The boy fancied she was never so beautiful as when she stood with her hands folded and her eyes cast down.
"Marzio does not know what I have come for," began Don Paolo again, as they all sat down to the square table in the little room.

"If he knew, perhaps he might have been here--though perhaps he would not care very much after all.

You all ask what it is?
Yes; I will tell you.

His Eminence has obtained for me the canonry that was vacant at Santa Maria Maggiore--" At this announcement everybody sprang up and embraced Don Paolo, and overwhelmed him with congratulations, reproaching him at the same time for having kept the news so long to himself.
"Of course, I shall continue to work with the Cardinal," said the priest, when the family gave him time to speak.

"But it is a great honour.