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           ToDanetheCardinalhadanimmenseauraofspiritualpowerwhichmadehimthinkofapoperatherthanasaint,yetthoseintenselysadeyeswerenottheeyesofapope.Howmuchhemusthavesufferedtoappearso,buthownoblyhemusthaverisenabovehissufferingtobecomethismostperfectofpriests.

           AndCardinalRalphgazedatthesonhedidnotknowwashisson,lovinghim,hethought,becausehewasdearMeggie’sboy.Justsowouldhehavewantedtoseeasonofhisownbody;astall,asstrikinglygood-looking,asgraceful.Inallhislifehehadneverseenamanmovesowell.Butfarmoresatisfyingthananyphysicalbeautywasthesimplebeautyofhissoul.Hehadthestrengthoftheangels,andsomethingoftheirunearthliness.Hadhebeensohimself,ateighteen?Hetriedtoremember,spanthecrowdedeventsofthreefifthsofalifetime;no,hehadneverbeenso.Wasitbecausethisonecametrulyofhisownchoice?Forhehimselfhadnot,thoughhehadhadthevocation,ofthatmuchhestillwassure.

           "Sitdown,Dane.DidyoudoasIasked,starttolearnItalian?"

           "AtthisstageIspeakitfluentlybutwithoutidiom,andIreaditverywell.Probablythefactthatit’smyfourthlanguagemakesiteasier.Iseemtohaveatalentforlanguages.AcoupleofweekshereandIoughttopickupthevernacular."

           "Yes,youwill.I,too,haveatalentforlanguages."

           "Well,they’rehandy,"saidDanelamely.Theawesomescarletfigurewasalittledaunting;itwassuddenlyhardtorememberthemanonthechestnutgeldingatDrogheda.