"How do they manage in the German and French universities, I wonder?" "Depend upon it," I replied, "there is no lack of Catholic authors on every subject there. And I'm told the Italian priests take an extraordinary interest in these higher studies. And in France every French priest thinks he is bound to write at least one book." "I never understood the importance of this matter till I met Ormsby," said Father Letheby. "He opened my eyes. By the way, Father Dan, I must congratulate you on the impression you have made there. Some things you said have made a vivid impression on him. He keeps on saying: 'A sixth sense! A sixth sense. Perhaps he is right, after all.' And that dependence on the prayers of little children and the afflicted touched him deeply. Do you know, I think he'll come 'round." "God grant it," I said, rising. "But I suppose this little project of ours is knocked on the head." "You mean the books?" "Yes." "I fear so. The fact is, Father Dan, I find I have no time. Between my two hours with the choir on Tuesdays and Fridays, the Saturday and Sunday evenings in the church, the occasional evening out, and my correspondence, I don't know where to get time to fit in everything. And now that you have been so good as to secure the sympathy of the editor of the----for me, I think I may do something for him at intervals." "I have regretted a few things during my life, young man," I said; "but I never regretted anything so much as to have sent on that poem of yours instead of sending it up the chimney." "My dear Father Dan," said he, "what are you saying? Don't you know that the Pope himself writes poetry, and writes it well?" "May God forgive him!" I said fervently. Then I got sorry, as this was not reverent, and a bright thought struck me. "What kind of poetry does His Holiness write?" "Why, the most beautiful Latin elegiacs and hexameters." "I thought so," I said triumphantly. "I knew that the Holy Father would write nothing but in the style of the divine Mantuan. If you do anything that way, my boy, I'll forgive you. Keep to your classics, keep to your classics, and you're all right." It was delightful to find us, the last remnant of the great generation of the classical priests of Ireland, backed up by the first authority in the world. * * * * *