“Indeed!” said the cardinal, closing his book and rising from his seat, his countenance brightening; “let him come in, let him come in immediately.”
“But——,” replied the chaplain, “does your lordship know who this man is? It is the famous outlaw ——.”
“And is it not a happy circumstance for a bishop, that such a man should have come to seek him?”
“But——,” insisted the chaplain, “we never dare speak of certain things, because my lord says they are idle tales. However, in this case it appears to be a duty——. Zeal makes enemies, my lord, and we know that more than one ruffian has boasted that sooner or later——”
“And what have they done?”
“This man is an enterprising, desperate villain, who is in strict correspondence with other villains, as desperate as himself, and who, perhaps, have sent him——”
“Oh! what discipline is this!” said the cardinal, smiling; “the soldiers exhort the general to cowardice!” Then, with a grave and pensive air, he resumed, “Saint Carlo would not have deliberated a moment, whether he should receive such a man; he would have gone to seek him. Let him enter immediately; he has already waited too long.”
The chaplain moved towards the door, saying in his heart, “There is no remedy; these saints are always obstinate.”
He opened the door, and reaching the hall, where he had left the ecclesiastics, he beheld them collected together in one corner of the room, and the Unknown standing alone in another. As he approached him, he eyed him keenly to ascertain whether he had not arms concealed about his person. “Truly, before introducing him, we might at least propose——,” but his resolution failed him. He spoke—“My lord expects your lordship. Be kind enough to come with me.” And he led the way into the presence of Frederick, who came forward to meet the Unknown with a pleased and serene countenance, making a sign to the chaplain to quit the room.
The Unknown and the cardinal remained for some moments silent and undecided; the former experienced at the same time a vague hope of finding some relief to his internal torments, and also a degree of irritation and shame at appearing in this place as a penitent, to confess his sins, and implore pardon of a man. He could not speak; indeed, he hardly wished to do so. However, as he raised his eyes to the cardinal’s face, he was seized with an irresistible sentiment of respect, which increasing his confidence, and subduing his pride without offending it, nevertheless kept him silent.