The Master Christian

But said the Cardinal half aloud with the gentle dawning of a tender smilebrightening the fine firm curve of his lips it is not the end The endhere no doubt b... » 

But said the Cardinal half aloud with the gentle dawning of a tender smilebrightening the fine firm curve of his lips it is not the end The endhere no doubt but the beginning there He raised his eyes devoutlyand instinctively touched the silver crucifix hanging by its purple ribbon athis breast. The orangered glow of the sun encompassed him with fiery rings asthough it would fain consume his thin blackgarmented form after the fashionin which flames consumed the martyrs of old the worn figures of mediaevalsaints in their halfbroken niches stared down upon him stonily as though theywould have said So we thought even we and for our thoughts and forour creed we suffered willingly yet lo we have come upon an age of theworld in which the people know us not or knowing laugh us all to scorn. «