Danger in the Dark - ZseZse

DANGER IN THE DARK. 279
tion or that he feared being welcomed in South America
in the manner of his reception here."
But as a suitable climax to the history of Bedini's
mission to this country, we may add, that soon after
his return to ltalYlhetookitinto his head to convince
the American people that he was verily a saint, notwithstanding
their unfavorable opinions of him: so
he writes to this country, stating, not only on his
own veracity, but also on the veracity of the Pope,
that during his commissionership, and the enacting
of bloody scenes at Bologna, a miracle was wrought to
evince God's approval of his conduct. Which miracle,
was the moving of the eyes in the Virgin Mary's
picture.
The enlightened people of this country, want
weightier testimony than the say-so of Bedini, and
his master, the Pope, that such a miracle ever happened;
alld for one, if convinced that the wonder
really occurred, I should certainly be disinclined to
regard it as a sign of heaven's approval of the inhuman
deeds of the monster, Bedini-but the reverse.
If anything could start the eyes of the blessed Virgin's
picture, and make the senseless colors stare upon the
canvas, it would be such horrid butcheries. Had
they told us the picture wept, shedding tears of blood,
the story would have been almost pla~sible.