“But if you have seen everybody at Paris and heard every thing, how can I help you?”
“By acting upon the government here. A word from you to the English minister would have great weight at this juncture. Queen Victoria is interested in the maintenance of the papal throne. Her Catholic subjects are counted by millions. The influence of his holiness has been hitherto exercised against the Fenians. France would interfere, if she was sure the step would not be disapproved by England.”
“Interfere!” said the gentleman. “Our return to Rome almost before we have paid our laundresses’ bills in the Eternal City would be a diplomatic scandal.”
“A diplomatic scandal would be preferable to a European revolution.”
“Suppose we were to have both?” and the gentleman drew his chair near the fire.
“I am convinced that a want of firmness now,” said Berwick, “would lead to inconceivable calamities for all of us.”
“Let us understand each other, my very dear friend Berwick,” said his companion, and he threw his arm over the back of his chair and looked the Roman full in his face. “You say you have been at Paris and elsewhere, and have seen everybody and heard every thing?”
“Yes, yes.”
“Something has happened to us also during the last month, and as unexpectedly as to yourselves.”
“The secret societies? Yes, he spoke to me on that very point, and fully. ‘Tis strange, but is only, in my opinion, an additional argument in favor of crushing the evil influence.”