palms, which were hot and perspiring.

"But, Holy Father," he said, "what will be the good? Say that all
difficulties of etiquette can be removed, and you can meet as man to
man, as David Leone and Albert Charles--why will the King come? Only to
ask you to put pressure upon your informant to give more information."

The Pope drew himself up on the gravel path and smote his breast with
indignation. "Never! It would be an insult to the Church," he said. "It
is one thing to expect the Holy Father to do his duty as a Christian
even to his enemy, it is another thing to ask him to invade the sanctity
of a private confidence."

The Capuchin did not reply, and the two old men walked on in silence. As
the light softened the swallows increased their clamour, and song-birds
began to call from neighbouring trees. Suddenly a startled cry burst
from the foliage, and, turning quickly, the Pope lifted up the cat
which, as usual, was picking its way at his heels.

"Ah, Meesh, Meesh! I've got you safely this time.... It was the poor
mother-bird again, I suppose. Where is her nest, I wonder?"

They found it in the old sarcophagus, which was now almost lost in
leaves. The eggs had been hatched, and the fledglings, with eyes not yet
opened, stretched their featherless necks and opened their beaks when
the Pope put down his hand to touch them.

"Monsignor," said the Pope over his shoulder, "remind me to-morrow to
ask the gardener for some worms."

The cat, from his prison under the Pope's arm, was watching the
squirming nest with hungry eyes.

"Naughty Meesh! Naughty!" said the Pope, shaking one finger in the cat's
face. "But Meesh is only following the ways of his kind, and perhaps I
was wrong to let him see the quarry."

The Pope and the Capuchin walked back to the Vatican for joy of the
sweet spring evening with its scent of flowers and song of birds.

"You are sad to-day, Father Pifferi," said the Pope.

"I'm still thinking of that poor lady," said the Capuchin.

At the first hour of night the Pope attended the recitation of the
rosary in his private chapel, and then returning to his private study, a
room furnished with a table and two chairs, he took a light supper,
served by Cortis in the evening dress of a civilian. His only other
company was the cat, which sat on a chair on the opposite side of the
table. After supper he wrote a letter. It ran:

"SIRE,--Your Minister informs us that through official channels he