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You may have
meant the pamphlet for an attack upon the Sanfedists:
but many readers will construe it as an
attack upon the Church and the new Pope; and
this, as a matter of political tactics, the
committee does not consider desirable."
"I begin to understand. So long as I keep to
the particular set of clerical gentlemen with whom
the party is just now on bad terms, I may speak
sooth if the fancy takes me; but directly I touch
upon the committee's own pet priests--'truth's a
dog must to kennel; he must be whipped out,
when the--Holy Father may stand by the fire
and-----' Yes, the fool was right; I'd rather be
any kind of a thing than a fool. Of course I
must bow to the committee's decision, but I
continue to think that it has pared its wit o' both
sides and left--M-mon-signor M-m-montan-n-nelli
in the middle."
"Montanelli?" Gemma repeated. "I don't understand
you. Do you mean the Bishop of Brisighella?"
"Yes; the new Pope has just created him a
Cardinal, you know. I have a letter about him
here.


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