"Reverend Sirs, Our will is to have such assistance in the work of Our Apostolature as the organs of sense can render to the mind, or as the experimentalist can render to the theorist. For reasons known unto Ourself, We have selected you. Believing you to be single-hearted in this one thing, namely the service of God, We call upon you to devote yourselves actually to the service of His Vicegerent. To this end, We would attach you to Our Person in a singular and intimate connection, by raising you to the cardinal-diaconate. Those of you who believe yourselves unable to do God-service better in this than in your present capacity, can depart without forfeiting Our good-will. The conscience of each man is his own sole true light. Far be it from Us to interfere with any man's prerogative as his own director in so grave a matter."
The five remained standing, saying nothing. Semphill was sincerely delighted: the literary quality, the tops-i'-th'-turfy straightforwardness of the allocution gave him the keenest joy. The others felt obedience to be their plain duty: for George Arthur Rose never had been wantonly fantastic, there always had been a fundamental element of reason about his eccentricities, he never had revolved at random but always round some deliberately fixed point. And, to plain priests, the voice of the Successor of St. Peter was a call, to be answered, and obeyed.
The Pope addressed Semphill. "Your Reverency quite legitimately hoped to end your days at St. Gowff's?"
"True—(hum!)—Holiness: but I may be translated elsewhere by a telegraph's notice from my diocesan."
"You are not yet a missionary-rector?"
"Merely a poor master-of-arts of Oxford."
"But you have been at St. Gowff's as long as We can remember."
Mr. Semphill choked a chuckle. "Having a little patrimony, Holiness, I made my will in favour of the archdiocese of St. Gowff's and Agneda; and I did not omit to mention the fact to my archbishop. I happened also to say that, in the event of my being moved from St. Gowff's, I should be compelled to make another will: but of course I did not contemplate being moved as far as Rome."
Hadrian turned to Mr. Sterling. "The last words, which We said to Your Reverency, were that you had cause to be ashamed of yourself."
"One had cause, Holy Father."