"He has trusted me," said the Cardinal,--"I have found him, and I
cannot--dare not--forsake him. For the Master says 'Whosoever shall
receive one such little child in My name receiveth Me'."

The next morning broke fair and calm, and as soon as the Patoux
household were astir, Cardinal Bonpre sought Madame Patoux in her
kitchen, and related to her the story of his night's adventure. She
listened deferentially, but could not refrain from occasional
exclamations of surprise, mingled with suggestions of warning.

"It is like your good heart, Monseigneur," she said, "to give your
own bed to a stray child out of the street,--one, too, of whom you
know nothing,--but alas! how often such goodness is repaid by
ingratitude! The more charity you show the less thanks you receive,-
-yes, indeed, it is often so!--and it seems as if the Evil One were
in it! For look you, I myself have never done a kindness yet without
getting a cruelty in exchange for it."

"That is a sad experience, my daughter," returned the Cardinal
smiling,--"Nevertheless, it is our duty to go on doing kindnesses,
no matter what the results to ourselves may be. It is understood--is
it not? that we are to be misjudged in this world. If we had nothing
to suffer, what would be the use of exercising such virtues as
patience and endurance?"

"Ah, Monseigneur, for you it is different," said Madame Patoux
shaking her head and sighing--"You are like the blessed saints--safe
in a niche of Holy Church, with Our Lady for ever looking after you.
But for poor people such as we are--we see the rough side of life,
Monseigneur--and we know that there is very little goodness about in