Volume VII - Modernist Magazines Project

By Baron Corvb 219the two friends stood at " Attention !" as the Suprema Maesta eGrandezza came under the trees towards them. Of course, youknow, sir, that San Sebastiano was in the Emperor's body-guardwhen he lived in the world, and he'had taught San Pancrazio allthe drill.Then San Sebastiano looked boldly into the Face of the PadreEterno, and said :" O Padre celeste e Domeniddio, we were laughing at Luigibecause he will not have the lilies of Paradise, and prefers thenasty things they put upon his altars in the world."San Luigi got quite angry at hearing his lilies called nasty, and.the Padre Eterno said that the word certainly ought not to havebeen used unless San Sebastiano had a very good reason.Then San Pancrazio explained that he was sure San Sebastianodid not mean to make any reflection upon the lilies themselves,because it would not be becoming to speak against the handiworkof the Padre.Eterno ; but it was because the people who offeredthe lilies to San Luigi did not come bv them in "an honourablemanner, that he had said they were nasty ; "and San Sebastianonodded his head and said that was just it.These words made San Luigi still more angry ; and his wrathwas so righteous and unaffected that San Sebastiano saw he was inignorance of the dirty tricks of his clients, so he said that ifTAltissima Maesta would deign to allow them, he and San Pancraziowould show San Luigi where" his lilies came from. ThePadre Eterno was graciously pleased to grant permission, andpassed on His way, for He knew that San Sebastiano was a boywhom you could trust anywhere. "Then San Sebastiaho told San Luigi that if he could put upwith the company of San Pancrazio he proposed they should makea little gita into the world that very night,,because, as the next*. The Yellow Book—Vol. VII. N day