"Since the lord chancellor comes at such an unusual hour," replied the empress, "I must conclude that his business is of an imperative nature. I am therefore ready to hear him."
Kaunitz bowed, and then turning with an arrogant gesture toward the empress's confessor, he said, "Do you hear, Father Porhammer? the empress will hold a council with me."
"I hear it, my lord," said the priest.
"Then as we are not on the subject of religion, you will have the goodness to leave the room."
"I was ordered by her majesty to remain," replied Father Porhammer quietly.
Kaunitz turned toward the empress, who, with knit and angry brow, was listening to her minister.
"If it be the empress's pleasure," said he, bowing, "I will take the liberty of retiring until her majesty is at leisure for earthly affairs. Religion and politics are not to be confounded together; the former being the weightier subject of the two, I give way."
He bowed again, and was about to leave the room, when the empress recalled him.
"Stay!" said she. "Father Porhammer will leave us for a while."
Without a word, the father bowed and withdrew.