'clock. 
 Are you in a hurry to leave ? " 
 
 He smiled at her, and she turned away her eyes ; 
 there was that in his which she did not wish to 
 meet. 
 
 " I could stay here forever," she replied, and the 
 delicate rose color suffused her face. 
 
 The marquis was hot-blooded; the life of sunny 
 Italy ran in his veins and made him impetuous. 
 This was no common love which had come to him, 
 but an adoration for a type of woman he had never 
 met before. His judgment, however, warned him 
 that it was too early to speak. 
 
 " I love the place too. Have I ever talked to you 
 about my sister, Floria, Miss Fay?" 
 
 " I knew that she was in a convent." 
 
 " And has been for several years. When she was 
 born my mother dedicated her to Our Lady of Sor- 
 rows because she thought the Virgin saved her life 
 by a miracle. Since she was a tiny girl she has been 
 receiving religious instruction. She is not like 
 the rest of us, dark-skinned and dark-eyed; she 
 is like a rose from the north, fair-haired, with 
 white complexion, and a pretty bloom in her 
 cheeks. For a long time we could not tell where 
 she got her coloring. Then we remembered that our 
 great-grandmother was an Englishwoman. Her 
 portrait hangs in the villa yonder. Would you care 
 to come and see it ? " 
 
 103
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " Indeed I should like very much to see it." 
 
 Slowly they went back through the shady alleys 
 to the terrace, where Lady Eger was still seated. 
 
 " I am ready to go when you are," she called, 
 " but Miss Lapeer and Don Paolo and my brother 
 have disappeared entirely." 
 
 " I want to show Miss Fay a picture," replied the 
 marquis, passing into the house. 
 
 Lady Eger looked after them with a smile and 
 returned to her book, which had lost interest to her. 
 The letters danced in hopeless confusion, and she 
 put up her hand to wipe away a tear. 
 
 " Here she is, Miss Fay, and Floria is her image 
 the same broad forehead, the same lovely, inno- 
 cent blue eyes, the same sweet mouth." 
 
 The dame of a century before was depicted sitting 
 on a carved stone bench in a park, evidently the very 
 one in which they had been that afternoon. At her 
 feet lay a greyhound with delicate head lifted to- 
 ward her. One hand rested on his head. A gown 
 of blue silk, richly trimmed with Venetian point- 
 lace, fell in full folds around the girlish form. 
 
 " We made Floria dress up in it once," said the 
 marquis. " The gown fitted her exactly. The lace 
 was yellow with age. How beautiful she looked! 
 O, God ! " he exclaimed with such ardor that Fay 
 started with surprise. His eyes were full of tears. 
 
 Involuntarily she held out her hand to him. 
 
 " You love her very much ? " 
 
 " I do and I curse the day when my mother forced 
 104
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 her into a career for which she has no love, no de- 
 sire. It is heartless, wicked, and I do not believe 
 God ever meant her to be shut up for life in that 
 convent. Sometimes I feel that I must go and take 
 her out. My mother and I have had many bitter 
 words about it. Her fate is inevitable." 
 
 " And if by the sacrifice of one several souls 
 should be saved, what then ? " said a voice behind 
 them, a voice so constrained that they scarcely rec- 
 ognized it as belonging to Lady Eger. 
 
 " That one should not be Floria," the marquis 
 replied, slowly, but with strong feeling, as he turned 
 and faced the speaker. " There are many who wish 
 to enter a convent, who have a vocation. Let them 
 go and bury themselves and say prayers from morn- 
 ing till night, though for myself I believe there is 
 more grandeur in living and fighting the battle of 
 life side by side with our fellow-men." 
 
 He looked like a true scion of the nobility, did this 
 heir of an old Italian family, standing there with 
 head erect, nostrils expanded, and body tense with 
 feeling. 
 
 In spite of herself, Lady Eger's eyes were full of 
 admiration, and on Fay's cheeks burned two bright 
 red spots. It was time to put an end to this scene 
 which, while impressive, was liable to lead to results 
 quite different from those desired by Lady Eger and 
 Padre Veroni. 
 
 The loud toot of the auto sounded. The big 
 vehicle crunched on the hard road by the door. 
 
 105
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " Get your hat, Fay, we must be off or we 
 shall not be home in time for dinner," said Lady 
 Eger. 
 
 The ride across the Campagna was a quiet one. 
 The stress of deep emotion felt by every member 
 of the party caused a silence which after a while 
 became oppressive. Very swiftly they descended 
 a steep hill. The shadows were already darkening 
 under the olives, but on the Campagna the sun still 
 shone warmly. 
 
 About half way to Rome there was a loud " zat- 
 bang," and the auto stopped. Despite the seeming 
 misfortune every one breathed a sigh of relief, for 
 the mishap served to break the uncomfortable 
 nervous strain of the party. Sir John and the mar- 
 quis jumped out to examine the machinery. Don 
 Paolo, knowing as little of machines of any sort as 
 he did of the Hottentot tongue, sat still, but Fay 
 joined the two men. 
 
 " I've often driven an auto at home ; perhaps I 
 can be of some assistance to you," she said. 
 
 While they were waiting at the side of the lonely 
 road the sun suddenly dropped below the horizon 
 and immediately that chill which so characterizes a 
 semitropical country was felt. 
 
 " How cold it is ! " Janet shivered. " I think 
 I'll get out too, Lady Eger, and walk about a 
 little." 
 
 Don Paolo and Lady Eger remained in the car. 
 
 The loud whirr of another auto coming from the 
 106
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 mountains behind them sounded and the car drew 
 up beside them. 
 
 " Broken down, eh ? " called a pleasant voice. 
 " Can we give you any assistance? " 
 
 The marquis stood upright, having been down 
 examining the front part of his machine. 
 
 " No, thank you," he said, then catching his 
 breath, he quickly removed his cap, and Sir John did 
 the same, bowing profoundly to the small man in the 
 other automobile. 
 
 " Pardon, your majesty," exclaimed the marquis. 
 " I did not recognize your majesty at first I have 
 not yet found the breakage, but no doubt shall do so 
 soon. I think it is nothing serious." 
 
 Janet and Fay were leaning against the automo- 
 bile, wondering what personage of distinction this 
 man could be. They could not understand Italian. 
 Lady Eger sat motionless, but the priest, after a 
 moment's hesitation, rose and stood, removing his 
 beaver hat, a black figure against the red sky. A 
 lady sat beside the gentleman. Her face was very 
 sweet and gentle and her eyes were large and 
 dark, resembling those glorious eyes of Eastern 
 dames, celebrated in poetry and song. Beckon- 
 ing with a slight movement of her hand, she 
 motioned the marquis to come nearer, exchanged a 
 few words with him, glanced with some curiosity at 
 the two American girls, and bowed slightly. The 
 gentleman gave a military salute, pulled his gray 
 cap over his forehead, and whirred on toward Rome. 
 
 107
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " Who was it? " asked Fay. 
 
 The reply took her breath away it was so unex- 
 pected : " The king of Italy and Queen Elena ! " 
 
 " Is it customary for them to do such kindly 
 acts?" 
 
 " Yes, Miss Lapeer. King Victor Emmanuel is 
 both the sovereign and the man, and, more than 
 that, he is always a gentleman. He is an expert 
 automobilist and rarely uses any other vehicle when 
 he goes out for pleasure. I have met him and the 
 queen many miles from Rome. But I must attend 
 to this business, or we shall not get home tonight, 
 and Mrs. Lapeer would have reason to forbid your 
 going out with me again." He smiled at Fay and 
 bent again to his task. 
 
 The priest sank back into his seat, knowing that 
 Lady Eger was regarding him with disapproval. 
 No doubt she would tell Padre Veroni that he had 
 risen and removed his hat to the king of Italy. 
 Well, what did it matter? A little more or a little 
 less, it was all one. The blame would fall on him 
 some day and experiences were crowding in upon 
 Don Paolo, crowding so fast that they bewildered 
 him. 
 
 " We've found the break," announced Sir John, 
 " and we can mend it, but we shall have to drive 
 very slowly, for the repair can only be temporary." 
 
 The marquis's face was very red when the job 
 was finished and he wiped the perspiration from his 
 brow. 
 
 108
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " If it were anything but an automobile," sug- 
 gested Fay, mischievously. 
 
 " I should not work so hard, eh? You are right. 
 When I was down on the ground trying to peer 
 into the machine I heartily longed for Beppo, my 
 good chauffeur, and wished I had brought him 
 along." 
 
 Laughing, he assisted her in, sprang into his seat 
 beside her, and they crept toward Rome. It was not 
 very cheerful out there on the Campagna. Night 
 had enveloped the fields in complete darkness, al- 
 though the white road gleamed before them. The 
 marquis had to keep a sharp outlook for the empty 
 carts returning from the city. 
 
 " The drivers go sound asleep under the queer 
 covers," he explained to Fay once when he was 
 obliged to turn out sharply, " and let their horses 
 find the way home. Naturally, they take the middle 
 of the road. Are you warm enough ? " he inquired, 
 solicitously. 
 
 "Perfectly so," replied Fay. 
 
 They crept on through the darkness. Sir John, 
 meantime, entertained his companions with stories 
 about the king. 
 
 " I had the honor of an interview with him once, 
 being presented by the British ambassador. He 
 greeted me with the utmost simplicity and conversed 
 freely with me. He and the queen are very fond of 
 the country. They have a villa near Rome to which 
 they send their children every fine day with their 
 
 109
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 governess and nurses. Ever since Princess Jolanda 
 was born an English lady, Miss Dickens, has been in 
 charge of the royal nursery and at least two of the 
 nurses are Protestants." 
 
 Fay leaned over the back of her seat. " A lady 
 was telling me such a pretty incident the other day, 
 about the king. He was going away on an impor- 
 tant visit to one of the cities, and was driving by her 
 house in state, surrounded by the splendid, tall coraz- 
 zieri. A general in full uniform sat by his side. 
 Suddenly the king rose to his feet and waved his 
 hands vigorously. Amazed at such an unusual pro- 
 ceeding, the lady looked and saw another carriage 
 coming from the other direction. On each side and 
 behind the carriage were bicyclers. I suppose they 
 belong to the secret police. In the carriage were the 
 royal children, dressed in white, with broad sailor 
 hats on the back of their heads. They waved a 
 farewell and threw kisses to their father. I've 
 just loved the king ever since," she added, enthu- 
 siastically. 
 
 Neither Lady Eger nor the priest had taken any 
 part in the conversation. Lady Eger shivered and 
 her brother drew her wraps more closely about her. 
 
 " We'll soon be home now. The lights are more 
 frequent. Yonder is the gate." 
 
 Mrs. Lapeer had finished her dinner when the be- 
 lated automobile drew up at the door. Although 
 much worried, she determined not to yield to 
 imaginary fears. When her daughters entered they 
 
 no
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 found her seated in her own room, trying to be inter- 
 ested in the latest novel from Piale's circulating 
 library. 
 
 " My darlings," she cried as they both fell upon 
 her and kissed her affectionately. 
 
 " Were you much worried, mamma ? Our auto- 
 mobile broke down half way across the Campagna," 
 said Janet. 
 
 " We've had such a glorious time, a perfect day, 
 luncheon in the most romantic garden you ever 
 could imagine, and on the way home, we saw the 
 king and queen ! They stopped to speak to us. I'll 
 tell you all about it after dinner." 
 
 Fay ran gaily downstairs. As Janet started to 
 follow her mother said : " Mrs. Potter was here 
 today, dear, and she wants you to be sure to come 
 around tomorrow to see her. I do not think she is 
 very well." 
 
 " All right, I will go." 
 
 " And, Janet," Mrs. Lapeer detained her with a 
 light touch. " She thinks you resemble a dear 
 daughter whom she lost years ago. That accounts 
 for the fancy she has taken for you." 
 
 Janet kissed her mother again. " You are the 
 sweetest mother in the world ! " she said. 
 
 " Thank God for my girls ! " was the reverent and 
 fervent response. 
 
 I ID
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 THE Pension Speranza was full of guests. Every 
 room was occupied. A large delegation of priests 
 from America had already arrived to attend the 
 coming festa in honor of Maria, Vergine Immaco- 
 lata, and besides other tourists had come in on the 
 midnight train. When the Lapeers went down to 
 breakfast, they found the tables in the dining room 
 well filled. The one at which Padre Veroni usually 
 ate alone was changed for a larger one, around 
 which eight priests sat, enjoying their coffee. They 
 were a jolly crowd. Three of them were un- 
 doubtedly Irish, and jokes flew merrily from one 
 to another. 
 
 Rising with a noise of pushed-back chairs, the 
 priests made a conspicuous group in the center of 
 the room. Waiters rushed frantically forward to 
 assist them and the tourists looked up from their 
 breakfasts with unconcealed interest. Lady Eger 
 was not there. She and Sir John always break- 
 fasted in their private sitting room, and often Lady 
 Eger did not feel equal to rising early and had 
 her coffee and roll and egg served to her in bed. 
 She was visibly growing more frail, and Sir John 
 was greatly troubled about her. 
 
 Padre Veroni and one of the priests exchanged 
 a few words, then moved toward the Lapeers' table. 
 
 112
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " Padre Smith, Mrs. Lapeer." 
 
 To the lady's surprise, the American priest held 
 out his hand, smiling most blandly. 
 
 " You probably do not remember me, Mrs. 
 Lapeer; but I have seen you many times. I am 
 from Clyde, Illinois." 
 
 In a moment Mrs. Lapeer found herself convers- 
 ing with the priest with as much ease as if he were 
 an old friend. 
 
 Janet slipped away from the table, leaving her 
 mother and Fay talking with the two priests, who 
 were soon joined by some of the others. Their 
 account of the festa which was soon to take place 
 with much pomp and ceremony thrilled them both 
 with expectation. When Padre Veroni assured 
 them that some of the best seats would be reserved 
 for them, by order of Cardinal Perotti, they ex- 
 pressed their delight in no measured terms. 
 
 A gentleman and his wife, at a neighboring table, 
 observed this little scene with much astonishment. 
 
 "Isn't that Mrs. Lapeer, Mary?" asked the 
 gentleman. 
 
 " It certainly is." 
 
 " And Father Smith," chuckled Mr. Gray. 
 
 " I never could have believed it if I had not seen 
 it myself ! " exclaimed his wife. " Imagine the 
 amazement of our friends at home, when they hear 
 that our first sight of Mrs. Lapeer, vice-president 
 of our Ladies' Aid Society, teacher in the Sun- 
 day school, was when she was talking to some 
 
 "3
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Roman Catholic priests. Wonders will never 
 cease ! " 
 
 Mrs. Gray held up two small, plump hands in the 
 air to show her disapproval. 
 
 Her husband chuckled again. 
 
 " Mrs. Lapeer," called Mrs. Gray, as that lady, 
 with a conscious smile of gratification, started to 
 leave the room. She fancied that even the waiters 
 looked more respectfully at her and her dignity rose 
 accordingly. 
 
 " Mary Gray ! How delightful ! and your hus- 
 band, too. I am so glad to see someone from 
 home." 
 
 " I was not aware that you knew Father Smith," 
 interposed Mr. Gray, smoothing his gray mous- 
 tache, while his eyes twinkled with mirth. 
 
 Mrs. Lapeer grew rosy. 
 
 " How in the world did you get in with those 
 priests, Grace ? " inquired Mrs. Gray, with curiosity. 
 
 " We met Padre Veroni on the steamer." 
 
 " Which one was he? " 
 
 " The tall Italian priest." 
 
 " The one in the gown," added Mr. Gray. 
 
 " Yes ; with the ivory-tinted face and straight 
 features." 
 
 Mr. Gray chuckled again, then changed it sud- 
 denly to a cough. 
 
 " He's going to get us splendid seats for the big 
 festa of the Immacolata early in December." 
 
 " What's that? " asked Mrs. Gray. 
 114
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " Well, I don't just know myself. It has some- 
 thing to do with the Virgin Mary. A great many 
 bishops and cardinals are coming and the Pope is to 
 appear. It will be splendid. The papers are full 
 of it. I'll try to get you tickets, through Padre 
 Veroni." 
 
 Mrs. Lapeer felt her dignity and importance more 
 than ever. She had been in Rome almost two 
 months and already felt as experienced as an old 
 Roman. 
 
 " Don't bother about getting any for me," hastily 
 interrupted Mr. Gray. " Mary can go if she likes. 
 I suppose you women enjoy those shows. That is 
 why they have them. I prefer a regulation theater 
 myself. I came to Rome to find out what is doing, 
 how the Liberals feel and all that. No old fossils 
 for me, thank you." 
 
 " Do come into our room for tea about four this 
 afternoon, Mary," urged Mrs. Lapeer, not deigning 
 to reply to Mr. Gray's bald declaration of opinion. 
 
 She remarked to Fay, as they went upstairs : " I 
 always knew that Henry Gray was brusque and out- 
 spoken, but I think he was positively rude this 
 morning." 
 
 " What are they trying to do with Grace ? " asked 
 Mrs. Gray, anxiously. "Do they think they can 
 make a Catholic out of her? Why, she comes 
 from the best old stock. Her father was a minister 
 and his father before him. Why are those priests 
 so friendly?" 
 
 "5
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " The Lord only knows, Mary," replied Mr. 
 Gray, with unconscious irreverence. " Probably 
 they do want to convert, or pervert, her I like that 
 word best and she has lots of money. It would 
 pay them, Mary. I came to Europe for an inter- 
 esting time, and I believe it's beginning right here 
 in Rome." 
 
 Mrs. Potter was at home that morning, when 
 Janet at last found an opportunity to pay her the 
 promised visit. She was sitting sewing in her 
 apartment house. It was in the old part of the city, 
 surrounded by palaces, whose walks could tell 
 strange tales of romance and tragedy. The six 
 flights of stairs were a long, hard pull, and Janet 
 stopped on each landing to get her breath. She 
 was panting still when the maid opened the door 
 of Mrs. Potter's room and stood aside that she 
 might pass in. 
 
 " You are out of breath, my child, and I suppose 
 you wonder why an old lady like myself chooses 
 an apartment up under the roof when she might 
 have one in a modern house with a lift. There are 
 two reasons. One is that I have lived here many 
 years, and as time rolls over our heads we love the 
 familiar corner and our own particular easy chairs. 
 Another reason is but I'll show you later." 
 
 She was a very garrulous woman, and Janet did 
 little more than say " Yes " and " No," while Mrs. 
 Potter talked of the summer passed in the Appen- 
 ines with the cardinal's sister. She showed some
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 photographs of the old man, sitting under the shade 
 of a chestnut tree in his garden, his broad hat rest- 
 ing on his knee. 
 
 " A dear old man is the cardinal, and his sister is 
 one of my closest friends. When I am there I 
 always attend mass regularly in the parish church. 
 The opposition made by Protestants to the Roman 
 Catholics is most obnoxious to me. Now, look at 
 our friends, the Pierces. Lovely people! as refined 
 and cultured as any I ever met, but they regard these 
 matters in a way which I cannot approve. My 
 natural instincts would be to go to the other extreme 
 from any form of ritualism or show, but I have 
 lived in Rome for many years, and I cannot see why 
 the Protestants should try to convert the Roman 
 Catholics. This is the religion best suited for the 
 people who love color and music and art, and all 
 these they find in the Catholic Church." 
 
 Janet was astonished. Sir John Hamilton had 
 not talked this way but he was an Englishman ; he 
 had his prejudices. Still, Don Paolo was a priest 
 and knew all the inner workings of the Church. 
 She remembered his white face, drawn with emo- 
 tion as he said to Sir John, " I believe you are 
 right." Then there was the Marquis di Cassini. 
 Janet was beginning to feel a real respect for him. 
 He had practically stated that the Church, as it 
 existed today, was not suited to the people 
 and both the marquis and Don Paolo were 
 Italians. 
 
 117
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " Come upstairs and see why I prefer to remain 
 here rather than seek another home." 
 
 Mrs. Potter led Janet out of a door opening on a 
 broad terrace, flooded with sunshine and crowded 
 with potted plants. Janet would have paused to 
 see the view but Mrs. Potter led her on, up a few 
 steps of concrete, to a small flat roof on the top 
 of the house. Here were more flowers and vines 
 and palms, a miniature garden with a small cur- 
 tained summer house, having a table and chairs 
 in it. 
 
 " Now look to your heart's content," commanded 
 Mrs. Potter. 
 
 " How beautiful it is ! " exclaimed Janet, un- 
 consciously lowering her voice almost to a whis- 
 per. 
 
 She was high above Rome. Below was a mass of 
 irregular red and brown roofs from which rose 
 tall church spires of various forms in which great 
 bells hung motionless. Domes were molded on a 
 background of deep blue, Saint Peter's dome and 
 cross, vague in the blue haze which veiled it, were, 
 as ever, the most conspicuous objects. Far beyond 
 the roofs rolled the Campagna, monotonous as the 
 sea ; and beyond the fields were circles of blue moun- 
 tains. 
 
 " Signorina Massimini wishes to see Madame," 
 called the maid from the foot of the stairs. 
 
 " The cardinal's sister ! I must go down." 
 
 " May I stay a moment, Mrs. Potter ? " 
 118
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " As long as you please, my dear." 
 
 Janet sat down in a chair and absorbed a view 
 which is unique in the world. The silence up here, 
 high up above the bustle and din of the city, was 
 oppressive. Suddenly a puff of smoke rose from the 
 summit of Monte Mario, a cannon boomed heavily, 
 and simultaneously the bells in the steeples clanged 
 out the noon hour. A little one in a tower close 
 by rollicked and swung back and forth with such 
 a jolly sound that the feeling of oppression passed 
 away and Janet smiled. The whole world seemed 
 to have become joyous and mirthful. The clang of 
 bells ceased as rapidly as it began. Having said 
 good-by to Mrs. Potter, who was talking volubly 
 with another elderly lady, very plainly dressed in 
 black, Janet ran down the long steps and made her 
 way homeward. 
 
 A little back from a busy street, through which 
 great vans rumbled, carrying heavy loads, and 
 crowds passed on their way to work or pleasure, 
 stood a small unpretending church. Janet entered 
 it to rest. She enjoyed stopping at these churches, 
 hidden between high buildings. They were quiet, 
 restful, and shadowy. This one was very simple 
 in its decorations, and only half of the square room 
 was reserved for worshipers. A high and very 
 elaborately wrought iron railing divided the church, 
 and on the other side were plain oak benches, with 
 kneeling stools in front of them. It was absolutely 
 silent in the church. One of the peculiarities of 
 
 119
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Rome is its sudden transitions from brilliant light 
 to deep shadow, from extreme heat to penetrating 
 chill, from the noise of the streets to the quiet of 
 the churches. The heavy leathern curtain shut out 
 all sound of the world, its hurry and its busy, 
 anxious life. 
 
 Before the altar, where a red light burned in a 
 silver lamp, knelt a nun, her face upraised to the 
 picture hanging above the candles and other decora- 
 tions. Janet watched her closely but saw not a 
 motion or a quiver. She might have been carved 
 in marble, in her absolute immobility. A rustle of 
 garments was heard and another nun entered. The 
 one kneeling arose, made a genuflexion before the 
 altar, and left the church by a side door, while the 
 second nun knelt in her place. 
 
 Janet had been so engrossed in watching the 
 singular movements of the nuns that she had not 
 noticed the other persons in the church. There were 
 only three besides herself: a peasant woman, with 
 a tiny sleeping child, which she had laid on the cane 
 seat of a chair beside her, an old man who carefully 
 spread a gay bandanna handkerchief on the cold 
 pavement before he knelt down, and a lady dressed 
 in deep mourning, who was on the other side of the 
 aisle, a little nearer the iron railing than Janet was 
 sitting. There was something familiar in the turn 
 of her head, the stylish veil and the small hand, bare, 
 with several costly rings upon it. Idly wondering 
 who it could be, Janet watched her and was startled 
 
 1 20
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 to see that her body shook with noiseless sobs. She 
 was evidently in great distress and was seeking 
 relief on her knees in the quiet little church. With 
 delicacy of feeling Janet ceased to look at her and 
 a few moments later rose to leave the church. At 
 the same moment the lady dropped her light veil 
 over her face and met Janet in the hall. It was 
 Lady Eger! Unless she was so blinded by her 
 tears that she could not see, she must have recog- 
 nized Janet, but she made no sign, and as Janet 
 passed out behind her she saw Lady Eger enter a 
 closed carriage which was driven rapidly away. 
 
 Lady Eger did not appear at luncheon and Sir 
 John ate alone. 
 
 " Could you come in to see my sister at tea 
 time ? " he asked Janet afterward. " She wished me 
 to invite you." 
 
 "With pleasure." 
 
 Janet showed her surprise. Fay had become a 
 constant visitor to the sitting room, but Janet had 
 not felt free to go unless she received a special in- 
 vitation. 
 
 "Fay, also?" she inquired. 
 
 Sir John shook his head. " She only mentioned 
 you, Miss Lapeer. I am very anxious about my 
 sister. She grows weaker every day; she is griev- 
 ing herself to death. If I could only persuade 
 her to leave Rome and come out to my ranch, it 
 would make a new woman of her. But she will 
 not do it. Neither will she see a doctor. Do you 
 
 121
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 think you could " his eyes finished the sentence 
 eloquently. 
 
 Janet understood. 
 
 " I will do my best," she replied. 
 
 " How would Lady Eger look? " she asked her- 
 self, as she waited an instant at the sitting room 
 door. The picture of a slender figure, shuddering 
 with sobs, a tear-stained face, was vividly before her 
 mind. 
 
 " Come in ! " called a gay voice. " Ah, Miss 
 Lapeer, it is good of you to come and see me ! My 
 big brother says that there is a chill in the air and 
 I must not go out this afternoon. And he is such a 
 tyrant ! I suppose he must be obeyed." 
 
 Was this the grief-stricken woman who knelt in 
 the old church? Janet could scarcely believe it. 
 Gowned in an exquisite gray princesse dress, which 
 bore the imprint of Paris in its flutings and dainty 
 laces, with hands laden with sparkling jewels, and 
 an elaborate coiffure fresh from the hands of Mon- 
 sieur Dupont, who came daily to arrange my lady's 
 abundant, fine black hair, Lady Eger was as gay 
 and vivacious as ever. But as Janet sat down near 
 her she saw that there were pathetic dark rings 
 under her eyes and a sad droop to the mouth. 
 
 " I just wanted you today, Miss Lapeer. I have 
 grown to know Fay well and a dear sweet girl she 
 is, but today I wanted you all alone. I want to get 
 to know you, for I feel we could be friends, you 
 and I." 
 
 122
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 She was very winning in her manner, a charm 
 which Janet had long felt would be irresistible if 
 Lady Eger ever tried to exert it over her. 
 
 " Somehow I felt you would understand," she 
 continued, leaning suddenly forward and seizing 
 Janet's hands. Her eyes were hungry with long- 
 ing for that which would never return. 
 
 " I wanted you especially today, because because 
 it is just three years since Arthur died ! " 
 
 A great sob shook her body again, but her tears 
 refused to flow. 
 
 Janet stooped to kiss her, moved out of herself. 
 Lady Eger needed her help; she should have all 
 that she could give. 
 
 " I think I understand," she whispered, softly, 
 smoothing the waves of hair, the creation of Mon- 
 sieur Dupont, away from the white forehead. 
 
 " I have felt so alone. I cannot talk to John, he 
 is so big and strong and worries so over me. I 
 have no woman friend. I think it was that which 
 drew me to the Roman Catholic Church. I could 
 pray to Mary, the mother, who had suffered ; there 
 was a link between us. She knew how I felt, how 
 empty my life is, with my husband dead and my 
 baby snatched from my arms just when I needed him 
 most. You did not know I had a baby? Here is 
 his picture. His father died first, was killed while 
 hunting, just three years ago today. And my boy 
 was six months old then. He lived a year, and 
 then God took him. My heart was hard against 
 
 123
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 God then. Dear John came and took me away, or 
 I think I should have gone insane. We came to 
 Rome, where I met Padre Veroni. He guided me 
 to the Church, but I do not know whether it was so 
 much his influence as that of a picture I saw in a 
 country church up in a small village perched on the 
 very top of a mountain. It represented the mother 
 of Jesus and in her arms lay a tiny child. The ex- 
 pression of her face was so womanly, so motherly, 
 that it touched me greatly. Here was someone who 
 could feel what I had felt, through whose heart the 
 sword had gone. She had borne a Son and had seen 
 him lie dead. She would understand. So I went to 
 Mary and told her all my sorrow. It was the 
 Madonna who drew me into the Church and I be- 
 lieve it is she who attracts and holds many women." 
 
 Janet remembered what Mr. Pierce had said: 
 " Remove from the Roman Catholic Church the 
 worship of Mary and you remove the backbone of 
 its influence. The power of the adoration of the 
 Virgin keeps thousands of women in the Church." 
 
 " I do not know why I tell you these sorrows of 
 mine. We each have our own burden to bear and, 
 for the most part, one must bear them alone. 
 * Laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and 
 you weep alone ! ' is but too true. Still, I felt that 
 you had lost someone dear to you that you could 
 sympathize." 
 
 " Dear Lady Eger," replied Janet, finding her 
 voice at last, " you have paid me the greatest possi- 
 
 124
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 ble compliment. If I can help you, let me do so. 
 May I ask you one question has your new faith 
 brought you peace ? " 
 
 An expression of pain crossed Lady Eger's face, 
 but before she could answer there was a tap at trie 
 door. 
 
 " Come in," said Lady Eger. 
 
 " I will go to my room a moment, Janet do you 
 mind if I call you that? We are almost the same 
 a g e > 7 OU an d I, though I have been wife and 
 mother. Put the tea here on the table, Angelina. 
 Miss Lapeer will serve it." 
 
 Two gentlemen came in a few moments later to 
 find a cheerful hostess, with a brow free from care, 
 apparently as witty and charming as ever. But 
 Janet observed the trembling hands, the occasional 
 quiver of the lips, like a grieved child, and the deli- 
 cate blue veins at wrist and temples. Lady Eger 
 looked like a woman whose hold on life was gradu- 
 ally loosening; the shadows of its twilight were 
 gradually enveloping her. 
 
 125
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 " STAY to supper, do, dear, and Graham will 
 take you home before ten. We can telephone to 
 your mother so she will not be worried. You know 
 we are holding special services in our church and 
 you will be interested in hearing our pastor speak, 
 even though you may not understand what he says. 
 He is considered the most eloquent speaker among 
 all our evangelical ministers in Italy." 
 
 Janet hesitated. 
 
 " She who hesitates is lost," paraphrased Mrs. 
 Pierce, reaching up to pull out a couple of hat pins. 
 
 " I may as well yield gracefully, Alda. The 
 temptation is too much for me. It seems so much 
 like home, and I love baby so. Come here, you 
 darling, and let me cuddle you." 
 
 Janet drew a low rocking chair up in front of the 
 tiled fireplace, moving slowly back and forth, while 
 little Alda leaned against her, soothed by the 
 warmth and the gentle motion. Outside a cold 
 autumn rain was falling. November was doing its 
 best to keep up its reputation for gloom and general 
 unpleasantness. Janet sat contentedly watching the 
 blue flames shoot up the sides of the well-seasoned 
 logs, cheerily crackling as they glowed. 
 
 " She's gone to sleep," announced Mrs. Pierce, 
 removing the baby. 
 
 126
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " So she has. Alda, I do so hate pensions ! If 
 it were not for mother and Fay, I should be tempted 
 to run away to Naples take the first steamer home, 
 though it couldn't be home without mamma and 
 Fay." 
 
 Mrs. Pierce sat down beside her with her work. 
 
 " Now's the time to commune, when it pours 
 down out of doors and there's a cheerful fire within. 
 What's the special trouble, Janet ? " 
 
 " I don't think there is any special. It's new and 
 strange and bewildering here in Rome, and some- 
 times it makes me afraid. The Speranza is as com- 
 fortable as can be but the atmosphere is peculiar 
 I don't like it." 
 
 " Why not move ? " 
 
 Janet stretched out her hands to feel the warm 
 glow of the fire before she replied, and then she 
 spoke slowly. " Mamma and Fay do not feel as I 
 do," she said. " They like it and enjoy seeing the 
 priests and talking about functions at Saint 
 Peter's." 
 
 There was a pause. Mrs. Pierce devoted her- 
 self to making little Alda's dress and a gust of wind 
 drove the rain hard againt the windows. 
 
 " There's another matter which troubles me, per- 
 haps, more than it should. Do you know the Mar- 
 quis di Cassini ? " 
 
 " I have seen him. He is a deputy and a liberal, 
 although his mother is a rabid clerical." 
 
 " Yes. He wants to marry Fay, Alda. He spoke 
 127
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 to mamma about it. And I think Fay likes him; 
 at least, I am afraid she does. He is an attractive 
 man, and intelligent; I like him myself very much, 
 but I do not want Fay to marry him. I fear that 
 he is an atheist." 
 
 " Like so many men here in Italy. Becoming 
 incredulous of the doctrines of the Roman Church, 
 they oppose the priests in everything, and finally 
 end by believing in nothing at all. That is one of 
 the reasons why we are here. The gospel has power 
 to touch the hearts of these men and lead them to 
 Christ." 
 
 Mr. Pierce entered and rested his arms on the 
 back of his wife's chair. " I want to tell you of 
 an interesting incident," he said, " Alda has known 
 of such cases before, but I fancy that to you, Miss 
 Lapeer, it will be something unique. You remem- 
 ber that priest who left the church a year ago, 
 Alda? He is working in a machine shop outside 
 Porta Pia. Yes? Well, it seems that he has a 
 sister who is in a convent up in the country. She's 
 a young girl, about sixteen, and was placed there 
 by her mother. It is one of the convents which the 
 nuns never leave after they take the veil. The 
 pupils are, however, allowed a little freedom. They 
 go out to walk each day. In some way this child 
 managed to communicate with an old nurse of hers, 
 whom she loved very much and through her she 
 has sent several letters to her brother. The last 
 one came today and he brought it down to show it 
 
 128
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 to me. He is extremely anxious to help his sister 
 escape, but fears it cannot be done, as he is very 
 poor, earning only a few francs a week besides his 
 board and a rough bed. I tell you, Miss Lapeer, 
 the friends in England and America labor under 
 a terrible mistake. They cannot see why evangelical 
 work is necessary in Rome and Italy. The people 
 are Christian already, they reason. The Roman 
 Church is all they need. And then they say that 
 our converts recant at the last, that they come to 
 us only for what they can get out of us, and all 
 that. In some cases I acknowledge that they do 
 recant a sign that they were never touched by 
 the spirit of the gospel. Some of them are mer- 
 cenary, but these gradually drift away when they 
 find out that we do not pay them for coming to 
 church, as our enemies report that we do." 
 
 " Not really ! " exclaimed Janet. 
 
 " Didn't you know that ? Certainly, that is one 
 of the least of the reports which are circulated about 
 us. Of course we are supposed to have the evil eye, 
 and the poor people make horns with their fingers 
 behind our backs when we approach. I had a letter 
 from a man just the other day who said he was 
 in great need, and if I would send him five hundred 
 francs he would be quite willing to ' make himself 
 an evangelical.' ' 
 
 "How absurd!" 
 
 " Isn't it ? Yet, until they learn better, that is all 
 they know about Christianity and the gospel. But 
 
 129
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 I have gotten switched off from my story. That 
 money business always irritates me, Miss Lapeer. 
 I have seen many men and women die in the evan- 
 gelical faith since I have been in Italy, and die 
 fighting against great odds, too poverty, separa- 
 tion from their families, even the loss of their 
 good name. One of our members, a young woman, 
 was afflicted with a cancer and was obliged to go to 
 a city hospital for a severe operation. The nurses 
 are nearly all nuns, and they urged her to repent 
 of her backsliding and confess to the priest. She 
 refused to do so. They told her that this illness 
 was sent upon her as a visitation of God because 
 she denied her faith. She still refused to recant. 
 Our pastor visited her and prayed with her in the 
 poor ward and the patients gathered around, and 
 even a passing friar stopped to listen. Every day 
 the pressure on her was continued, but she con- 
 stantly refused and her patience and sweetness won 
 for her the love and respect of her fellow-sufferers. 
 After the operation was successfully performed and 
 she was able to leave the hospital, she said good-by 
 to those with whom she had been associated for many 
 weeks. * If your religion makes you so patient,' they 
 said to her, ' we believe in your faith.' ' 
 
 " It's a beautiful incident," said Janet. " I had no 
 idea you were really accomplishing so much here." 
 
 " We are not accomplishing it, Miss Lapeer," said 
 Mr. Pierce, with a quiet smile. " It is God ! If 
 the work be of God, it will prosper." 
 
 130
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " Now for the letter, Graham. I am very curious 
 about the little girl in the convent. It seems so 
 sad, and romantic, too." 
 
 " Of course, I was digressing again. Here it 
 is. I will translate it freely: 
 
 " November i, 19 . 
 
 " DEAR BROTHER : I received thy letter which brought me 
 bad luck. The Mother Superior heard of it and made a 
 terrible scene in the convent. For two days I have been 
 punished. Mamma heard of the affair, and they told me she 
 was very angry and called down curses upon thee. I am now 
 watched more than at first and my letters are opened, so I 
 beg thee not to write to me at the convent but to Palmira 
 [the servant]. I assure thee that I can rely upon her. 
 
 " Thou wilt understand that I am in a terrible situation. 
 The nuns are mostly kind to me, but are shrewd. They have 
 told mamma a sackful of lies, and one nun, who hates me 
 bitterly, has said that she will have me sent away from the 
 convent. If she only would ! 
 
 " In February I shall enter the novitiate. Imagine how 
 heavy my cross is ! I am praying to the Lord that thou mayest 
 soon find some way for me to escape this terrible fate. I 
 swear to thee that I will not bring thee any sorrow, that I 
 will be upright and good. Do not doubt it. 
 
 " When thou writest send some stamps, for I have no 
 more and the nuns have even forbidden me these. 
 
 " I am writing in haste in the midnight hours. The silence 
 makes me afraid. I am alone in my cell. Woe to me if 
 they should know that I am writing to thee ! Comfort me 
 and send me good news. I have wept so much. I will tell 
 thee all about it another time. 
 
 " I implore thee to secrecy with everyone if thou wishest 
 me to live. Farewell ! Farewell ! Farewell ! 
 
 " From thine unfortunate but always affectionate sister. 
 
 " N. B. Write to me soon, and address the letter to Pal- 
 mira."
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " It is the letter of an undisciplined girl, that is 
 evident, but she is sincere in her longings for free- 
 dom," added Mr. Pierce. 
 
 " But she certainly has no vocation," said his 
 wife. 
 
 "Supper is served, signora." 
 
 " Very well, Ursula, we will come at once." 
 
 " And for lack of a few francs must this child 
 spend her life in the convent? " asked Janet of Mr. 
 Pierce, pausing a moment at the door of the dining 
 room. 
 
 " Yes, Miss Lapeer." 
 
 Janet was quiet and thoughtful all through sup- 
 per. Finally she said : " Has the brother any plan 
 for releasing her from the convent ? " 
 
 Mr. Pierce looked up interestedly. " O ! you 
 mean the priest. Yes, he wishes to go to the vil- 
 lage, find the servant she speaks of, Palmira, and 
 take the girl away when she goes for a walk, 
 hoping to manage it unobserved." 
 
 " Then he will bring her to Rome? " 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " How much would it cost ? " 
 
 " I think one hundred and fifty francs would be 
 enough. But she would need clothing also." 
 
 Janet was silent for a few moments. "Suppose 
 I should provide both," she said, finally, " do you 
 think her rescue could be accomplished ? " 
 
 " Why, yes, most probably," replied Mr. 
 Pierce, taken aback by the sudden and unex- 
 
 132
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 pected proposition, " but could would you do 
 that?" 
 
 " I can and will do it," said Janet, quietly. "Will 
 tomorrow morning be early enough for me to send 
 the money to you ? " 
 
 " Quite early enough," replied Mr. Pierce. " But 
 before anything is done about it I will make in- 
 quiries to be assured that the story is correct and 
 that she is a girl of good character." 
 
 " Then I shall wait until I hear from you ? " 
 " Yes, Miss Lapeer, and thank you very much." 
 He turned to his wife. " We must get ready for 
 church, Alda," he said, " or we shall be late." 
 
 The spacious hall where the Protestant services 
 were held was full to overflowing when Mr. Pierce 
 and his wife and Janet entered it. The minister 
 sat in an arm chair on the platform, resting his 
 head upon his hand. Janet could not see his face 
 until he rose to give out the first hymn, Luther's 
 masterpiece : 
 
 A mighty fortress is our God, 
 
 A bulwark never failing: 
 Our helper he, amid the flood 
 
 Of mortal ills prevailing. 
 For still our ancient foe 
 Doth seek to work us woe; 
 His craft and power are great, 
 And, armed with cruel hate, 
 
 On earth is not his equal. 
 
 The splendid volume of sound rolled forth from 
 the organ and from hundreds of strong voices. 
 
 133
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Here, in the heart of Rome, surrounded by the 
 many Roman Catholic churches where sweet singers 
 rendered in the most artistic manner the music of 
 Palestrina, and of Don Perosi, the talented priest 
 composer, the sturdy hymn of Martin Luther 
 reverberated, out through the open windows until 
 it attracted the attention of those who were 
 passing. They crowded into the room, some 
 standing at the door, afraid to venture further, 
 others, bolder, made their way down the aisle and 
 forced those seated upon the benches to move up 
 and make room for them. Among those who heard 
 the hymn was a priest who was sauntering leisurely 
 past the church. He hesitated, looked at the sign 
 over the door, " Chiesa Evangelica," and, finally, 
 followed a man in the garb of a laborer into the 
 room. He stood near the entrance while the last 
 verse was sung, seemingly unconscious of the 
 glances of curiosity from those around him. To 
 see a priest in an evangelical church was not actually 
 unheard of, although a very uncommon sight. 
 
 That word above all earthly powers 
 
 No thanks to them abideth ; 
 The Spirit and the gifts are ours 
 
 Through Him who with us sideth. 
 Let goods and kindred go, 
 This mortal life also: 
 The body they may kill : 
 God's truth abideth still, 
 
 His kingdom is forever.
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 A stillness fell upon the congregation. In low, 
 penetrating voice the pastor talked with God as if 
 he were indeed present in that place. Don Paolo 
 involuntarily shielded his eyes with his hat. He re- 
 mained standing until the pastor stepped to the 
 side of the pulpit and began to speak freely and 
 without notes, quietly but directly to the audience; 
 then the priest slipped into a vacant place in the last 
 row of benches, and listened intently. 
 
 " For God so loved the world, that he gave his 
 only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in 
 him should not perish, but have everlasting life." 
 For half an hour the slender, pale-faced man in the 
 pulpit held the breathless attention of his audience. 
 Seldom was his voice raised above a conversational 
 tone, but his own intensity was so powerful that it 
 drew the people to him. His style was fine, his 
 classical references unique and finished, his rhetoric 
 perfect, but those alone were not the characteristics 
 which impressed his hearers ; it was his absolute con- 
 viction that he was an ambassador for Christ as 
 a representative of his Master he brought them the 
 gospel message. 
 
 These points were specially dwelt upon the 
 divinity of the only begotten Son, the fact that 
 whosoever believed in him should be saved, and 
 the final consequence of this belief, everlasting life. 
 He made no attack on the Roman Church, but 
 preached the love of Christ and his atonement for 
 our sins. There was no mention of Mary, the 
 
 135
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 mother of Jesus, except once, when he referred to 
 her as the virgin mother. 
 
 Don Paolo drank in the words of the gospel as 
 a thirsty man quaffs the water from a spring. To 
 him they were new. He had known of Christ all 
 his life, the Christ of the mass, the Christ upon the 
 crucifix, suffering and bleeding, the stern judge 
 before whom his mother knelt and prayed that he 
 would not condemn poor sinful men. But of the 
 living Christ, who bends over this lost world in 
 boundless love, who saves a sinner by his grace and 
 fills his heart with his holy Spirit, Don Paolo knew 
 little, though he had been years in the Monastery. 
 
 While they were singing the final hymn he left 
 the church, walked a short distance up the street 
 and returned. The room was now almost empty 
 and the janitor was extinguishing the lights. A 
 small group of people still stood near the altar. 
 They moved toward the entrance and two ladies 
 and a gentleman passed out. They were speaking 
 English. Don Paolo stepped behind a column and 
 stayed there till they passed by. The last one to 
 leave the hall was the pastor. 
 
 Don Paolo went resolutely up to him and laid 
 his hand on his arm. He was so desperately in 
 earnest that he forgot the usual polite preliminaries 
 and came straight to the point. 
 
 " I must talk to you. I heard your sermon to- 
 night. I want to know more of the evangelical 
 religion. When and where can I see you ? " 
 
 136
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 The pastor glanced at the priest's black robes. 
 
 " Are you ready to come to me in broad daylight ? 
 My rooms are over the church." 
 
 " I am ready." 
 
 " Very well. Come tomorrow at three o'clock." 
 
 With a cordial clasp of the priest's hand, the 
 pastor left him to go home to his apartment in the 
 lower part of the city. As one in a dream he 
 threaded the winding streets unconscious of those 
 around him. The die was cast. He knew that when 
 he entered the home of an evangelical pastor's house, 
 he would draw upon himself reproof and perhaps 
 disgrace. What did it matter? The bishop's miter 
 and the cardinal's hat, for which he had once longed, 
 grew dim in his mind. He had long sought the 
 truth could he find it in the gospel? He knew 
 the four Gospels, for he had learned and read them 
 in Latin for many years, but it had never occurred 
 to him that they meant anything personal to 
 him. The Church was the mother of all her 
 members ; her will prevailed ; her voice decided what 
 the doctrines should be ; to her was the final appeal. 
 A curious sense of liberty came to him as if some- 
 one had freed him from bonds. The words of that 
 last verse of Martin Luther's hymn rang still in 
 his ears : 
 
 Let goods and kindred go, 
 This mortal life also: 
 The body they may kill : 
 God's truth abideth still, 
 His kingdom is forever. 
 
 137
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Was this the way John Huss felt when he was 
 condemned and put to death? Did Savonarola go 
 forth to death from his tiny cell in the Palazza 
 Vecchio in Florence with this strange, buoyant 
 feeling of freedom ? " The body they may kill : 
 God's truth abideth still," he repeated. Then, for 
 the first time, he lifted his soul in direct prayer: 
 " O God, help me to find thy truth ! " 
 
 138
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 DON PAOLO opened with his latch key the great 
 " portone " of the house where he had an apart- 
 ment, and went up the two flights of stone steps. 
 At intervals, in niches in the deep wall, small brass 
 lamps were set, having tiny wicks nourished by 
 olive oil. They served to make the shadows darker. 
 
 Entering his sitting room he lighted a student 
 lamp, drew a chair up to the table, and taking a 
 Latin translation of the New Testament from the 
 well-filled book shelves he opened it and began to 
 read, not critically, nor indifferently, but intently, 
 from this new standpoint of his soul's salvation and 
 his earnest desire nay, longing for God's truth. 
 If the evangelical faith should prove to be his faith, 
 he could well understand what Luther felt when 
 he wrote that hymn. Goods and kindred would 
 go; in some cases the acceptance of the Protestant 
 faith had meant death. All his friends were in the 
 Roman Catholic Church. They would consider him 
 a traitor. His name would be accursed in his own 
 family. 
 
 His Aunt Rosina, his mother's sister, had been so 
 proud that he should take orders. She had taught 
 his cousins to kiss his hand, in spite of his remon- 
 strances. Aunt Rosina was coming to Rome from 
 the country, with her oldest son next week, to attend 
 
 139
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 a celebration of the Festa of the Immaculate Vir- 
 gin. He knew just how she would look, with her 
 dear, honest face, wrinkled and lined with hard 
 work and much poverty. She would wear the black 
 silk gown which her husband had given her years 
 before, and a string of coral beads, and over her 
 abundant black hair she would drape a lace scarf. 
 He had promised to get a chance for her to see the 
 Holy Father ; then, she said, she could die happy. 
 
 He could imagine her joy when she saw him in 
 the procession among the younger priests, for Pius 
 X desired his presence. If he became a Protestant, 
 would she curse him her own nephew ? She hated 
 the heretics and said they cast spells over the chil- 
 dren in the school. And Padre Veroni? 
 
 Don Paolo refused to allow his thoughts to roam 
 further, and began to read again. All night he 
 bent over the pages of the book, and when the dawn 
 broke in the east, and the first rays gilded Saint 
 Peter's dome, rising wraithlike from the mists, he 
 threw himself down on his narrow iron bed, and 
 slept quietly until his old housekeeper aroused him 
 when she brought his customary cup of black 
 coffee. 
 
 Of the days which followed Don Paolo never had 
 a very distinct remembrance. He went to visit the 
 evangelical pastor and talked with him for two 
 hours, promising to return each day at the same 
 hour. Together they studied God's Word, and 
 Signor Berini patiently taught him and explained 
 
 140
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 passages which were not clear to him. More and 
 more eagerly Don Paolo absorbed God's truth, and 
 as he did so his path of duty was pointed out to him. 
 It was very narrow and straight and hard, but the 
 Saviour would walk with him. Don Paolo took no 
 pains to conceal his visits to Signer Berini. Three 
 o'clock in the afternoon was a very conspicuous hour 
 for a priest to enter a Protestant building Signor 
 Berini had fixed that time as a test. Signor Berini 
 soon assured himself that Don Paolo was sincere. 
 He had nothing to gain by becoming an evan- 
 gelical; he had a great deal to lose. Already 
 his name was spoken in Rome as that of a prom- 
 ising young priest, a favorite at the Vatican, a 
 protege of Padre Veroni, and a remarkably gifted 
 speaker. 
 
 The festa commenced on Saturday. Don Paolo 
 decided not to make a final break with his early 
 associations until after the celebrations were over. 
 Perhaps he would feel differently. Perhaps the 
 services would recall him to his senses and show him 
 that his longing for soul liberty was but a dream 
 which had no fulfillment. Aunt Rosina was coming 
 then. He would wait. 
 
 It was one of these mornings when Don Paolo 
 was so disturbed in his mind that a note was brought 
 to Janet. It told her of the serious illness of Mrs. 
 Potter, who had suffered a stroke of paralysis and 
 desired greatly to see her. The writing was 
 cramped and the English was incorrect. 
 
 141
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 "It is written by the cardinal's sister, mamma, 
 the old lady I told you of. Were you going out 
 today? Do you need me? " 
 
 " Mrs. Gray and I were going shopping." 
 
 " Then I am sure I shall be of no use," responded 
 Janet, smiling. 
 
 " You dear old Janet ! You are the worst bar- 
 gainer in Rome," said Fay. " What do you suppose 
 she did the other day, mamma ? She wanted to buy 
 some buttons and instead of going to a first-class 
 place, she stopped at the little stand down here on 
 the corner where the cripple girl is." 
 
 " And paid double price? " asked Mrs. Lapeer. 
 
 "Precisely!" 
 
 " It was raining," protested Janet, " and she 
 looked so cold." 
 
 Fay put her arm around her. " I wish we were 
 all like you, dear, and then maybe we should see our 
 duty more clearly." 
 
 There was a peculiar note of sadness in the words 
 which startled Janet. Fay had not been acting like 
 herself lately. She had grown thin and pale and 
 the gaiety had gone from her eyes. Was there 
 anything troubling her? A vague fear seized 
 Janet. Rather than have Fay suffer she would 
 prefer to see her marry the marquis, if that were 
 her heart's desire. But lately she had excused her- 
 self several times when he called and had taken 
 refuge with Lady Eger, whose cough kept her 
 closely confined. She had never been well since the 
 
 142
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 drive across the Campagna in the chilly November 
 air. 
 
 Janet took Fay's face between her hands and 
 examined it with anxious care. 
 
 " You are not sleeping well," she said, accusingly. 
 
 Fay nodded. 
 
 "And you eat like a bird. Don't think that I 
 have not noticed your failings, miss. You shall 
 have a doctor tomorrow." 
 
 "No! No! I am perfectly well. A little tired 
 of sight-seeing. That's all. I'm going driving with 
 Lady Eger, it's such a fine morning and we are 
 going to see the convent where Floria di Cassini is." 
 
 " Poor girl ! " exclaimed Janet. 
 
 " Do you think so? I don't. I think it must be 
 the extreme of happiness to live such a life of con- 
 secration as that. Good-by, Janet. Don't you 
 worry about me. I'm all right." 
 
 Janet pondered several matters on her way to 
 Mrs. Potter's. The cold, spicy air from the moun- 
 tains was an intoxicant to her. She felt as if she 
 could walk miles without being tired. Fay's men- 
 tion of the convent had reminded her of the little 
 girl in the country convent, who was so weary of 
 the life and wanted to escape from it. Poor little 
 creature! Sixteen years old and shut in from this 
 beautiful world! Couldn't she serve God as faith- 
 fully without being confined in a cloister? There 
 was Floria di Cassini too. Perhaps she longed to 
 escape, but dared not. In both cases it was the 
 
 143
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 mother who forced the daughter into the convent! 
 They did not go from a sense of duty. God pity 
 them! 
 
 She had sent her money to Mr. Pierce, but had 
 heard nothing more. She decided to stop there on 
 her way and see if there was any news. 
 
 " No, none," said Mrs. Pierce. " Her brother 
 left yesterday, but we may have to wait some time 
 before she can get away. Graham wrote to the 
 mayor of the little town and got the best possible 
 report of the girl. She is of good character and 
 was much beloved by those who knew her before 
 she entered the convent. Can't you stay longer? 
 Going to see Mrs. Potter? She is very ill and I 
 am sorry to say has two nuns for nurses. No doubt 
 they were sent by the cardinal's sister." 
 
 " Aren't they good nurses ? " inquired Janet. 
 
 " First-class. But Mrs. Potter is a Protestant and 
 I hate to think of her being surrounded by Roman 
 Catholics in these hours which may be her last." 
 
 " What harm can that do, if she is a Protestant? " 
 persisted Janet. 
 
 " Wait until you have lived five years in Rome 
 and you will find out," said Mrs. Pierce, sending 
 Janet away slightly indignant, with a feeling that 
 her old friend regarded her as a child in experience. 
 
 This antagonistic spirit still possessed her when 
 she saw the nun, dressed in spotless white, and with 
 a white veil on her head, bending solicitously over 
 Mrs. Potter. 
 
 144
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " I think she is lovely," she thought. " So clean 
 and sweet. If I were ill, I should like to have her 
 nurse me. She is so picturesque and pretty. Alda 
 is really a little prejudiced. I suppose she can't help 
 it. She sees only the worst side. Besides, if Mrs. 
 Potter is really conscientious in her religious views, 
 I don't see what harm a cheerful, sweet nurse like 
 that can do." 
 
 The nurse could not speak English, but she bowed 
 and smiled, and, rising, made a place for Janet be- 
 side Mrs. Potter's bed. 
 
 It was true that Mrs. Potter was very ill, and 
 Janet found her able to speak only a few words. 
 The doctor looked grave when he came in with the 
 cardinal's sister. 
 
 " She has relatives in England, hasn't she ? " he 
 asked. 
 
 " Yes. A nephew, I believe." 
 
 " Better send for him. Is he her heir ? " 
 
 " How should I know her private affairs ? " the 
 cardinal's sister replied, tartly. 
 
 " I beg your pardon," the doctor said, and taking 
 the patient's hand once more he carefully counted 
 the feeble pulse. 
 
 A few days later Mrs. Potter's nephew, a middle- 
 aged man from Edinburgh, arrived. Mr. Potter 
 had never been out of his native land, was a Scotch- 
 man to the backbone, and had firm convictions as 
 to what he considered right. The first sight of the 
 nuns shocked him, and he thus expressed himself 
 
 145
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 later to Mrs. Pierce, when she called to see how Mrs. 
 Potter was getting on : " You could have knocked 
 me down with a feather. They wear rosaries at 
 their belts, they actually do, Mr. Pierce, I assure 
 you, and medallions with Mary's face on one side 
 and Pope Pius X on the other." 
 
 " They are said to be excellent nurses," said Mr. 
 Pierce, trying to console him. 
 
 " No doubt, no doubt ; but, sir, they are Romish. 
 Had my poor aunt been in her usual health, she 
 would never have permitted such a thing. It's the 
 cardinal's sister who did it; I cannot remember her 
 name. It's a jaw-breaker. She is very sly, and I 
 am sure, sir, that she is a viper, a viper, sir ! " Mr. 
 Potter solemnly paced the floor in his agitation. 
 
 " Then neither nurse speaks one word of English, 
 and I have to receive information through the car- 
 dinal's sister, and very vague information it is. I 
 fear greatly that my poor aunt is near her end. 
 It's a serious matter, Mr. Pierce, a very serious 
 matter." 
 
 Mr. Pierce agreed with him on this point. The 
 cardinal's sister was not in the house all the time, 
 but when she came she assumed command, and Mr. 
 Potter was obliged to stand aside, though he glared 
 openly at the sight of the slim woman in black. 
 
 " Would you like my wife to come? " asked Mr. 
 Pierce. 
 
 " It would be a favor if she would do so occasion- 
 ally, and Dr. Meredith, my aunt's pastor, is most at- 
 
 146
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 tentive. But my opinion is, sir, that when these 
 papists get hold of a person they hold on like grim 
 death. There's that in it which I cannot understand. 
 How did my aunt get so intimate with that car- 
 dinal's sister that she dares come in here and regu- 
 late everything and everybody ? " 
 
 " She has been in Italy many years " began Mr. 
 Pierce, but the other interrupted. 
 
 " What of that, man, what of that ! Does being 
 in this country make people fools ? Does Rome fas- 
 cinate and hoodwink them into believing that black 
 is white ? " he snorted with disdain. 
 
 Before Mr. Pierce could reply the maid an- 
 nounced in awe-struck tones : " His eminence, the 
 Cardinal Massimini ! " 
 
 Mr. Potter stopped short in his rapid pacings and 
 faced the prelate with the air of an infuriated ani- 
 mal, but before the calm dignity of the old man his 
 rage subsided. 
 
 " I have come to inquire how Mrs. Potter is to- 
 day," he said. " Do I speak to her nephew, who 
 was summoned by telegram ? " 
 
 !< You do, sir. Potter is my name," was the gruff 
 but not rude reply. 
 
 It was difficult for anyone to be rude to this aged 
 cardinal, with his kindly face. It was not that of an 
 intriguer, and yet, Cardinal Massimini loved his 
 Church above all earthly loves, and would do much 
 to further her interests. 
 
 " Very glad to meet you, Signor. You have had 
 
 147
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 a long journey. I hope you found your aunt 
 better." 
 
 Mr. Potter was visibly melting. His duties as 
 host recalled him to his position as head of his aunt's 
 household. 
 
 " Pray, sit down, Cardinal. This is Mr. Pierce." 
 
 The name was familiar to the cardinal and he 
 bowed coldly. 
 
 " I regret to say that I did not find my aunt im- 
 proving." 
 
 " I am very sorry, Signor. For many years 
 Mrs. Potter and my sister have been friends, I may 
 say intimate friends, in spite of the differences in 
 nationality and religious views." The cardinal 
 smiled broadly and Mr. Potter said to himself : "He 
 is a good old chap! I need not have been afraid of 
 him." 
 
 " Mrs. Potter spent last summer at our country 
 home, in the Abruzzi. The peasants adore her and 
 call her the 'good Englis lady.' They will sor- 
 row when they hear of her illness." 
 
 Mr. Potter was won. The cardinal was his aunt's 
 friend; he should be received as such. After some 
 further conversation on general subjects the cardinal 
 rose. 
 
 " It would not be possible for me to see Mrs. 
 Potter, I suppose ? " he asked, tentatively. 
 
 " Certainly, sir. Perhaps your sister is there 
 now." 
 
 With lamblike gentleness Mr. Potter led the car- 
 148
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 dinal into his aunt's room, stayed a few moments 
 and then courteously left the room. Mrs. Potter 
 was alone with Cardinal Massimini, his sister, and 
 the nun. 
 
 The next morning, Mr. Potter appeared in Dr. 
 Meredith's study in a great state of excitement. He 
 had risen early as was his usual custom, and pre- 
 pared to leave the house about six o'clock for a con- 
 stitutional before breakfast. The apartment was 
 dark and quiet but the outer door was wide open. 
 Not wishing to disturb his aunt, he went softly by 
 her room, the first one near the entrance and down 
 the stairs. In front of him were two figures, moving 
 slowly and conversing in low earnest tones. As he 
 drew nearer he saw that one was a priest, the other 
 a woman who wore a white gown and a white veil. 
 At first he thought little of it, but when he reached 
 the last flight, and the woman turned and faced him 
 on her way upstairs, he recognized her as one of 
 the nuns who was nursing his aunt. She was plainly 
 startled at seeing him and glided quickly by. 
 
 Mr. Potter passed out into the street and walked 
 up on the Pincio. The early hour found few people 
 abroad. Here and there a working man could be 
 seen going to his daily tasks, and some bakers' boys 
 drawing their carts were visible. The gas light 
 flickered in the lamps along the streets. The 
 Scotchman's brain worked slowly but surely. That 
 was a very odd thing which had occurred. Why 
 were the priest and nun on the stairs at that hour 
 
 149
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 of the morning? Was it by appointment? Why 
 was the door of the apartment open ? Why did the 
 nun carefully shut the great " portone " after the 
 priest passed out? He had been obliged to push 
 back the lock for himself, as the porter was not yet 
 up. Mr. Potter walked briskly around the Pincian 
 Garden twice, so engrossed in his thoughts that he 
 scarcely noticed the gradual breaking of day, the 
 twittering of the birds in the branches of tall trees, 
 the waving of the palms in the south wind. Sud- 
 denly, he stopped, took off his hat to rub his bald 
 head and started at a good pace back to the place 
 from which he came. 
 
 Dr. Meredith was already busy in his study when 
 Mr. Potter entered, and held out his hand to him in 
 cordial greeting. 
 
 " I trust there is no serious news about your 
 aunt," he said. 
 
 Mr. Potter was greatly agitated. 
 
 " I do not know. I am much disturbed. This 
 is what has occurred." He recounted the incident 
 of meeting the nun and priest on the stairs. 
 
 Dr. Meredith meditated. " It is not unlikely that 
 the nun admitted the priest to your aunt's room. Is 
 she conscious ? " 
 
 " Only at intervals. The cardinal was there yes- 
 terday. She seemed to recognize him." 
 
 " If you can wait ten minutes while I drink a cup 
 of coffee, I will come with you." 
 
 " Drink coffee with me," pleaded Mr. Potter, 
 150
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 whose agitation was plainly augmented by the 
 other's words. 
 
 It was only a short time before Dr. Meredith 
 reappeared. Then he suggested the wisdom of 
 telephoning to the physician, asking him to come at 
 once to Mrs. Potter's apartment. 
 
 " It would be wise also to have another witness 
 who speaks both Italian and English," he said. 
 " Let us go around by the Evangelical church and 
 take Mr. Pierce with us. He is a man of good 
 judgment and tact." 
 
 Soon the three gentlemen were seated at the 
 breakfast table in Mrs. Potter's pleasant dining 
 room, where the walls were decorated with rare bits 
 of majolica, plates, cups, and vases, collected in 
 various parts of Italy during a residence of forty 
 years. 
 
 " It may be that I was mistaken," said Mr. Pot- 
 ter. " The nurse may have been obliged to converse 
 with the priest for some reason connected with her 
 religious duties." 
 
 " It is possible. We shall try to get at the truth, 
 although I assure you, Mr. Potter, it will not be 
 easy. The doctor can do more than we can. We 
 will explain the circumstances to him and let him 
 act as he thinks best." 
 
 " But is he not a Roman Catholic? " 
 
 " By birth and training, yes. His wife is a 
 Protestant and he has a large practice in the En- 
 glish-speaking colony. I do not think that he is at
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 all a religious man, but he has strong convictions 
 with regard to obedience on the part of his nurses. 
 If it is true that the nun admitted a priest to Mrs. 
 Potter's room this morning, he will be exceedingly 
 angry." 
 
 " The doctor is here," announced the maid. 
 
 15*
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 
 THE doctor listened quietly to Mr. Potter's state- 
 ment. 
 
 " I will inquire into this," he said when the former 
 had finished. " These nuns are usually reliable. At 
 least, I have found them so. But our position here 
 in Italy is a peculiar one. In the first place, our 
 views and opinions are different from those which 
 you foreigners hold. In many things we believe 
 that the end justifies the means. We have been 
 trained in this point from infancy; the family con- 
 fessor taught it to us when we learned our A B C's. 
 As a nation, gentlemen, we are naturally noble and 
 upright. If you find other attributes among us 
 intrigue, dishonesty, untruthfulness do not blame 
 the Italians. Blame the Jesuits whose influence 
 ever has been felt in Rome for three hundred years." 
 
 " I believe you. Doctor ! " exclaimed the two 
 clergymen at one time. 
 
 " But I thought the Jesuits had been expelled 
 from Rome and Italy," continued the bewildered 
 Mr. Potter. 
 
 The doctor shrugged his shoulders. "Others have 
 believed the same. Where does the general of the 
 order, the Black Pope, live? Here in Rome. For 
 the present his headquarters are in the German Col- 
 lege, but I understand that the order will soon enter 
 
 153
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 its own building once more. Who rules at the 
 Vatican? Does the Pope? Not a bit of it! The 
 Jesuits are behind the throne, just as they were when 
 the astute Leo reigned. I am neither a foreigner 
 nor a Protestant, gentlemen, I am an Italian, and 
 know whereof I speak. And thousands of Italians 
 know the same. We speak plainly, too, and without 
 fear. I have understood that the strong statements 
 which are made publicly here in Rome would cause 
 a riot in England or America. Talk about the re- 
 turn of the temporal power of the Popes! It can 
 never be. The Italians will never permit it. We 
 are free and we shall remain free." 
 
 " Amen," said Mr. Pierce. 
 
 The doctor remained silent for a moment. Mr. 
 Potter noticed that he wiped away a tear. To the 
 loyal Italian the welfare of his country is near to his 
 heart. 
 
 " Now to business," he continued briskly. " If 
 there is any clerical meddling here, I'll find it out. 
 The nuns are here for nothing but their nursing 
 duties." 
 
 Fifteen minutes later he opened the door again. 
 
 " It is my duty to inform you, gentlemen, that 
 Mrs. Potter has grown decidedly weaker. It is only 
 a question of a few hours. Whether or not this is 
 due to some special excitement I do not know. I 
 shall now question the nurse. Mrs. Potter has lucid 
 intervals. Perhaps Dr. Meredith would like to con- 
 verse with her, but I beg that you will await my 
 
 154
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 return. Would you be so good, Mr. Potter, as to 
 take a seat by your aunt's bedside ? It may be some 
 comfort to her." 
 
 Mr. Potter left the room and Dr. Meredith and 
 Mr. Pierce conversed together in those subdued 
 tones which one involuntarily employs in a house 
 where death is near. Half an hour passed and the 
 doctor, accompanied by Mr. Potter, entered. 
 
 " Please come with me," he said, and they all 
 passed into Mrs. Potter's drawing room., which held 
 so many memories of the personality of one who 
 had occupied it for many years, that it almost 
 seemed as if she, herself, were actuallly present. 
 
 The nun was standing in the center of the room. 
 She did not look up when the gentlemen came in, 
 but they noticed that her face beneath the white veil 
 was flushed. 
 
 " She has told the truth at last," remarked the 
 doctor, dryly, " after considerable evasion, not to 
 call it by a harder name. This is the night nurse. 
 The day nurse has just come in, and is with the 
 patient. Would you like to ask her any questions, 
 Dr. Meredith?" 
 
 But to further questioning the nun refused abso- 
 lutely to reply. She respected no other authority 
 than that of the physician and was suspicious of a 
 Protestant clergyman. 
 
 "You may go, Suora (Sister)," the doctor said, 
 curtly, and the nurse left the room. " This is what 
 has happened, as well as I can ascertain from the 
 
 155
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 unsatisfactory replies," he continued. " She told me 
 no more than she could help. It is true that she 
 opened the door to the priest about five o'clock this 
 morning. When the cardinal was here yesterday 
 and found Mrs. Potter so much worse he gave orders 
 to that effect. The nun implied that Mrs. Potter 
 had long since become a Roman Catholic. It may 
 be true, or it may not." 
 
 " Nice women, these nuns, if you cannot rely on 
 their word," growled Mr. Potter. 
 
 The doctor seemed surprised. " There are many 
 good women in the convents, but it was probably 
 in the interests of her Church that she should give 
 us to understand that your aunt had changed her 
 faith. It offered some excuse for the incident of 
 this morning." 
 
 " I don't see how there could be any excuse," 
 blurted out Mr. Potter. " So it's right to lie in the 
 interests of the Church, is it, and wrong at other 
 times ? It's a queer doctrine and one which a hard- 
 headed Scotchman, like myself, finds hard to under- 
 stand. Yea is yea, and nay is nay, with us. But go 
 on, Doctor," he continued, brusquely, fully aware 
 of the uselessness of prolonging a discussion when 
 the points of view were so diametrically opposed. 
 
 " That's all. The priest of this parish came ; 
 that is evident, but for what reason I do not 
 know." 
 
 " He did ! How dared he, without my permis- 
 sion? " Mr. Potter began pacing the floor; he was 
 
 156
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 evidently mentally uneasy as well as decidedly dis- 
 pleased. 
 
 A faint smile crossed the doctor's face. A Scotch- 
 man and a priest! They were as far apart as the 
 poles, and in a conflict the priest would come out a 
 victor every time. 
 
 " I do not believe a word of this nonsense about 
 my aunt. It is true that her mother was a Roman 
 Catholic before her marriage, and my aunt was bap- 
 tized in that faith. Later her mother changed her 
 views and the whole family attended the Prot- 
 estant Church." 
 
 "I was not aware of that fact," remarked Dr. 
 Meredith, whose face was very grave, even severe. 
 " Mrs. Potter has been a regular attendant at my 
 church since she has lived in Rome." 
 
 The doctor smiled again. Naturally, he must 
 further his patients' interests; but the fact of 
 whether Mrs. Potter was Catholic or Protestant 
 seemed to him of little consequence. He was a 
 free-thinker what difference could her religious 
 views make? 
 
 " It is very possible that Mrs. Potter may have 
 again adopted the Roman Catholic religion and yet 
 remained outwardly a Protestant in order to serve 
 some end," he suggested. 
 
 " It is not possible ! " exclaimed Mr. Potter. " It's 
 a matter of conscience, man! My aunt could not 
 have done such a thing. Do you think she could ? " 
 
 His manner of appeal to Dr. Meredith verged on 
 
 157
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 the pathetic. The sturdy Scotchman felt his weak- 
 ness. His honest, bronzed face was pale with 
 emotion. 
 
 " I have heard it stated that there are priests in 
 the Church of England who are Jesuits and have a 
 special dispensation in order that they may deceive 
 others who trusted them. I could not believe it 
 possible that there could be such duplicity veiled by 
 religion. There have been holy men and women in 
 the Roman Catholic Church; there were Faber and 
 Newman and Manning. How could they have sanc- 
 tioned such dealings? It cannot be true! " 
 
 The doctor turned to the window and appeared 
 to be intensely interested in a disagreement between 
 two market women, far below in the street, who had 
 placed their carts side by side. 
 
 " Faber and Newman and Manning were sincere, 
 good men," said Dr. Meredith. " And there are 
 thousands of others among the clergy and the laity. 
 There are, also, thousands of priests who long to 
 leave the Church, because they feel that she has lost 
 the simplicity and purity of religion, such as the 
 fathers taught and exemplified in their lives. I have 
 known your aunt for years, and it does not seem 
 possible that she has hidden her real thoughts 
 and feelings from me. If it is so, it cannot have 
 been for any length of time perhaps only since last 
 summer. Do you consider Mrs. Potter to be in her 
 right mind, Doctor ? " 
 
 The physician turned sharply from the window. 
 158
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 The women who, five minutes before, had been 
 ready to annihilate each other in their rage were 
 now laughing as they pushed their carts, laden with 
 bright-colored vegetables, down the street. They 
 were amicably conversing as if nothing had hap- 
 pened. 
 
 " Mrs. Potter has lain in an unconscious condi- 
 tion, often for hours together ; but when she comes 
 to herself I consider her to be perfectly sane and 
 rational. She was conscious when I left her." 
 
 " May we go in and talk with her ? " 
 
 " Certainly." 
 
 " Come, also, if you please, Mr. Pierce," Dr. 
 Meredith said. " I may want you as a witness, as 
 well as Mr. Potter." 
 
 They entered the room and Dr. Meredith ap- 
 proached the bed. " Are you feeling better, my 
 dear old friend ? " he asked, bending over the 
 patient. 
 
 " Dr. Meredith," whispered Mrs. Potter. 
 
 " Yes, it is I. I do not wish to fatigue you, Mrs. 
 Potter, but, if you are able, I should be glad to have 
 you answer a few questions. You understand what 
 I say?" 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 Dr. Meredith sat down. " Will you kindly write 
 down my questions, Mr. Pierce, with Mrs. Potter's 
 answers ? " Again he addressed the sick woman : 
 " Dear friend, for many years we have known each 
 other and have worked together for the cause of 
 
 159
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Christ here in Rome. Have you ever doubted the 
 saving grace of his atonement ? " 
 
 " Never," she whispered. 
 
 " You believe that on Girist, and on Christ alone, 
 depends your salvation ? " 
 
 " I do." 
 
 " If God should call you home to his glorious 
 presence this very day, would you die in the faith 
 of your fathers, a Protestant of the Protestants ? " 
 
 Up to this time, Mrs. Potter had kept her eyes 
 closed, through weariness or weakness. Her 
 nephew stood at the side of her bed, looking down 
 anxiously at her. Mr. Pierce raised his eyes from 
 his paper, and exchanged a glance with Dr. 
 Meredith. 
 
 Mrs. Potter opened her eyes. There was a 
 startled expression in them. Her voice was as 
 strong as in health when she replied : " I die in the 
 Protestant faith, trusting in Christ and in him alone 
 for salvation." 
 
 Once more her eyes closed and she lay motionless. 
 
 " Please place your signature here, Mr. Potter, 
 and then kindly call the doctor. And, Mr. Pierce, 
 please sign below. We have this document in case 
 of any trouble," he added in a low tone. 
 
 " Do you anticipate any trouble ? " inquired Mr. 
 Pierce in a whisper. 
 
 " One can never tell. Complications sometimes 
 arise in cases similar to this." 
 
 The two ministers left the home together. 
 160
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " Do you believe that the priest administered ex- 
 treme unction this morning? " 
 
 " It is very probable." 
 
 "And in that case?" persisted Mr. Pierce. 
 
 " In that case they would no doubt regard Mrs. 
 Potter as a Roman Catholic and would claim her 
 body, to bury it in consecrated ground." 
 
 " Will that be likely to happen ? " 
 
 Dr. Meredith faced Mr. Pierce and looked him 
 straight in the eye. There was decision and sturdy 
 righteousness in his expression. " It may be at- 
 tempted, Mr. Pierce, but it will not succeed. I hold 
 here the statement of Mrs. Potter herself that she 
 dies in the Protestant faith. It is signed by you 
 and Mr. Potter. I will protest to the last, if any 
 effort is made, even by Cardinal Massimini, to claim 
 her as a Roman Catholic." 
 
 There was unusual fire in the clergyman's face, 
 and Mr. Pierce held out his hand to him. 
 
 " If you need any help, Dr. Meredith, call on 
 me." 
 
 " Indeed I will, my dear brother," Dr. Brown re- 
 plied, with a hearty grip of the extended hand. 
 
 " Dear Janet, come down and see the little girl 
 whom you helped to escape from the convent," wrote 
 Alda Pierce. " I am keeping her for awhile till 
 we can tell what to do with her. She's as different 
 as can be from the ordinary nun. But I'm glad she's 
 not condemned to such a life. Her name is Romilda, 
 
 161
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 and she is very grateful to you, and so is her brother. 
 Now, if she will only give her heart to Christ and 
 become his follower! As might be expected, she is 
 full of all kinds of superstitious fancies and curious 
 notions. But what else can one expect from a girl 
 who has spent her whole life with an ignorant, 
 bigoted mother and with the nuns ? We must show 
 her what a beautiful thing our religion is. In the 
 meantime she is playing with Alda, and it is difficult 
 to tell which is the baby, she is so much of a child 
 herself and so inexperienced in every way. I shall 
 expect you at four." 
 
 " Different from a nun ! " thought Janet, at the 
 first sight of Romilda. " I should think so! " 
 
 Romilda was a round-faced, rosy-cheeked maiden 
 of sixteen, with the eyes and hair of the women of 
 Veneto, a vivacious expression, plump figure, and a 
 voice like a bird. To imagine the hair with glints 
 of gold hidden beneath a nun's coif, the blue eyes 
 demure and lowered, the hands, now busy picking 
 up baby's playthings, folded in prayer in the dark 
 watches of the night, and the full round figure 
 draped in black garments, was so difficult that Janet 
 gave up trying. 
 
 " This is the lady who gave thy brother money 
 so that he could come and get thee, Romilda," ex- 
 plained Mrs. Pierce. 
 
 To Janet's embarrassment, the Italian girl fell on 
 her knees in front of her, clasped her hands in the 
 plump brown ones and kissed them fervently, pour- 
 
 162
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 ing out a stream of liquid, musical language, as 
 pretty as it was unintelligible. 
 
 " Do tell me what she says," pleaded Janet, " and 
 beg her to get up. It is all right about the money. I 
 so much prefer that she should not thank me espe- 
 cially not in this energetic manner." 
 
 " Run away and play with Alda," said Mrs. 
 Pierce, finding it difficult to retain a proper com- 
 posure at sight of Janet's flushed face. When 
 Romilda had left the room she laughed outright. 
 " Poor girl ! she was merely expressing her gratitude 
 in her charming, warm-hearted way. I could not 
 possibly translate it. Really, it is much more pitiful 
 than ridiculous. She says you look like the picture 
 of the Madonna in the little church at her home, and 
 she probably could not give you a greater compli- 
 ment, as she is ignorant of any other type of beauty. 
 She is as happy as a child here. The stories she tells 
 of her agonies when she thought she would be shut 
 in for life are heartrending." 
 
 " I want so much to know how she escaped, and 
 what plans you have for her future. I haven't dared 
 tell Fay or mamma about it, for fear they would not 
 like it. They have grown so intimate with Lady 
 Eger, and they are so busy visiting the different 
 churches. You know the celebration of the Festa 
 of the Immaculate Virgin has begun, and they want 
 to see all they can of it." 
 
 " Why don't you go, too, Miss Lapeer ? " asked 
 Mr. Pierce, who had entered quietly. " Please give 
 
 163
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 me a cup of tea, Alda, I must go out again at 
 once." 
 
 " I really do not care to go. It sounds dreadful, 
 perhaps, to express it so crudely, but the services 
 seem to me to be theatrical displays, prepared for 
 the public." 
 
 " And for the foreign public," added Mr. Pierce. 
 " I am very sorry to have interrupted your conver- 
 sation." 
 
 " I was only going to say, Alda, that I am wor- 
 ried about Fay. She does not look well ; she is pale 
 and growing thin, and is not a bit like her gay old 
 self. Something is troubling her; I am sure of it. 
 She is very much under Lady Eger's influence, and 
 I fear that this extends to religious matters as well. 
 And there is the marquis " 
 
 " What about him ? " interrupted Mrs. Pierce. 
 
 Before Janet could answer, Dr. Meredith's deep 
 voice said at the door : " May I have a cup of tea, 
 too, Mrs. Pierce ? " 
 
 " By all means. Sit down in this easy chair, Dr. 
 Meredith, you look so tired. My friend, Miss 
 Lapeer, Dr. Meredith." 
 
 Mr. Pierce moved a chair forward and the good 
 clergyman dropped into it as though he were very 
 weary. 
 
 " It's all arranged," he remarked in a low tone 
 to Mr. Pierce. " The funeral will be on Thursday, 
 at four, at the Protestant cemetery." 
 
 " Thus far, no interference? " 
 164
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " Not since this morning. You were acquainted 
 with Mrs. Potter, were you not, Miss Lapeer? I 
 heard her speak of you." 
 
 " Yes. I was grieved to hear the sad news of 
 her death." 
 
 " It occurred at five o'clock yesterday morning. 
 The nun who acted as nurse insisted that she died a 
 Roman Catholic." 
 
 " A Catholic ! " exclaimed Janet. 
 
 " I'll explain afterward/' said Mrs. Pierce. 
 
 " But I assured her that she did not. Mr. Pierce 
 and I went to the English cemetery and saw the 
 director, who promised to send men and have the 
 body removed at three o'clock this morning. The 
 nuns remained in the room and placed lighted 
 candles around Mrs. Potter's bed and a crucifix in 
 her hands, which her nephew promptly removed, 
 notwithstanding their protests. They had no 
 idea that funeral arrangements would be made so 
 quickly. As you know, Mr. Pierce, Mr. Potter 
 and I guarded the great door of the house until 
 the director and his men appeared. There was no 
 disturbance." 
 
 " How very strange," murmured Janet. " I 
 thought she was a Protestant." 
 
 " She was." 
 
 " And yet" 
 
 " And yet, my dear young lady, Rome is Rome, 
 and can never be anything else but a city of mys- 
 tery a veiled city, it has been called." 
 
 165
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " But was she a Catholic? " persisted Janet. 
 
 " Certainly not when she died, as Mr. Pierce can 
 attest. And the physician said that her mind was 
 perfectly clear. I received a note from Cardinal 
 Massimini this morning. He criticises me sharply 
 for my interference in a case of a daughter of the 
 'true Church,' and says that although Mrs. Potter 
 may be buried in unconsecrated ground, she died in 
 the Roman Catholic faith." 
 
 " It's a singular case," said Mr. Pierce. " I am 
 ready whenever you are, Doctor." 
 
 " Let us go then; Mr. Potter will be waiting." 
 
 " Now, tell me what he meant," demanded 
 Janet. 
 
 Mrs. Pierce told her of the early morning visit, 
 of the priest and the nuns, and their duplicity. 
 Janet's face grew paler and paler. At last, a low 
 cry burst from her lips. 
 
 " What is it, dear? Are you ill ? " 
 
 " No, Alda, but I'm frightened, frightened for 
 Fay. I am sure that something dreadful is going to 
 happen, Alda. I am sure of it ! What it will be, I 
 do not know. I know that she likes the marquis, 
 and as little as I want her to marry him, I should 
 prefer to have her his wife than to have her 
 yield to the persuasions of Padre Veroni and 
 Lady Eger. I do not know what they are urging 
 her to do, but some conflict is taking place in her 
 mind. She tells me nothing, nor does she confide 
 in mamma." 
 
 166
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " Is she engaged to the marquis ? " 
 
 " I do not think so. I feel as if we were entering 
 dark shadows, Alda." 
 
 " You are nervous, dear. There may be shadows 
 ahead of us, but the Light is with us, and he that 
 walketh in the Light need fear no darkness. Have 
 you forgotten about Romilda, Janet? The history 
 of her escape is really marvelous," said Mrs. Pierce, 
 anxious to divert Janet from her disturbing thoughts 
 and consequent depression. 
 
 " I had forgotten." 
 
 " Her brother waited several days in the little 
 town before he could see her. The old servant was 
 faithful to her trust, and managed to carry the let- 
 ters back and forth. The convent is beautifully 
 situated on the top of a high hill. When the pupils 
 are taken for a walk they come down the hill in 
 pairs, accompanied by two lay sisters, one in front, 
 and one behind. Romilda's brother nearly despaired 
 of freeing her when he saw how closely the girls 
 were watched and guarded. But on the fourth day 
 fortune favored him. The girls came out later than 
 usual, and before they were ready to return to the 
 convent it grew quite dark. At one point in the 
 road leading up the hill, there is a short tunnel dug 
 through the rock. As they passed through it a car- 
 riage drove by, and under cover of the noise and 
 obscurity Romilda slipped away and ran swiftly 
 back to the place where her brother and the maid 
 had agreed to wait each day. In a very short time 
 
 167
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 they reached the station, where, fortunately, they 
 were able to take a train before the nuns had time 
 to warn the Mother Superior and a search could be 
 begun. He brought her to Pisa, and thence they 
 came on to Rome, arriving this morning." 
 
 " What are you going to do with her, Alda ? " 
 
 " Make a good woman of her, if God wills. My 
 husband will communicate with her mother, so that 
 she may be assured of her safety. I do not think she 
 will insist upon claiming her. I believe that the law 
 will not allow her mother to force her into the con- 
 vent against her wish." 
 
 Janet arose. 
 
 " Let me help her," she said, earnestly ; " I have 
 plenty of money and nobody on whom to spend 
 it. I shall be glad to do something for her. But 
 please do not let her express her deep sense of 
 obligation again in that energetic way. It is 
 embarrassing." 
 
 Mrs. Pierce laughed, relieved to see that Janet's 
 expression was less tense and anxious. 
 
 " It is good of you, dear, but it will be better for 
 her to earn her own living. I suppose you have no 
 need of a little maid," she suggested, tentatively. 
 " It would give you an opportunity to help Romilda 
 and form her character." 
 
 " A maid ! My dear girl, I am afraid there would 
 be little enough for her to do. And yet with three 
 women, we might keep her occupied. I will think 
 of it and speak to mamma. I should not dare to tell 
 
 1 68
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 her Romilda's history, for there is Padre Veroni to 
 be thought of." 
 
 " And if he heard of it, no doubt poor Romilda 
 would find herself back in the convent very quickly." 
 
 Janet kissed Mrs. Pierce warmly and hurried 
 away, for it was now quite dark. The problems of 
 life and her own special group of problems puzzled 
 her. They haunted her in the night, so that she 
 could not sleep and became so restless that she left her 
 bed and stood at the window, looking out on the 
 towers and domes of Rome, glorified and etherialized 
 in the soft moonlight. For centuries Rome had been 
 seething with intrigue and mystery. Even today, 
 life was far different from that in other cities; 
 it was more intangible, more elusive, more be- 
 wildering. And Fay what of Fay? Dear sister! 
 Once she had spoken to her mother of her anxiety, 
 only to be answered in a brusque manner totally 
 different from Mrs. Lapeer's customary gentleness. 
 Fay was all right, she said, and if Janet took half 
 the interest that Fay did in the wonderful churches 
 and relics, she would be wiser than she was now! 
 After that rebuff Janet had kept her troubles hidden 
 in her own soul. 
 
 There was only one person who seemed to divine 
 them, and that was hearty, bluff Sir John. They 
 stood together, on the following Thursday, at the 
 grave of Mrs. Potter, after the last solemn words 
 had been spoken and the last prayer uttered, Janet 
 laid a cluster of white roses on the fresh, moist earth. 
 
 169
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 The cemetery was very quiet, very beautiful. In 
 the tall, dark cypress trees, birds were singing as 
 blithely as if there were no sorrow or weeping in the 
 world. Flowers were blooming everywhere, even 
 though it was December, and on the old Aurelian 
 Wall ivy hung in long, graceful festoons. Over 
 the wall rose the ancient Pyramid of Cestius, past 
 which Saint Paul probably walked as he was led 
 forth to execution. The sun was setting, and the 
 cross on the summit of Mount Testaccio spread its 
 arms against the crimson glow. 
 
 " You have heard that strange story about Mrs. 
 Potter's conversion to Roman Catholicism, Sir 
 John ? " Janet asked. 
 
 " Yes, Dr. Meredith told me." 
 
 Sir John watched her with a peculiar expression 
 in which there was some sadness and a touch of 
 anxiety. 
 
 " Do you believe it? " she continued. 
 
 " Rome is a strange place," he replied, " and 
 strange things happen here. There is a witchery 
 about her which turns men's brains. She has been 
 appropriately pictured as a lovely woman sitting on 
 a throne in the midst of the Seven Hills, fascinating 
 the world and drawing men to worship before her. 
 About Mrs. Potter, Miss Lapeer, I do not know 
 whether I believe it or not. It may be true. Mrs. 
 Potter had lived so long in Italy and was very 
 intimate with Cardinal Massimini's sister; spent 
 months with her, in fact, every year." 
 
 170
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " Yet she died in the Protestant faith." 
 
 " That might easily be. When she was face to 
 face with death and eternity she may have returned 
 to the religion of former days. Would that it 
 might be so with Hortense ! " he added softly. 
 
 Janet was startled to see that his eyes were full 
 of tears. There, by Mrs. Potter's grave, she 
 stretched out her hand to him. Seemingly with- 
 out design he led her away, and hand in hand 
 they passed on to the gate of the cemetery. Sir 
 John was so deep in thought that he did not 
 notice what he was doing until Janet gently moved 
 away. 
 
 " I beg pardon," he murmured, flushing deeply. 
 
 They emerged from the gate, acknowledging the 
 pleasant words of farewell from the woman who 
 opened it and who smiled as she pocketed the 
 " soldi " given her by Sir John. 
 
 The cross on Mount Testaccio was bare and black 
 now that the crimson glow had faded from the sky. 
 The children playing in the street begged for pennies 
 as Janet and Sir John went by. The bells of the 
 tram on its way to the Church of Saint Paul's with- 
 out the walls, tinkled gaily. 
 
 " Mrs. Potter's will was read this morning," Sir 
 John said at last, when the silence began to grow 
 painful. " Had you heard about it ? " 
 
 " No." 
 
 He waited a moment. Then he spoke : " She left 
 some legacies to her family. Two thirds of her for- 
 
 171
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 tune she left to Cardinal Massimini, ' to be used as 
 he thought best.' " 
 
 " Then it was true ! " exclaimed Janet, shocked at 
 this news. 
 
 " God only knows, Miss Lapeer. He alone under- 
 stands the intricate workings of a human mind," 
 he replied. 
 
 172
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 
 " PADRE VERONI, this is indeed an honor ! " 
 
 The Marquis di Cassini came forward with out- 
 stretched hand to meet the priest on a morning early 
 in December. 
 
 The air was crisp and invigorating. It came from 
 the north, where, on the mountains defining the 
 horizon, the first snows of the season lay, white 
 summits merging into the white clouds above 
 them. 
 
 " I beg you to sit down, Reverenza. It was so 
 cool this morning that I thought a wood fire would 
 be acceptable." 
 
 " Fortunate man ! " said Padre Veroni, seating 
 himself in an easy chair. " No, I will not go too 
 near the fire, thank you. It is very pleasant, but I 
 prefer to look at it from a distance. We poor 
 priests, who cannot afford such luxuries, would bet- 
 ter not become accustomed to them." 
 
 The priest cast a comprehensive glance around 
 the marquis's library. 
 
 "This was your father's study?" 
 
 " Yes, Reverenza." 
 
 " I always considered it a handsome room, but 
 you have improved it by introducing some modern 
 conveniences. Your father would have scorned the 
 mere idea of such a fire. How well I remember
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 him! He was a taller man than you, Guido, and 
 made of sterner stuff." 
 
 Even as he spoke the priest wondered whether his 
 own words were true. Had the old marquis been 
 firmer or more positive in his opinions than his son ? 
 From behind partially closed lids he examined the 
 face before him; noted the firm mouth, the square 
 jaw, the broad expanse of forehead, beneath which 
 shone frank, fearless eyes. He began to doubt the 
 success of his mission on that cold December morn- 
 ing. But Padre Veroni was not a man to allow his 
 ammunition to lie idle. He fired his first shot. 
 
 " Your father would never have betrayed the 
 Church into which he was born," he said, quietly. 
 
 The marquis gave a nervous start, bit his lips, and 
 waited for the next remark. 
 
 " The bill concerning Saint Joseph's College at 
 
 V will come before the house soon. Which 
 
 way do you intend to vote ? " 
 
 No answer. The priest's face grew hard and 
 cold. His lips contracted, as if with a spasm of 
 pain. Padre Veroni was not accustomed to opposi- 
 tion, and he intended to win. There was not a 
 quiver of excitement in his tone as he spoke. 
 
 " I am particularly interested in this question, 
 
 Guido. V is a strategic point. I want you 
 
 to throw your influence on our side. The bill must 
 pass and you must help." 
 
 " The government maintains schools at V " 
 
 responded the marquis, doggedly. 
 
 174
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 He had taken a seat where his back was toward 
 the window. The light fell on the priest's face, upon 
 the long, straight nose, thin lips and pointed chin; 
 upon the skin with tint of ivory, such as a man has 
 who spends his life within doors in company with 
 dusty tomes, dating back to past centuries. His 
 slender hands were partially hidden in the folds of 
 his black gown. 
 
 " Yes, the government has its schools, but we 
 want ours. What do the children learn in those 
 schools ? Disloyalty to the Church, into whose lov- 
 ing care they were committed when the priest bap- 
 tized them. They learn to bow before the king of 
 Italy and lift their hats when the tricolored flag is 
 carried by. They learn to hate religion " 
 
 " As it is exemplified by the priests," interrupted 
 the marquis, coldly, as his black eyes glowed with 
 sudden wrath. 
 
 Padre Veroni did not move a muscle of his face. 
 It remained as impassive as a piece of marble. 
 
 ' To hate religion," he continued, " and mock at 
 our holy symbols. They become atheists, or what I 
 may call worse heretics. These are the reasons 
 why we must have our own schools, and you must 
 help us, Guido." 
 
 "I must!" 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " And if I prefer to retain my manhood, my right 
 to think with the mind which I possess the gift of 
 God I am no atheist, Padre Veroni. And if I 
 
 175
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 should dare defy the authority of the Church, what 
 then?" 
 
 The marquis was not a very tall man, but as he 
 arose he was stately in his dignity. 
 
 The priest did not change his position except to 
 touch the fingertips of his right hand to those of 
 his left. " Then the Church will deal with the son 
 who defies her authority as she sees fit, Guido," he 
 said, suddenly rising and placing his arm around the 
 young man's shoulders. " Guido," he continued, " I 
 held thee in my arms when thou wast a child. I 
 loved thy father as well as if he had been my own 
 brother. Thy mother is a faithful daughter of the 
 Church. Floria will soon " 
 
 The marquis threw off the priest's arm impa- 
 tiently and muttered a curse. " I cannot bear it ! 
 Do not speak of Floria! If you must know the 
 truth, it is that which has driven me away from the 
 Church. What right has a mother to make a vow 
 which will ruin the life of her child, which con- 
 demns her to absolute slavery in the loveliest years 
 of her youth ? What sort of a Church is it that ac- 
 cepts such a sacrifice, though the victim as the so- 
 called bride of Christ brings a princely dowry ? If 
 Floria felt it her duty to become a nun " 
 
 Padre Veroni's deep-set eyes glistened. " You 
 would consider that a different case, more justi- 
 fiable ? " he broke in. 
 
 " By all means. Then she would immure herself 
 voluntarily." 
 
 176
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Entirely unconscious of the fact that he had 
 uttered words which would come back to him at 
 some future day of anguish, the marquis wondered 
 at the sudden vivacity of the priest's manner. 
 
 " So you refuse to oblige me in this matter, 
 Guido?" 
 
 " I am sorry to refuse, Reverenza, indeed I am. 
 For old acquaintance sake, and for love of my 
 mother, I would gladly do as you desire, but my own 
 conscience prevents me. You have your reasons for 
 wanting this bill to pass. We, on our part, are in- 
 fluenced by reasons which we consider fully as 
 strong." 
 
 " Consciences are peculiar things, aren't they, 
 Guido? Sometimes they seem to point us in the 
 direction which we wish to take. And yours is only 
 the conscience of an inexperienced boy." 
 
 Guido winced and Padre Veroni smiled. There 
 was something repulsive in that smile, though he 
 appeared to have entirely regained his good humor. 
 
 " Your conscience may lead you in the opposite 
 direction by the time the bill is presented to the 
 House." 
 
 " I don't think so." 
 
 " Well, I hope so, anyway, for it is a serious mat- 
 ter to oppose the Church." 
 
 Guido shrugged his shoulders. 
 
 " I understand that you desire to marry the 
 American girl at the Pension Speranza," was Padre 
 Veroni's startling and unexpected remark. 
 
 177
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 The marquis drew himself up proudly. " I really 
 do not see " he began, when the priest interrupted 
 him. 
 
 " You do not see how I know of it, or what affair 
 it is of mine." 
 
 " Precisely." 
 
 " My dear boy, it is very much my affair ; more 
 than you know. Are you betrothed to the young 
 lady?" 
 
 " I hope to be, soon." 
 
 " And in case of your marriage to Miss Fay 
 Lapeer, you would again become a loyal son of the 
 Church, would devote yourself to our interests, and 
 forget these foolish, boyish fancies ? " 
 
 There was a painful pause. 
 
 " I really do not see " began the marquis once 
 more. 
 
 " Answer me ! " thundered the priest. 
 
 " I could make no promises of that sort," replied 
 Guido di Cassini, " and I do not think it is necessary 
 for me to ask your permission, Padre Veroni. Miss 
 Lapeer is a Protestant, and if I am so fortunate as 
 to win her for my wife, she will doubtless desire 
 to be married according to that rite. It will make 
 no difference to me. The civil marriage is the legal 
 one, anyway." 
 
 Padre Veroni had himself well under control, or 
 he would have burst out into passionate reproaches 
 at these words. 
 
 " And your mother ? " he inquired. 
 178
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " My mother loves me and will agree to anything 
 that I wish. Besides, I am my own master. I am 
 thirty years old." 
 
 " I understand that Miss Fay has a large for- 
 tune." 
 
 " I do not know and have never tried to find out. 
 Whatever she has, if she becomes my wife and I 
 pray God she will ! will be entirely in her own 
 control. I have enough for both, and am no for- 
 tune-hunter." 
 
 The priest put his hands on the doorknob. 
 
 " Let us part in peace, Guido, my boy. Once 
 more I ask you, solemnly, will you yield to me and 
 vote in favor of this bill ? It seems a small thing, 
 but it may influence your life more than you now 
 imagine. I plead with you, Guido. Do not throw 
 away your opportunity. For the sake of your 
 mother and for the happiness of the woman you 
 love, do your duty toward the Church. It may 
 mean more to you than you know." 
 
 " I cannot feel it right to go against my own 
 convictions, Reverenza. The government cannot 
 turn over the entire education of children in 
 that district to the Church. What you say of 
 the lack of loyalty to the Church which is taught 
 in the public schools is true in the reverse in the 
 parochial schools. Do you teach the children to 
 honor the king and to fight for their country? No, 
 Padre Veroni, I cannot do as you wish." 
 
 " Very well. Good morning." 
 179
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 The priest strode through the long corridors of 
 the palace, and with a surly " Grazie " accepted his 
 hat from the servant. Ten minutes later he was 
 talking animatedly with Cardinal Perotti. 
 
 The marquis sat a long time in front of the fire 
 thinking. He was an Italian, and was well aware 
 that he could from henceforth expect bitter opposi- 
 tion from Padre Veroni, who was very powerful. 
 " Yet, he can do nothing which can seriously injure 
 me or my family," thought Guido, considering all 
 side of the question. " He cannot alienate from me 
 my family or my property. I am glad that Fay is 
 not a Roman Catholic. Who knows? Perhaps I 
 may turn evangelical ! She may teach me the way." 
 
 The great gun on Monte Mario boomed out the 
 hour of twelve. Guido sprang to his feet. 
 
 " I promised mother to go to the convent for 
 Floria," he said. 
 
 Hastening downstairs, he entered a closed car- 
 riage which was waiting, and was driven rapidly to 
 the large building on the outskirts of the city. 
 Padre Veroni, his veiled threats, his reference to the 
 power of the Church, were all forgotten, as, with his 
 sister by his side, he returned to his home. It was 
 the first visit she had made to her family in five 
 years, and it would be the last. At Easter she was 
 to begin her novitiate, and when she took the veil 
 it would mean farewell forever to the world. The 
 rules of the order were very strict; not even the 
 Marchesa di Cassini, her own mother, would be per- 
 
 180
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 mitted to see Floria's face. She might come, by 
 permission of the Mother Superior, and at stated 
 times, to talk with her daughter through a grating 
 and in the presence of another nun. On this occa- 
 sion of the Festa of the Immaculate Virgin, Floria 
 had been allowed to return to her home for one 
 month, to pass the Christmas holidays. Before 
 Epiphany she must return to the convent, rarely, if 
 ever, to leave it again, and then only in a closed car- 
 riage, with shuttered windows and drawn curtains. 
 
 The marquis often wondered at his own weakness 
 in this affair. Why had he not long ago forbidden 
 this burial in a convent of the sister whom he so 
 dearly loved ? Probably his hesitancy was due to a 
 feeling of respect toward his mother and a reluctance 
 to interfere in religious questions. He preferred to 
 leave them to the women and the priests. 
 
 Fay Lapeer had grown very friendly with 
 Gemma, the second sister of Marquis di Cassini. 
 it was for her debut that the Marchesa was to give 
 a grand ball soon in the splendid rooms of the pal- 
 ace. Fay had already ordered a new gown in 
 fleecy white chiffon, embroidered in silver, from one 
 of the best dressmakers in Rome. The embroidery 
 was to be done by the poor women who worked 
 for the Woman's Exchange and a month's work 
 was required to accomplish it. 
 
 Gemma and Fay were eagerly discussing this 
 gown and the coming festivity on the morning after 
 Floria's arrival. As she was now quite familiar 
 
 181
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 with the corridors and salons of the palace, Fay no 
 longer felt the desire to stop and examine the splen- 
 did paintings and valuable tapestries. Today, she 
 and Gemma walked through a long, narrow hall 
 and turned off to a wing of the great building, 
 where the daughters had their bedrooms and a pri- 
 vate sitting room. In the various visits which Fay 
 had made here she had never encountered the 
 marquis. In fact, so little time did he spend with 
 the women of his household that he was not aware 
 that she had been under his roof. These Roman 
 palaces are immense buildings. The entire ground 
 floor is given up to the domestics, the housekeeper's 
 and steward's apartments, the offices, servants' din- 
 ing rooms, kitchen, laundry, and in some cases, the 
 stables and carriages find accommodations here. 
 The marquis had a garage for his two fine auto- 
 mobiles and his chauffeur slept in a room nearby. 
 Two large Saint Bernard dogs were comfortably 
 housed in the court. Behind the house was a spa- 
 cious garden, with vari-colored flower-beds and 
 graceful shade-trees, with arbors and fountains and 
 statues. High walls surrounded this garden of 
 beauty, and little noise penetrated here, although 
 the palace stood in the center of busy Rome. 
 
 The young ladies of the family, and even the 
 marchesa herself, never left home unaccompanied. 
 Most of their time was spent in this beautiful gar- 
 den, where they embroidered or read the few books 
 which were considered by their father-confessor 
 
 182
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 suitable for them. They were so utterly shocked 
 when Fay came alone to call upon them that she 
 finally decided to yield to their Roman prejudices 
 and brought with her Romilda, who was now 
 Janet's little maid. She waited downstairs, meekly 
 sitting on a chair in the court, with her hands rest- 
 ing demurely in her lap, while her eyes danced with 
 merriment at the pranks of a couple of mischievous 
 stable boys. 
 
 The apartment of the marquis was in the oppo- 
 site wing. It consisted of a bedroom, reception 
 salon, and library. Very frequently many days 
 passed in which he saw his mother only at the very 
 formal dinner. The day after Floria came, Guido 
 had appeared most unexpectedly at luncheon, and 
 had gone for a drive with the ladies on the Pincio 
 and through the winding roads of the Villa 
 Borghese. Indeed, his heart was sore with pity 
 for his little sister, and he would gladly have done 
 anything to cause her pleasure. 
 
 Gemma opened a door, but closed it hastily, 
 allowing time, however, for Fay to catch a glimpse 
 of an altar, with a stained glass window above it. 
 Noting her curious glance, Gemma said : " It is our 
 private chapel. Would you like to see it ? " 
 
 "Very much." 
 
 In the semidarkness, little was distinguishable at 
 first. It was a small room, and the window, 
 through which the dim light penetrated, was made 
 of rare old glass, richly tinted. Facing it were sev- 
 
 183
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 eral kneeling benches, and at one of them knelt a 
 young girl, dressed in sober gray. In her hands 
 she turned a rosary. Her head was bowed in 
 prayer. The obscurity and the stillness, the motion- 
 less, kneeling figure, the rose light falling on the 
 face of the mother in a fine copy of the Sistine 
 Madonna affected Fay powerfully. The beauty 
 appealed to her aesthetic sense, which was very 
 strongly developed. She had found it hard to be 
 good, to shut out the world and devote herself to 
 God alone. Surely, it would be easy, here in this 
 quiet chapel! She felt faint and ill, overcome by 
 a new and peculiar emotion. Peace must be found 
 in such a place as this! Opening the door, she 
 stepped out into the sun-lighted hall. It was a 
 transition which jarred upon Fay's highly-strung 
 sensibilities. 
 
 " That was my sister Floria," explained Gemma. 
 " She will spend a month with us before entering 
 the convent forever. Twice a day she has to pray 
 for a long time in the chapel. What a task it must 
 be! I am thankful that mamma did not make a 
 vow that I should have a vocation. I should not 
 have been so patient as Floria is ! " 
 
 " How did it happen ? " 
 
 " Haven't you ever heard ? I thought Lady Eger 
 told you when she took you to the convent. When 
 Floria was a tiny baby, mamma was very ill, and 
 everybody thought she was going to die. So she 
 vowed to the Madonna that if she would spare her 
 
 184
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 life Floria should be a nun and spend her time pray- 
 ing for the rest of us poor, worldly creatures. You 
 see, Floria is next to the youngest of us four girls, 
 and I suppose mamma thought it would be a good 
 and easy way to dispose of one of us. It is a diffi- 
 cult matter to find suitable husbands for four daugh- 
 ters, even though they do have large dowries. 
 There's my dress. How do you like it ? " 
 
 Fay absently fingered the costly lace and silk, 
 but her mind was busy with her thoughts. " How 
 beautiful ! " she said at last. 
 
 Gemma's face brightened. She had been annoyed 
 by Fay's coldness. 
 
 " I'm so glad you like it," she replied. 
 
 "Forgive me, Gemma." Fay clasped the small 
 brown hand in her own. " The dress is very lovely, 
 and you will be charming in it; but when I said 
 ' how beautiful ! ' I was not referring to it." 
 
 "To what, then?" 
 
 * To Floria and the sacrifice she made for her 
 mother. She must love her very much," added 
 romantic Fay. 
 
 Gemma was of a practical turn of mind. She 
 responded, dryly, " She has scarcely seen enough 
 of mamma to know whether she loves her or not. 
 And it would not have mattered much. She could 
 not help herself if the priest and mamma told her 
 she must be a nun. I think she hates the life," 
 Gemma continued, as calmly as if she were speaking 
 of a matter in which she had not the slightest per- 
 
 185
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 sonal interest. " Fay, what flowers shall I wear 
 roses, or lilies of the valley? " 
 
 " I am sure I don't know," Fay answered, lost in 
 her dreams. 
 
 Gemma, deeply hurt at this indifference in an 
 affair of so great importance, followed her through 
 the hall and parted from her without the customary 
 show of affection. 
 
 186
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 
 SOMEONE has said that every event in this world 
 takes its coloring from the point of view. It would 
 have been interesting to study the impression made 
 on the minds of the thousands of men and women 
 who were assembled in the Church of Saint Peter 
 by the function which took place on December 6, 
 1905. Pius X, a simple-hearted peasant Pope, was 
 to crown the pictured head of the Virgin Mary with 
 a circlet composed of diamonds and other sparkling 
 precious stones, which had cost thirty thousand dol- 
 lars. Cardinals, bishops, and priests had come to 
 Rome for this fiftieth anniversary of Pius IXth's 
 promulgation of the doctrine of Mary's immaculate 
 conception. Even now, in the early hours of a cold 
 winter day, the procession was entering the building, 
 a procession so gorgeous, so stately, that rarely has 
 the Roman Catholic Church produced its equal. 
 
 The Pope, borne upon the chair of state, was 
 robed in all the rich and costly vestments which were 
 his by pontifical right. The cardinals, in purple gar- 
 ments, passed slowly by. It was a scene long to be 
 remembered, if not reverently, at least as a grand 
 theatrical display and shimmer of silk and gold em- 
 broidery, brightened by the jewel colors which fil- 
 tered through century-old windows of rare glass. 
 Some of the thousands of spectators bowed rever- 
 
 187
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 ently, as the Pope held out his hand in apostolic and 
 pontifical benediction; others looked on with 
 curiosity, some with amusement, as if they were 
 gratified and diverted by the unusual display. 
 
 The Lapeers were all there, occupying specially 
 fine places, thanks to Cardinal Perotti's wise fore- 
 thought and his respect for the millions which the 
 three ladies represented. With them was Lady 
 Eger, who was looking pale and thin. 
 
 Far back in the procession, among the humbler 
 clergy, was Don Paolo, who had taken his place un- 
 willingly, and with a feeling of sadness which he 
 was unable to overcome. What a farce it appeared 
 to him, this show of state, the wealth of vestments, 
 this mockery of religion! He had begun to drink 
 deeply at the pure fountain of spiritual truth as 
 taught by Christ himself. The function of today, 
 the offering to the Virgin of an almost pagan idol- 
 atry, an idolatry which could only be unpleasing to 
 the humble mother of our Lord, was distasteful to 
 Don Paolo, who endured it for two reasons : one was 
 a feeling of gratitude and respect to Padre Veroni ; 
 the other, because of his affection for an old woman 
 who knelt yonder by the pillar, her black-veiled head 
 bowed over her rosary which she turned in hard, 
 knotted hands, worn by heavy work in the fields far 
 from Rome. It was Aunt Rosina, her long-cherished 
 desire fulfilled by this pilgrimage to what she con- 
 sidered the Holy City. He could not disappoint 
 her ; once more, and once only, and then, farewell to 
 
 1 88
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 all these associations and a beginning of a new and 
 better life, devoted to God's service, if it please him. 
 Don Paolo knelt also, and there, deaf to all that 
 was passing around him, regardless of the music, 
 the prayers, the intoning, he consecrated himself to 
 God's work, ready to accept hardships, disgrace in 
 the sight of those who had been his friends, and 
 ostracism from all Roman Catholics. The path 
 would be stony and hard, but there was One who 
 had " trod the winepress alone," whose hands and 
 feet had been pierced with nails, who would go with 
 him, close by his side. He would not be alone. A 
 great peace filled Don Paolo's soul, and when Janet 
 saw his face, as the procession filed slowly by on its 
 return to the Vatican, she wondered at the singular 
 light which illuminated and ennobled it. 
 
 The Lapeer party had closely observed the entire 
 function, but with totally different feelings. Mrs. 
 Lapeer was intensely interested in the vestments and 
 the different robes of cardinals, bishops, and priests. 
 Janet was puzzling out for herself the whole ques- 
 tion of whys and wherefores, analyzing it more or 
 less critically, until the personal element entered into 
 it, and she forgot criticism in extreme anxiety. 
 Lady Eger was on her knees, as the Pope was car- 
 ried by, and, to Janet's horror, Fay, her sister Fay, 
 with an abrupt movement, sank down reverently, 
 bowed her fair head beneath the benediction of the 
 Pope, and crossed herself as fervently as if she had 
 been a Roman Catholic all her life. 
 
 189
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Mrs. Gray shot a glance at Mrs. Lapeer, who 
 appeared to be calm and unmoved by this strange 
 occurrence. 
 
 " You would have supposed that she was accus- 
 tomed to seeing Fay act that way," Mrs. Gray said, 
 excitedly, to her husband in the privacy of their 
 own room at the pension, an hour later. 
 
 Mr. Gray smoked, calmly. 
 
 " No doubt she is very much pleased," he re- 
 sponded, at last. 
 
 " Pleased ! What do you mean, Henry ? Pleased 
 that her daughter should turn Catholic ! " 
 
 " Hasn't she been hobnobbing with priests for 
 some time? Doesn't she want Fay to marry the 
 marquis who comes here so often? My dear 
 Mary," Mr. Gray laid down his cigar and stood 
 up in front of his wife, " these priests play their 
 game mighty well. They don't spend any time over 
 us honest fellows who keep our wits about us ; we 
 are too hard to deal with. They take hold of the 
 widows and the fatherless always providing they 
 have plenty of money and gently beguile them by 
 means of theatrical exhibitions and good music, 
 and make them believe that they are becoming spir- 
 itual, religious! Bah! it is unbearable." 
 
 " But, Henry, Grace Lapeer is not a fool. She 
 attends to all her own business affairs as well as 
 any man." 
 
 " Not by any means a fool, my dear. But they 
 knew just where her tender spot was her ambition 
 
 190
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 for her children. They've caught Fay, poor girl! 
 But they'll never get Janet ! " 
 
 " Her face was as pale as a sheet." 
 
 " I'm sorry for Janet, and I'm sorry for them all, 
 Mary, for I feel that there are troubles ahead of 
 them. If we could help " 
 
 " I don't see how we can," sighed Mrs. Gray. 
 " It's that wily Lady Eger and that Italian priest " 
 
 " That are weaving the web. That's true enough, 
 but behind them, Mary, is a tremendous power, a 
 hierarchy so great, so ambitious, that it is using 
 every means to gain its own ends. America and 
 England will have to watch out, or they'll get caught 
 in the web, too. It's hard for us Anglo-Saxon 
 Protestants to get on to their methods, but, by Jove ! 
 if we don't do it soon, their methods will get on 
 to us!" 
 
 Mr. Gray took up his cigar, lighted it again, and 
 became absorbed in gloomy contemplation. 
 
 " Would it do any good for me to talk to 
 Grace ? " suggested Mrs. Gray at last. 
 
 " Not the slightest. Her head is full of nonsense. 
 I tell you, Mary, I'm not a very religious man, not 
 so much as I ought to be, but I'm convinced of one 
 thing. You good women must get down on your 
 knees, and pray, pray harder than you ever have in 
 your lives that God will take a hand in this matter." 
 
 191
 
 CHAPTER XVII 
 
 THE announcement of the betrothal of Marquis 
 di Cassini to a beautiful and wealthy American lady 
 caused a sensation in Rome. Mrs. Lapeer and her 
 daughters were no longer obscure and unknown 
 tourists; they became the center of interest, for the 
 moment, in both branches of society: to the 
 " Blacks " or those families whose sympathies 
 were strongly in favor of the papal party because 
 of the bigotry of the marchioness, and also to those 
 moving in political, liberal circles, to which the 
 marquis belonged. 
 
 Invitations were showered upon the Lapeers. 
 Carriages, whose doors were ornamented with 
 coronets or an elaborate coat-of-arms, were seen 
 daily in front of the pension. Congratulations, 
 bouquets of exquisite orchids or choice blossoms, 
 and even presents of costly jewels, were offered to 
 Fay, who, in the unusual excitement, became more 
 lovely and charming each clay. It was a new experi- 
 ence in the midst of novel surroundings, and Mrs. 
 Lapeer's head was almost turned by the adulation 
 which was given them. She hired an electric auto- 
 mobile, with properly liveried chauffeur and foot- 
 man, and, in company with her daughters, paid 
 visits, drove in the parks, or encircled the Pincian 
 Hill, joining the line of waiting vehicles to listen to 
 
 192
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 the music of the band, and receive compliments 
 from the gentlemen who came to speak to the ladies. 
 
 Father Veroni had been among the first to present 
 his good wishes to the future marchioness. Fay had 
 never thought him so pleasant or winning as when 
 he wished her every blessing. 
 
 " We shall soon welcome you to the Mother 
 Church, my dear young lady," he said, grasping her 
 hand, warmly. " When will you make your formal 
 declaration before the world? " 
 
 " When you desire it, Father Veroni," Fay 
 replied. 
 
 " You are absolutely certain of the wisdom of this 
 step?" he added, in apparent hesitation. "It will 
 make a difference in your life. It means and re- 
 quires a certain degree of separation from your 
 family and early associations; it may include the 
 sacrifice of your will to. the decrees of the Church." 
 
 " I am ready for all this," Fay replied, with 
 unusual firmness, for the priest's eye held hers. 
 With that penetrating gaze fixed upon them, many 
 men and women had been willing, even eager, to 
 resign all that was dear to them, for the sake of the 
 Church which he represented. 
 
 There was a slight expression of triumph in those 
 eyes, as Father Veroni said : " And your mother ? " 
 
 " My mother will not oppose my wishes. I have 
 hopes that she, too, may some day adopt the true 
 faith." 
 
 " Have you told your sister ? " 
 193
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 The question of Janet's conversion was one which 
 Padre Veroni had never discussed, even with him- 
 self. He had an instinctive feeling that it was not 
 possible. 
 
 For the first time, Fay's expression was saddened. 
 
 " No," she said, softly. " I am afraid." 
 
 "Fear not," replied the priest. " It is your fixed 
 purpose and desire to become a Roman Catholic, is it 
 not?" 
 
 " I have been one for some time already in my 
 heart." 
 
 " Then have no fear. Go boldly to your sister 
 and tell her all. She is a noble woman, and, though 
 she may differ with you in her religious views, she 
 will be too broad-minded to condemn you." How 
 well this priest understood Janet's character ! "You 
 may be the means of saving her soul." 
 
 Fay clasped her hands together, nervously. 
 
 " O, if it might be so ! I would make any sacri- 
 fice, do anything, if Janet could be brought to be- 
 lieve in the truth faith our faith ! " 
 
 Father Veroni studied the face before him. It 
 was full of beauty and sweetness, and he saw in it 
 exactly what he wanted to find, exactly what suited 
 his purposes, the characteristics of an enthusiast, a 
 fanatic. Once aroused in her affections, Fay Lapeer 
 would go to the extreme limit of self-sacrifice. She 
 was a girl of one idea. At present the Roman 
 Catholic Church exercised its power over her and 
 she was absorbed in the new faith. 
 
 .194
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " That is the spirit which animated the saints 
 and martyrs," said Father Veroni, softly, watching 
 the effect of his words. The girl's soul was like an 
 exquisite instrument, on which he must play gently, 
 with skilled touch. " They were ready to die for 
 their religion. May I say one thing more? The 
 Marquis di Cassini, though born of a pious mother, 
 shows a decided leaning toward liberal views. It 
 has saddened me greatly and I am building strong 
 hopes on your influence over him. Who knows? 
 You may be the means of drawing him back, of 
 holding him to the Church. In these days, when 
 her enemies are so powerful, she has need of such 
 men as the marquis. Perhaps it was for this pur- 
 pose that you came to Rome, that you met the mar- 
 quis, and became betrothed to him." 
 
 Fay was now completely carried away with en- 
 thusiasm. Her eyes shone with unusual brilliancy 
 and the priest felt a thrill of self-reproach. 
 
 " It is worth a sacrifice, is it not ? " he asked. 
 
 " Yes," she replied, simply, and he knew that the 
 seed so carefully planted had fallen on good ground 
 and would bear fruit. 
 
 Father Veroni left her and went out into the 
 street, walking slowly toward his home. 
 
 " How the girl loves that man ! " he thought, 
 " and it is through this love that we must work. If 
 the marquis will yield to her influence, all will be 
 well. If not, he must bear the consequences of his 
 stubbornness and folly. Lady Eger will help but 
 
 195
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 sometimes I have doubts of Lady Eger, As her 
 physical strength diminishes, her mind reverts to 
 her early life, to her husband and child ; her affection 
 for the Church is lessened by these earthly ties. I 
 must go more frequently to see her. It has been my 
 observation that, in such cases, the personal element 
 is very powerful, the influence of mind upon mind 
 is important." 
 
 There was a peculiar smile on Father Veroni's 
 lips which implied certain agreeable recollections. 
 This smile changed suddenly to a frown. Was that 
 Don Paolo crossing the street and entering the 
 Protestant building, on which the white marble 
 cross, surmounting the church door, glistened in the 
 bright sunshine ? It certainly was the young priest ! 
 He had courage to do this bold act in broad day- 
 light. 
 
 " Going to Pierce! " muttered Padre Veroni. " I 
 fear that he is lost to us. He has a brilliant mind 
 and unusual ability, but these are combined with too 
 great a desire to speculate on religious questions 
 and be independent. What a fool the boy is! He 
 could be a bishop, or a cardinal, by exercising a 
 reasonable amount of prudence and keeping his 
 opinions to himself. But no; he must throw away 
 a successful future for an idea, a myth." 
 
 Occupied with these thoughts, Father Veroni 
 turned his steps toward the Vatican, to the apart- 
 ment of Cardinal Perotti. The result of his con- 
 versation with this prelate was the appearance at 
 
 196
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Don Paolo's door, the next day, of a spruce young 
 man who sent in a neatly engraved card bearing the 
 name : " Enrico Gardi, Secretary to His Eminence 
 Cardinal Perotti." 
 
 Don Paolo read the card twice before he spoke to 
 the servant who brought it to him. 
 
 " Ask the gentleman to come in," he said. 
 
 He glanced around the room with a smile which 
 denoted some amusement. The cardinal's secretary 
 would find food for surprise in his library. There 
 were no longer any signs of priestly life in it. The 
 ivory and ebony crucifix, a gift from Father Veroni, 
 had been removed from its place. There were no 
 pictures of the madonna, no photographs of well- 
 known shrines. With the exception of one or two 
 family portraits the walls were bare of ornament. 
 On the table lay a Bible, with several other Protes- 
 tant books by noted authors. The only touch of 
 color came from a beautiful rose in a plain glass 
 vase, standing where Don Paolo could enjoy its 
 loveliness and inhale its fragrance. 
 
 "You desired to see me?" he inquired, cour- 
 teously, when the cardinal's secretary entered. 
 
 " Yes, Reverenza. I bring a letter from his emi- 
 nence, Cardinal Perotti." 
 
 " Please be seated, sir." 
 
 Signer Gardi looked around him with interest. 
 His eyes saw even the smallest details. Last of all, 
 they rested on the priest. The secretary knew a 
 good deal about Don Paolo ; his ears were ever open 
 
 197
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 to catch the lightest word. He knew that the priest 
 was called the " Silver-tongued," and that common 
 report said that Father Veroni loved him better 
 than he did anyone else in the whole world. The 
 wily secretary surmised that there was a romance 
 somewhere, far back in the life of this cold, reserved 
 Jesuit. He knew, also, that Don Paolo was sus- 
 pected of a tendency toward heresy, and he shared 
 Father Veroni's opinion that he was a fool. 
 
 " The carriage is waiting? " asked Don Paolo, at 
 last. 
 
 " His eminence's carriage is at the door, 
 Reverenza." 
 
 " Then let us go at once." 
 
 His voice was calm and his step firm. Not even 
 the observant secretary suspected that his heart 
 fluttered like a woman's, and his prayer arose to 
 God for strength in the ordeal which he knew 
 awaited him. It was no light matter for a priest 
 to be called before a great cardinal, high in favor 
 at the Vatican. In a city where everyone is watched, 
 where every gesture, every word is supposed to have 
 a special signification, Don Paolo knew that he could 
 not go to the Protestant building without being 
 observed. He was an honorable, conscientious 
 man. He had entered the door openly and without 
 fear, being ready to suffer the extreme consequences 
 of his actions. 
 
 The secretary noticed with the satisfaction of one 
 who regards this life as a stage, on which men were 
 
 198
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 playing for evil or good for his amusement, that the 
 priest's cheeks were very pale when he was shown 
 into the immense library, where the cardinal and 
 Father Veroni were sitting. The room was in semi- 
 darkness. Its windows were shaded by the high 
 walls of surrounding sections of the Vatican Palace. 
 It was with sincere regret that the secretary reluc- 
 tantly closed the door, metaphorically dropping the 
 curtain of a play which promised to be interesting, 
 if not exciting. 
 
 " God help me! " murmured Paolo Gregori, going 
 slowly forward to the two men. 
 
 There was stillness in the spacious, vaulted room. 
 Don Paolo's footsteps were stifled in a thick Persian 
 carpet. Neither of those who were awaiting his 
 coming made any welcoming movement except to 
 offer him their white hands, which he kissed, accord- 
 ing to his lifelong habit when greeting a superior. 
 He stood in front of them like a culprit. 
 
 " Your Eminence wished to see me ? " he in- 
 quired, breaking the oppressive silence. The sound 
 of his own voice gave him courage. Into his mind 
 came those lines of Luther's hymn which had so 
 impressed him that evening when he heard them 
 sung in the Protestant church: 
 
 Let goods and kindred go, 
 This mortal life also; 
 The body they may kill, 
 God's truth abideth still, 
 His kingdom is forever. 
 199
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 "I did," replied the cardinal. "Pray take a 
 seat" 
 
 " If your Eminence permits, I prefer to stand." 
 
 " As you like." 
 
 There was a painful pause. Finally, the cardinal 
 spoke. 
 
 " It is better for us to go directly to the point, 
 Don Paolo. Perhaps you already suspect why we 
 have called you to our presence. Your own con- 
 science tells you." 
 
 Don Paolo did not reply. 
 
 " You are suspected of having heretical tenden- 
 cies. You have been seen reading books written by 
 Protestant authors and attending services in evan- 
 gelical churches. You are intimate with a well- 
 known evangelical minister and you associate with 
 Protestants. It is surmised that you desire to leave 
 the Church which has sheltered you, educated you, 
 fed and nurtured you, has given you, in short, all 
 that you have ever had." 
 
 For the first time Don Paolo flushed deeply. To 
 be accused of holding one's own opinions is not 
 insulting; to be accused of base ingratitude is quite 
 another matter, and wounds a sensitive soul. He 
 glanced at Father Veroni, who was shading his face 
 with his hand. 
 
 "Are these things true?" asked the cardinal. 
 
 " It is true that I have sought to know more of 
 God's truth ; it is true that I have read the Protestant 
 Bible and many other books dealing with evangelical 
 
 200
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 questions. It is true that I have learned much from 
 the Protestant pastor to whom you refer and from 
 other good men. But it is not true that I am in- 
 sensible to the kindness and favor which I have re- 
 ceived from my childhood. No, no! that is not 
 true. Father Veroni knows that I can never repay 
 the debt I owe him for all that he has done for me." 
 Father Veroni moved impatiently. " But I am a 
 man, and claim a man's right to think and judge 
 for myself. I can no longer allow the Church to 
 decide for me." 
 
 The cardinal looked at him reprovingly, yet with 
 a curious air. 
 
 " It is not necessary to get excited. We want 
 plain facts. You have acknowledged that the accu- 
 sations are true." 
 
 " The first part of your Eminence's accusations 
 is true." 
 
 Again, for a long moment, there was perfect 
 silence in the immense room. 
 
 " Will you tell us," said Father Veroni, " why 
 you are willing tq confess all this ? Why don't you 
 keep silent? You could continue in the priesthood, 
 do your duty faithfully toward the Church, and 
 think as you please. Tell us why ! " 
 
 Father Veroni had removed his hand from his 
 eyes and gazed at Paolo with curiosity. He wanted 
 to know what the power was which gave the boy 
 courage to confess his convictions, to stand up 
 bravely in the cardinal's presence. 
 
 201
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 The young priest's expression changed. It be- 
 came indescribably sweet and winning. 
 
 " At first, I wanted to stay in the Church and 
 think as I pleased, obeying her commands and doing 
 my duty toward her. I soon found that this was 
 impossible for me. I could not be a hypocrite. I 
 had found Jesus," he added, softly. 
 
 " What ! " exclaimed both the cardinal and Father 
 Veroni. "You did what?" 
 
 " I found Jesus," repeated Don Paolo, " and he 
 forgave me my sins, he pardoned my transgressions, 
 he led me out of darkness into a great light, he filled 
 my soul with his Spirit and love and bade me take 
 courage and follow him. I must follow my Master 
 openly." 
 
 The cardinal spoke to Padre Veroni in an under- 
 tone. The priest rose suddenly, came to Paolo's 
 side, and, in those tones which so often strangely 
 moved the hearts of men, began to speak. 
 
 " Paolo, my son, I love thee. I have loved thee 
 since the day when thy mother begged me to care 
 for thee as thy dead father would have done. Be 
 not carried away by strange doctrines. Forget these 
 things which have enticed thee from thy Church; 
 put thine heart into thy work. All will be forgiven. 
 There is a brilliant future before thee. Cardinal 
 Perotti will be thy friend. I will assist thee to rise 
 high, higher than thine ambitious thoughts can lead 
 thee to imagine. Thou hast wonderful gifts in 
 speech ; use them for the Church and she will reward 
 
 202
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 thee. Forsake not thy Church and those who love 
 thee. Stay with us, Paolo, my son." 
 
 Don Paolo trembled. " The way is hard, O 
 Lord ! " he said within his soul. He knew that 
 Father Veroni would never have stooped to plead 
 thus with a humble young priest, if he had not loved 
 him. And he knew, too, that there were very few 
 men whom Padre Veroni loved. The words of the 
 man who had been all to him that a father could 
 have been, moved him powerfully. 
 
 " I cannot," he murmured. " I must follow my 
 Lord, even though the way be dark and the path 
 stormy." 
 
 " Think again," continued Father Veroni. 
 " With us, all that the heart of man desires ; with 
 the Protestants, suffering, poverty, humiliation." 
 
 Paolo took Father Veroni's hand and clasped it 
 in both of his hands. 
 
 " My father, I cannot. I love you and thank you, 
 and would gladly remain, if I could." 
 
 Father Veroni drew his hand away, abruptly, 
 almost violently. Without another word he left the 
 library. 
 
 The cardinal touched a bell and the secretary ap- 
 peared, round-eyed and observant. 
 
 " Accompany Don Paolo to the door," he said. 
 
 Acknowledging courteously the salutation of Don 
 Paolo, the cardinal remained seated in his armchair, 
 tapping his ringers impatiently on the desk beside 
 him, and pondering many questions which concerned 
 
 203
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 the future of his Church. He was not specially agi- 
 tated over the fact that a young priest had adopted 
 Protestant views and wished to leave the Church. 
 One priest, more or less, made little difference, for 
 it was a great organization and could afford to lose 
 dissatisfied members. His eminence smiled grimly, 
 as he thought that three hundred years before a 
 rebellious priest would not have been treated so 
 gently; he would have suddenly retired from public 
 life to spend his remaining days in repentance for 
 his sins in some obscure monastery, which was prac- 
 tically a prison. In the twentieth century, one used 
 other means of bringing the refractory youth to his 
 senses; excommunication, social ostracism, separa- 
 tion from family these were powerful weapons. 
 
 The cardinal yawned and rang the bell for light. 
 He had only entered into this affair to gratify Father 
 Veroni, who was influential and would, doubtless, be 
 appointed a cardinal at the next Consistory. Padre 
 Veroni's weakness was his extraordinary affection 
 for Paolo Gregori. 
 
 It was not the loss of this one priest that disturbed 
 Cardinal Perotti's peace of mind. Unfortunately, 
 this was but an instance, a sign of the times. In the 
 Church and priesthood there were hundreds, perhaps 
 thousands, who were doing their duty and thinking 
 as they pleased. What did this presage for the 
 future reform or revolt? 
 
 204
 
 CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 THE die was cast, no matter what the result might 
 be. In spite of his exalted mood and the knowledge 
 that he had acted according to the dictates of his 
 conscience, Paolo could not control the tremor of 
 excitement which agitated him. Would the cardinal 
 and Father Veroni try to prevent his withdrawal 
 from the priesthood ? If so, by what means ? The 
 uncertainty of his future did not trouble him. He 
 was young, strong, and courageous. 
 
 After leaving the cardinal's apartment he walked 
 slowly through the narrow dark streets which are 
 near the Vatican Palace, crossed the bridge spanning 
 the sluggishly flowing Tiber, and continued his way 
 along the busy Corso Vittorio Emmanuele. People 
 jostled him, but he did not notice them. Wagons 
 rattled by and small boys interfered with his prog- 
 ress. He smiled gently and made room for them. 
 It was a day in late winter, and the windows of the 
 tall houses along the wide street were thrown open to 
 admit the mild, soft air. A basket of violets, purple 
 and fragrant, borne on the head of a peasant girl in 
 gay costume, attracted Paolo's attention and aroused 
 him from the consideration of several difficult ques- 
 tions. He purchased a small bunch for a penny and 
 walked on, holding them in his hand. 
 
 The modest little flowers, in their simple beauty, 
 205
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 cheered and comforted him. As if aided to a de- 
 cision, he went swiftly toward Mr. Pierce's home, 
 and found speedy entrance into that gentleman's 
 study. 
 
 " My dear Don Paolo," said Mr. Pierce. " Come 
 in, I am glad to see you." 
 
 As if afraid that he might weaken, if he delayed, 
 Paolo plunged at once into the subject which was 
 so important to him. 
 
 " I have just come from Cardinal Perotti." 
 
 Mr. Pierce raised his eyebrows questioningly. 
 
 " He and Father Veroni asked me many things, 
 to which I replied as truthfully as I could. It is 
 now decided, Signor Pierce. I am ready to leave the 
 priesthood." 
 
 He drew a long breath. 
 
 " God will surely bless you ! " exclaimed Mr. 
 Pierce, heartily. " What are your plans ? " 
 
 " I have none, sir, except to lay aside this robe." 
 
 " Is there anything in the line of work that you 
 know how to do? " 
 
 Mr. Pierce could surmise the answer to this ques- 
 tion. Don Paolo was only one of many priests who 
 came to him, expressing a desire to leave the Church. 
 Some of them wished the promise of a comfortable 
 support if they resigned their clerical profession, 
 and these went away disappointed. In spite of re- 
 ports to the contrary, the Protestant Church held out 
 no golden inducements. Others had private reasons 
 for forsaking their religion ; they were not on good 
 
 206
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 terms with their bishops; they had misbehaved or 
 disobeyed, or they wished to resign their priestly 
 office in order to marry. Others were sincere, ready 
 to follow Christ at any cost, but they did not know 
 how to work at any trade or business. 
 
 Don Paolo's face grew grave. 
 
 " Mr. Pierce, I am ashamed to tell you that I have 
 spent all my life in monastery and school, and while 
 I can talk Latin and am well educated, having the 
 title of Doctor, I cannot work at any trade. If you 
 will help me, I will try to learn." 
 
 " That is the right spirit. Have you any private 
 means? " 
 
 " Only a few hundred francs left me by my 
 mother at her death. I have an old aunt who is very 
 poor. If I can earn enough to support myself, I 
 should like to give this to her. She will not need to 
 work so hard." 
 
 " Does she approve of your leaving the priest- 
 hood?" 
 
 " She does not know of my intention." 
 
 " And when she knows ? " 
 
 " She will curse the day that I was born into the 
 world to become an apostate," Paolo replied, sadly. 
 
 Mr. Pierce could not deny this statement. He 
 was experienced in the life of Rome, and had seen 
 and learned much during the five years of his resi- 
 dence there. He realized what it meant for a man 
 to leave the religion of his fathers, in a country 
 where Catholicism reigned supreme. It meant 
 
 207
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 separation from loved ones, ostracism by all good 
 Roman Catholics, and, very often, a life of hard- 
 ship. He remembered a morning when a young 
 man, who had been a priest but was then studying 
 for the Protestant ministry, came to him, with tears 
 in his eyes, and showed him a photograph of him- 
 self, across which his mother had written the one 
 word: "Traitor!" 
 
 " She has returned it to me, with my unopened 
 letters," he said, " and I shall never see her again." 
 
 A man must be a hero in Italy if he has the 
 courage to face the sorrow, disgrace, and humilia- 
 tion which are his lot as soon as he becomes a 
 Protestant. There are such heroes, and they live 
 and die nobly and bravely. 
 
 " There is a very small room downstairs behind 
 the church," Mr. Pierce said, rousing himself from 
 these thoughts. " It contains nothing but a bed, a 
 chair, and a washstand. The ceiling is low and 
 there is a small window, admitting little light. 
 It is all I can offer you. Will you accept it ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir, gladly." 
 
 " You may come as soon as you please, but you 
 know that we require a certificate of good conduct 
 from your bishop. Can you obtain that ? " 
 
 " Easily, provided Cardinal Perotti or Padre 
 Veroni do not interfere." 
 
 " It would be wise to attend to it at once. One 
 more thing. Are you willing to come to our church 
 on Sunday evening, and, wearing your priest's dress 
 
 208
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 for the last time, speak to the people and publicly 
 tell your experience and reasons for becoming an 
 evangelical ? " 
 
 " Certainly. I am not ashamed of what I have 
 done, nor am I afraid to tell about it before all the 
 people of Rome, even those at the Vatican." 
 
 These were bold words, but were spoken with 
 such simplicity that they were very impressive, and 
 Mr. Pierce felt, to a greater degree than before, that 
 the priest would be a power for good among his 
 own people. 
 
 " In the meantime," continued Don Paolo, " I 
 will make my final arrangements and will seek for 
 work, although I suppose no one will employ me if 
 they see that I am a priest." 
 
 Mr. Pierce suppressed a smile as he noted the 
 scholarly, cultured face, the delicate white hands of 
 this man who had passed his life in the cloisters of 
 a monastery and in the college. But he made no re- 
 mark. Let him seek for work and prove what sort 
 of metal was in him. Many of the priests desired to 
 study for the ministry at once. Paolo Gregori had 
 made no such suggestion, nor had he asked for 
 money. 
 
 There was no difficulty about obtaining the cer- 
 tificate of good conduct from the bishop. Ap- 
 parently the cardinal and Father Veroni had not 
 considered the matter of sufficient importance to 
 warrant their interference. To be sure, the docu- 
 ment was accompanied by a severe letter from his 
 
 209
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 superior, condemning Paolo's action, accusing him 
 of base motives for leaving the Church, and bewail- 
 ing the liberal spirit of the times. Paolo was now 
 free to follow his own inclinations. He wrote a 
 very affectionate letter to his aunt on Saturday 
 morning, and after mailing it at a box on the near- 
 est street corner he walked slowly to the Monastery 
 on the hillside. 
 
 Try as we will, we cannot altogether ignore or 
 forget old friends or early associations, even though 
 the path, which opens before us, leads in a totally 
 different direction toward a goal of our own choos- 
 ing. The monks in the cloisters, the roses in the 
 garden, the grape arbors, shading moss-grown 
 paths, even old Frou-Frou on his perch by the 
 kitchen door, were dear to Paolo Gregori. He knew 
 that he should find Fra Antonio busy in the garden 
 this fine morning, preparing the ground for the seeds 
 of flowers and vegetables. Yes, there he was, bend- 
 ing laboriously over his task, sifting the earth in his 
 fingers, gently and carefully, as if he loved it. He 
 began to grow old, did Fra Antonio, and when he 
 raised his head at the sound of footsteps, his sight 
 was blurred, and he did not recognize " the boy " 
 until he was very close to him. 
 
 " It is thou, Paolo, at last ! " he exclaimed. 
 " Why hast thou forsaken thine old friend ? It is 
 a long time since thou wast here ! We have longed 
 for thee." 
 
 " I have been busy, dear Fra Antonio," Paolo 
 210
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 replied, evasively. " You are tired, Brother. Come 
 and sit down on the bench and rest while we talk. 
 I have something to tell you." 
 
 " It is good for old bones to rest a while. The 
 work is hard, boy." 
 
 " But you love it." 
 
 " Yes. I love it. I should have come to thee, to 
 see how the world treats thee, but I hated to leave 
 my garden and my flowers." 
 
 " I fear that you love your garden and your 
 flowers better than you do your prayers and pen- 
 ance," responded Paolo, mischievously. 
 
 Fra Antonio threw a quick glance at him and then 
 lowered his eyes demurely, making no reply. 
 
 The air in the Monastery garden was redolent 
 with odors of spring, although snow lay, white and 
 glistening, on the summit of the Sabine Hills, far 
 away on the borders of the Campagna. Insects, 
 heralds of warm weather, were buzzing around the 
 early blossoms which were already turning their 
 faces upward to the sun. Here, in the garden, white 
 crocuses, masses of blue violets, yellow daffodils and 
 golden-hearted jonquils were already in bloom, 
 
 " What is the matter with thee ? " Fra Antonio 
 asked, suddenly, laying his horny, brown hand on 
 Paolo's white one. " Thou lookest pale and weary. 
 Thou hast changed much since that day when I 
 gathered the grapes from yonder arbor." 
 
 " And gave me the smallest bunch you could find, 
 bad Brother Antonio ! I have come to tell you some- 
 
 211
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 thing. Tomorrow evening, I go to the Protestant 
 church you know where the big building is?" 
 
 The monk nodded assent. 
 
 " And, for the last time, I shall wear this priest's 
 gown. I am going to become an evangelical." 
 
 Holding his breath, Paolo waited for an outbreak 
 of indignation. To his astonishment, none came. 
 Fra Antonio still grasped his hand, affectionately, 
 and his gaze was fixed upon a cluster of violets 
 growing at the foot of a large rose tree. A strange 
 smile was on the old monk's lips. Finally, he turned 
 and his eyes met Paolo's. There was a smile in 
 his eyes also. 
 
 " It was scarcely necessary that thou shouldest 
 tell me this. I have known for a long time that 
 some conflict was taking place in thy mind. Even 
 as a child thou wishedst always to know the reasons 
 for everything. The iron bands of our Church 
 which hold us closely confined to her decrees were 
 too tight for thee. Thou art not willing to believe 
 as she says and do as she bids, but thou must find 
 out for thyself." 
 
 " Not exactly that," objected Paolo. 
 
 Fra Antonio continued : " Were I twenty years 
 younger, I would go with thee, but now, it is too 
 late." 
 
 These words were so totally unexpected, that 
 Paolo was speechless with surprise. The idea, that 
 in the dull brain of the monk, who seemed to know 
 little except his gardening and pruning, there had 
 
 212
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 been doubts and uncertainties, was a new one to 
 him. 
 
 " It will not be possible for thee to come and see 
 me again, Paolo, but I will come to thee." 
 
 " And leave your garden and flowers, Brother ? " 
 
 " Yes, for love of thee." 
 
 There were tears now in the monk's eyes. 
 
 Paolo put his arm around him. 
 
 " Come out into the world with me, Brother 
 Antonio. I will work for us both." 
 
 " I dare not leave the Monastery. I am an old 
 man and my heart is here with my flowers. Thou 
 wilt work, thou sayest, out in the wide world? 
 I fear thou wilt starve, my boy! What canst thou 
 do for a living? " 
 
 "Little, I fear; but I will try to learn. Why 
 didn't you teach me the gardening trade, Fra 
 Antonio? Then I might be a useful workingman." 
 
 Fra Antonio laughed. 
 
 " Because thou lovedst thy books better than my 
 flowers and vegetables. Thou art a scholar, and I, 
 a gardener. Each has his place, and thou wilt find 
 thy work out yonder, but it will not be digging or 
 planting. Thou wast surprised that I showed so 
 little astonishment when thou didst tell me thy 
 secret. We have ours, too, in the Monastery." 
 
 Very cautiously, and with many a glance around 
 him to see whether he was being watched by any 
 of the monks, Fra Antonio drew a folded newspaper 
 from a big pocket beneath his coarse brown frock 
 
 213
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 and handed it to Paolo. Opening it, the heading in 
 large letters, " L'Evangelista," was plainly visible. 
 
 " It is one of the Protestant newspapers ! " ex- 
 claimed Paolo. " Where did you get it ? " 
 
 " Did I not tell thee that we, too, have our 
 secrets ? " 
 
 " Where did you get it? " repeated Paolo. 
 
 " Thou willst not tell ? " The monk's tone was 
 questioning and doubtful. 
 
 " Of course not." 
 
 " Fra Silvestro has a brother who was a Fran- 
 ciscan friar not in this Monastery but who be- 
 came an evangelical and is now a minister. A friend 
 of his gives Fra Silvestro the paper every week. We 
 pass it around from one to the other of the monks 
 who are to be trusted." 
 
 " It is dangerous. Suppose the Superior should 
 find it out." 
 
 Fra Antonio shrugged his shoulders. 
 
 " That is a possibility at any moment. Since his 
 brother left the Monastery, Fra Silvestro has been 
 somewhat under suspicion." 
 
 " I will provide you with more good reading mat- 
 ter, Fra Antonio. But the sun is setting and I must 
 go. The Abbot will not invite me to remain to sup- 
 per tonight." 
 
 " He does not know what you intend to do." 
 
 " I am not so sure about that. What Padre 
 Veroni knows about me, he has probably told the 
 Abbot. I am under the ban." 
 
 214
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " Is Padre Veroni very angry with thee ? " 
 
 " He is grieved and hurt. However, he will soon 
 forget so humble a person as Paolo Gregori." 
 
 " Addio," said the monk ; " I will come to see thee, 
 but thou must send me word where to find thee." 
 
 "I will do so," replied Paolo. "Addio, Fra 
 Antonio." 
 
 The old monk shook his head slowly when he was 
 alone. " Padre Veroni does not forget easily/' he 
 muttered, " but in the midst of his great schemes he 
 may let little grievances go unremembered." 
 
 215
 
 CHAPTER XIX 
 
 SIR JOHN HAMILTON accompanied Janet to the 
 Protestant church on the Sunday evening when Don 
 Paolo was to speak to the people and wear his black 
 robes for the last time. The hall was already full 
 when they entered it, and it was difficult for them 
 to find a seat. It was not an unusual occurrence for 
 a priest to leave the Roman Catholic Church, or for 
 him to speak publicly in this edifice, but in the case 
 of Paolo Gregori, the interest was accentuated by the 
 fact that he had already gained considerable reputa- 
 tion as a preacher, and that he was a canon of one 
 of the largest churches in Rome. 
 
 Don Paolo's face was very pale and his hands 
 trembled. It was a crucial moment for him, and, 
 notwithstanding his sincere conviction that he was 
 doing right, and his absolute willingness to make a 
 public statement, he was nervous. This feeling left 
 him, however, when he arose to address the large 
 audience. People were coming in from the street, 
 for the service was held at an hour when many 
 pedestrians were passing by, and when they saw a 
 priest in the pulpit they pushed up toward the front, 
 until the aisles were crowded with interested listen- 
 ers. An Italian congregation is frequently com- 
 posed of restless, moving men and women ; tonight 
 they were quiet, held by the spell of a powerful 
 
 216
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 orator, who spoke words which came directly from 
 his heart. There was no abuse of the Roman Cath- 
 olic Church, no condemnation of its doctrines, except 
 when necessary to explain his own position. Paolo 
 Gregori told the simple story of his conversion, of 
 the wonderful manner in which he had been led to 
 know the Saviour, not through forms and cere- 
 monies, not through the mass, but through God's 
 Holy Spirit working upon his heart. He had real- 
 ized that Christ died for him, a sinner, and by 
 direct access to his Lord, through prayer, he had 
 obtained forgiveness of his sins. 
 
 All this he narrated in such simple, yet eloquent 
 language, that the hundreds of listeners remained, 
 spellbound, until the last word had been spoken, and, 
 at the close, they silently left the church. 
 
 That night Paolo Gregori, no longer a priest, 
 knelt beside his plain iron bed in a humbler room 
 than the cell which he had occupied in the Mon- 
 astery. His soul was full of peace, even though a 
 strange and, perhaps, precarious future lay before 
 him. He did not know what difficulties he might 
 have to confront. God's peace was his, and he in- 
 tended to go bravely forward. 
 
 Folding his priest's garments, he laid them aside, 
 and in the morning, dressed in plain clothes, for the 
 first time since he was a boy, he went out into the 
 streets, to seek work which would keep him from 
 starving. 
 
 ' That young man is a remarkable speaker," said 
 217
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Sir John, as he and Janet walked back to the 
 pension. 
 
 " I could not understand much of what he said, 
 but it must have been impressive or the people would 
 not have listened so well. I noticed several men who 
 nodded their heads approvingly at some of his 
 statements. And there was only one man who 
 hissed." 
 
 " Yes. Those who sat near him frowned him 
 down. I can never get over wondering why people 
 here in Rome listen so quietly to such an address 
 as that. In England or America, it would almost 
 be thought necessary to call in a guard of police on 
 such an occasion, for fear of a hostile demonstra- 
 tion. But here in Rome, in the very heart of Cathol- 
 icism, one hears scarcely a murmur of disapproval; 
 and it is not necessary to get the young priest out 
 safely by a back door. I like that fellow. He is 
 sincere. I must ask Pierce what I can do to help 
 him. Perhaps he does not realize what an uphill 
 life he will have here. To tell the truth, Miss 
 Lapeer, I admire their courage immensely when 
 they leave the priesthood. They fight against tre- 
 mendous odds. The Church is very powerful and 
 controls many branches of business, as well as pretty 
 nearly everything else, except the government, and, 
 in regard to that, the Vatican party is only biding 
 its time." 
 
 " Yes," said Janet. 
 
 Sir John noticed the tone of weariness and un- 
 218
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 derstood it so well that he stopped talking and con- 
 tented himself by showing his sympathy in that way. 
 
 Fay had now openly joined the Roman Catholic 
 Church, and Janet felt that the inevitable separation 
 between the sister, whom she so dearly loved, and 
 herself, had already begun. She had made every 
 effort to hide her sorrow when Fay, evidently very 
 nervous, had told her of her intentions. 
 
 Janet had endeavored to sympathize as much as 
 possible with her sister's views. How Fay could 
 change her faith, Janet, with her nature, could not 
 understand. If, however, Fay felt that she was 
 doing right, she would not argue the question, but 
 would accept the situation, much as it pained her. 
 With the hope that, after all, they might not be 
 separated in their love for each other, even though 
 their religious views were so different, Janet ac- 
 companied her mother to the little church where Fay 
 was rebaptized in the Roman Catholic faith. 
 
 Mrs. Lapeer remained placid under these new cir- 
 cumstances, and seemed to consider Fay's change 
 of religion a necessary part of her marriage to the 
 marquis. 
 
 Strange to say, it was her future husband who 
 made the most serious objection to her conversion. 
 He told Fay plainly that, as far as he was con- 
 cerned, although he was a Roman Catholic by bap- 
 tism, and would probably have the last sacraments 
 administered in case he was near death, " as a mat- 
 ter of precaution," he added, smiling satirically, he 
 
 219
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 had not the slightest objection to marrying a Prot- 
 estant ; in fact, rather preferred it, for reasons of his 
 own. She need not trouble to change her faith on 
 his account. 
 
 When Fay assured him that she was not taking 
 this step on his account, but because she wanted to, 
 the marquis shrugged his shoulders, twisted his 
 moustache nervously, and told her that she was, of 
 course, at liberty to worship God as she preferred. 
 
 Sir John knew, as well as Janet did, that his sister 
 was responsible for much of this change of view; 
 her influence over Fay had been unusual. When 
 the big man from the ranch in California first 
 learned that Fay was to be rebaptized as a Roman 
 Catholic he put on his hat and fled to his customary 
 place of refuge, the broad and lonely Campagna, 
 where he could work off his excitement in walking 
 very fast, imagining himself to be on a prairie which 
 he loved out in the far West. His anger was not 
 directed against his sister ; he considered her to be a 
 mere tool in the hands of a priest who was wily, 
 powerful and accomplished in the knowledge of 
 human nature and its weaknesses. Lady Eger was 
 failing, slowly, surely, and her condition aroused 
 Fay's deep sympathy. She spent hours in the in- 
 valid's room, and on sunny, warm days they drove 
 out together, going frequently to the convent where 
 Floria di Cassini was, or to other convents which 
 Lady Eger loved to visit. 
 
 The marquis urged a speedy marriage, but, to the 
 220
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 surprise of Mrs. Lapeer and Janet, and in spite of 
 her mother's remonstrances, Fay refused to consider 
 any fixed date. There was no sign that she re- 
 gretted her engagement, for it was very evident that 
 she dearly loved the man whom she was to marry. 
 
 On closer acquaintance, Janet had grown to re- 
 spect the marquis more and more. He had proved 
 himself to be a nobleman in more than name, a man 
 of strong character, firm will and profound convic- 
 tions. Janet felt that since this union had come 
 about so naturally, it must be right. She wondered 
 at Fay's hesitation in regard to the date of the mar- 
 riage, which was to take place, according to the 
 general consent, during the spring months. 
 
 Lent began late that year, and after a series of 
 carnival festivities, of late hours and much gayety, 
 Fay devoted herself, with the zeal of a young con- 
 vert, to prayer and fasting. Hour after hour she 
 passed in Lady Eger's quiet room, which the invalid 
 rarely left now. Twice a week she went to the con- 
 vent where Floria was preparing for the final taking 
 of the veil, which would divide her forever from 
 her family and the world. The American girl in- 
 variably returned from these visits in an absorbed, 
 dreamy frame of mind, and they were followed by 
 long fasting and nightly devotions, which lasted 
 until dawn lightened the eastern sky with its mystic 
 glow. Several times Romilda found her lying in a 
 faint on the floor in front of the crucifix, fastened 
 to the wall over a priedieu. 
 
 221
 
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 The maid gently lifted her young mistress and, 
 laying her on the bed, called Janet. Together, they 
 gave her restoratives until the beautiful dark blue 
 eyes, which the marquis compared to Roman violets, 
 opened, and she threw her arms around Janet's 
 neck. 
 
 It was after such occurrences as these that 
 Romilda would go about for hours with a sullen 
 face, and was heard to mutter words about 
 " priests " and " foolishness " and " killing Miss 
 Fay." Romilda was warm-hearted and affectionate, 
 so grateful for the money which had effected her 
 escape from a life which she detested, that she would 
 have made any sacrifice for Janet or Fay. 
 
 Romilda became so disturbed at last that she sum- 
 moned up courage to meet the marquis in the hall 
 one evening when he came. Nervously twisting her 
 apron, and with cheeks that burned with fear be- 
 cause of her temerity in addressing him, she told 
 him the truth, how Miss Fay was growing thin 
 from her long prayers and loss of sleep. 
 
 Very much troubled by this information, the mar- 
 quis thanked Romilda, putting a piece of silver into 
 her hands which brought a smile to her face, and 
 entered Mrs. Lapeer's private parlor. Sir John was 
 translating an editorial in the evening paper, and the 
 marquis motioned him to continue,, seating himself 
 after a silent greeting to the three ladies. His in- 
 terest was aroused when he found that it referred 
 to the bill concerning Saint Joseph's College at 
 
 222
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 V . This bill was soon to come up before Parlia- 
 ment and it had already aroused a great deal of dis- 
 cussion in the press. 
 
 " What do you think of it? " inquired Sir John, 
 when he had finished reading. " Of course, this is a 
 Liberal paper and this editorial is written from that 
 standpoint." 
 
 " And for that reason must be prejudiced," inter- 
 rupted Fay. 
 
 The marquis smiled at her enthusiasm and re- 
 plied: "I think it is a fair and just statement. 
 There is no more reason why the government should 
 consent to favor this bill for Saint Joseph's School 
 than for many other such institutions now main- 
 tained by the Church in Italy. It is a precedent, and 
 ought not to be passed." 
 
 " Then you will vote against it ? " said Sir John, 
 looking at the marquis with some curiosity. 
 
 " Such is my intention. By the way, it is very 
 probable that the bill will come up on Thursday 
 afternoon. Would you enjoy hearing the debate? " 
 
 " I should be greatly interested." 
 
 "And the ladies also?" 
 
 Janet replied that she would like very much to 
 
 go- 
 Noticing that Fay had left the room, the marquis 
 followed her into a small library, not hearing the 
 words which Sir John spoke to Janet in an under- 
 tone : " I can't help liking him ! He is a man." 
 Fay was standing at the window, looking out into 
 223
 
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 the dark street with eyes which saw nothing. At 
 the sound of footsteps she turned and Guido was 
 startled to see that she had been weeping. 
 
 " Fay," he said, tenderly, " what is the matter, 
 darling? Why do you cry ?" 
 
 " Guido," she replied, laying her hand on his arm, 
 " promise me something. I have asked few favors 
 from you." 
 
 " If it is in my power, I will gladly do what you 
 wish." 
 
 " Please vote in favor of that bill on Thursday." 
 
 He gazed at her in astonishment. What possible 
 interest could Fay Lapeer have in a bill which con- 
 cerned Saint Joseph's College at V ? It seemed 
 so absurd that he smiled. 
 
 "Is that what your heart is set on, dear? Are 
 these tears for Saint Joseph's College? Dear Fay, 
 it is a question more important than you think, for 
 you know little of our politics here in Italy. Believe 
 me, I do not want you to enter into such matters. 
 Leave it to us, and occupy your mind with pretty 
 clothes and books and flowers. They are more suit- 
 able than politics for a beautiful woman." 
 
 " You will not vote against it, Guido," she per- 
 sisted, ignoring his jesting words. " For my sake, 
 you will not. I plead with you. I feel that such an 
 action will bring disaster and trouble upon us." 
 
 " You are overwrought," he responded. " Sit 
 down here and let us talk it over. Were you up 
 all night, praying? You will kill yourself, at this 
 
 224
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 rate. Even my mother, who is as ardent a Catholic 
 as one can find in Rome, does not exhaust her 
 strength by these long vigils. Be as religious as you 
 please it is necessary for you women to have a 
 faith to lean upon but do not injure your health." 
 
 She sat down on the sofa, and allowed him to ar- 
 range some pillows that she might be more com- 
 fortable. All the time her eyes were centered plead- 
 ingly on his face. It distressed him to see that she 
 was terribly in earnest. 
 
 " You will favor the bill, Guido," she repeated. 
 " It will be for our happiness. I feel it ; I know it." 
 
 " Do you wish me to act against my convictions, 
 dear Fay? " Guido was serious now, as he observed 
 that she was deeply moved for some reason which 
 he could not understand. 
 
 She hesitated. " If it is for the advantage of the 
 Church," Fay replied, speaking very slowly. 
 
 The marquis could scarcely restrain a movement 
 of impatience. All his life he had been under the 
 yoke of the Church ; his mother regarded that as the 
 end and aim of every action. Whatever was for the 
 advancement of the Church must be done, no matter 
 what one's own personal views were. Floria must 
 be laid as a sacrifice on the altar of the Church. 
 He must be a mere puppet in the hands of the 
 priests, must think as they thought, vote as they dic- 
 tated. A feeling of great uneasiness possessed him. 
 He was to marry an American girl, but she, too, 
 would look to the Church and priests for guidance. 
 
 225
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 He could not be master in his own household; the 
 priest would be first, and at the confessional all the 
 private affairs of his family would be disclosed. His 
 wife would act as the confessor advised her to. 
 
 Rising, he paced the floor, rapidly. He loved 
 Fay, and through his love he would guard and keep 
 her, poor child! 
 
 Coming to her side, he looked down at her and 
 spoke very gently. 
 
 " Fay, dear, you must leave this and many other 
 things to me. My conscience and not the Church 
 must govern my actions." 
 
 When the marquis left her Fay was calm, but he 
 was disturbed in mind and preferred to walk home 
 in the cool air, that he might think of her words and 
 strange interest in this bill. There must be a reason 
 for her excitement and anxiety. In Rome, there 
 were always wheels within wheels. Someone must 
 be behind all this. Could it be Lady Eger? That 
 seemed impossible. The last time he had seen her 
 she had been too weak and ill to concern herself in 
 Saint Joseph's College. 
 
 He acknowledged the respectful salutation of the 
 porter at the entrance to his own home and went 
 with weary tread to his library in the wing of the 
 palace. 
 
 Seated at his desk, he drew toward him a file of 
 letters and documents ; then pushing them aside, he 
 leaned his head on his hand and thought, seriously. 
 Who could be intimidating Fay? 
 
 226
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Suddenly he remembered. In that chair, yonder, 
 Father Veroni had sat, his face as calm as an ivory 
 carving, his long, white hands resting on the grif- 
 fins' heads which ornamented the arms. The priest 
 had urged him to vote for the bill, had spoken sig- 
 nificantly of Fay, and had also given a half-veiled 
 threat as he left. 
 
 "What deviltry is he up to?" queried the mar- 
 quis, with an irreverence which would have shocked 
 his mother. " He is playing a deep game, with Fay, 
 little Fay, as a pawn in his skilled fingers. She 
 shall marry me at once and I will protect her from 
 him and others of his kind. By Heaven I will! " 
 
 Bold as the words were, the marquis felt a sink- 
 ing fear at his heart. Could he hope to cope with 
 such a man as Father Veroni ? 
 
 " I will vote against that bill," he murmured, 
 setting his teeth stubbornly ; " I will marry Fay 
 Lapeer, and I will win the game yet." 
 
 If he could have seen Fay Lapeer at that moment, 
 his heart would have bled with sorrow and anxiety. 
 Before her crucifix she lay, prostrate, her arms 
 thrown out above her head, her whole attitude one 
 of despair and supplication. 
 
 " O Christ ! save him from his sins ! " she 
 prayed. " O Mary, Mother of God ! shed thy love 
 around him and draw him back to the Church. If 
 it must be through me, if I must atone for him, in 
 order that he may be saved, give me strength for the 
 sacrifice and help me to bear it." 
 
 227
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Fay, the light-hearted, almost frivolous girl, had 
 become the clay in the potter's hands, and her char- 
 acter was being formed as he willed. Pliable, gentle, 
 yielding, she was easily influenced to believe that 
 her lover's salvation depended upon her. There 
 was also a strain of stubbornness in her character, 
 which enabled her to continue in a certain course of 
 action if she was thoroughly convinced that she 
 ought to do so. 
 
 It was a very determined man who insisted the 
 next day that Fay should fix the date of their mar- 
 riage for the week after Easter. He found her 
 sweet, gentle, with dark rings under her eyes, tell- 
 ing of the long night's prayers, but as unyielding 
 as ever. 
 
 " Be patient a little longer, Guido. That which 
 you ask, I cannot grant. I promise, however, that 
 on Easter Sunday, I will give you a positive an- 
 swer." With that reply he was forced to be content. 
 
 On Thursday afternoon, Fay Lapeer entered 
 Lady Eger's room, where the invalid lay in a re- 
 clining chair. She looked out upon the world now 
 with eyes which had in them the dawning light of 
 eternity. 
 
 " You are going to Parliament this afternoon, 
 Fay?" 
 
 " Yes. Guido will vote against the bill, Hor- 
 tense." 
 
 Lady Eger's face flushed quickly, with excite- 
 ment, but she made no reply. A strange look passed 
 
 228
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 between the two women. It told of confidences and 
 fears, of dread and longing. 
 
 Fay closed the door softly and went down to join 
 Janet and Sir John. Lady Eger lay very still, alone. 
 Fay had been to her a lovely vision of young life. 
 Dressed in a well-fitting gown of dark blue cloth, 
 wearing a large hat from which two costly plumes 
 fell gracefully over her fair hair, with a face full of 
 beauty and gentleness, she seemed to stand at the 
 threshold of a happy and prosperous future. 
 
 Lady Eger shivered as if she were cold, and drew 
 the coverlet closer around her. Raising an ivory 
 rosary to her lips, she kissed it, closed her eyes 
 in devotion and began to tell her beads. 
 
 The Parliament House was full this afternoon. 
 A very large proportion of the Deputies were present 
 and the boxes in the galleries were crowded with 
 ladies and gentlemen. There were murmurs of 
 pleasant voices, a hum of liquid, musical Italian, 
 and a general air of excitement as the discussion of 
 the bill concerning Saint Joseph's College at V 
 was opened. 
 
 Italians are very frank in expressing their opinion 
 on political questions, and Sir John soon observed 
 that the persons near him were divided between the 
 two parties, Clerical and Liberal. Expressions of 
 disapproval were not lacking when the Deputy who 
 was speaking said something objectionable to one 
 party or the other. 
 
 Marquis di Cassini glanced up at the box where 
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 THE JESUIT 
 
 Fay sat, and there was an appeal in the look. It is 
 not easy for a man to refuse the woman he loves 
 the first favor she asks, or to deliberately oppose her 
 wishes. He rose, and boldly, eloquently, opposed 
 the passage of the bill. Fay had never been so 
 proud of him as she was at that moment, when he 
 was speaking against that which she had reasons for 
 desiring. He was doing what he thought to be 
 right, and Fay would not have been a true woman 
 if she had not respected him more for adhering 
 to his own opinion. But O ! he did not know what 
 this meant for her for them both! 
 
 It was said, afterward, that such a fine and telling 
 speech was seldom heard in the Chamber of Depu- 
 ties. The members of the Clerical party tried in 
 every way to confuse and stop the marquis, but un- 
 successfully. He carried himself with dignity, spoke 
 with grace and propriety, and won the day. 
 
 Sir John reached over and shook hands with Fay. 
 " I congratulate you, as well as the marquis," he 
 said, cordially. " He has a brilliant political career 
 before him." 
 
 To his surprise, he saw that she was very pale 
 and trembled. 
 
 "Your sister is tired. Shall we go?" he asked 
 Janet, who replied : " Certainly. I am ready." 
 
 But Fay insisted upon remaining until the vote 
 was taken. It was unfavorable, the bill being de- 
 feated by a large majority. 
 
 In the box, near Sir John, sat a young man who 
 230
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 appeared to be unusually interested in the marquis 
 and his speech, as well as in the results of the vote. 
 He was an exceedingly spruce young man, with 
 waxed moustaches, and black hair brushed to satin 
 smoothness. He took full notes of the marquis' 
 speech and also put down the figures of the vote. As 
 soon as that was over he took his hat, bowed pro- 
 foundly to the ladies, and departed. 
 
 " A reporter, probably," suggested Janet. 
 
 " Very likely," responded Sir John, as they, too, 
 joined many others who were now leaving the Par- 
 liament building. 
 
 Yes, the spruce young man was a reporter, but 
 not on the staff of a daily newspaper. He lost no 
 time in arriving at Cardinal's Perotti's apartment, 
 presenting himself at the door opening on a broad 
 terrace, or porch, whose floor was paved with 
 majolica tiles, and whose stone balustrade was 
 adorned with century plants and small palms. This 
 terrace overlooked a large, shady garden. 
 
 Cardinal Perotti sat by a table, on which were 
 two flasks of wine, one white and one red. Near 
 him was Father Veroni. In the afternoon light, the 
 priest's face was more waxlike than ever, his regu- 
 lar features appeared more delicate and accentuated. 
 
 " Enrico! " said the cardinal. 
 
 " I am here, Eminenza," replied his secretary. 
 
 " The vote is taken ? " 
 
 " Yes, Eminenza." 
 
 " Let me see your notes." 
 231
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 The secretary laid before the cardinal the paper 
 on which he had written the figures. 
 
 " It is unfavorable," the cardinal remarked to 
 Father Veroni. 
 
 The priest poured some red wine into a glass and 
 drank it, with deliberation. 
 
 " Is that all, Enrico ? If so, you may retire." 
 
 Even the waxed ends of the secretary's mous- 
 tache quivered with excitement as he replied : " It 
 is not all. I have here the notes of the main points 
 in the speech made by Marquis di Cassini." 
 
 Father Veroni set his glass very gently on the 
 table. So, Guido had made a speech. Bold and 
 stubborn boy! 
 
 " It was the success of the day and influenced the 
 vote," added Enrico. His sharp eyes could not 
 detect any special sign of interest in his news. It 
 was a disappointment. 
 
 " You may go, Enrico, and thank you." 
 
 " It is a sign of the times," the cardinal added, to 
 Father Veroni, who again sipped his wine with the 
 enjoyment of an epicure. 
 
 " This is a fine brand," he remarked. 
 
 " From my own vineyards in Tuscany," replied 
 the cardinal. " What are you going to do now, my 
 friend?" 
 
 " I must keep an appointment for six o'clock," 
 Father Veroni said, blandly. 
 
 " You know that I do not mean that. What is 
 the next step after this ? " 
 
 232
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " I do not exactly know, your Eminence. Good- 
 by." 
 
 The cardinal laughed when the door closed be- 
 hind his guest. 
 
 Half an hour later, Father Veroni entered Lady 
 Eger's room. This was the appointment he had 
 mentioned to the cardinal and a very important 
 one it was to Father Veroni.
 
 CHAPTER XX 
 
 IT was Easter morning in Rome! Roses, lilies, 
 violets, pansies a glorious confusion of color on 
 the Spanish Stairs, odors of blossoms from gardens 
 hidden behind gray walls, over which stray branches 
 drooped to offer temptation to the passer-by ; orange 
 groves, whose glossy-leaved trees were laden with 
 golden fruit and blooms of overpowering fragrance ; 
 fountains playing merrily in sunlight which changed 
 the falling drops to broken jewels of many hues; 
 this was Rome at Easter. 
 
 Janet awoke with a feeling of great joy. All was 
 gladness about her. Church bells were ringing 
 cheerily, a contrast to the silence since Good Friday 
 when they had no longer been rung anywhere in 
 Rome. She rose and dressed, accompanying her 
 mother to service, where Mr. Pierce preached an 
 excellent sermon to an audience sadly diminished 
 because of the fine music to be heard at Saint John 
 Lateran and Saint Peter's. There were tall ma- 
 donna lilies in front of the pulpit, and extra music 
 was provided. It was a restful, pleasant service and 
 Janet returned home even happier than when she 
 left it. 
 
 Marquis di Cassini was also very happy on this 
 Easter Day. Fay had been " in retreat " in a con- 
 vent for two weeks. She had felt it her duty to 
 
 234
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 separate herself from the world during- Passion 
 Week, in order that her mind might dwell entirely 
 upon spiritual things. On the afternoon of Easter 
 Sunday, she was to return to her mother and sister. 
 The marquis, not having written to her or heard 
 from her for two long weeks, was eager to see her 
 again. His mother and sisters went dutifully to 
 mass, but he entered his motor car and took a long 
 spin outside the walls, the brightness and cheer, the 
 flowers and warmth adding to his happiness. This 
 afternoon Fay would tell him what she had decided 
 about the date of their wedding; she had promised 
 to do this on Easter Day. 
 
 Preparations were already being made for the re- 
 ception of the bride. Hundreds of workmen were 
 busy repairing, renovating, and decorating a large, 
 handsome apartment on the main floor of the Cas- 
 sini Palace. New draperies, new furniture had been 
 ordered by the marquis, according to Fay's taste. 
 He spared no expense in preparing a home for the 
 woman whom he had chosen for his wife. On this 
 Easter Day he had forgotten the fears which had 
 haunted him since the rejection of the bill concern- 
 ing Saint Joseph's College at V . After all, those 
 were only imaginary forebodings. Nothing could 
 happen to separate him from Fay. 
 
 It was in this mood that he went that afternoon 
 to the Pension Speranza and inquired whether Miss 
 Fay Lapeer was at home. Although a little sur- 
 prised when told that she had not yet returned, he 
 
 235
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 felt no alarm. She might have preferred to pass this 
 Sunday at the convent. But still he felt a vague 
 uneasiness. 
 
 In the evening he went again, and saw Janet, who 
 was still in the happy mood which had possessed 
 her all day. 
 
 " Fay has not yet come," she said. 
 
 "Hasn't she written?" 
 
 " No. You remember that she wished to be quite 
 alone, quite undisturbed during these two weeks. 
 We have not heard one word from her since she left. 
 She will come tomorrow morning. You know she 
 is very fond of the nuns and they may have per- 
 suaded her to stay until tomorrow." 
 
 The marquis was very much troubled. It was 
 strange that Fay had not sent any word, if not to 
 him, then to her mother. The more he pondered it 
 the stranger it seemed. Yet, since Janet was so sure 
 that all was right, he did not wish to alarm her 
 needlessly. 
 
 Janet came down to her breakfast earlier than 
 usual. In the shadows of the night she, too, had 
 begun to feel anxious about her sister. She had 
 not approved of this going into " retreat," but it was 
 useless to argue with Fay. Perhaps she was ill. In 
 that case the nuns should have let her mother know 
 at once. Janet had felt easier about her sister when 
 she knew that her two weeks of devotion were to be 
 passed at a convent where she and Lady Eger were 
 in the habit of going frequently. She resolved that 
 
 236
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 after breakfast she would go to the convent herself 
 with Romilda and make inquiries. 
 
 Before she had finished her light repast of coffee 
 and rolls Sir John came to her table and, drawing 
 up a chair, sat down. It was evident that he was 
 worried and wanted to talk to someone. Sir John 
 and Janet were very good friends. He was so 
 strong, so good. Janet felt that she could trust him 
 implicitly. 
 
 " How is your sister this morning, Sir John ? " 
 
 " Very weak. It strikes me that something is 
 worrying her, but I cannot find out what it is. 
 Since she became a Roman Catholic, she does not 
 confide in me as she used to do. Hortense and I 
 were such good friends formerly. If I only knew 
 what was troubling her, perhaps I could help her." 
 
 He was nervously playing with a knife on the 
 table and did not notice the sudden tears which 
 came to Janet's eyes. She had felt the change in 
 Fay already. There were no more confidences at 
 bedtime. Her sister had become reserved, careful 
 of her words. She felt the reaction from the happy 
 Easter, and she was anxious about Fay. 
 
 " You may be interested in hearing what has 
 been the fortune of that young ex-priest, Miss 
 Lapeer," Sir John said, suddenly changing a sub- 
 ject which was painful to them both. " If you have 
 finished your breakfast, come into the other room 
 and I will tell you about it. We can talk without 
 being overheard. I declare," he continued, follow- 
 
 237
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 ing Janet out of the dining room, " if I stay much 
 longer in Rome, I shall become suspicious of every- 
 one. I imagine that there are spies around me ; I see 
 a Jesuit in every waiter and a disguised priest in the 
 man who cuts my hair." 
 
 Janet laughed. Sir John was so original that he 
 always cheered her. 
 
 " I hope you are not suspicious of me/' she said, 
 settling herself comfortably. It was a little early 
 to go to the convent. She would wait till nine 
 o'clock, and then, if Fay had not come, she would 
 call Romilda and go out. 
 
 " Not yet. The story of that ex-priest is exactly 
 in point. It is a strange one. Some one is working 
 against him." 
 
 " Could it be " Janet paused and Sir John 
 completed the sentence : 
 
 " Father Veroni ? It may be ; but, honestly, I 
 doubt it. Father Veroni is skilled in diplomacy, in 
 power over men and women and in his trade if I 
 may call it so. He works in the interests of his 
 Church. But I cannot believe that he would descend 
 to persecuting a young man whom he had once 
 loved. Still, I may not judge him rightly. You 
 know how little reason I have to love Father Veroni, 
 and you know my opinion of the system of which 
 he is a representative ; so I am not prejudiced when 
 I say that I do not think he would waste his time 
 on petty revenge when he is interested in great 
 schemes." 
 
 238
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " What about Signor Gregori ? " 
 
 " Well, he had a little money, something more 
 than a thousand francs, which he wished to give to 
 a hard-working old aunt, whom he loves very much. 
 He kept a hundred francs for himself, thinking that 
 it would be sufficient to maintain him until he could 
 find work. One hundred francs soon melt away, 
 Miss Lapeer, as you and I know well. He found a 
 place in a shop where they paid him enough to buy 
 him plain food, and Mr. Pierce allowed him to sleep 
 in a little room behind the church. He stayed in 
 that situation exactly three days." 
 
 " Didn't he do his work well? " 
 
 " Excellently. Even the proprietor acknowledged 
 that. On the third morning, a young man entered 
 the shop and inquired of Paolo the price of certain 
 articles. By the way, that fellow has been pointed 
 out to me since, and I recognized him. Do you 
 remember a reporter in our box at the Chamber of 
 Deputies? He took notes of Marquis di Cassini's 
 speech." 
 
 " Yes. He had exceedingly black hair and 
 eyes." 
 
 " Oiled his hair ! " grumbled Sir John, in a tone 
 of disgust. " I fancy he is oily in mind and body. 
 I am convinced that it is he who is making Paolo 
 Gregori so much trouble." 
 
 "Who is he?" 
 
 " That's what Pierce and I want to find out. It 
 may be that he is acting for Father Veroni. Per- 
 
 239
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 haps you could interest the marquis in the case. 
 He has no love for the Clericals." 
 
 " Perhaps I can." 
 
 " To make a long story short. After that youth 
 looked around a little he called on the proprietor and, 
 an hour later, Gregori was out of a place." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 " The proprietor said he was quite satisfied with 
 his work, but there were reasons why he could not 
 employ him. He declined to state the reasons. 
 Since then Gregori has been employed in three dif- 
 ferent places, recommended by Pierce or myself, 
 and from each one, he has been dismissed after a few 
 days. In one case it was frankly stated by a member 
 of the firm that they had learned that he was an ex- 
 priest and it would be an injury to their business to 
 retain him. This was at a large jewelry store on 
 the Corso, where I got him in. I went myself to the 
 head of the establishment, whom I know personally, 
 and told him that I could not understand it. The 
 fellow did his work well and it was an offense to me 
 if they dismissed him. You know that jewels are 
 Hortense's weakness and she likes good ones, too. I 
 have spent a great deal of money in that shop, buy- 
 ing her Christmas and birthday presents. I blustered 
 a little for Gregori's sake, but it was no use. Am I 
 keeping you, Miss Lapeer? " 
 
 Janet had stealthily looked at her watch. She 
 was secretly growing more and more anxious be- 
 cause Fay did not come. 
 
 240
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " I have ten minutes yet before nine o'clock. 
 Then, I must go out." 
 
 " There isn't much more. The gentleman re- 
 gretted, and so forth, but he dared not employ a 
 man who had left the priesthood. Many of his 
 best clients were strong Clericals. I asked him 
 whether he was not afraid of losing the trade of 
 English-speaking Protestants by refusing to deal 
 justly with a man who was trying to earn an honest 
 living. He replied, with a smile : * Ah ! you Prot- 
 estants are so broad in your views! Everyone 
 knows that much of the money for the support of 
 Catholic institutions of charity comes from generous 
 contributions by English and American Protestants. 
 Personally, I like the young man, but I cannot re- 
 tain him in my service.' The proprietor was a Jew, 
 Miss Lapeer, and not a Roman Catholic, so you can 
 see that he meant what he said. He did not dare 
 employ Paolo Gregori." 
 
 " It is a strange story," said Janet, rising. 
 "What will he do now?" 
 
 " Who knows ? " replied Sir John. " I have an 
 idea that Pierce intends to give him a chance to 
 preach. He is a born orator and a student. His 
 place is not behind a counter, or at a bookkeeper's 
 desk. But he wishes first to make a thorough trial 
 of his sincerity. Certainly, Gregori is working 
 much harder for his daily bread than he ever did 
 before ; and if he is not in earnest, he will soon get 
 tired of it and go back into the priesthood as a good 
 
 241
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 many others have done before him. I fear that I 
 have detained you, Miss Lapeer." 
 
 The truth was that Janet was now so nervous that 
 she had not heard the last sentences of Sir John's 
 account. 
 
 Janet met the porter at the door, as she went out 
 to find Romilda. 
 
 " There is a letter for you, miss." 
 
 It was addressed in Fay's handwriting. With a 
 strange and overpowering sensation of fear, as if a 
 great disaster were soon to befall her, Janet hurried 
 to her own room, locked the door, and opened the 
 letter. 
 
 242
 
 CHAPTER XXI 
 
 DARLING MOTHER AND SISTER: When you read this I shall 
 be gone from you forever, dead to the world and its affections 
 which separate us from the spiritual and heavenly life. Do not 
 grieve, for I shall be happy in the knowledge that I am doing 
 what is right, what is my duty toward those who have been 
 so dear to me. 
 
 It has been shown me that only by the sacrifice of myself 
 can I help to save you both, and him whose wife I was to have 
 been. Earthly love can be mine no more. I shall be the 
 bride of Christ and my days and nights will be spent in 
 prayer for those who are not believers in the true faith, or 
 have wandered far from it. 
 
 This is not a sudden step on my part. So important a 
 decision was not hastily made. I have been considering it 
 for weeks, and since I have been in the convent I have felt 
 more and more that it was my duty. My only regret is that 
 I was so weak that I could not bring myself to a decision 
 earlier. This lack of firmness in my character will bring 
 great suffering, I fear, to Guido. I weep when I think of it. 
 But it is inevitable. It is largely because I love him so dearly 
 that I make the sacrifice. As Christ died for us that we 
 might be saved from our sins, I believe that by dying to the 
 world, I can save him. 
 
 It would have been different if he had yielded to the will of 
 the Church; but he could not. Now, I trust, that through 
 God's mercy he may turn from the world and give his life and 
 his talents to that Church which must be first, before our 
 families, our loved ones, or our country. 
 
 Please give Guido the inclosed letter. I hope O, I pray ! 
 that he will not suffer much. I could not help doing what I 
 have done. 
 
 And, mother and Janet, when you think of me, remember 
 that I am at peace with God, and very happy. 
 
 Do not try to find me. It will be worse than useless, for I 
 am going where I shall be completely cut off from any asso- 
 ciations with the world. I want to lose myself in prayer and 
 devotion. Some day, when our lives are done, and you and 
 Guido have come into the true Church, we may be permitted 
 to meet again. Your very affectionate 
 
 FAY. 
 
 243
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Janet read the letter several times before her 
 dazed brain could comprehend what it meant. At 
 last, she arrived at a full consciousness of the terri- 
 ble grief which had come to them, a grief which 
 would be inconsolable as long as their lives should 
 continue. Fay, her sister, the promised wife of 
 Marquis di Cassini, had entered a convent, would 
 become a nun, forgetting her obligations to her 
 mother and sister and to him who loved her. A 
 sacrifice! Yes, a needless sacrifice, according to 
 Janet's views. 
 
 " O, how can I tell mother ? " said Janet, speak- 
 ing aloud in the intensity of her feeling. " It will 
 kill her. And Guido ! poor fellow ! It was not right 
 for Fay to do this dreadful thing! It was not 
 right."' 
 
 Since coming to Rome Mrs. Lapeer had developed 
 nerves, a part of her physical organization which 
 she had not thought about before. Her usual 
 placidity was disturbed by the complete change of 
 scene and customs, and Fay's engagement to the 
 marquis had thrown her into a state of excitement 
 which caused agitation and irritability. Her heart 
 was set on this marriage and, outside of her grief 
 for her daughter, the disappointment would be very 
 grave and its consequent effect upon her nervous 
 system very serious. Although Fay had not settled 
 on the date of her marriage, she had allowed her 
 mother to give orders for the trousseau. Milliners 
 and dressmakers were already busy at work for her, 
 
 244
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 and in the convent where there were fine em- 
 broiderers, an extensive outfit of filmy, dainty under- 
 wear was being prepared. Mrs. Lapeer would be 
 heartbroken, and humiliated as well, by Fay's 
 action. 
 
 " I cannot tell her," groaned Janet, letting the let- 
 ters fall into her lap, while she tried to collect her 
 thoughts. She had only two friends in Rome, in 
 this great city of mystery : Alda Pierce and Sir John. 
 
 " I will ask Alda to come," she decided, and going 
 to the telephone, called up the Pierces. 
 
 " No one is at home," the maid said. " The 
 whole family have gone to the country for the day. 
 They will not be back until late." 
 
 It was a real disappointment in this hour when 
 she needed help so sorely. Sir John remained, and 
 she was relieved to see his tall figure coming down 
 the corridor. Sir John would tell her what to do. 
 
 It was Sir John who calmed her with comforting 
 words when she broke out into a torrent of weeping 
 as she tried to tell him the terrible news ; it was Sir 
 John who advised her to wait a few hours before 
 informing her mother, who was in bed with a 
 nervous headache, and it was to him that she con- 
 signed the letter Fay had sent for the marquis. 
 
 To take that letter to the marquis was the hardest 
 thing Sir John ever did. Twice that morning, 
 Guido had telephoned to know whether Fay had 
 returned, and once he came himself, but Janet was 
 able to avoid seeing him. 
 
 245
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Sir John squared his shoulders and went to the 
 Cassini palace just after luncheon. He asked for 
 Marquis di Cassini and placed the letter in his hands, 
 leaving the room and house at once. There are 
 blows which a man must bear alone, and for hours 
 after he had read Fay's letter, Guido sat in his 
 private room, with doors locked to keep out in- 
 truders. No eye ever saw the words she wrote 
 and no human being ever knew what he suffered in 
 those hours of his sorrow. It would have been 
 easier if she had died. She was alive, beautiful, 
 loving, shut in behind the walls of a convent, pray- 
 ing, fasting, doing penance. Alas ! the results were 
 not such as Fay hoped and desired. Guido di Cas- 
 sini was not drawn closer to the Church by this 
 sacrifice; he was driven further away, embittered 
 and angered at this needless loss of happiness for 
 her and himself. For a short time the enthusiasm 
 would keep her spirits at a high pitch of excitement. 
 What then? What of the long, long years of mo- 
 notony and deathly weariness ? She was young and 
 he was young; they must grow old, each alone, be- 
 cause of this preposterous idea of sacrifice. 
 
 Was it any wonder that Guido left that room a 
 different man, with a hardness in his character 
 which had never been there before? 
 
 It is strange that one's life goes on, even in the 
 midst of tragedy and suffering. Never does one so 
 completely realize what an atom one is, how insig- 
 nificant, as when a terrible grief comes, and the 
 
 246
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 world about us moves on steadily, gaily, just about 
 as usual. 
 
 This experience came to Janet. She, her mother, 
 and Guido were grieving for Fay. The tourists 
 came and went the same as ever, flaunting their red 
 Baedekers and discussing the ruins and galleries. 
 Bells rang merrily and the sun rose in the morning 
 and set gorgeously in the evening; but Fay was 
 gone! 
 
 The marquis quietly informed his friends that 
 the wedding would not take place. The news 
 caused a whirlwind of gossip and excitement in 
 social circles. Whispers were exchanged over after- 
 noon cups of tea and Roman matrons nodded their 
 heads wisely at each other and affirmed that they 
 had never believed that the marriage would occur. 
 It was a blind infatuation of Guide's for the Ameri- 
 can girl and he would soon recover from the disap- 
 pointment. 
 
 Whether Guido recovered, the world of Rome 
 never knew. When he made his next appearance 
 among his acquaintances they observed that his 
 mouth was more stern than it had been and that 
 his dark hair was slightly streaked with gray. 
 There was no further sign that he had suffered 
 when his hopes of joy and happiness were blasted. 
 He was just as courteous, just as kindly as ever, 
 but he soon became known as a bitter, almost un- 
 reasonable, opponent of the Clerical party. 
 
 " It will not be necessary for you to complete the 
 247
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 work in my apartment," he said to the man who had 
 charge of the renovations in the Cassini palace. 
 
 " The Signor Marchese does not wish to have the 
 rooms finished ? " inquired the man, surprised at the 
 sudden order, although he, too, had heard how the 
 beautiful American lady had chosen to enter a con- 
 vent rather than live in a splendid palace and be a 
 " grande dame " in Roman society. " A foolish 
 freak ! " he had said to himself that very morning, 
 as he walked through the spacious salons. " Bury 
 herself in a convent, devote her life to prayers be- 
 hind closed doors, when she might have enjoyed all 
 this grandeur! My own opinion is that there is 
 some priest behind it and money." He winked 
 at himself in one of the Venetian mirrors. There 
 were many in Rome who had expressed, or perhaps 
 thought, the same thing. 
 
 " You heard what I said," replied the marquis, 
 a little sharply. He had almost reached the limit 
 of his self-control. 
 
 " The Signor Marchese's wishes shall be obeyed," 
 was the response, but the man's sharp eyes rested 
 inquisitively on the face of his employer. " He's 
 pretty badly cut up," was his mental observation. 
 
 Within an hour, the army of workmen had re- 
 tired, the sound of hammering had ceased, the rooms 
 were silent and deserted. 
 
 That afternoon Guido entered the apartment for 
 the last time in his life. As the only son and head 
 of the family, he was absolute master of the prop- 
 
 2*8
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 erty. This apartment was his to control. It should 
 be closed, exactly as it was, half-finished, only par- 
 tially ready for the bride who would never come 
 into it. 
 
 If Fay had consented to be married in May, as 
 he desired, he would have taken her away to his 
 castle perched high upon a mountain in the pic- 
 turesque Abruzzi. In the autumn this work would 
 have been completed and Fay could have added 
 those touches which a refined, cultured woman 
 knows how to give to a home. 
 
 His face hardened as he continued his walk 
 through the lonely rooms. Fay's boudoir was more 
 nearly finished than the salons. He entered it and 
 sat down. The walls were hung with silk of pale 
 rose-tint. The ceiling had been newly frescoed with 
 Watteau scenes. The furniture had been chosen 
 by Fay, in the style of Louis XIV, white and gold. 
 
 Here, there was no need for self-control. He 
 sank down on his knees, buried his face in his hands 
 and sobs, those of a man who seldom weeps, shook 
 him violently from head to foot. 
 
 The shadows grew deeper, and the little boudoir 
 was filled with the soft, gray light of early evening. 
 
 Guido left the apartment, went to his library and 
 rang the bell sharply. 
 
 " Send me the steward," the master commanded, 
 when the servant came. 
 
 To the steward he gave his orders concisely and 
 clearly. 
 
 249
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " You will close all the windows in my apart- 
 ment in the ' piano nobile/ lock the doors, and bring 
 me the keys." 
 
 With a respectful bow and sympathetic look, the 
 steward retired. There were few kind words for 
 Fay spoken in the lower part of the palace, where 
 the servants lived and talked over freely the affairs 
 of the family with whom some of them had been 
 associated for many years. They had known the 
 marquis since he was an infant and they loved and 
 pitied him. The condemnation of Fay was not 
 necessarily because she had gone into a convent. 
 " Who knows? she may have had a vocation," some 
 of the women said. The general opinion was that 
 if she had a vocation, she should have found it out 
 before and not allowed the marquis to think that she 
 would marry him. 
 
 That evening Guido received the keys from the 
 steward, and locked them up in a small drawer, 
 where they remained untouched. 
 
 Guido did not blame Fay for the step which she 
 had taken. There was not one bitter thought of her 
 in his mind. Neither did he nourish the least hope 
 that she would repent her decision before it was too 
 late and leave the convent to come back to him. 
 He had been born into the Roman Catholic faith. 
 He was an Italian and he knew better than Janet 
 or her mother, or even than Sir John, that Fay's 
 fate was inexorably sealed. The web had been 
 woven firmly, her conscience and soul were bound 
 
 250
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 in its strands, drawn so slowly, so softly around her, 
 that she had scarcely felt them. 
 
 The marquis cursed her fortune and wished that 
 she had been a dowerless bride. He blamed Father 
 Veroni, whom he suspected of having persuaded his 
 mother to devote his young sister's life to a convent, 
 and now, of having influenced Fay to separate her- 
 self from the world. 
 
 " I will go to him myself," he resolved, but he 
 delayed from day to day. Courageous as he was, 
 he hesitated to face Father Veroni, who had been 
 his father's friend and his mother's lifelong adviser. 
 
 He delayed so long that the Consistory had been 
 held at the Vatican and Father Veroni was no 
 longer a humble priest. He had assumed the car- 
 dinal's hat, was a member of the Curia, the College 
 of Cardinals, and the great and noble bowed before 
 him and kissed his hand in reverence. 
 
 There were times when the marquis feared to go 
 to the cardinal lest he should be brutally frank and 
 anger the prelate and defeat his own ends thereby. 
 He clinched his hands when he thought of Floria. 
 She had not yet taken the veil, but would do so in 
 the "month of Mary," then just beginning, the 
 month when roses bloomed in joyous abandon and 
 all life was meant to be gay and merry. They would 
 shut his little sister in the convent, simply because 
 of a foolish vow his mother had made years before ! 
 How far did a mother's rights extend? Fay was 
 lost to him. Perhaps he could save Floria. He 
 
 251
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 would exert his authority in his own household. 
 Then he thought of his mother and doubts of his 
 ability to force her to change her decision assailed 
 him. He would wait still a few days and think the 
 matter over. 
 
 252
 
 CHAPTER XXII 
 
 ALTHOUGH Cardinal Veroni had assumed his new 
 honors only a short time before a certain May morn- 
 ing, he wore them with dignity and a sense of his 
 exalted position. Not having, as yet, secured an 
 apartment worthy of his rank as a Prince of the 
 Church, he continued to occupy his old home. It 
 does not take long for the public to realize the fact 
 that a priest has been made a cardinal. Father 
 Veroni had received many visitors and transacted 
 much business, but Cardinal Veroni discovered that 
 a host of people desired to know him and wanted 
 favors conferred upon them. 
 
 His small antechamber was occupied by at least 
 ten persons when the young man whom he had hired 
 as his secretary came into the room and informed 
 those who were waiting that his eminence would 
 now receive them. They entered the cardinal's 
 presence in the order of their arrival. 
 
 The tenth person was a young man who grew 
 very impatient for his turn to come. 
 
 " Did you tell his eminence that I have a letter 
 for him from Cardinal Perotti ? " he inquired 
 sharply of the secretary. 
 
 " I did. He says that he regrets to keep you wait- 
 ing, but he must first see those who arrived previous 
 to you." 
 
 253
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Enrico Gardi bit his lip. Father Veroni would 
 not have thought it the part of wisdom to send such 
 a message to him. It was different, now that he 
 was a cardinal. 
 
 It seemed to him that the man had changed with 
 his status in the Church. He was more dignified, 
 more cold and reserved in manner, and received the 
 secretary of his colleague with very little show of 
 cordiality. Father Veroni had never liked Signor 
 Gardi. He considered him a presuming, conceited 
 young man, and could not understand why Cardinal 
 Perotti kept him in his service. It was an excellent 
 thing to have a secretary who was trustworthy, 
 faithful, obedient and silent. Cardinal Veroni was 
 convinced that Gardi worked in his own interests, 
 did not possess the qualities mentioned, knew en- 
 tirely too much, and listened at keyholes with too 
 great assiduity. He disliked him accordingly. 
 
 " I bring a letter for your Eminence," began 
 Gardi. 
 
 " Kindly give it to me." 
 
 The cardinal read the letter, wrote a few words 
 in reply and handed the note to Signor Gardi. 
 Evidently, he considered the audience at an end. 
 
 " Did you wish something else ?" he inquired, 
 when the secretary made no movement toward 
 leaving. 
 
 " May I speak to your Eminence on a subject 
 which is of importance ? " 
 
 " You may." 
 
 254
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " I have learned a few facts with regard to an ex- 
 priest named Paolo Gregori." 
 
 Cardinal Veroni picked up a mother-of-pearl 
 paper-cutter and amused himself by trying its 
 sharpness on some envelopes. 
 
 " I am aware that your Eminence has a special 
 interest in this young man; it is considered to be 
 an unusual affection on the part of an eminent car- 
 dinal," continued Gardi, losing control of his judg- 
 ment in his desire to arouse the prelate, " and I ven- 
 tured to come and make a report." 
 
 The cardinal's eyes were lowered to the paper- 
 cutter, or Gardi would have been warned by the 
 steely glitter in them of a necessity for prudence. 
 
 " He has tried everywhere to get work and has 
 failed. Why? Because 7 have interfered. I have 
 followed him into each new place of employment 
 and informed the proprietor that he was an ex-priest. 
 If he was employed, it was at a great risk, for both 
 Cardinal Perotti and Cardinal Veroni would use 
 their influence against him." 
 
 " It is evident that you were not trained in a 
 Jesuit College, Signer Gardi," said Cardinal Veroni 
 with cold sarcasm, " or you would have learned to 
 be more diplomatic." His voice grew stern. " How 
 dared you use my name ? Did I ever give you per- 
 mission to hound a man to his ruin in my name? 
 What interest have I in Paolo Gregori? You had 
 courage, indeed, to come here and tell me this." 
 
 The secretary looked like a whipped puppy. 
 255
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Even his waxed moustache drooped. He had ex- 
 pected approbation, and perhaps a handsome present 
 for his valuable services, and he received hard 
 words. 
 
 " Decidedly, your line of business, Signor Gardi, 
 is not that of an avenger, or even, I may add, of a 
 gentleman," continued the clear voice of the car- 
 dinal. " I will bid you good morning." 
 
 Enrico Gardi slunk out of the room, much sub- 
 dued in spirit. He had thought to meet an intriguer 
 of his own type, the spying, listening, whispering 
 man, who loved small revenges and paid well for 
 information. He had mistaken his man. Had the 
 cardinal's secretary been shrewd enough, he would 
 have realized that he had met an ecclesiastical dip- 
 lomat far more skilled than he, who manipulated 
 large schemes and did not stoop to persecute or 
 drive an ex-priest out of a situation. Sir John was 
 right; Cardinal Veroni had nothing to do with the 
 unsuccessful attempts of Paolo Gregori to earn an 
 honest living. The day might come when he could 
 interfere with the plans of the Protestants in regard 
 to the former priest, but it would be accomplished 
 in a far different manner. 
 
 Nevertheless, the knowledge that Paolo was not 
 finding his road smooth was slightly satisfactory to 
 him, for he had sincerely regretted the action which 
 the young and successful priest had taken. 
 
 His eminence was smiling when his next visitor 
 entered, but the smile faded when he saw who it 
 
 256
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 was. The one person whom he had wished to avoid 
 since Easter was Janet Lapeer, and now he was face 
 to face with her. He rose to his feet and held out 
 his hand to her. 
 
 " Miss Lapeer, this is an unexpected favor. Will 
 you please take a seat ? " 
 
 Janet sat down, too weak and nervous to remain 
 standing. She had hesitated a long time before 
 coming to the cardinal, but she felt that, at any cost, 
 she must find out where Fay was. The suspense 
 was wearing on her nerves. As she had expected, 
 the news brought to her mother a serious illness, 
 and the doctors advised removing her from the 
 scenes which were so closely connected with Fay. 
 Very soon they were to go to Frascati, a beautiful 
 town on the slope of the mountains near Rome. 
 Mrs. Lapeer absolutely refused to go any further 
 away. 
 
 At first, Janet had thought of asking Lady Eger 
 what she knew about Fay, but this had been impos- 
 sible. Day and night nurses were now required to 
 care for the sick woman, who could scarcely speak 
 above a whisper. She must not be disturbed or 
 agitated; it might cause her death. 
 
 There was no one else to whom she could go, ex- 
 cept to Cardinal Veroni. At the convent where Fay 
 had passed the two weeks before Easter, she could 
 not obtain any information. They knew nothing 
 about Miss Fay Lapeer. 
 
 So she had come to the cardinal and her eyes
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 appealed to him HKC those of a child. When he met 
 her glance he turned his own away. 
 
 Strange to say, in spite of her obduracy, Cardinal 
 Veroni respected Janet very highly. She was a 
 Protestant with straight-laced views, a woman who 
 had utterly refused to yield to the fascination of 
 brilliant functions with music beautiful enough for 
 angel choirs, yet he admired her as he had never 
 admired Fay. It was one of the contradictions of 
 human nature, and Cardinal Veroni was still human. 
 
 He was a man who observed details and saw that 
 she was plainly dressed in gray, a color peculiarly 
 becoming to her. Janet had felt, when Fay left 
 them, as a woman does when death takes from her 
 one whom she holds precious she had wished to 
 enshroud herself in black, but on her mother's ac- 
 count she did not do so. 
 
 " It is the face of a Madonna," thought the car- 
 dinal, noting critically the oval form of her face, the 
 delicate features and fine expression, the tender eyes 
 and pathetic droop of the mouth, a mute appeal to 
 his kindness and gentleness. Again the thought 
 came to him : " What an abbess she would make ! " 
 
 " Where is my sister ? " she asked, abruptly. 
 
 " You will believe me when I tell you that I do 
 not know ? " he said, interrogatively. 
 
 She shook her head, and the cardinal's pale face 
 was flooded with a rush of color. Never in his long 
 career had he felt so keenly the humiliation of not 
 being believed. 
 
 258
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " Where is my sister? " she repeated. Her voice 
 was now full and strong. " Where have you hidden 
 her from us ? " 
 
 The cardinal faced her bravely. 
 
 " Look me in the eyes, Miss Lapeer. I am not 
 lying when I tell you that I do not know where your 
 sister is. I knew that she did not return to the 
 pension, but where she went, believe me, I do not 
 know." 
 
 With a cry of despair Janet clasped her hands 
 together, as if she were suffering. " Then you can- 
 not give me any information about her ? " 
 
 " No, Miss Lapeer." 
 
 " Someone must know where she is. She could 
 not have made so serious a decision without con- 
 sulting someone. Didn't you know of her inten- 
 tion ? " Janet was too much in earnest to remember 
 the titles which it was customary to use in address- 
 ing the cardinal. To her, he was a plain man, from 
 whom she desired information. 
 
 " I did." 
 
 " She told you she was going to leave us, to enter 
 a convent, to give up the man she loved, never to see 
 us, never to write to us. It would be easier for us 
 if she were dead." 
 
 The flush had faded from the cardinal's face now. 
 It looked gray and drawn. Rarely had he been so 
 moved from his cold self-control. Sophistry no 
 longer availed him. To Janet he must be frank 
 and open. 
 
 259
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " I knew all about it, Miss Lapeer." 
 
 " But you did not think it necessary to inform 
 her mother, her natural guardian?" 
 
 " No." 
 
 If deep contempt could be expressed on Janet's 
 gentle countenance, it was there now. She would 
 appeal no longer to this man who had no heart. 
 
 " Good morning," she said. 
 
 " One moment, Miss Lapeer. I knew of your 
 sister's intentions, but I do not know where she is. 
 It may seem incredible to you, but it is true. Do 
 you believe me ? " 
 
 " Yes, Father Veroni, I believe you." 
 
 She was gone, and the cardinal sat down wearily 
 by his desk. It was odd, but he had been very 
 anxious that she should believe his word. He could 
 not lie to Janet Lapeer. That was the man, Pietro 
 Veroni ; the Jesuit training soon came to the surface 
 again. It was true, he did not know where Fay 
 Lapeer was. He was ignorant of the name of the 
 convent where she had gone, although it would not 
 be difficult for him to ascertain it. He did not know 
 it, because he had been certain that, sooner or later, 
 Janet would ask him, and he did not want to tell 
 her. 
 
 Cardinal Veroni was having a strenuous morning. 
 It was trying to his nerves, especially when he saw 
 that his next visitor was the Marquis di Cassini, 
 who, by some strange coincidence, had come on the 
 same morning as Janet. 
 
 360
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " I will be patient and not abusive," Guido re- 
 solved, following the secretary into his eminence's 
 presence. 
 
 He stooped to kiss the cardinal's hand and was 
 immediately conscious of an icy atmosphere sur- 
 rounding him. 
 
 Cardinal Veroni placed the tips of his fingers to- 
 gether, a favorite position when he was annoyed 
 and waited for his guest to speak. He was getting 
 tired and felt irritable. First, he had been obliged 
 to think of Paolo Gregori, always a subject of an- 
 noyance; then, Janet had looked at him with her 
 clear, true eyes, and now, he must be troubled by 
 questions from the marquis, who would not be so 
 easy to answer as the simple-hearted American girl. 
 
 Guido's courage increased, now that he was in 
 the presence of this man who could decide destinies 
 with indifference. He became desperate and reck- 
 less. 
 
 " Where have you put her ? " he blurted out, for- 
 getting all his resolutions to be calm and self-com- 
 posed. 
 
 "Of whom art thou speaking?" inquired the 
 cardinal. 
 
 " Of Miss Fay Lepeer, who was to have been my 
 wife. How dared you take her from me? How 
 dared you interfere between a man and the woman 
 he loves? Could you not have taken her money, 
 a paltry fortune, and left her to be happy, to enjoy 
 her young life, instead of saddening her whole exist- 
 
 261
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 ence and wrecking the joy of her mother and sister, 
 as well as my own ? You are cruel, unfeeling " 
 
 The marquis had entirely forgotten the paths of 
 prudence; he had thrown wisdom to the winds. 
 Coming with a desire to placate rather than offend, 
 he had forgotten everything but his lost love, and 
 that the man sitting there so calmly was, to a large 
 degree, responsible for his misfortune. 
 
 " Art thou mad, Guido Cassini ? " interrupted the 
 cardinal's stern voice. " I am thy mother's friend, 
 as I was that of thy father. Why dost thou come 
 here to insult me in my own home ? " 
 
 The cardinal had not lost his power over men, 
 and Guido realized suddenly that in his presence 
 he was only a youth, impertinent, and self-willed. 
 
 " Miss Fay Lapeer decided entirely on her own 
 responsibility that the pleasures of the world would 
 be temptations to draw her away from a religious 
 life. She had other reasons, which she wrote to 
 thee, no doubt." 
 
 The marquis bowed. 
 
 " It was her special desire that neither her family 
 or thyself should know where she is. It would be 
 less painful for thee and for her. I, myself, do not 
 know to which convent she went." 
 
 Guido shrugged his shoulders very slightly, and 
 the cardinal proceeded, apparently without noticing 
 the movement : " Will it make the sorrow for I 
 know that it is a sorrow, Guido any lighter, if I 
 assure thee that she is very happy, very contented, 
 
 262
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 and that her heart's desire is that thou wilt devote 
 thy interests to that Church to which thou belongest 
 and to which she has given her life ? " 
 
 " Can your Eminence expect that result, after 
 what has occurred? No, from this time on, I will 
 use my energies in frustrating the plans of the 
 Clerical party." 
 
 " It will succeed without thy help, then. Thou 
 art making a mistake, Guido. Thou didst not truly 
 love this woman, if thou canst not yield to her 
 prayers and desires." 
 
 The marquis looked squarely into the face of the 
 cardinal. 
 
 " Your Eminence knows that what you say is 
 not true. But my conscience does not belong to 
 Fay, or to you, or to the Church. It is mine, and, so 
 help me God, I will follow it." 
 
 " We cannot understand each other and it is better 
 to terminate this very unpleasant interview." 
 
 " One moment, Eminenza," said Guido, for the 
 first time remembering what the chief object of his 
 visit had been. " In a week, my sister Floria is to 
 take the veil, I believe. As head of our family, I 
 oppose it. It must not be." 
 
 The cardinal's smile was inscrutable and unpleas- 
 ing. He pressed an electric button at the side of his 
 desk. 
 
 " This is a matter in which thy mother is deeply 
 interested. Speak to her about it. If she decides to 
 break her vow and allow Floria to leave the convent, 
 
 263
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 she must be responsible, not I. Call the carriage of 
 Marquis di Cassini," he said to the servant. 
 
 The secretary entered the room. 
 
 " There are no more visitors, Eminenza. Have 
 you any further commands ? " 
 
 " None. I wish to be alone." 
 
 The newly-made cardinal passed his hand over 
 his forehead and eyes as if he were extremely 
 weary. It had been, indeed, a very strenuous 
 morning. 
 
 A week later, when the convent gardens were 
 gorgeous with a wealth of red and yellow roses, 
 when the chapel windows were jeweled in rich color 
 by the sunshine from without, in God's free world, 
 a shaft of golden light penetrated the figure of a 
 dove, pictured on the glass over the altar and fell 
 upon Floria di Cassini, who knelt there. 
 
 Her mother and sisters were present in the chapel. 
 They wept a little, but only a little, because they had 
 never known Floria well; she had been with the 
 nuns almost all the time since she was a child, in 
 order that she might be prepared for her vocation, 
 or perhaps that she might not know the world and 
 long vainly for it. The mother knelt on the hard 
 pavement and felt virtuous. She had requited to 
 the Madonna the blessing of health conferred upon 
 her years before. She had given up her daughter, 
 and she trusted that it would be counted to her for 
 righteousness. 
 
 Guido was not present. The conversation with 
 264
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 his mother had been stormy and worse than useless. 
 She could not break her vow without losing her 
 soul. Besides, if Fay, the American girl, whom he 
 had wished to marry, and of whom she had never 
 approved until she showed her good sense and en- 
 tered a convent, leaving him free, she hoped, to 
 make a more suitable alliance, had chosen to devote 
 her life to prayer and fasting, there could be no 
 great hardship in it. 
 
 He left the room without replying. On this fine 
 spring day, when Floria took her irrevocable vows, 
 he drove furiously, madly, across the Campagna to 
 his villa in the Alban Hills. There he spent the 
 day, longing for the two women who were so dear 
 to him and whom he would never see again. 
 
 265
 
 CHAPTER XXIII 
 
 "CAN you come? Hortense is much worse." 
 
 This was the telegram sent by Sir John to Janet 
 three weeks after she and her mother reached Fras- 
 cati. Very soon after receiving it she was seated in 
 the electric train, riding rapidly down the steep hill- 
 sides, between olive groves and vineyards, and then 
 hurrying across the Campagna, treeless, bare, and 
 blazing with summer heat. 
 
 The long-horned white cattle, grazing in the fields 
 near the ruins of the ancient aqueducts, raised their 
 massive heads as the train whizzed by. The summer 
 was so far advanced in this southern land that there 
 were no more blossoms, the grass was already 
 brown with drought and much sunshine. Sheep 
 were gathered together in dull brown masses here 
 and there, and the shepherds sat near them, vainly 
 endeavoring to shelter themselves from the burning 
 heat. 
 
 Even then Janet felt the charm of the landscape, 
 the fascination of the city into whose gate, through 
 the Aurelian Wall, the train was now entering. 
 Notwithstanding the fact that it was here that the 
 most intense suffering she had ever experienced had 
 come to her, she loved Rome, as all do who spend 
 much time within her walls. It seemed to her as if 
 she would be willing to pass her entire life here, in 
 
 266
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 this wonderful city, especially now that Fay was 
 there somewhere. O, the agony of uncertainty! 
 If she might only know where her sister was! It 
 would be some relief to her anxiety. 
 
 The streets of Rome were quite deserted at this 
 hour, and the pavements reflected a dazzling light 
 which was unbearable. The cool entrance hall of 
 the Pension Speranza, shaded with green Venetian 
 blinds, decorated with fresh green plants, seemed 
 dark to Janet at first, and it was only after a few 
 moments that she distinguished Sir John's familiar 
 face. Familiar, yet so grief-stricken that she dared 
 not inquire for Lady Eger. 
 
 " She is still living," he said, answering the un- 
 spoken question, " but very much changed. Are 
 you willing to go to see her? " 
 
 " Immediately," she replied. 
 
 With his usual thoughtfulness, Sir John had or- 
 dered tea for her, and he insisted upon her drinking 
 two cups of it in the pleasant winter garden. He 
 said little, resting his head wearily on the back of 
 the rattan chair, and often closing his eyes as if in 
 pain. At that moment Janet felt for the first time 
 since she had known Sir John that he was weaker 
 than she was and needed her help. 
 
 " You have finished ? Then we will go." 
 
 Janet followed Sir John into the sick chamber. 
 Greatly changed, indeed, was Lady Eger, since that 
 September day when they had gone together to 
 Saint Peter's Church, and the English lady had 
 
 267
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 reverently kissed the black marble toe of the statue. 
 The invalid was still conscious and looked at Janet, 
 when she entered, with a glance of recognition. 
 
 " It is Miss Lapeer, Hortense. You wished to 
 see her. She has been asking for you, Miss Lapeer. 
 Will you be so kind as to come here by her side? 
 She is very weak. Poor Hortense ! " 
 
 The big, strong brother put his arms around her 
 light form and raised her higher on the pillows. 
 She thanked him with a grateful look. 
 
 The nun came forward to give her patient some 
 medicine, and then, at a sign from Sir John, left the 
 room. 
 
 Either Janet's entrance had excited Lady Eger or 
 the medicine had a stimulating effect, for she began 
 to speak, pausing occasionally to gain strength. 
 
 " I wanted to see you Janet for I am 
 dying. When we are near to eternity we see 
 our faults and our sins of the past more clearly. 
 Your sister " 
 
 She was seized with a violent attack of coughing, 
 succeeded by exhaustion from which it seemed im- 
 possible for her to rally. 
 
 " Do not try to talk, dear Lady Eger," Janet pro- 
 tested, but her heart beat fast with anxiety and a ray 
 of hope. Perhaps Lady Eger could tell her where 
 Fay was ! 
 
 Again the dying woman made an effort to speak. 
 
 " Your sister it was my fault that she went 
 to the convent. I meant to do right. I see 
 
 268
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 now that I did wrong to you all. Pity me 
 and forgive me if you can. O God 
 forgive ! " 
 
 She was going, surely going out of life now, with- 
 out revealing the precious secret. 
 
 Janet bent over her in an agony of suspense, and 
 Sir John once more raised his sister in his arms that 
 she might breathe more easily. 
 
 " Hortense," he whispered, " tell us where Fay 
 Lapeer is." 
 
 In a few broken words, Lady Eger gave the name 
 of a well-known convent for cloistered nuns. 
 
 Janet took the poor, wasted hand in her warm, 
 strong ones. 
 
 " Do not grieve, Lady Eger. I forgive you 
 freely. It was not you, but others who did the 
 wrong and sinned against Fay and ourselves." 
 
 Lady Eger's eyes shone with new light. 
 
 " I may be able to atone," she breathed out 
 feebly. 
 
 The nun again entered the room, accompanied by 
 Cardinal Veroni and a priest. The cardinal shook 
 hands with Sir John, bowed to Janet, spoke a few 
 words to Lady Eger, and prepared for the admin- 
 istration of the last sacrament. 
 
 Sir John kissed his sister's forehead gently, and 
 he and Janet left the room while Lady Eger received 
 the last offices of that Church to which she had 
 chosen to belong and in whose interest she had in- 
 fluenced Fay Lapeer to enter the convent. 
 
 269
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 "You will not leave me?" Sir John said, with 
 such a piteous appeal that Janet yielded. " You will 
 stay with Hortense and me ? " 
 
 " I will stay. But first, I must telephone to 
 mamma. She would be greatly worried if I did not 
 return." 
 
 The light of the long summer day faded into 
 darkness. Myriad stars appeared in the cloudless 
 sky, and, later, the moon rose in full splendor. From 
 the streets there came sounds of laughter and gay 
 voices. Mandolin players touched their instru- 
 ments lightly and brought forth tinkling, rippling 
 melodies. 
 
 Still, the invalid retained her slender grasp on life, 
 and Sir John and Janet watched by her side. 
 
 The early dawn began to break over Rome. 
 Silvery mists hovered over the dome of Saint 
 Peter's, and finally vanished as the sun arose. 
 
 Lady Eger stirred and spoke : "O, John, I see 
 my baby ! " 
 
 There was an ineffable joy in her tone, the real- 
 ization of a long and hopeless craving. Her face 
 was transfigured, and she stretched out her arms to 
 clasp that for which her whole being longed. 
 
 Sir John sobbed aloud. Janet placed her hand on 
 his shoulder to comfort him. 
 
 There was a moment of silence. Lady Eger's 
 arms fell, helpless, upon the bed. Her dark eyes 
 closed, then opened once more. She was back, now, 
 in the days of her childhood, by her mother's knee. 
 
 270
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 The intervening years had vanished from her 
 memory. 
 
 Clearly, sweetly, her voice was audible in the 
 stillness : 
 
 "Gentle Jesus, meek and mild, 
 Look upon a little child 
 A little child " 
 
 Lady Eger was dead. 
 
 271
 
 CHAPTER XXIV 
 
 AFTER Lady Eger's death Janet wrote to Car- 
 dinal Veroni she had not the courage to call on 
 him again telling him that she had learned the 
 name of the convent where Fay was, and asking 
 him, as a last favor, to obtain for her permission 
 to see her sister. It cost Janet a great deal to be 
 forced to appeal for help to one whom she regarded 
 as their enemy. 
 
 The reply from the cardinal was not long delayed. 
 It had been extremely difficult, even for him, to get 
 permission for the desired interview. When that 
 was secured Fay herself objected, on the ground 
 that the result would be unsatisfactory and would 
 cause pain to them both. She was well and happy. 
 That was all. Cardinal Veroni regretted that he 
 could not do more for one whom he respected so 
 highly as he did Miss Lapeer. 
 
 If Janet had had a different nature, if she had 
 been critical and satirical, she might have been 
 tempted to think after this fashion : Fay was happy 
 and did not want to be disturbed in her spiritual 
 life. But what of the mother, whose health was 
 ruined by the sudden blow, of Janet herself, in her 
 loneliness, of the man whose happiness had been 
 wrecked? Did Fay give them no thought? Could 
 there be a selfishness in religion? 
 
 272
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 Janet's heart was not bitter but loving. She wept 
 sadly when the cardinal's note came, and she prayed 
 to God for Fay, and for them all, that he would 
 give each of them the needed strength to live and 
 to endure. 
 
 When Sir John came to Frascati and, finding her 
 in the olive grove near the hotel, took both her 
 hands in his and looked into her eyes, there was no 
 need of words between them. She knew that she 
 had loved him for a long time and that he would 
 love her through eternity. 
 
 The sunshine sifted through the lacy, light-green 
 leaves of the olive trees and rested on her hair, 
 turning it to threads of gold; it flickered over her 
 gown and wove mystic designs upon it and it 
 touched her face and eyes, and glorified them. 
 
 These two talked for a long time in the olive 
 grove, and it seemed as if they had found each other 
 only to separate. Janet was certain that her mother, 
 now practically a nervous invalid, would never wish 
 to leave Rome. Here, she could know and feel that 
 she was near Fay, even if it were evermore impossi- 
 ble to see her. 
 
 Mrs. Lapeer, when she heard from Sir John that 
 he desired to marry Janet, surprised them both. 
 Awakening from the apathy into which she had fallen 
 since Fay left them, she insisted that there should 
 be no delay ; arrangements for the marriage should 
 be made at once. She was feverishly anxious that 
 one of her daughters should be happy. She would 
 
 273
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 go anywhere, do anything that Janet wished, pro- 
 vided that once a year they could return to Rome, 
 to be near Fay. 
 
 On account of the complicated legal documents 
 required for a marriage in Italy, it was decided to 
 defer the ceremony until autumn. Mrs. Lapeer and 
 Janet sailed from Naples, and Sir John went to 
 England to attend to business matters there. Part 
 of Lady Eger's property had been left to him, the 
 other part going, by her wish, to the Roman 
 Catholic Church. It was to be used in founding an 
 institution for abandoned children, and the funds 
 were to be administered by Cardinal Veroni, who 
 had full authority to use his own judgment. 
 
 In October, Janet and Sir John were married very 
 quietly in her mother's home in Clyde. 
 
 The fact that Fay Lapeer had changed her faith 
 and entered a convent on the eve of her marriage 
 with a wealthy Italian marquis had caused much 
 excitement among her friends in that town. The 
 wedding of Janet Lapeer and an English baronet, 
 added fuel to the fire. The newspapers gave as 
 many details as they could find out or invent. It 
 was a relief to Sir John and Janet when they could 
 escape to the ranch in California. 
 
 Sir John's property comprised many thousands of 
 acres of land, suitable for fruit-raising. To the 
 hundreds of workmen whom he employed he was 
 not a baronet but plain John Hamilton. With this 
 he was quite content, being a democrat at heart, 
 
 274
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 and a simple-minded nobleman who loved all human 
 kind as brothers. 
 
 It would have pleased the ambitious soul of Mrs. 
 Lapeer to hear her daughter, Janet, called Lady 
 Hamilton, and it would have gratified her even 
 more if Sir John had chosen to live on his ancestral 
 estates in England, rather than in California, where 
 he gloried in the freedom of life and thought. In 
 the meantime the " ancestral estates " were well 
 cared for, and Sir John expected to return to 
 England occasionally, to give them his personal 
 supervision. Janet was satisfied to be known as 
 " Mrs. John Hamilton," by the few neighbors who 
 lived on ranches several miles away, and was very 
 happy in her new home, except when she thought 
 of Fay, dear Fay, far off in Rome. 
 
 Sir John's house was large, having many rooms, 
 furnished with every comfort. It was on the broad 
 verandas, however, that Mrs. Lapeer and Janet 
 spent most of their time. On this bright morning, 
 the breakfast table was set out in the open air. Its 
 fine white linen, with dainty china and rare old 
 silver, heirlooms in the Hamilton family for many 
 years, made it very attractive to Sir John, coming 
 in from the orchards. A vase of roses stood in the 
 center of the table and roses clambered in wild 
 luxury over the veranda, drooping gaily from the 
 roof and winding themselves around the pillars. 
 
 Janet gathered a bunch of them before she sat 
 down, fastening them on her white dress. 
 
 275
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 "Your mother is not coming down?" asked her 
 husband. 
 
 " She is tired. I have sent her breakfast to her. 
 Here comes Frank, with the mail. I will pour your 
 coffee while you open the bag." 
 
 " Always in a hurry for your letters ! " he said, 
 teasingly. 
 
 He became absorbed in his mail, and Janet 
 patiently waited, glancing occasionally at the 
 glimpses of rolling country, with masses of blos- 
 soming trees, a huge flower garden, which she could 
 see between the pillars and vines. Even the south- 
 ern climate of Italy could not produce such riotous 
 abundance of beauty. 
 
 Sir John was unusually grave when he lifted his 
 face from a copy of the London Times and stretched 
 out his hand for a cup of coffee. 
 
 " Is anything the matter, John ? " inquired Janet, 
 quick to notice a change in his face. She grew 
 suddenly very pale. "Is it Fay?" 
 
 " No, dear, no. There is a bit of news here in 
 which you will be interested, but it does not concern 
 us personally. It can wait." 
 
 " And are there no letters for me ? " 
 
 " One from Mrs. Pierce, I think." He made no 
 move to give it to her, and she ate her breakfast 
 with little appetite. 
 
 There certainly must be something serious in 
 that paper, or John would not be so quiet, so 
 absorbed in his thoughts. He had been very cheer- 
 
 276
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 ful when he came in from his long walk through 
 one of the orchards. 
 
 " It is this," Sir John said, coming to her side 
 with the paper. " It caught my eye almost as soon 
 as I opened the Times. You see, it is a telegram 
 from Rome." 
 
 There was not a long paragraph, but it meant 
 much to Janet, for it brought back vividly all that 
 had passed in Rome. 
 
 " A very sad accident occurred night before last. 
 In some extraordinary way, one of the nuns in the 
 
 Convent, fell from a window and was instantly 
 
 killed. The matter was brought at once to the atten- 
 tion of the police, who investigated the affair and 
 were satisfied that it was not a crime but an acci- 
 dent. Facts were difficult to obtain, but it was 
 ascertained that the unfortunate nun was a younger 
 sister of Marquis di Cassini, a Deputy who is very 
 prominent in the Liberal party." 
 
 " An accident ! " repeated Janet. " How could it 
 have been an accident ? Do you suppose O, John ! 
 it might have been Fay ! " 
 
 " But it was not Fay. Open Mrs. Pierce's letter, 
 Janet, and see whether she says anything about it." 
 
 " Yes. ' There is such sad news, dear Janet, about 
 Floria di Cassini. She was found dead beneath the 
 walls of the convent. The papers call it an accident. 
 Perhaps it was. Who will ever know whether the 
 poor child grew desperate and but it is too horrible 
 to think of ! Let us call it an accident. 
 
 277
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " ' My husband saw the marquis yesterday. He 
 is almost broken-hearted, but brave, as ever. 
 
 " ' When are you coming to Rome, Janet? We 
 want to see you. There is so much to talk about.' ' 
 
 " It is a very terrible thing," said Sir John, " but 
 do not think about it, Janet." 
 
 "John," she said, " when can we go to Rome? " 
 
 " When you like, my dear. I can leave now as 
 well as any time." 
 
 " I want to go soon. When I think of Fay, I get 
 desperate. At least, I should like to be near her for 
 a while." 
 
 Thus it happened that Sir John, Janet, Mrs. 
 Lapeer, and faithful Romilda, who had accompanied 
 them across ocean and continent to the California 
 home, made their first pilgrimage back to Rome. 
 
 The old city was the same; it had not changed. 
 Tourists were on the streets, the ruins were flooded 
 with sunshine, veiled in filmy mists or white in the 
 moonlight, just as they had been a year before. 
 Hundreds of priests walked the broad avenues, and 
 odors of incense floated out from the open doors 
 of the churches. 
 
 Cardinal Veroni was not in Rome, a man-servant 
 told Sir John, when he called at the new home of his 
 eminence. 
 
 "When will he be back?" 
 
 " I do not know, sir. He has gone to Spain on 
 an important mission. The date of his return has 
 not yet been fixed." 
 
 278
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 No information about Fay could be obtained from 
 Cardinal Veroni. Janet and her mother must con- 
 tinue to be patient. Ah ! it was hard hard. 
 
 Mrs. Pierce was delighted to see Janet again and 
 poured out a quantity of news. 
 
 " It is all true about poor Floria. She is at rest, 
 and her brother bears it wonderfully. Paolo 
 Gregori, you remember the young priest, Janet ? " 
 
 " Very well." 
 
 " He is preaching now and winning many souls 
 to Christ. You remember what a hard time he 
 had at first. It was impossible for him to stay in 
 any position. We all admired his courage so much. 
 He never complained, although I really think that 
 there were days when he had nothing to eat." 
 
 Sir John began to pace the room, an old habit of 
 his, which betokened mental disturbance. 
 
 " I would have advanced him money," he said, 
 impatiently, as if someone was to blame. " Nothing 
 to eat ! Poor lad ! " 
 
 Mrs. Pierce smiled. 
 
 " We did not allow him to suffer, Sir John, but 
 we had to beguile him in for a meal. He would not 
 tell us of his troubles. At last, the Marquis di 
 Cassini found him a place as tutor in the family of 
 a wealthy Deputy. The person who had seemed to 
 persecute him suddenly stopped. Now, he is study- 
 ing theology and commencing to preach." 
 
 " Any news of Cardinal Veroni ? " inquired Sir 
 John. His honest face had cleared once more. 
 
 279
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 " Cardinal Veroni will be a great cardinal, as he 
 was great in his priestly profession. He has a won- 
 derful power over men," said Mr. Pierce. " I saw 
 him not long ago, and he seemed to me paler and 
 sterner than ever. He is now in Spain." 
 
 " So I understand. Janet, are you ready ? Let us 
 go, for tomorrow is Sunday and it will be a hard 
 day for you." 
 
 The morrow was a hard day, for it was the center 
 and heart of this sad pilgrimage to Rome. 
 
 Although the nuns in the convent which Fay had 
 chosen to enter were not allowed to leave the build- 
 ing, they attended mass each Sunday morning in a 
 church, which was open to the public, but had a 
 special entrance on the other side, into the convent. 
 As they sat in the gallery, thick lattice-work hid 
 them from the curious gaze of the worshipers. A 
 shimmer of white shone through the close iron 
 grating; that was the only sign of their presence. 
 Silently they entered, knelt in silent prayer, and 
 silently left the gallery when the mass was finished. 
 
 Janet and her husband went to that church on 
 Sunday morning. It was a comfort even to catch 
 the gleam of white robes through the lattice work. 
 Perhaps Fay was there, living, praying! So close, 
 and yet separated as completely from her sister as 
 if an ocean rolled between them. 
 
 At sunset, they went again. This time, Mrs. 
 Lapeer gathered up her strength and accompanied 
 them; for this was an important and final part of 
 
 280
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 their pilgrimage. Once each year, they would come 
 to this little church at eventime, when the light grew 
 dim and the sweet voices of the nuns sang with a 
 melody which was little less than heavenly. 
 
 Hand in hand, Janet and her mother sat on the 
 hard, wooden bench and listened to the invisible 
 choir. One voice was clearer, purer than the others. 
 It might be Fay, pouring out her soul in the music ! 
 Did it mean peace or sorrow ? For her sake, Janet 
 prayed that it might mean peace. 
 
 Had she forgotten them, her mother and sister, 
 who had loved her so dearly and cared for her so 
 tenderly ? In the secluded life that she was leading, 
 separated from those duties which God had placed 
 before her, and which she had, of her own free will, 
 refused to perform, was she happy and contented, 
 or was she restless, like a bird beating its wings 
 against the iron bars of its cage ? 
 
 Who could tell ! Behind that lattice work, within 
 the walls of the convent, there were soul-mysteries 
 which only God could solve. 
 
 The voices rose higher and higher, richer and 
 fuller, in a grand burst of melody; then died away 
 into silence. 
 
 Darkness shrouded the little church; the few 
 candles on the altar burned with greater brilliancy 
 in front of the painting of our Lord's mother. 
 
 Sir John assisted Mrs. Lapeer down the stone 
 steps and into the carriage. As he was following 
 Janet, to take his seat opposite the ladies, he caught 
 
 281
 
 THE JESUIT 
 
 sight of a familiar face. It was the Marquis di 
 Cassini. Every Sunday evening, when he was in 
 Rome, he came to this old church and listened to the 
 singing of the nuns. Motionless in the shadows he 
 sat, hoping that he might hear Fay's voice. It made 
 life a little easier to feel that, possibly, he was near 
 the woman he loved. 
 
 The sight of the marquis and of Janet's tear- 
 stained face aroused good Sir John to a feeling of 
 exasperation. How could this separation of daugh- 
 ter from mother, of sister from sister, of wife from 
 husband, be right before God? 
 
 Each year the pilgrimage to Rome would take 
 place as long as Fay should live. They would sit 
 in the semidarkness, listening, longing for her who 
 could not come to them, from whom they were 
 divided by a gulf as wide as death. 
 
 The nuns sing on at eventime, and the churches 
 are crowded with tourists to see gorgeous func- 
 tions and hear exquisite music. 
 
 Rome, the Eternal, with her ruined palaces of the 
 Caesars, her Forum, her Coliseum, stained with the 
 blood of martyrs who died for their pure and holy 
 faith, and her precious memories of the great 
 apostle, continues to draw the world to her, as she 
 has done for centuries. 
 
 And the master-weavers are still busy at the web, 
 whose strands are as soft as silk and as strong as 
 steel. 
 
 282