Charles looked outraged. "Forget about--" he sputtered.
Louis raised a finger. "Charles, I will not let you have both Sicily and
Provence. You want too much."
Charles sighed. "Very well. Let Provence go to Tristan. You have put me
in a position where I will desperately need the taxes Provence would
yield. But I will make do somehow."
"I am sure you will," said Louis. "If you have to sell all the clothes
from all the backs in the lands you now rule."
Louis thought a moment, and then turned to Simon, who, glowing inwardly,
leapt to his feet.
"Yes, Sire!"
Louis looked startled at Simon's vehemence. "I will write two letters
for you to take to Perugia. One for the reigning pope, who, I pray, will
still be Pope Urban. In that I will give my permission for the Count of
Anjou to accept the crown the pope has offered him and to make war on
Manfred."
He stopped, sighed, and shook his head.
Turning to his brother, he said, "I do this with great sorrow and
misgiving, Charles, but I fear I have no choice."
The Count of Anjou said nothing, but Simon saw his chest rapidly rising
and falling with excitement.
"Should God take Pope Urban, Simon, you will hold the letter, sealed,
until a new pope is elected and then give it to him. The other letter,
in the event Pope Urban dies, will be for Cardinal de Verceuil. You
mentioned that Manfred might try to influence the election of the next
pope. Fourteen out of twenty-one cardinals are French, and if they vote
together, they can elect a pope. I shall recommend a candidate they can
unite behind. Again, I do not like to do this, because a king should not
interfere in the election of a pope. Should Pope Urban live to read the
first letter, you will not give the second letter to Cardinal de
Verceuil, but will burn it, still sealed, and see that not a trace
remains."