"Are you very tired, my dear?"
"Oh, no! no!" said Agnes,—"I am so happy, so blessed to be here!"
"You have traveled a long way?"
"Yes, from Sorrento; but I am used to walking,—I did not feel it to be long,—my heart kept me up,—I wanted to come home so much."
"Home?" said the Princess.
"Yes, to my soul's home,—the house of our dear Father the Pope."
The Princess started, and looked incredulously down for a moment; then noticing the confiding, whole-hearted air of the child, she sighed and was silent.
"Come with me above," she said, "and let me attend a little to your comfort."
"How good you are, dear lady!" said Agnes.
"I am not good, my child,—I am only your unworthy sister in Christ;" and as the lady spoke, she opened the door into a room where were a number of other female pilgrims seated around the wall, each attended by a person whose peculiar care she seemed to be.