Tell John to buy a punching-bag--punching-bag--and practise on that." "Bai a punnertchingerbagger," repeated the devout murderer-in-posse with disappointment, as the Pope left him limp. A sign drew Cardinal Van Kristen to walk by Hadrian's side on the return from San Pietro and Vincula on Lammas Day. From time to time, his shy grand eyes turned to the Pope as they rhythmically paced along. From time to time, a blessing fluttered from the Apostle's hand to some stranger by the road-side. "Holiness," at length he said, "do you remember the saint You used to worship on this day at Maryvale?" Hadrian detached Himself from a reverie. "Little Saint Hugh? Fancy your remembering that!" And He again dived into silence. "One would hardly fail to remember anything You said or did in those days, Holy Father." The Pope said nothing. He was thinking of something else. "I put the picture you painted of Little Saint Hugh up in our refectory at Dynam House." No answer came. The cardinal's long eyelashes lifted a little as he looked at his companion. He was not sure that his attempt at conversation was welcome. "Your Holiness does not care to be reminded perhaps. I did not mean to intrude. Sorry." Hadrian put out a hand. "No, Percy, you don't intrude. We were wondering how long this King is going to be." "Which King?" "Italy." "Oh. Yes?" "Things are at a standstill." "For example?" "Everything--at least in Italy--as long as something better than sulky peace is lacking. We want friendship, collaboration. See whether you can follow this. The personal influence of His Majesty is enormous. Although his acts are quite constitutional, yet, such is his magnetic force of character that he actually rules. No matter which party is in power, the King's Majesty rules. Practically he is an autocrat; and he, so far, has not made a single mistake, nor done a single unjust or even ungenerous deed. Now We also have some power, some personal influence. These people seem to like Us. They're charmingly polite. They run about after Us. We do not doubt but that they would obey if We commanded--if We ordained that no woman should cover her hair with a terrible handkerchief when she goes into a church--if We substituted silver sand for those abominably insane sponges in the holy-water fonts, for example--but how many of them would obey Us if We ordered them to cease from drying their linen at their windows, or to stop spitting? Do you follow?" "No, Holiness." "Our influence is over particulars, is sentimental, is ideal. The influence of the King's Majesty is over universals, is practical, is real----" "Yes, I see that." "Well, then----" "You mean that Your influence and the King's----" "Could do a great deal more for this dear delightful country than----" "Do you think that this King knows of Your desire for reconciliation?"