Then he reverted to the wish with which he had approached the child's
couch. The son, from gratitude, should take upon himself for his father
and, if he desired, also for his refractory mother, what both had
neglected--the care for their eternal welfare--in prayer and penance.

By consecrating him to Heaven and rearing him for a peaceful existence in
God, far from the vain pleasures of the world and the court he had done
his best for his son and, as if he feared that the sight of his
beautiful, strong boy might shake his resolution, he turned away
from him and called Quijada.

While Charles in a fervent, silent prayer commended John to the favour of
Heaven, the most faithful of his attendants was gazing at the sovereign's
son. Hitherto Heaven had denied him the joy of possessing a child. How
he would have clasped this lovely creature to his heart if it had been
his! What a pleasure it would have been to transmit everything that was
excellent and clever in himself to this child! To devote it to a
monastic life was acting against the purpose of the Providence that
had dowered it with such strength and beauty.

The Emperor could not, ought not to persist in this intention.

While he was supporting his royal master through the dark park he
ventured to repeat what Adrian and his wife had told him of the strength
and fearlessness of the little John, and then to remark what rare
greatness this boy promised to attain as the son of such a father.

"The highest of all!" replied Charles firmly. "He only is truly great
who in his soul feels his own insignificance and deems trivial all the
splendour and the highest honours which life can offer; and to this