"And pray for the soul of
Your poor
DON GIUSEPPE FLORES."
Benedetto laid the paper down, and gazed into the Pontiff's face,
waiting.
"Are you Piero Maironi?" he said.
"Yes, your Holiness."
The Pontiff smiled pleasantly.
"First of all, I am glad you are alive," he said. "That Bishop believed
you were dead; he opened the packet, and deemed it his duty to entrust
it to the Vicar of Christ. This happened about six months ago, while
my saintly predecessor was still living. He mentioned it to several
cardinals and to me also. Then it was discovered that you were still
alive, and we knew where you lived and how. Now I must ask you a few
questions, and I exhort you to answer with perfect truth."
The Pontiff looked with serious eyes into Benedetto's eyes; Benedetto
bowed his head slightly. "You have written here," the Pontiff began,
"that when you were in that little church in the Veneto, you had a
vision of yourself in the Vatican, conversing with the Pope. What can
you recall concerning that part of your vision?"
"My vision," Benedetto answered, "grew more and more indistinct in
my memory during the time I spent at Santa Scolastica--about three
years--partly because my spiritual director there, as well as poor Don
Giuseppe Flores, always counselled me not to dwell upon it.
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