"Why?"
"They differed materially as to the details of Your history; and yet their opinion of You seemed to be fairly unanimous."
"It was not a desirable opinion."
"No, Holiness."
"It would not be. We never were able to arrange to be loved. To be disagreeable was a sort of habit of Ours. But is Your Eminency able, from memory, to give Us an idea of these differences in regard to facts? Opinions do not matter."
The cardinal pondered for a minute. "Yes, Holiness, I can give you three examples from Oxford. Fr. Benedict Bart said that he had met You twice personally: but that he had heard much of You from his friends, priests as well as laymen. He stated that all that could be done for You had been done; and that You were—ha—Your Holiness will pardon me—a very incapable and ungrateful person."
The Pope gave the little leaden weight of His pallium a swing: and beamed with delight. The cardinal went on.
"Fr. Perkins who received You into the Church said 'I'm afraid he's a genius, poor fellow!'"
"What rank blasphemy!"
"Blasphemy, Holiness?"