his mother.

It did not seem strange that his mother should be there. From her home
in heaven she had come down to watch over her son on earth. She had
always been watching over him. And now that he too was betrayed and
lost, now that he too was broken-hearted and alone....

He was utterly unmanned. "Mother! Mother! I am coming to you! Every door
is closed against me, and I have nowhere to go to for refuge. I am
coming!... I am coming!"

Then the spirit paused, and pointing to the bronze gate of the Vatican,
said, with infinite tenderness:

"Go there!"

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PART NINE--THE PEOPLE

I

The Pope awoke next morning in the dreary hour of cock-crow, and rang
for his valet while he was still in bed. When the valet came he was
greatly agitated.

"What's amiss, Gaetanino?" said the Pope.

"A madman, your Holiness," said the valet. "They wanted me to awaken
your Holiness, and I wouldn't do it. A madman is down at the bronze
gate, and insists on seeing you."

At this moment the Maestro di Camera came into the room. He also was
greatly agitated.

"What is this about some poor madman at the bronze gate?" asked the
Pope.

"I have come to tell your Holiness," said the master of the household.
"The man declares he is pursued, and demands sanctuary."

"Who is he?"

"He says he will give his name to the Holy Father only; but his
face...."

"The man's mad," said the valet.

"Be quiet, Gaetanino."

"His face," continued the Maestro di Camera, "is known to the Swiss
Guard, and when they sent up word...."

The Pope sat up and said, "Is it perhaps..."

"It is, your Holiness."

"Where is he now?"

"He has forced his way in as far as the Sala Clementina, and nothing but
physical force...."

Sounds of voices raised in dispute could be heard in a distant room. The
Pope listened and said:

"Let the man come up immediately."

"Here, your Holiness?"

"Here."

The Maestro di Camera had hardly gone from the Pope's bedroom when the
Secretary of State entered it with hasty steps.

"Your Holiness," he said, "you will not allow yourself to receive this
person? It is sufficiently clear that he must have escaped from the
police during the night, probably by the help of confederates, and to
shelter him will be to come into collision with the civil authorities."

"The young man demands sanc