'"Could you not," they answered, "put it off till April?"
'"But it is in winter," he replied; "that it is wanted. Every thing is
ready. Why should we wait?"
'"It is a new thing," they replied; "people will be frightened. It may
have consequences. At least put it off till March."
'"But they will be as much frightened in March," he replied.
'"If it must be done," they said, "as a kindness to His Holiness and to
us put it off till February."
'There is, however, one sort of oppression which even we should find it
difficult to tolerate.
'A Monsignore has a young friend without money, but an excellent Catholic
and an excellent politician, a fervid believer in the Immaculate
Conception and in the excellence of the Papal Government. He wishes to
reward such admirable opinions: but the Pope has little to give.
Monsignore looks out for some young heiress, sends for her father,
describes his pious and loyal _protege_, and proposes marriage. Her
father objects--says that his daughter cannot afford to marry a poor man,
or that she does not wish to marry at all--or that he or she has some
other preference.
'Monsignore insists.
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