io closely and completely as to make parting impossible but what a fantastic notion viewed by the light of calm reason there was nothing in the occurrence to give rise to any such sentiment here was a poor little evidently without parents home or friends � and the cardinal had given him a night s lodging and tomorrow yes to morrow he would give him food and warm clothing and money � and perhaps a recommendation to the in order that he might get a chance of free education and employment in while proper were being made about him that was the and commonplace view to take of the matter the personality of the little fellow was intensely winning � but after all that had nothing to do with the facts of the case he was a and stray as he himself had said his name so far as he seemed to know it was � an ordinary name enough in france � and his age might be about twelve � not more something could be done for him � something should be done for him before the cardinal parted with him but thi s idea of parting was just what seemed so difficult to contemplate puzzled beyond measure at the strange state of mind in which he found himself went over and over again all the events of the day in order � his arrival in � his visit to the cathedral and grand music he had heard or fancied he heard there � his experience with the little children and their mother � his conversation with the in which he had felt much more excitement than he was willing to admit � his dream wherein he had been so painfully impressed with a sense of the desertion and end of the world and finally his discovery of the little lonely and apparently forsaken boy thrown as it were against the closed cathedral like a frail human wreck cast up from the gulf of the devouring sea each incident trivial in itself yet seemed of particular importance though he could not explain or why it should be so he sat and watched the moon sink like a silver falling downward in the dark � the vanished one by one � and a faint brown gold line of suggestive light in the cast began the slow creation of a yet invisible present yielding to a vague impulse of ea the master christian tenderness he rose softly and went to the threshold of the room where his slept holding his breath he listened � but there was no sound very cautiously and noiselessly he opened the door and looked in � a delicate half light came through the window and seemed to itself on the bed where the tired wanderer lay his fine youthful was distinctly � the soft bright hair clustered like a round his broad brows � and the two small hands were crossed upon his breast while in his sleep he smiled always touched by the beauty innocence and helplessness of childhood something in the aspect of this little lad moved the venerable s heart to an unwonted emotion � and looking upon him he prayed for guidance as to what he should best do to rescue so gentle and young a creature from the of the world he has trusted me said the cardinal � i have found him and i cannot � dare not � him for the master says shall receive one such little child in my name v the next morning broke fair and calm and as soon as the household were cardinal sought madame in her kitchen and related to her the story of his night s adventure she listened but could not refrain from occasional exclamations of surprise mingled with suggestions of warning it is like your good heart she said to give your own bed to a stray child out of the street � one too of whom you know nothing � but alas i how often such goodness is repaid by ingratitude the more charity you show the less you receive � yes indeed it is often so � and it seems as if the evil one were in it for look you i myself have never done a kindness yet without getting a cruelty in exchange for it that is a sad experience my daughter returned the cardinal smiling � nevertheless it is our duty to go on doing no matter what the results to ourselves may be it is understood � is it not that we are to be in this world if we had nothing to suffer what would be the use of such virtues as patience and ah for you it is different said madame shaking her head and sighing � you are like the blessed saints � safe in a of holy church with our lady for ever looking after you but for poor people such as we are � we see the rough side of life � and we know that there is very little goodness about in the world � and as for patience and endurance � why no one in these days has the patience to endure even the least contradiction two men � aye even brothers � will fight for a word like quarrelling over a bone � and two women will scream themselves hoarse if one should have a lover more than the other � asking your pardon for such wicked talk still wicked as it may be it is true � and not all the powers of heaven seem to care about making thin ik o the master christian better and for this boy � believe me � you has better leave him to his own way � for there will be no chance of getting such a poor little into the school unless his father and mother are known or unless will adopt him which is not likely 