He had been eager to come to the villa, and the quiet of the hills, so as to push this long delaying book to its final end.

And, behold, day by day, in the absence of the talk and distractions of Rome, a thousand discontents and misgivings were creeping upon him.

In Rome he was still a power.

In spite of his strange detached position, it was known that he was the defender of the Roman system, the panegyrist of Leo XIII., the apologist of the Papal position in Italy.

And this had been more than enough to open to him all but the very inmost heart of Catholic life.