The Monsignor was young, tall, slight, almost fragile, and had thin
black hair and large spiritual eyes. As he entered in the long black
overcoat, which covered his cassock, he bowed and looked slowly round
the room. His subdued expression was that of a sheep going through a
gate where the dogs may be, and his manner suggested that he would fly
at the first alarm.
The Baron looked over his eye-glasses and measured his man in a moment.
"Pray sit," he said, and at the next moment the young Monsignor and the
Baron were seated at opposite sides of the table.
"I am sent to you by a venerable and illustrious personage...."
"Let us say the Pope," said the Baron.
The young Monsignor bowed and continued, "to offer on his behalf a word
of counsel and of warning."
"It is an unusual and distinguished honour," said the Baron.
"I am instructed to inform you that the Holy Father has reason to
believe a further and more serious insurrection is preparing, and to
warn you to take the necessary steps to secure public order and to
prevent bloodshed."
The Baron did not move a muscle. "If the Holy Father has special
knowledge of a plot that is impending...."
"Not special, only general, but sufficient to enable him to tell you to
hold yourself in readiness."
"How long has the Holy Father been aware of this?"
"Not long. In fact, only since yesterday morning," said the Monsignor,
and fearing he had said too much he added, "I only mention this to show
you that the Holy Father has lost no time."
"But if the Holy Father knows that a conspiracy is afoot, he can no
doubt help us to further information."
The Monsignor shook his head.
"You mean that he will not do so?"
"No."
"Am I, then, to understand that the information with which his Holiness
honours me came to him secretly?"
"Yes, sir, secretly, and it is, therefore, not open to further
explanation."
"So it reached him by the medium of the confessional?"
The Monsignor rose from his seat. "Your Excellency cannot be in
earnest."
"You mean that it did not reach him by the medium of the confessional?"
"Certainly not."
"Then he is able to tell me everything, if he will?"
The Monsignor became agitated. "The Holy Father's information came
through a channel that is assimilated to the confessional, and is almost
as sacred and inviolate."
"But obedience to the Pope obliterates from all other responsibility.
His Holiness has only to say 'Speak,' and his faithful child must obey."
The Monsignor became confused. "His informant is not even a Catholic,
and he has, therefore, no right to command her."
"So it is a woman," said the Baron, and the young ecclesiastic dropped
his head.
"It is a woman and a non-Catholic, and she visited the Holy Father at
the Vatican yesterday morning; is that so?"
"I do not assert it, sir, and I do not deny it."
The Baron did not speak for a moment, but he looked steadily over his
eye-glasses at the flushed young face before him. Then he said in a
quiet tone:
"Monsignor, the relations of the Pope and the Government are delicate,
and if anything occurred to carry the disagreement further it might
result in a serious fratricidal struggle."
The Monsignor was trying to regain his self-possession, and he remained
silent.
"But whatever those relations, it cannot be the wish of the Holy Father
to cover with his mantle the upsetters of order who are cutting at the
roots of the Church as well as the State."
"Therefore I am here now, sir, thus early and thus openly," said the
Monsignor.
"Monsignor," said the Baron, "if anything should occur to--for
example--the person of the King, it cannot be the wish of his Holiness
that anybody--myself, for instance--should be in a position to say to
Parliament and to the Governments of Europe, 'The Pope knew everything
beforehand, and therefore, not having revealed the particulars of the
plot, the venerable Father of the Vatican is an accomplice of
murderers.'"
The young ecclesiastic lost himself utterly. "The Pope," he said, "knows
nothing more than I have told you."
"Yes, Monsignor, the Pope knows one thing more. He knows who was his
informant and authority. It is necessary that the Government should know
that also, in order that it may judge for itself of the nature of the
conspiracy and the source from which it may be expected."
The Monsignor was quivering like a limed bird. "I have delivered my
message, and have only to add that in sending me here his Holiness
desired to prevent crime, not to help you to apprehend criminals."
The Baron's eye-glasses dropped from his nose, and he spoke sharply and
incisively. "The Government must at least know who the lady was who
visited his Holiness at the Vatican yesterday morning, and led him to
believe that a serious insurrection was impending."
"That your Excellency never will, or can, or shall know."
The Monsignor was bowing himself out of the room when the Baron's
secretary opened the door and announced another visitor.
"Donna Roma, your Excellency."
The Monsignor betrayed fresh agitation, and tried to go.
"Bring her in," said the Baron. "One moment, Monsignor."
"I have said all I am authorised to say, sir, and I feel warned that I
must say no more."
"Don't say that, Monsignor.... Ah, Donna Roma!"
Roma, who had entered the room, replied with reserve and dignity.
"Allow me, Donna Roma, to present Monsignor Mario of the Vatican," said
the Baron.
"It is unnecessary," said Roma. "I met the Monsignor yesterday morning."
The young ecclesiastic was overwhelmed with confusion.
"My respectful reverence to his Holiness," said the Baron, smiling, "and
pray tell him that the Government will do its duty to the country and to
the civilised world, and count on the support of the Pope."
Monsignor Mario left the room without a word.