‘When I left Venice a fortnight ago, I took a return ticket,’ the
Pope continued. ‘What you see is the half which I am never going to
use. Take it. It will be a souvenir for you, and may remind you to
beware of the vanity of meddling in spiritual concerns.’
Amazed by this form of address, I rose from my knees, and
respectfully possessed myself of the precious keepsake, which I
thrust into my inmost pocket.
‘I came to Rome,’ the Holy Father pursued calmly, ‘without other hope
or ambition than to record my vote for the most worthy member of the
Sacred College. Even had I wished to be Pope I should not have been
presumptuous enough to put myself forward as a candidate for the
Chair of Saint Peter.
[Illustration: “Saddened and subdued, I quitted the audience chamber
of Pius X.”]
‘It appears that there were others, with more worldly motives, who
entertained ambitions of the kind. For my part, when I learned that
some Cardinals had recorded their votes for me I had no feeling but
one of surprise and chagrin. I suspected that I was being used as a
stalking-horse on behalf of others. I could not dream that a layman
had dared to interfere in the election at the bidding of a usurper
who is outside the pale of Christian fellowship, under the curse of
the Church!’
I trembled as I perceived that some one had been beforehand with me,
and had narrated my proceedings to his Holiness, no doubt with a
gloss which had caused Pius X. to take the worst view of my action.
‘Fortunately your rash and evil designs were overruled for good.
Unknown to yourself, you were an instrument in the hands of others.
While you were watching you were watched. Pious and vigilant men, the
faithful soldiers of the Church Militant, who had no object of their
own to serve, and who only sought the good of the Church, were aware
all along of your proceedings, your true employer, and his secret
aims. You sought to place in the Chair of Peter an obedient tool of
the House of Savoy. The watchful guardians of the Church resolved
that you should be instrumental in the elevation of one who, however
unworthy, is at least free from the passion of worldly ambition.’
I would fain have spoken, but the Holy Father imposed silence on me
by a stern gesture.
‘The candidature of his Eminence Cardinal Salvatierra was a ruse,
to which the zealous persons I speak of were obliged to resort, in
order to throw dust in your eyes. From the first they had determined
to ensure my election, if it could be brought about without using
improper means of influencing the Sacred College. They checkmated
you, without your perceiving it.
‘Now you may go and tell the rash young King who used you as his
agent that his designs have miscarried. I sit here, neither his
nominee nor his creature, but the duly chosen Head of the Roman
Church, and I call upon him to retire from the territories bestowed
upon the Church by Constantine.’
I listened with feelings of stupefaction and despair. The story which
had been told the Pope was so nearly true that I had no scope for
contradiction; it had been so skilfully coloured that I realised that
any attempt at explanation or denial would fail of its effect.
[Illustration: “‘I can only render one more service to your Majesty,
and that is to advise you to make your peace with the Black Pope.’”]
In fact I had been guilty of very nearly what I stood accused of. The
reproaches of Pius X. were an echo of the whispers of my conscience.
I had elected a Pope, but my presumption in doing so had made that
very Pope an enemy of the sovereign whom I had served too well.
‘Will your Holiness condescend to hear me?’ I implored. ‘The
Jesuits----’
‘Silence!’ his Holiness commanded. ‘I will not listen to a word
against those devoted men, whose value, and whose loyalty to the Holy
See, I now understand for the first time. If your master, the King of
Sardinia,[2] desires to learn the conditions on which he may obtain
his pardon from the Holy See, I advise him to apply to--Cardinal
Salvatierra.’
Cardinal Salvatierra! I recalled the Cardinal’s parting words--‘You
have chosen the White Pope; it remains to see how you will fare at
the hands of the Black Pope.’
Saddened and subdued, I quitted the audience-chamber of Pius X., and
repaired to that of Victor Emmanuel II.
‘I have carried out your Majesty’s instructions. Cardinal Sarto is
the new Pope. And now I can only render one more service to your
Majesty, and that is----’
‘And that is?’ the King exclaimed.
‘To advise you to make your peace with the Black Pope!’
I prefer to say no more. It would be imprudent on my part to
embarrass a situation already bristling with difficulties, by
indicating the steps which still remain to be taken before peace can
be restored between the two mighty powers represented by the Vatican
and the Quirinal.