"You do not say anything," observed the Cardinal, looking at his secretary with a smile.
"He is a man of convictions," answered Paolo, at last.
"That is better than nothing, better than being lukewarm. 'Because thou art lukewarm,' you know the rest."
"Incipiam te evomere," replied the priest mechanically. "Marzio is not lukewarm."
"Frigidusne?" asked the Cardinal.
"Hardly that."
"An calidus?"
"Not very, Eminence. That is, not exactly."
"But then, in heaven's name, what is he?" laughed the prelate. "If he is not cold, nor hot, nor lukewarm, what is he? He interests me. He is a singular case."
"He is a man who has his opinions," answered Don Paolo. "What shall I say? He is so good an artist that he is a little crazy about other things."