In the morning, Hadrian summoned Gentilotto, Sterling, Whitehead,
Carvale, della Volta, Semphill, Van Kristen. He fancied that the
gentlemen-of-the-chamber curiously eyed Him. That was so. He guessed
in a moment that now He always would have to stand the fire of curious
eyes, to overhear the ostentatious whispers of people who wished to be
known for nasty thinkers--of people who wished to see the Roman Pontiff
wriggling on a white-hot gridiron. Very well. He would stand fire:
perhaps, up to a certain point, He would answer questions of general
(but not of particular) interest. But there should be no merely human
contortuplications.
Their Eminencies came into the throne-room, where the Pope was sitting
rather rigidly in a hieratic attitude, His hands on the arms of the
chair, His feet and knees closed, His back straight and His head erect.
He was a shade more pallid than usual. They each paid their respects in
a different manner. Gentilotto's mild pure visage expressed compassion
mingled with a sense of personal injury. The assailants of the Pope
also had wounded him. Sterling's dark face was locked-up with the look
of one who is determined to be righteous under all circumstances,
while willing to forward to the proper quarter a recommendation to
mercy on behalf of the prisoner at the bar. The Cardinal of St.
George-of-the-Golden-Sail contained himself in personal innocence
which precluded him from prancing to believe in the guilt of others.
Della Volta's pose indicated ordinary but sympathetic curiosity.
Carvale was white, and Semphill was red, with impatient indignation.
Like Gentilotto, they both were hurt by the attack on their superior:
but they were up in arms. Van Kristen was very very sad. His great
melancholy eyes swam in a mist of commiseration; and Hadrian noted
that his lips rested just an instant longer than usual on the cold
pontifical hand.
Chamberlains placed stools for the cardinals and retired. The Pope
began to speak in His usual swift and concise tone. By way of
emphasizing the essential difference between the Church (a purely
missionary association) and the World, He had determined to disperse
the Vatican treasures. This was not at all what Their Eminences had
expected to hear; and they were rather taken aback. Hadrian gave them a
moment; and then went-on.
"Does anyone know whether dear old Cabelli is Minister of Public
instruction now?"
Della Volta gave a negative.
"So much the better, because he will be at leisure to do Us a favour.
And now" (His Holiness directly addressed the last speaker) "We
place this matter in Your Eminency's hands. You shall have a breve
of commission; and this is what you will do. First, you will collect
Cabelli and Longhi and Manciani as your board of advisers. Secondly,
with their assistance, you will procure the services of the chief
experts of the world--say five. Thirdly, you will cause these five
experts to estimate the maximum and minimum values of each separate
piece in the treasury. This list of values you will submit to Us.
Fourthly, you will have the pieces arranged, (and the arrangement
must be indicated on the list of values,) in three divisions, the
historic, the artistic, and the merely valuable on account of weight or
character. Fifthly, you instantly will publish everywhere a note to the
effect that the sale at fixed prices of these things will take place
here from the first to the sixth of January following."
He paused: for He saw that people wanted to speak. He conceded the word
to Gentilotto.
"Has Your Holiness considered," said the Red Pope, "that most of the
treasures are consecrated to the service of the Church?"
"Yes. We also have considered that the Church exists for the service of
God in His creatures: that She does not serve either by keeping pretty
and costly things shut-up in cupboards: that the Church which set these
things apart by consecration, also can restore them to usefulness by
desecration. Technically things consecrate can become desecrate by
tapping them with intent to desecrate: We soon will descend to the
treasury; and will tap all the sacred things into gems and bullion."
"That can be done;" the Cardinal-Prefect of Propaganda said. His heart
pulled him one way: heredity and ecclesiastical prejudice, the other.
"There is one thing which I think it right to mention," put in della
Volta: "the present officials of the treasury, and the buildings:--what
will become of them?"
"The officials will continue to enjoy the stipends of their benefices.
They will have other and more useful occupation than the furbishing of
plate provided for them. As for the building--when the cupboards are
empty they will be removed; and, the treasury being no longer there,
the building will remain the sacristy."
"I should like to get a word in edgeways if I may;" said Semphill.
"Doesn't Your Holiness think that the Italian Government will
interfere? Isn't there some law which prevents works-of-art from going
out of Italy?"
"We should like to see the Italian Government interfere with Us:"
Hadrian responded with a strong and illuminating smile. "The Italian
Government is neither a Fenian nor a fool."
"No, but----" the cardinal pursued.
"Your Eminency need fear no opposition from that quarter."
"Is nothing to be exempted from this sale?" Sterling thoughtfully asked.
"There will be some exemptions." The Pope turned to Cardinal della
Volta. "You will reserve one silver-gilt chalice and paten for every
priest in the palace: one silver-gilt pyx for every tabernacle; and one
plain set of pontifical regalia which We will indicate to you. Nothing
more. Hereafter, the court can use ornaments which are the private
possessions of individuals."
"I must say that I think the pontifical regalia deserves a better fate
than conversion into bullion and gems," said Gentilotto.
"Nonsense," the Pope sharply retorted. "The pontifical regalia is not
sacrosanct like the Carthaginian zaïmph." The frayed edges of His
nerves shewed themselves.
"I concede it," the cardinal admitted.
Hadrian rose. "We have summoned the Sacred Consistory for to-morrow
morning, when We will issue Our decrees in this matter."
Semphill no longer could contain himself. He exploded with "Of course
Your Holiness has seen the _Catholic Hour_?"
Hadrian thought that He particularly liked this cardinal to-day for
some reason. Yes of course, His Eminency looked better during Advent.
The ordinary vermilion made his chubby rubicundity appear too blue.
That was the reason.
"Oh, yes:" the Pontiff replied.
"Well really I never read anything more abominable in my life!"
"Nor did We."
All the cardinalitial eyes were directed toward the Pope. He remained
standing on the step of the throne; and seemed to be changing into
alabaster. Semphill lashing himself to fury, continued "I should like
to think that something will be done about it."
"So should We."
Semphill prolapsed and stared. "But surely Your Holiness will do
something?"
"No."
"What? Not answer them?"
"No."
"One would have thought that there would be some canonical means of
bringing the _Catholic Hour_ to book for aspersions against the Pope:"
Sterling said.
"There is the bull _Exsecrabilis_ of Pius II. But it is not the Pope
Who is aspersed. It is George Arthur Rose:" imperturbably said Hadrian.
"That's drawing it rather fine:" Whitehead said, looking up for the
first time.
"Fine enough:" Carvale put in, with appreciation of the distinction.
"Excommunicate the editor, printer, and publisher, by name, I say!"
ejaculated Semphill.
Sterling went on, "One finds it difficult to understand what can have
persuaded the _Catholic Hour_ to insert----"
Hadrian interrupted, "Just ask yourself this. Is it likely that an Erse
periodical,--and, when We say an Erse periodical, We mean a clerical
periodical, (for, according to McCarthy, the Erse clergy hold the
Catholic press in the hollow of their hand,)--is it likely that an Erse
periodical, which has the infernal cheek to dub itself the 'Organ of
Catholic Opinion,' and which once called Cardinal Semphill a--what was
it, Eminency?--ah yes, 'a scented masher,'--could be expected to forego
an opportunity of increasing its circulation at the expense of the
Vicar of Christ?"
"Oh very good indeed!" exclaimed Semphill, with a hearty reminiscent
shout of laughter.
"But, Holiness," Sterling gravely continued, "one knows that the
statements are not true. One knows that the article mispresents You
entirely."
"They are not wholly true; and the article entirely mispresents Us."
"One would recommend that that should be made known."
"It is known. Hundreds know it. They are not prevented from saying what
they know.--If they dare." Hadrian came down from the throne. A grey
shadow hardened the sharpness of the face. The brows and the eyes were
drawn into parallels, the latter half-shut; and the thin lips were
straight and cruel. Their Eminencies mindfully retired. Van Kristen
lingered till the others were gone. "Holy Father," he said, "I guess
that You're feeling it about as bad as the next man?"
Hadrian pressed the slim brown hand, on which the cardinalitial
sapphire looked so absolutely lovely,
"Perhaps, Percy:" He said.
"I think I won't go back to Dynam House this fall," the cardinal
continued. "They can do without me, Holiness. If I'm any good to You
here, I'm no quitter so long as my eyes remain black."
"You always are good and useful to Us, Venerable Father," the Pope very
stiffly said, as He quickly passed through the curtains of the secret
antechamber.
Now the world had something to talk about beside the chances of
universal war, and the inferiority of the present Pope. When the
dispersal of the treasures of the Vatican was announced in the Sacred
Consistory, five cardinals walked straight out to swear, four burst
into tears, eight spoke their minds quite freely and (in the case
of two) at the top of their voices, and the rest were dumb. Ragna,
Berstein, Cacciatore, and Vivole came to the conclusion that Hadrian's
new move was a pontifical red-herring intended to divert the scent from
the newspaper-calumnies against George Arthur Rose. They went about
trying to make people see the thing from their point of view. Kelts
and Catholics throughout the world set up howls; and compared Hadrian
to Honorius to the advantage of the latter. "From a Catholic point of
view," wrote one clerical gentleman (who in youth, as an attaché in
Paris, had been known as La Belle Anthropophage), "it is impossible to
blame Hadrian too severely." He was ruined, they said with unctuous
rectitude; and He was going to sell the Vatican Treasures in order to
provide an iniquitous provision for a disreputable and private old age.
Naturally they judged by their own standard. All Catholics do.
The Liblab Fellowship congratulated itself on the possession of such
a Fellowshipper as Sant. His diplomacy was thought cute. Socialists
hourly expected to hear that the Scarlet Unutterable, in sheer despair,
had asked to be allowed to seek a refuge in their ranks. Jerry Sant
sat-up all night at the Hotel Nike, in case the Pope should be moved to
escape from a throne which had been made too hot for Him. In the event
of such an escape, of course "His Most Reverent Lordship" would come
and try and make peace with them as He had put to so much unnecessary
trouble and expense. So the Liblab cut and dried his plans. He would
administer the oaths to God's Vicegerent: take His entrance-fee and
annual subscription in advance; and admit Him as a Fellowshipper.
Then, as His senior comrade, He would order Him back to Vatican to
use His popery for carrying out the schemes of Labor against Capital.
Incidentally he would take the opportunity of transferring some of the
pontifical capital from a man as didn't to a man as did deserve it.
However, Jerry gave himself two sleepless nights for nothing. He would
have been better, though perhaps not quite so comely, in bed. And then,
on the third day, Mrs. Crowe rushed in, displaying a tantrum which was
a blend of joy and hate and fear.
"I suppose this is your work, Mr. Sant?" she said, bringing a cutting
from the _Catholic Hour_ out of her chain-bag.
"Imphm," Jerry grinned like an oblong gargoyle.
"Oh how could you say such things about Him! I do think it shocking of
you!"
"Wumman, hae ye nat telled me maist o' they things yersel'?"
"Yes of course. But I never thought you'd put it all in the papers."
"A havena pit them a'. There's a plenty more--if He hasna had His paiks
yet."
"O but I'm sure He has, I expect you've simply stunned Him."
"Maybe I have."
"Haven't you heard from Him yet?"
"A havena. A'm expecting to hear the now."
"Mr. Sant if you've killed my George I'll--I don't know what I'll do:
but I'll never forgive you."
"Hech wumman, that won't kill Him: but it may make Him a bit sore and
I'll let you know that He'll come here for His plaster."
"I don't mind Him being sore. He deserves it after the way He's behaved
to me. But----"
"Now just you tak' yersel' away. I can't have you messing about here
when Rose comes. When I'm through with Him I'll forward Him to you. So
you be off with you."
"Clumsy beast!" said Mrs. Crowe to herself when she stood in Two
Shambles Street again. "You'd much better have left it to me to
arrange. I shouldn't be surprised if Georgie did something desperate
now. It 'ld be just like Him. And I believe I could have coaxed
Him----" She hailed a victoria; and drove to St. Peter's Square to have
another look at the window.
The Pope gave the holy order of priesthood to Cardinal Van Kristen on
Innocents' Day. His Holiness felt that the sacerdotal prayer of so
innocent a one would benefit all. The English and American invasion of
Rome beat the record for the winter season. At a carp-and-punch supper
at Palazzo Caffarelli on Christmas Eve, it was remarked that the City
just then contained all the world's multimillionaires. If war had been
carried on in the antique manner, _i.e._ for ransoms and spoils, and if
any power had possessed a sufficient military equipment, a new sack of
Rome would have been an exceedingly lucrative undertaking. However, as
it was, Rome sacked the multimillionaires. Despite the fact that the
coming spring was likely to see the dawn of Armageddon, an astonishing
number of people was unable to resist the temptation to purchase the
treasures of the Vatican. The list of prices assigned by the experts
had been submitted to Hadrian, Who struck the mean between maximum and
minimum, greatly to the disgust of curialists who (when once the idea
was grasped) were anxious to drive good bargains. They suggested an
auction, which the Pope incontinently refused, saying that He was going
to compete neither with tradesmen nor with brigands. He made it easy
for museums to acquire historic specimens: the merely artistic chiefly
went to private collectors; and the world acquired the valuables. The
collection of lace alone fetched £785,000; and the total takings,
amounting to four-and-thirty millions sterling, were deposited in the
Bank of Italy.
Signor Panciera made it a great deal more than convenient to accept
another invitation to the Vatican. This time, it was a short visit
which he paid, and a fairly momentous one. The Pope did all the
talking. His Holiness spoke dryly and concisely from a sheet of
manuscript which He afterwards handed to the ambassador, and seemed
to be consumed by some internal fire, the signs of which appeared in
His white pain-drawn face. He said that He had noted with approbation
the scheme of Signor Gigliotti, by which innoculated convicts were
employed in the reclamation of malarious Apulia and Calabria. He wished
Italy to establish and endow farm-colonies in eucalyptus groves on the
Roman Campagna, where a wholesome and industrious life could be found
for inoculated boys and girls. He wished Italy to establish and endow
almshouses for old people, and free schools where handicrafts would be
taught to children. He wished Italy to establish and endow scholarships
for the study of Italian archæology, the idea being to foster a spirit
of enthusiastic patriotism, by excavating and studying and preserving
the buried cities and monuments and treasures of antiquity with which
the sacred and glorious and inviolate soil of Italy simply teems.
Lastly, He wished Italy to give rewards, say of a thousand lire in
cash to every man and woman between twenty and thirty years of age,
who had served one master or secular firm since Lady-day 1899, and who
cared to claim such a reward. To give effect to His four wishes, He
handed to Signor Panciera an order on the Bank of Italy payable to the
Prime Minister of Italy for the time being. The value of the order was
thirty-three millions sterling. It was an offering in honour of the
thirty-three years during which God as Man had laboured for the Love
of men. It was to be the nucleus of a national fund which was to be
called "The Household of Christ." This fund was to be administered, on
the lines stated, by one male member of the Royal Family of Italy, the
Prime Minister, and the Minister of the Interior for the time being,
and by nine trustees drawn in rotation from the list of nobles in the
Golden Book. The first of these twelve was to hold his trusteeship
for life, and was to be nominated by the King's Majesty within one
year from the present date. The second and third were to be ex-officio
trusteeships. Of the nine nobles three would retire each year; and
the next three on the roll would succeed them. No ecclesiastics were
to be concerned with the fund in any way, unless they were nobles
eligible for trusteeship, or unless they were paid servants appointed
as chaplains by the Trustees. Hadrian's particular desire was that the
"Household of Christ" should become in every sense a department of the
government of Italy.
Signor Panciera came out reeling; and furiously drove in the direction
of Monte Citorio. Here, he picked up Signor Zanatello; and the two
carried their little basketful of news to the Queen-Regent in the
Quirinale. Eleven minutes in Her Majesty's music-room sufficed to
send the three quickly through the Hall of Birds, and upstairs to the
marconigraph office, by which means they announced the scheme to Victor
Emanuel at Windsor Castle. The Sovereign's reply was characteristically
Italian, and (therefore) splendid.
"I add a million: the Queen adds a million: the Prince of Naples adds a
million: all sterling."
The Prime Minister sent the nation's thanks and asked His Majesty to
nominate himself as trustee. He got this gorgeous answer.
"The Trustees will be nicknamed the Pope's Twelve Apostles. The _Voce
della Verità_ and the _Osservatore Romano_ instantly would assign to me
the rôle of Judas."
Signor Panciera sent this message "Sire, there was a thirteenth
apostle."
The King retorted "But he was an after-thought." That made Queen Elena
laugh. The King continued. "Zanatello, take this money; give a receipt
in the name of Italy. The Queen-Regent will issue a royal decree
constituting the Household of Christ as a government department: I
nominate the Duke of Aosta as the royal trustee: this scheme is just
what Italy wants at this moment: give it effect at once."
Zanatello implored His Majesty to become trustee. "No," came the final
response. "I will assist most strenuously in an unofficial capacity:
when there is room for a thirteenth apostle, I will perpend: meanwhile
I engage to double the fund within one year. The King of England will
assist."
Hadrian first read about the acceptance of the gift to Italy in the
next day's _Populo Romano_--one of the most respectable papers in the
world, He used to say. He felt that He had achieved another step;
and instantly proceeded to the next. He summoned the Syndic of Rome,
and made over to him, as a free gift to the City, all the moveable
sculpture, paintings, tapestry, and archæological specimens then
present in the Vatican. Simultaneously, He canonized Dom Bosco and
Dante Alighieri and published the _Epistle to the Italians_. This
document was mainly hortatory, and directed against disbelief and
secret societies. He bade Italy to consider Herself as the temple of
art in Europe; and to set Herself, by the contemplation of masterpieces
of human workmanship already in her possession, or to be added to Her
possession by future discovery, to produce Herself as a country and a
people prepared for The Lord Who is Altogether Lovely. He spoke of the
"Mafia" with admiration and with horror. It was a brotherhood rather
than a society, He said. It was a brotherhood of individualists each
devoted to the service of his brother. Its essential virtues were
honesty, mutual help, self-restraint. Nothing could be better. But
the Devil had distorted the operation of so excellent a scheme. His
Iniquity tempted the "Mafiosi" not only to help each other in good
deeds, but in evil--chiefly in evil deeds. They murdered and screened
murderers; and forgot "Thou shalt do no murder." They robbed and
screened robbers; and forgot "Thou shalt not steal." They alleged that
Mazzini had welded them into a corporate body for political purposes;
and had given them for a motto "Mazzini Autorizza Furti Incendi
Avvelenamenti," from the initials of which phrase they drew their
corporate name. In place of that wicked and abominable sentence, He
gave them "Madonnina Applaude Fraternità Individualita Amore." Let the
Mafia flourish with that motto for its ruling principle.
Italy was seeing the burden of poverty removed from Her children,
was seeing Her youth enabled to cultivate talents, was seeing the
honest labour of Her manhood and womanhood rewarded, was seeing refuge
and provision prepared for old age. Rome set herself nobly to work
at housing the treasures of art which Hadrian had given. Immense
and splendid palaces were planned for them and began to rise on the
Esquiline and Celian Hills; and the gracious forms of the old gods were
to stand beneath arcades of marble, white and pure as lilies without,
mosaic of bright gold within, amid the groves upon Janiculum. Honest
men came by their own. There were no unemployed. Consequently, no
hearts were soured while hands were used; and anarchy began to fade
away into the obscurity of bad old rubbish rejected. The _Epistle
to the Italians_ too! They were in the mood to listen to anything
and everything from that dear little piece of omniscient omnipotent
omnipresent aloofness whom they called "Papa Inglese." To the strong
and simple Italian temper, His words carried conviction by reason of
their own essential simplicity and strength.
"He speaks like one's own conscience!" said Caio and Tizio and also
Sempronio.
"Hearken and obey Him, then," invected Maria and Elena and also
Margherita.