The City and the World | Page 2

said. And Father Ramoni told him of the thousands he had
converted and how easy it was, with the blessing of God, to do so much.
The Holy Father asked him every manner of question. He was full of
enthusiasm for the great things our Father Ramoni has done. He is the
greatest man in Rome to-day, is Ramoni. He will be honored by the
Holy See. The Pope showed it plainly. This is a red-letter day for our
Community." The little priest paused for breath, then hastened on.
"Rome knows that our Father Ramoni has come back," he cried, "and
Rome has not forgotten ten years ago."
"Was it ten years that Father Ramoni passed in South America?" a tall
novice asked Father Tomasso.
"Ten years," said Father Tomasso. "He was the great preacher of Rome
when the old General"--he nodded toward the cloister corner where
Father Denfili prayed--"sent him away from Rome. No one knew why.
His fame was at its height. Men and women of all the city crowded the
church to listen to him, and he was but thirty-four years old. But Father
Denfili sent him away to Marqua, commanding the Superior of our
Order out there to send him to those far-off mountain people of whom
the papers were telling at that time. I did not know Father Romani well.
I was a novice at the time. But I knew that he did not want to go from
Rome; though, being a good religious, he obeyed. Now, see what has
happened. He has converted over one-third of that people, and the rest

are only waiting for missionaries."
"And the work is all Father Ramoni's?" the novice asked.
"All." Father Tomasso drew him a little farther from the group that still
listened to the little priest who had come from the Vatican. "Father
Ramoni found that the people had many Christian traditions and were
almost white; but it was he who instilled the Faith in their hearts. There
must be thirty of our Fathers in Marqua now," he continued proudly,
"and sooner or later, all novices will have to go out there. Father
Ramoni has made a splendid Prefect-Apostolic. No wonder they have
summoned him to Rome for consultation. I have heard"--he lowered his
voice as he glanced over his shoulder to where Father Denfili sat on the
bench by the pond--"that it is certain that Marqua is to be made a
Province, with an archbishop and two bishops. There is a seminary in
Marqua, even now, and they are training some of the natives to be
catechists. I tell you, Brother Luigi, missionary history has never
chronicled such wonders as our Father Ramoni has wrought."
From behind them came the rising voice of the little priest, bubbling
into laughter. "And as I came through the Pincio all that I heard was his
name. I had to wait for a duchessa's carriage to pass. She was telling an
American woman of the times when Father Ramoni had preached at
San Carlo. 'His words would convert a Hindu,' she was saying. And the
Marchesi di San Quevo leaned from his horse to tell me that he had
heard that Father Ramoni will be one of the Cardinals of the next
Consistory. Is it not wonderful?"
The murmur of their responses went across the garden to old Father
Denfili. Father Tomasso, crossing the path with the novice, suddenly
saw a strange look of pain on the old priest's face, and started toward
him just as the gate to the cloister garden swung back, revealing a
picture that held him waiting. Four men--a great Roman prelate, the
General of San Ambrogio, Father Ramoni and Father Pietro, Ramoni's
secretary--were coming into the garden. Of the four Father Ramoni
stood out in the center of the group as vividly as if a searchlight were
playing on his magnificent bigness. His deep black eyes, set in a face
whose strength had been emphasized by its exposure to sun and wind,

gleamed joyous with his mood. His mouth, large, expressive, the plastic
mouth of the orator, was curving into a smile as he gave heed to the
speech of the prelate beside him. Once he shook his head as the great
man, oblivious of their coming before a crowd of intent watchers,
continued the words he had been saying on Via Paoli.
"And the Holy See is about to make your Marqua into a Province. Is it
not wonderful, Father Ramoni, that you will go back with that gift to
the people you converted? And yet to me it is more wonderful that you
wish to go back. Why do you not stay here? You, a Roman, would
advance."
"Not now, Monsignore," the missionary answered quickly. They were
passing the group near the fountain, going