Page 297 (1/2)

"You come to me, sir, when you have exhausted all otheryour end?"

"Naturally the Government wishes if possible to spare your Holiness an

unusual and painful ordeal"

"The lady has resisted all other influences?"

"She has resisted all influences which can be brought to bear upon her

by the proper authorities"

"I have heard of it, sir I have heard what your 'authorities' have done

to humble a helpless woman She had been the victie of that fact your 'authorities' have tempted and tried

her They tried her with poverty, with humiliation, with jealousy and

the shadow of shame But the blessed God upheld her in the love which

had awakened her soul, and she withstood them to the last"

The Baron, for the first time, looked confused

"I have also heard that in order to achieve the saaols has been the scene of a scandal which has outraged every divine

and human law"

"Your Holiness must not accept for truth all that is printed in the

halfpenny papers"

"Is it true that in the cell where a helpless unfortunate was paying the

penalty of his criuise to draw him into a denunciation of his accomplice?"

"These are matters of state, your Holiness I do not assert them and I

do not deny"