In a few minutes his Holiness returned with a bundle of
papers in his hand. '' I am sorry/' he said, '' that some
unforeseen business will prevent me from conversing any
longer with you at present, but I am not my own master,
and the interests of my people must be my first care." On
this we were about to withdraw, and were preparing to bend
the knee, when he came up to us and said with a smile :
" Though you are heretics, Christian charity makes me wish
well to you. II mio caro Bvffiano Jenkins can tell you that
I know how to esteem good men of every description. I
wish you health and happiness, and, as the blessing of an
old * man, though you do not think him infallible, cannot
hurt you and may have weight with Heaven, take mine " —
putting his hands on our heads — "and may the God of
Heaven bless and preserve yoiu" The scene was too affect-
ing to admit of a reply. We received his blessing with
thankfulness and, with tears in our eyes, retired from his
presence.
Four days later Mr. James Burges and his incongruous
companion were on their way to Florence, whence they
gradually made their way to England. At Paris they
remained a week, passed in " a constant round of diversions/'
but inexorable necessity soon forced them to tear themselves
from a city which, as Mr. Sutherland Edwards has pleasantly
remarked, &om being the Lutetia of the ancients has become
the Laetitia of the modems. The gaieties of Bath must have
seemed somewhat sombre by the contrast.
* Very nearly the same words are attributed by Bourrienne to Pius YIl.
