Thy guardian angel (I speak it in humility) could not ventilate thee better. Nevertheless, I should scorn to demand a single maravedi for my labour and skill, or for the wear and tear of my pantoufle. My reward will be in Paradise, where a houri is standing in the shade, above a vase of gold and silver fish, with a kiss on her lip, and an unbroken pair of green slippers in her hand for me.' Saying which, he took off his foot again, the one he had been using, and showed the sole of it, first to the master, then to all the crew, and declared it had become (as they might see) so smooth and oily by the application, that it was dangerous to walk on deck in it. _Eugenius._ See! what notions these creatures have, both of their fool's paradise and of our holy faith! The seven Sacraments, I warrant you, go for nothing! Purgatory, purgatory itself, goes for nothing! _Filippo._ Holy Father! we must stop thee. _That_ does not go for nothing, however. _Eugenius._ Filippo! God forbid I should suspect thee of any heretical taint; but this smells very like it. If thou hast it now, tell me honestly. I mean, hold thy tongue. Florentines are rather lax. Even Son Cosimo might be stricter: so they say: perhaps his enemies. The great always have them abundantly, beside those by whom they are served, and those also whom they serve. Now would I give a silver rose with my benediction on it, to know of a certainty what became of those poor creatures the abbates. The initiatory rite of Mohammedanism is most diabolically malicious. According to the canons of our Catholic Church, it disqualifies the neophyte for holy orders, without going so far as adapting him to the choir of the pontifical chapel. They limp; they halt. _Filippo._ Beatitude! which of them? _Eugenius._ The unbelievers: they surely are found wanting. _Filippo._ The unbelievers too? _Eugenius._ Ay, ay, thou half renegade! Couldst not thou go over with a purse of silver, and try whether the souls of these captives be recoverable? Even if they should have submitted to such unholy rites, I venture to say they have repented. _Filippo._ The devil is in them if they have not. _Eugenius._ They may become again as good Christians as before. _Filippo._ Easily, methinks. _Eugenius._ Not so easily; but by aid of Holy Church in the administration of indulgences. _Filippo._ They never wanted those, whatever they want. _Eugenius._ The corsair then is not one of those ferocious creatures which appear to connect our species with the lion and panther. _Filippo._ By no means, Holy Father! He is an honest man; so are many of his countrymen, bating the Sacrament. _Eugenius._ Bating! poor beguiled Filippo! Being unbaptized, they are only as the beasts that perish: nay worse: for the soul being imperishable, it must stick to their bodies at the last day, whether they will or no, and must sink with it into the fire and brimstone. _Filippo._ Unbaptized! why, they baptize every morning.