said, "I must ask you other questions. You have mentioned
Jenne. I was not even aware of the existence of this Jenne. It has been
described to me. To tell the truth, I cannot understand why you ever
went to Jenne."

Benedetto smiled quietly, but did not attempt to justify himself, not
wishing to interrupt the Pope, who continued:

"It was an unfortunate idea, for who can say what is really going on at
Jenne? Do you know there are those up there, who look on you with little
favour?"

In reply Benedetto only prayed His Holiness not to oblige him to answer.

"I understand," the Pope said, "and, I must confess, your prayer is most
Christian. You need not speak; but I cannot hide the fact that you have
been accused of many things. Are you aware of this?"

Benedetto was aware of, or rather suspected, one accusation only. The
Pope seemed the more embarrassed. He himself was calm.

"You are accused of having pretended at Jenne to be a miracle-worker,
and by this boasting of yours, to have caused the death in your own
house of an unfortunate man. They even assert that he died of certain
drinks you gave him. You are accused of having preached to the people
more as a Protestant than as a Catholic, and also----"

The Holy Father hesitated. His virginal purity recoiled from alluding to
certain things.

"Of having been over-intimate with the village schoolmistress. What can
you answer, my son?"

"Holy Father," Benedetto said calmly, "the Spirit is answering for me in
your heart."

The Pontiff fixed his eyes on him, in great astonishment; but he was not
only astonished, he was also much troubled; for it was as if Benedetto
had read in his soul. A slight flush coloured his face.

"Explain your meaning," he said.

"God has allowed me to read in your heart that you do not believe any of
these accusations."

At these words of Benedetto's, the Pope knit his brows slightly.

"Now Your Holiness is thinking that I arrogate to myself a miraculous
clairvoyance. No. It I is something which I see in your face, which I
hear in your voice; poor, common, man that I am!"

"Perhaps you know who has recently visited me?" the Pope exclaimed.

He had summoned to Rome the parish priest of Jenne, and had questioned
him concerning Benedetto. The priest, finding a Pope to his liking, a
Pope who differed vastly from those two zealots who had intimidated him
at Jenne, had seized the opportunity of thus easily making his peace
with his own