The Cardinal's Snuff Box

"In what house?" she asked.

"I do not know, Excellency," he confessed. "We will find a

house."

"Would you like to come back with me, and sleep at my house?"

The boy and girl looked at each other, taking mute counsel.

Then, "Pardon, noble lady--with your Excellency's permission,

is it far?" the boy questioned.

"I am afraid it is not very near--three or four kilometres."

Again the children looked at each other, conferring.

Afterwards, the boy shook his head.

"A thousand thanks, Excellency. With your permission, we must

not turn back. We must walk on till later. At night we will

find a house."

"They are too proud to own that their house will be a hedge,"

she said to Peter, again in English. "Aren't you hungry?" she

asked the children.

"No, Excellency. We had bread in the village, below there,"

answered the boy.

"You will not come home with me, and have a good dinner, and a

good night's sleep?"

"Pardon, Excellency. With your favour, the father would not

wish us to turn back."

The Duchessa looked at the little girl.

The little girl wore a medal of the Immaculate Conception on a

ribbon round her neck--a forlorn blue ribbon, soiled and

frayed.

"Oh, you have a holy medal," said the Duchessa.

"Yes, noble lady," said the girl, dropping a courtesy, and

lifting up her sad little weazened face.

"She has been saying her prayers all along the road," the boy

volunteered.

"That is right," approved the Duchessa. "You have not made

your First Communion yet, have you?"

"No, Excellency," said the girl. "I shall make it next year."

"And you?" the Duchessa asked the boy.

"I made mine at Corpus Christi," said the boy, with a touch of

pride.

The Duchessa turned to Peter.

"Do you know, I haven't a penny in my pocket. I have come out

without my purse."

"How much ought one to give them?" Peter asked.

"Of course, there is the fear that they might be robbed," she

reflected. "If one should give them a note of any value, they

would have to change it; and they would probably be robbed.

What to do?"

"I will speak to the boy," said Peter. "Would you like to go

to Turin by train?" he asked.

The boy and girl looked at each other. Yes, Excellency," said

the boy.