"You seek Benedetto," said he. "You call him a saint. By this you cause
him great grief. Since the day of his arrival at Jenne he has repeatedly
stated that he was a great sinner, brought by the grace of God to
repentance. Now he wishes me to confirm this to you. I do confirm it; it
is the truth. He was a great sinner. To-morrow he may fall again. If he
believed you, for one moment only, when you call him a saint, God would
depart from him. Do not again call him thus, and above all do not ask
him to perform miracles."
"Padre!" Coming forward, his arms spread wide, an old man, tall, thin,
toothless, with the profile of the eagle, interrupted him in a solemn
voice. "Padre, we do not ask for a miracle, the miracle is already
performed. The woman was healed when she touched the man's dwelling, and
we say to you that the man is saintly, and that if there are those in
Jenne who speak differently, they are worthy to burn in the very bottom
of hell! _Padre_, we kiss your hands, but we say this."
"There is another to be healed, another to be healed!" ten, twenty
voices cried.
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