"And which branch now," continued the irrepressible Tito, "holds a monopoly of the Apostolic virtue, the Anglican Church, the Greek, or the Roman Catholic? For each claims it, and each regards its rival claimants as rank heretics." Josè could not but dwell long and thoughtfully on this. Then, later, he again sought the graceless Tito. "_Amico_," he said eagerly, "why do not these claimants of the true Apostolic virtue seek to prove their claims, instead of, like pouting children, vainly spending themselves in denouncing their rivals?" "_Prove them!_" shouted Tito. "And how, _amico mío_?" "Why," returned Josè earnestly, "by doing the works the Apostles did; by healing the sick, and raising the dead, and--" Tito answered with a mocking laugh. "_Perdio, amico!_ know you not that if they submitted to such proof not one of the various contestants could substantiate his claims?" "Then, oh, then how could the council declare the Pope to be infallible?" Tito regarded his friend pityingly. "My wonder is, _amico_," he replied seriously, "that they did not declare him _immortal_ as well. When you read the true history of those exciting days and learn something of the political intrigue with which the Church was then connected, you will see certain excellent reasons why the Holy Father should have been declared infallible. But let me ask you, _amico_, if you have such doubts, why are you here, of all places? Surely it is not your own life-purpose to become a priest!" "My life-purpose," answered Josè meditatively, "is to find my soul--my _real_ self." Tito went away shaking his head. He could not understand such a character as that of Josè. But, for that matter, no one ever fathoms a fellow-being. And so we who have attempted a sketch of the boy's mentality will not complain if its complexity prevents us from adequately setting it forth. Rather shall we feel that we have accomplished much if we have shown that the lad had no slight justification for the budding seeds of religious doubt within his mind, and for concluding that of the constitution of God men know nothing, despite their fantastical theories and their bold affirmations, as if He were a man in their immediate neighborhood, with whom they were on the most intimate terms. In the course of time Josè found the companionship of Tito increasingly unendurable, and so he welcomed the formation of another friendship among his mates, even though it was with a lad much older than himself, Bernardo Damiano, a candidate for ordination, and one thoroughly indoctrinated in the faith of Holy Church. With open and receptive heart our young Levite eagerly availed himself of his new friend's voluntary discourses on the mooted topics about which his own thought incessantly revolved.