He moved on a few paces,--and once more through the deep stillness
the little sobbing cry of sorrow was wafted tremulously to his ears.
It came or seemed to come from the Cathedral, and quickening his
steps he went thither. The deeply hollowed portal, full of black
shadows, at first showed nothing but its own massively sculptured
outlines--then--all at once the Cardinal perceived standing within
the embrasured darkness, the slight shrinking figure of a child. A
boy's desolate little figure,--with uplifted hands clasped
appealingly and laid against the shut Cathedral door, and face
hidden and pressed hard upon those hands, as though in mute and
inconsolable despair. As the Cardinal softly drew nearer, a long
shuddering sigh from the solitary little creature moved his heart
anew to pity, and speaking in accents of the utmost gentleness he
said--

"My poor child, what troubles you? Why are you here all alone, and
weeping at this late hour? Have you no home?--no parents?"

Slowly the boy turned round, still resting his small delicate hands
against the oaken door of the Cathedral, and with the tears yet wet
upon his cheeks, smiled. What a sad face he had!--worn and weary,
yet beautiful!--what eyes, heavy with the dews of sorrow, yet tender
even in pain! Startled by the mingled purity and grief of so young a
countenance, the Cardinal retreated for a moment in amaze,--then
approaching more closely he repeated his former question with
increased interest and tenderness--

"Why are you weeping here alone?"