Page:The Novels and Tales of Henry James, Volume 1 (New York, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1907).djvu/351

 civility or the fruit of an exquisite spiritual tact? To Rowland, however this might have been, it appeared a sort of offer of ready intelligence. He rose and approached the monk, laying his hand on his arm.

"My brother," he said, "did you ever see the Devil in person?"

The frate gazed gravely and crossed himself. "Heaven forbid, my son!"

"He was here," Rowland went on, "here in this lovely garden, as he was once in Paradise, half an hour ago. But have no fear; I drove him out." And he stooped and picked up his hat, which had rolled away into a bed of cyclamen in vague suggestion of a positive scrimmage.

"You've been tempted, figlio mio?" asked the friar tenderly.

"Hideously!"

"And you 've resisted—and conquered!"

"I believe I 've conquered."

"The blessed Saint Francis be praised! It's well done. If you like we 'll offer a mass for you."

Rowland hesitated. "I 'm not of your faith."

The frate smiled with dignity. "That's a reason the more."

"But it 's for you then to choose. Shake hands with me," Rowland added; "that will do as well; and suffer me as I go out to stop a moment in your chapel."

They shook hands and separated. The frate crossed himself, opened his book and wandered away in relief against the western sky. Rowland passed back into the convent and paused long enough in the chapel to look for the alms-box. He had had what is vulgarly 317