Cardinal John of St. Paul was indignant at these obstacles, and he
expressed himself with great warmth to the other cardinals in presence
of the Pope. "If you reject the prayers of this poor man, on the
pretence that his rule is novel, and too austere, let us take care
that we do not reject the Gospel itself; since the rule of which he
solicits the approval, is in conformity with what the Gospel teaches;
for, to say that Evangelical perfection, or the vow to practise it,
contains anything unreasonable and impossible, is to blaspheme against
Jesus Christ, the author of the Gospel." The Pope, struck with this
reasoning, said to Francis: "My son, pray to Jesus Christ that He may
make known His will to us, that so we may favor your wishes." The
servant of God retired to pray, and soon after returned and set forth
this parable.

"Most Holy Father, there was a beautiful young girl, who was very poor,
and who lived in a wilderness. The king of the country, who saw her,
was so charmed with her beauty that he took her for his wife. He lived
some years with her, and had children, who all resembled their father,
and had, nevertheless, the beauty of their mother; he then came back
to his court. The mother brought up her children with great care, and
after some time said to them: 'My children, you are born of a great
king, go and find him, tell him who you are, and he will give you all
that is befitting your birth. As to myself, I will not leave this
desert, and I even cannot.' The children went to the king's court,
who, seeing their resemblance to himself, and that they had the beauty
of their mother, received them with pleasure, and said to them: 'Yes,
you are my true children, and I will support you as the children of
a king; for, if I have strangers in my pay, if I maintain my officers
with what is served at my table, how much more care should I not have