"And now, my child, you might say, 'What is the use of sending me
to China if he knows I cannot bring these millions into the fold?
My dear son, there is the wisdom surpassing wisdom. A great and
noble thought must not die. Things of the spirit we cannot reckon
as a husband-man reckons his crops. There is a folk on the marches
of Europe, and they are ever going into battle, and they always fall.
Their results are nothing. But their name and their glory will
endure forever. . .

"My dear son, God has put wisdom in my head and beauty into yours.
Wisdom is needed for the governance of this world, but beauty is
needed for its existence. In arid deserts there is no life. Birds
do not sing in the dark of night. Show me a waste country, and I'll
show you a brutal people. No faith can live that is not beautiful. . .

"The beauty God has put in your heart, child, you must always keep
. . .How much I think of it I'll tell you. I'm an old man now, an
old and broken man, and in a few years I'll stand before my Master.

"'What have you seen on my earth,' He'll ask me, 'you who followed
St. Peter!'

"'Lord! Lord!' I'll tell Him, 'I've seen mighty things. I've seen
the bridegroom leave his bride and the king his kingdom, the huckster
leave his booth, and the reaper drop his hook, that they might rescue
Your Holy Sepulchre from pagan hands.'

"'And anything else?' He'll ask.

"'And I've seen a young man go out into the desert and over his head