“Oh, I do wish some of you would tell me what you mean by a Church!” exclaimed Beatrice, earnestly, laying down her work. “What makes one thing a Church, and another a schism?”
But that was just what nobody could tell her. Hawise leaped the chasm deftly by declaring it an improper question. Eva said, “Si bête!” and declined to say more.
“Well, I may be a fool,” said Beatrice bluntly: “but I do not think you are much better if you cannot tell me.”
“Of course I could tell thee, if I chose!” answered Eva, with lofty scorn.
“Then why dost thou not?” was the unanswerable reply.
Eva did not deign to respond. But when Bruno next appeared, Beatrice put her question.
“The Church is what Christ builds on Himself: a schism is bred in man’s brain, contrary to holy Scripture.”
In saying which, Bruno only quoted Bishop Grosteste.
“But, seeing men are fallible, how then can any human system claim to be at all times The Church?” asked Beatrice.
“The true Church is not a human system at all,” said he.