"Shield him, O Holy Mother, from danger," he had
prayed, "nor let him wander from the lowly path of obedience for pride
of that which thou permittest him to know!" And his day-dream of earthly
happiness was the spending of his friend's great gifts in the service of
the Holy Church, wherein he should ascend from honor to honor, enlarging
her borders and strengthening her rule, attaining at last to the supreme
position.
Weeks after Fra Francesco had disappeared from the convent a letter was
brought by the gastaldo of Nicolotti, Piero Salin, who, in spite of
opposition among the brothers, persisted in delivering it with his own
hand, though it was rare that any one outside his usual circle was
permitted to hold an interview with Fra Paolo; but Piero's masterful
ways had not left him, and when he willed to do a thing the wills of
others counted little. It was a pity--because the missive was
mysterious, crumpled with long carrying--and if a trusty member of their
own community had delivered it to Fra Paolo in his cell, there might
have been some revelation!
But there was none.
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