The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-04-02
NUMBER O..
THE BETROTHED:
tContinued.l |
BY MANZONI.

After having returned from the church, aud
having learnt from the Unknown the arrival OF
Lucy, the cardinal archbishop had seated hsul-
self at the table, placing the UnknoWn on his
right hand; the company was compssed OF =
number of priests, who gazed earnestly &C the
countenance Of their once formidable com.
panion. 80 softened without weakness, %
humbled without nIeauness, and compared 10
with the horrible idea they had SO long enter.
tained of him.
Dinner being over, the Unknown and tho
cardinal retired together. After o. long inter
view, the former departed for his castle, and
the latter sent for the onrate Of the parish, aud
requested him to conduct him to the house
whore Lucy had received an asylum.
80, my lord,' replied the curate, ''snffor me-.
suffer me. l will send for the Young siri ard
themselves, IL my lord detires it.p
al wish TO 60 to them myself," replied
Frederick.
There is no necessity that You ahonid In
convenience yourself; 1 will send for them ia-s
uudsrstaud that, by this visit, the oAcdlnal
wished to do honor to misfortune, innoooResi
hospitality. and to his own ministry. Bas the:
superior repeating his desire, the infsEaor
bowed, and they proceeded on their way.
When they appeared in the street, . crowd
Immediately collected around them The oRratai
DRIED, Come, come, back, keep OFF, "Buts
said Frederick, suffer them" and he e.
people, now lowering them to embrace theF
children, who obstruoted his progress. Thsy
reached the hon 50 and entered it, whilst tbs
crowd remained without. But amidst the
throng was the tailor, who had followed With
others; his eyes & xed and his mouth open, Wo1s
deIing where sbe cardinal was going. When he
beheld him entering his own house, be hustied
his way through the crowd, crying out, Make
room for those who have o right to enter" ard
followed into the house.
Agnes and L1cy heard An irc re AsinR uturmuP
in the street; and whilst they werc surmisinR
the cause, the door opened, and, behold, the
cardinal and the curate!
" Is this shef" asked the former of the On.
rate, and at sign in the Affirmative no aP.
preached Lucy, who, with her mother, vas
standing motiOnless aud mnts with surprise
and extreme diftiience: but che tones Of ths
voice. the conutenance, and, above sll, the
words of Frederick, s BON removed their eSa-
barTassment. "P Poor young wemRD,' said be,
" God las permitted yon to be objected TO .
great trial but he has also made you see thas
he watches over you, and has never foe-
gotten you. He has saved you, and in additioe
to that blessing. has ado of you to ae-
com plish o great work through you, to impaEe
the wonders Of his grace and mercy to one
man, and at the same time to comfort th@
hearts of many"
Here the mistress of the house entered the
room with her husband; perceiving their
guests engaged in conversation. they Feopect-
fully retired to q distant part of the apartments.
The cardinal bowed to them courteously, and !
the conversation with Lucy and her 5
mother. He mixed with the consolation b.
offered many inquiries, hoping to hud from
their answers some way of rendering them still
farther services after their sufferiugs.
1T is pity all the clergy were not like
your lordsbip, and then they would take the
part of the poor, and not help TO brtog them
INTO di&culty for the sake of drawing them
selves out Of il" said Agnes, encouraged by
the familiar and afAble manner of Frederick,
and vexed that Don Abbondio. after having
sacrificed others to his own sehshness, shouid
iare to forbid her making the least complaint
20 one 30 much above him, when by go fortu-
nate a chance the occasion presen ted itsolf.
"say all that you think, said the cardinal;
speak freely"
II would say, that IL our curate had done
lis duty, things would not have been as they
lre."
The cardinal begging her to explain herself
more clearly, she found some embarrassment in
ime played part which she felt very unwiii-
DR to communicate to suoh . man. However,
he got over the di@culty she related the pro-
ected marriage, the refusal Of Don Abbondio,
nd the pretext he bad offered with respect 70
lie sTperiors (oh, Agnes y; and passing 90 the
tempt of Don Roderick, she told Ia whas
lanner, being informed Of IL, they had been
BILE to escape. " But, indeed" edded Sbe in
onclusion, "it was escaping to fall into an-
ther snare. If the curate had told uS siE-
erely the difficulty, and had married my poOr
hildren, We would have left the oountry im-
and gone whore NO one would havs
noWn us, not even the wind. Thus time was
'st, aud that which has happened has hSp-
ened."
"The curate shall render me an account Of
his" said the cardinal.
No. my lord, no." resumed Agnes. Did
OF speak on that account, do not rsProvo htw
ecs1se what is done, is done; and 70 WoHl4
1swer no purpose. He IL . man OF a1oh
laracter, that il the thing were TO do over
gain, be would act precisely In she saune way
n. sGs Ley nc % Sa tss sass S.S Sss
|, blamo it iS plain that it Bas 90 will ~
od the tht1g ah01ld not eReclel