His brow cleared a little.
She sped down the winding path, aglow with anger and pity.

The priest's crushed strength and humiliated age--what a testimony to the power of that tradition for which Mr.Manisty was working--its unmerciful and tyrannous power! Why such a penalty for a 'mildly Liberal' book?
--'a fraction of the truth'?
She could hear Manisty's ironic voice on that bygone drive to Nemi.

If he saw his friend now, would he still excuse--defend ?-- Her thoughts wrestled with him hotly--then withdrew themselves in haste, and fled the field.
* * * * * Meanwhile Father Benecke's reserve had gradually yielded.

He gave Eleanor a long troubled look, and said at last, very simply-- 'Madame, you see a man broken hearted--' He stopped, staring desolately at the ground.

Eleanor threw in a few gentle words and phrases, and presently he again mustered courage to speak: 'You remember, Madame, that my letter was sent to the _Osservatore Romano_ after a pledge had been given to me that only the bare fact of my submission, the mere formula that attends the withdrawal of any book that has been placed upon the Index, should be given to the public.