“How do you make that out?”
“But Monsieur Bardolotti has just revealed....”
“Don’t make him say absurdities.”
“I’m sorry. I know so little about politics.”
“That is why you must believe just what you are told and no more: two great parties are facing each other—the Lodge and the Company of Jesus; and as we who are in the secret cannot get support from either of them without discovering ourselves, we have them both against us.”
“What do you think of that? Eh?” asked the Cardinal.
Fleurissoire had given up thinking; he was utterly bewildered.
“Yes, they are all against us,” went on Protos; “such is always the way when one has truth on one’s side.”
“Ah! how happy I was when I knew nothing!” wailed Fleurissoire. “Alas! never, never more shall I be able to know nothing!” ...
“He has not yet told you all,” continued Protos, touching him gently on the shoulder. “Prepare for something more terrible still....” Then, leaning forward, he whispered: “In spite of every precaution, the secret has leaked out; a certain number of sharpers are using it to make a house-to-house collection in the departments which have a reputation for piety; they act in the name of the Crusade and rake in money which in reality ought to come to us.”