"Oh, my father is more hopeless than the Provincial," Stanislaus
answered. "If I so much as mentioned the matter to him, he would
bring me back to Poland, and I should have no chance at all."

As Commendoni knew the Lord John pretty well, he said nothing to
that. But he thought to himself that Stanislaus was fairly accurate
in his forecast.

After a moment's thought, he said:

"You certainly have a right to follow your vocation. God's will
comes before even your father's. But it is not going to be easy.
However, I shall speak to the Father Provincial, and do what I can."

Stanislaus went away with good hopes. He was to return in a few days
to hear the result of Commendoni's plea. But when he came back to
the Cardinal, he found only another disappointment. The Provincial
not merely was as stubborn as ever, he had even won the Cardinal to
his way of thinking. It was too risky to admit him, it was
altogether unwise.

Most boys might have given up after that. Stanislaus did not give
up. He was quite sure of what God wanted, and difficulties simply
did not count. lie was called to be a Jesuit, and a Jesuit he would
be. If he could not gain admission into the Society in Vienna, well,
he would try elsewhere.

But even with his mind fairly made up, he sought more guidance. A
young Portuguese Jesuit, Father Antoni, had lately come to Vienna as