between God and man? nay, between God and man, and every living creature of all flesh: or my memory fails me with age.In Exodus God commanded that the cattle should share the sweet blessing of the one day's rest.Moreover He 'forbade to muzzle the ox that trod out the corn.'Nay, let the poor overwrought soul snatch a mouthful as he goes his toilsome round: the bulk of the grain shall still be for man.' Ye will object perchance that St.Paul, commenting this, saith rudely, 'Doth God care for oxen?' Verily, had I been Peter, instead of the humblest of his successors, I had answered him.'Drop thy theatrical poets, Paul, and read the Scriptures: then shalt thou know whether God careth only for men and sparrows, or for all his creatures.O, Paul,' had I made bold to say, 'think not to learn God by looking into Paul's heart, nor any heart of man, but study that which he hath revealed concerning himself.'
"Thrice he forbade the Jews to boil the kid in his mother's milk;not that this is cruelty, but want of thought and gentle sentiments, and so paves the way for downright cruelty.A prophet riding on an ass did meet an angel.Which of these two, Paulo judice, had seen the heavenly spirit? marry, the prophet.But it was not so.The man, his vision cloyed with sin, saw nought.The poor despised creature saw all.Nor is this recorded as miraculous.Poor proud things, we overrate ourselves.The angel had slain the prophet and spared the ass, but for that creature's clearer vision of essences divine.He said so, methinks.But in sooth I read it many years agone.Why did God spare repentant Nineveh? Because in that city were sixty thousand children, besides much cattle.
"Profane history and vulgar experience add their mite of witness.
The cruel to animals end in cruelty to man; and strange and violent deaths, marked with retribution's bloody finger, have in all ages fallen from heaven on such as wantonly harm innocent beasts.This I myself have seen.All this duly weighed, and seeing that, despite this Francesco's friends, the Stoics, who in their vanity say the creatures all subsist for man's comfort, there be snakes and scorpions which kill 'Dominum terra' with a nip, musquitoes which eat him piecemeal, and tigers and sharks which crack him like an almond, we do well to be grateful to these true, faithful, patient, four-footed friends, which, in lieu of powdering us, put forth their strength to relieve our toils, and do feed us like mothers from their gentle dugs.
"Methinks then the Church is never more divine than in this benediction of our four-footed friends, which has revolted you great theological authority, the captain of the Pope's guards;since here she inculcates humility and gratitude, and rises towards the level of the mind divine, and interprets God to man, God the Creator, parent, and friend of man and beast.
"But all this, young gentles, you will please to receive, not as delivered by the Pope ex cathedra, but uttered carelessly, in a free hour, by an aged clergyman.On that score you will perhaps do well to entertain it with some little consideration.For old age must surely bring a man somewhat, in return for his digestion (his 'dura puerorum ilia,' eh, Francesco!), which it carries away.
Such was the purport of the Pope's discourse but the manner high bred, languid, kindly, and free from all tone of dictation.He seemed to be gently probing the matter in concert with his hearers, not playing Sir Oracle.At the bottom of all which was doubtless a slight touch of humbug, but the humbug that embellishes life; and all sense of it was lost in the subtle Italian grace of the thing.
"I seem to hear the oracle of Delphi," said Fra Colonna enthusiastically.
"I call that good sense," shouted Jacques Bonaventura.
"Oh, captain, good sense!" said Gerard, with a deep and tender reproach.
The Pope smiled on Gerard."Cavil not at words; that was an unheard of concession from a rival theologian." He then asked for all Gerard's work, and took it away in his hand.But before going, he gently pulled Fra Colonna's ear, and asked him whether he remembered when they were school-fellows together and robbed the Virgin by the roadside of the money dropped into her box.You took a flat stick and applied bird-lime to the top, and drew the money out through the chink, you rogue," said his holiness severely.
"To every signor his own honour," replied Fra Colonna."It was your holiness's good wit invented the manoeuvre.I was but the humble instrument.""It is well.Doubtless you know 'twas sacrilege.""Of the first water; but I did it in such good company, it troubles me not.""Humph! I have not even that poor consolation.What did we spend it in, dost mind?""Can your holiness ask? why, sugar-plums.""What, all on't?"
"Every doit."
"These are delightful reminiscences, my Francesco.Alas! I am getting old.I shall not be here long.And I am sorry for it, for thy sake.They will go and burn thee when I am gone.Art far more a heretic than Huss, whom I saw burned with these eyes; and oh, he died like a martyr.""Ay, your holiness; but I believe in the Pope; and Huss did not.""Fox! They will not burn thee; wood is too dear.Adieu, old playmate; adieu, young gentlemen; an old man's blessing be on you."That afternoon the Pope's secretary brought Gerard a little bag:
in it were several gold pieces.
He added them to his store.
Margaret seemed nearer and nearer.
For some time past, too, it appeared as if the fairies had watched over him.Baskets of choice provisions and fruits were brought to his door by porters, who knew not who had employed them, or affected ignorance; and one day came a jewel in a letter, but no words.