Pagina 660 di 1118

So saying, he passed his arm around the neck of the Unknown, who,

after resisting a moment, yielded, quite vanquished by this

impulse of kindness, and fell on the neck of the cardinal, in an

agony of repentance. His burning tears dropped on the stainless

purple of Frederick, and the pure hands of the bishop were

clasped affectionately around him, who had hitherto been only

habituated to deeds of violence and treachery.

The Unknown, after a long embrace, covering his face with his

hands, raised his head, exclaiming, "Oh! God! Thou who art truly

great and good! I know myself now; I comprehend what I am; my

iniquities are all before me; I abhor myself; but still-still I

experience a consolation, a joy-yes, a joy which I have never

before known in all my horrible life!"

"God accords to you this grace," said Frederick, "to attract you

to his service, to strengthen you to enter resolutely the new way

he has opened to you, where you have so much to undo, to repair,

to weep for!"