"He was offered to God. And that God accepted the gift, He
showed when He gave Giovanni back to life. How, then, could it come to
pass that Agostino should have no call? Would God reject that which He had
accepted?"
Fra Gervasio rose again. "You go too deep for me, Madonna," he said
bitterly. "It is not for me to speak of my gifts save reverently and in
profound and humble gratitude for that grace by which God bestowed them
upon me. But I am accounted something of a casuist. I am a doctor of
theology and of canon law, and but for the weak state of my health I should
be sitting to-day in the chair of canon law at the University of Pavia.
And yet, Madonna, the things you tell me with such assurance make a mock of
everything I have ever learnt."
Even I, lad as I was, perceived the bitter irony in which he spoke. Not so
she. I vow she flushed under what she accounted his praise of her wisdom
and divine revelation; for vanity is the last human weakness to be
discarded. Then she seemed to recollect herself. She bowed her head very
reverently.
"It is God's grace that reveals to me the truth," she said.
He fell back a step in his amazement at having been so thoroughly
misunderstood. Then he drew away from the table. He looked at her as he
would speak, but checked on the thought.
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