.

[Sidenote: _Bishop Guido._]

As soon as they arrived in Rome they discovered that unexpected help
was right at hand. Guido, the good Bishop of Assisi, was in the city,
and he met them accidentally just as they arrived. He was a little
discomposed at first--seeing the entire brotherhood he immediately
jumped to the conclusion that they were about to settle in Rome.
However, Francis soon told him the object of their journey, and he
promised to do the very best he could for them. Guido had a friend in
Rome, Cardinal John, of Sabina. This man was godly and devoted, one
who had never been carried away by the grandeur of his position, and
he was always a friend of anybody who tried to work for God. Guido had
already told him the story of Francis, and said that it was his belief
that God meant to do great things through that simple man and his
followers. Now that they had turned up so unexpectedly, he hastened to
introduce them to John and let him judge them for himself. The
Cardinal saw them, and talked to them, and was convinced in his own
mind that they were divinely led. Still, he thought he would like to
try Francis a little further. Taking him to one side, he asked him a
number of questions about his work and its difficulties.

"It is beyond your strength," he said, when he had heard him, and went
on to advise him to join some already existing Order, or else, if he
liked, lead the life of a hermit. Francis listened politely, but still
kept to his purpose.

"You are mistaken," persisted the Cardinal. "It is much better to
follow the beaten tracks."

Francis, equally persistent, kept to his point, and then the Cardinal,
who would have been sorry had his advice been taken, entered heartily
into his plans, and promised to support him with the Pope.

As these interviews occupied several days, Francis became impatient at
the delay. Nobody knows how he did it, but he succeeded unaided in
getting into the Palace, and presenting himself and his brethren
before the astonished eyes of the Pope! The Pope was walking in a
secluded gallery, meditating mournfully on the declension of the
Church of God, and trying to think what would remedy the growing
evils, when his meditations were abruptly cut short by what looked to
him like a troop of beggars. He was annoyed, and sent them off about
their business before they could explain what they wanted.

[Sidenote: _A Dream._]

That night the Pope dreamed a strange dream. He thoug