DEVIL STORIES
fail to discover such a mark, if, indeed, we desire to find it."
The search was accordingly instituted, and had not proceeded far ere a simultaneous yell from all the seven cardinals indicated that their investigation had brought more light than they had ventured to expect.
The Holy Father had a cloven foot!
For the next five minutes the Cardinals remained utterly stunned, silent, and stupefied with amazement. As they gradually recovered their faculties it would have become manifest to a nice observer that the Pope had risen very considerably in their good opinion.
"This is an affair requiring very mature deliberation," said one.
"I always feared that we might be proceeding too precipitately," said another.
"It is written, 'the devils believe,'" said a third: "the Holy Father, therefore, is not a heretic at any rate."
"Brethren," said Anno, "this affair, as our brother Benno well remarks, doth indeed call for mature deliberation. I therefore propose that, instead of smothering his Holiness with cushions, as originally contemplated, we immure him for the present in the dungeon adjoining hereunto, and, after spending the night in meditation and prayer, resume the consideration of the business tomorrow morning."
"Informing the officials of the palace," said Benno. "that his Holiness has retired for his devotions, and desires on no account to be disturbed."
"A pious fraud," said Anno, "which not one of the
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