as sweet as an apple blossom kneeling in front of the altar i watched her � i see her now � the late sunlight through the stained glass window fell like a glory on her pretty hair and on the little white folded so across her bosom and on her small hands and the brown that was twisted round her fingers she was praying so she told me afterwards to her guardian angel � i wonder what that personage was about just then i anyhow to her petition came no answer but a ii the master christian devil in me � i made her love me � i her by every subtle and persuasion i could think of � i can never even now think of that time without wondering where all the eloquent evil of my tongue came from and � well � she never was able to ask the guardian angel any more and i think i loved her for a while � but no i am not sure � i believe there is no such good thing as absolute love in my composition anyway i soon left and had almost forgotten her when she wrote to tell me of the birth of her child � a son i gave her no reply and then she wrote again � such a letter � such words at the mo ment they burnt me � me � positively hurt me � and i was not then easily hurt she swore she would bring the boy up to curse his father � and to put it quite briefly � she did she died when he was twenty and it now appears the lad took an oath by her death bed that he would never rest till he had killed the man who had his mother and broken her heart and brought him into the world with a on his name no filial respect you see and tried to force a smile to do the boy justice he apparently means to keep his oath � he has not rested he has been at infinite pains to discover me he has even been at the trouble to write me a warning letter and is now in paris watching me i in my turn take care to protect myself � i am followed by and am at enormous pains to guard my life not for my own sake but for his an odd of circumstances is it not i cannot have him arrested because he would at once relate his history and my name would be ruined and that would be quite as good a vengeance for him as the other thing you will admit that it is a very dramatic situation it is a said the cardinal in a low voice and a terrible one yes i suppose it is i imagined you would consider it in that light and half closed his eyes leaning back in his chair languidly but here i am willing to set things as straight as i can and it really seems impossible to arrange matters i am to die soon according to the doctors � and so i have made my will leaving everything i possess to this ridiculous boy who wishes to kill me and it is more than probable that he � the master christian considering how he has been brought up and educated � will cast all the money into the dirt and kick at my grave but what can i do nothing said the cardinal you can do nothing that is the worst of having inflicted a wrong upon the innocent � you can never by any means it you can repent � and it is probable that your very repentance your forgiveness at a higher than that of earth s judgment � but the results of wrong cannot be wiped out or done away with in this life � they continue to exist and alas � often even the harsh or unjust word cannot be recalled and however much we may regret having uttered it somehow it is never forgotten but � here leaning forward he laid one hand gently on s arm my dear friend � my dear brother � you have told me of your sin � it is a great sin � but god forbid that i should presume to judge you harshly when our lord himself declared that he came not to call the righteous but to repentance it may be that i can find a way to help you arrange for me to see this son of yours � and i will endeavour to find a means of to him and to the memory of his mother before you pass away from us � if indeed you are to pass away so soon under the levity you assume i perceive you have deep feeling on this matter � you shall not die with a wrong on your soul � you shall not if i can prevent it for there undoubtedly is another life you must go into it as purely as prayer and can make you i thought said the speaking somewhat that you might when you heard all some of rome s upon me what am i and what is rome compared with the master s own word said the cardinal gently if our brothers sin against us seventy times seven we are still to forgive and they are still our brothers judgments and of one another are not any part of our lord s commands rose up and held out his hand will you take it he said as a pledge that i will faithfully do whatever you may see fitting and right to the past � and to clear my son s soul from the thirst of vengeance which is it ii the master christian cardinal clasped the extended hand warmly there is your answer he said with smile which his fine countenance with 