ocument, carefully drawn up,
and which had cost the labour of some years. Massoni studied it with
such deep intensity that he had not noticed the entrance of a servant,
who now stood waiting to deliver a letter which he held in his hand.
At last he perceived the man, and, hastily snatching the note, read to
himself the following few lines--

'She will come to-morrow at noon. Give orders to admit her at once to
him; but do not yourself be there.'

This was signed 'D' and carefully folded and sealed.

'That will do; you need not wait, said the Pere, and again he was alone.
For several minutes he continued to ponder over the scenes before him,
and then, throwing them on the table, exclaimed aloud, 'And this is the
boasted science of medicine! Here is the most learned physician of all
Rome--the trusted of Popes and Cardinals--confessing that there are
phases of human malady to which, while his art gives no clue--a certain
mysterious agency--a something compounded of imposture and fanaticism,
can read and decipher. What an ignoble avowal is this, and what a
sarcasm upon all intellect and its labours! And what will be said of
me,' cried he, in a louder voice, 'if it be known that I have lent my
credence to such a doctrine; that I, the head and leader of a great
association, should stoop to take counsel from those who, if they be not
cheats and impostors, must needs be worse! And, if worse, what then?'
muttered he, as he drew his hand across his brow as though to clear
away some difficult and distressing thought. 'Ay, what then? Are there
really diabolic agencies at work in those ministrations? Are these
miraculous revelations that we hear of ascribable to evil influences?
What if it were not trick and legerdemain? What if Satan had really
seized upon these passers of base money to mingle his own coinage with
theirs? If every imposture be his work, why should he not act through
those who have contrived it? Oh, if we could but know what are the
truthful suggestions of inspirations, and what the crafty devices of an
erring brain! If, for instance, I could now see how far the great
cause to which my life is devoted should be served or thwarted by the
enterprise.'

He walked the room for nigh an hour in deep and silent meditation.

'I will see her myself,' cried he at length. 'All her stage tricks and
cunning will avail her little with _me_; and if she really have high
powers, why should they not be turned to our use? When Sa