Hadrian experienced the strangest-possible rigour of the throat. Another moment and something in Him would have spoiled all. He rose: blessed His visitors; and passed swiftly away through the trees to the left. "Missy, I am liking that white father. When shall I see Him again?" came after Him in the incomparable voice of innocence. He quickly went up the winding path, along the private passage, up the stairs to the terrace. He dragged a chair out there and sat down. "God!" He exclaimed aloud, with tremendous expiration, to the wide expanse of water and earth and sky which yawned before Him. Tears welled in His eyes: and the constriction of His throat was relaxed. He took His handkerchief from His sleeve. Thank heaven He was alone! And He became calm and analytical and infinitely happy. Verses of Melagros of Gadara streamed through his mind: _"Our Lady of desire brought me to thee, Theokles, "me to thee; "and delicate-sandalled Love hath stripped and strewed me "at thy feet:_ _"a lightning-flash of his sweet beauty! "flames from his eyes he darteth! "Hath Love revealed a Child who fighteth with thunderbolts?_ _"the splendour of twin fires did scorch me through and through: "one flame indeed was from the sun, and one was love "from a child's eyes."_ His ecstasy was admiration of the lovely little person and the noble little soul. The clean and vivid candour, the delicate proportion, the pure tint, aroused in Him a desire to own. The frank self-hood, the unerring truth, the courageous tranquillity of self-renunciation, aroused in Him a sense of emulation. He, the Supreme Pontiff, was prostrate before the seraphic majesty of the Child. And, as though a curtain had been lifted, He had a peep into the human heart. Now, He thought that He could see and understand one cause, perhaps the chief cause, of human society--the ability to say "This is mine, mine: for I did it." He began to understand that the human mind must have external as well as internal operation--and much beside. As for Himself, He was making experiment of the first personal emotion of undiluted enjoyment of human society which He could remember. "Then I can love, after all;" He reflected. Though He mixed freely and absolutely independently with all men, yet, in the tender inner soul of Him, He shrank more shudderingly than ever from the contact. Every single act of urbanity, of courtesy, was a violent effort to Him. His feeling for His fellow-creatures was repugnance pure and simple. But, in the case of this yellow-haired mannikin, there was a difference. He would like to own such a radiant little piece of the Divine-Human as that fair Prince Filiberto. He would appreciate the honour and the joy of tending such a treasure. But He could not seek; and it never had been offered. Perhaps He would shrink if it were offered. That was His peculiar nature. Had He ever wished to exert for intimate relations with anyone? No: plainly no. He was a thing apart.