The Baron's face had suddenly whitened with passion, and his little colleague looked at him in alarm. A secretary entered the room and handed the Baron a card. The Baron fixed his eye-glasses and read: "Monsignor Mario, Cameriere Segreto Partecipante di Sua Santità Pio X. Vaticano."
"St. Anthony! Talk of the angels...." muttered the little Minister.
"Will you perhaps...."
"Certainly," said the Minister, and he left the room.
"Show the Monsignor in," said the Baron.
VII
The Monsignor was young, tall, slight, almost fragile, and had thin black hair and large spiritual eyes. As he entered in the long black overcoat, which covered his cassock, he bowed and looked slowly round the room. His subdued expression was that of a sheep going through a gate where the dogs may be, and his manner suggested that he would fly at the first alarm.
The Baron looked over his eye-glasses and measured his man in a moment. "Pray sit," he said, and at the next moment the young Monsignor and the Baron were seated at opposite sides of the table.
"I am sent to you by a venerable and illustrious personage...."
"Let us say the Pope," said the Baron.