Ragna hurriedly sat down twitching. Berstein and Vivole muttered of divination and necromancy.
"That generally is done," the Pope continued in the tone of one merely selecting fringe for footstools,—"That generally is done by oblique-eyed cardinals" (He meant 'envious' but He used the Latin of Horace) "who cannot accustom themselves to new pontiffs. Rovere ululated for an Oecumenical Council when he found Our predecessor Alexander antipathetic; and there be other examples. But Lord Cardinals, if such an idea should present itself or should be presented to you, be ye mindful that none but the Supreme Pontiff can convoke an Oecumenical Council, and also that the decrees of an Oecumenical Council are ineffective unless they be promulgated with the express sanction of the Supreme Pontiff. Who would sanction decrees ordaining his own deposition? Who could? If We pronounce Ourself to be a pseudopontiff, what would be the value of such pronunciation? Ye were Our electors. We did not force you to elect Us. If We be Pontiff, We will not, and, if We be pseudopontiff, We cannot, depose Ourself. We are conscious of your love and of your loathing for Our person and Our acts. We value the one; and regret the other. But ye voluntarily have sworn obedience to Us; and We claim it. 'Subordination,' so the adage runs" (He was citing the Greek to every Latin's disgust) "'is the mother of saving counsel.' Nothing must and nothing shall obstruct Us. Let that be known. And We should welcome co-operation. Wherefore, Most Eminent Lords and Venerable Fathers, let not the sheep of Christ's Flock be neglected in order that the shepherds may exchange anathemas."
Mundo and Fiamma rose by impulse: went to the throne; and renewed their allegiance. The new cardinals mixed with the others and began to talk, while the rest of the Compromissaries approached the Pontiff. Orezzo moved that way with eight Italians. Then the seven brought each a companion. When, at last, the Benedictine struggled to his feet, opposition died. Ragna toed the line.
"His Holiness has averted a schism," said Orezzo to Moccolo.
"One has to admire even where one hardly approves."
"And to hobble-after even when one cannot keep-up-with the pace."
"Saint or madman?" Mundo repeated to Fiamma.
"One-third saint, one-sixth madman, one-sixth genius, one-sixth dreamer, one-sixth diplomatist——"
"No. All George Arthur Rose plus Peter," Talacryn put in. "He said as much Himself to me once, whatever!"