"It is an unusual and distinguished honour," said the Baron.
"I am instructed to inform you that the Holy Father has reason to
believe a further and more serious insurrection is preparing, and to
warn you to take the necessary steps to secure public order and to
prevent bloodshed."
The Baron did not move a muscle. "If the Holy Father has special
knowledge of a plot that is impending...."
"Not special, only general, but sufficient to enable him to tell you to
hold yourself in readiness."
"How long has the Holy Father been aware of this?"
"Not long. In fact, only since yesterday morning," said the Monsignor,
and fearing he had said too much he added, "I only mention this to show
you that the Holy Father has lost no time."
"But if the Holy Father knows that a conspiracy is afoot, he can no
doubt help us to further information."
The Monsignor shook his head.
"You mean that he will not do so?"
"No."
"Am I, then, to understand that the information with which his Holiness
honours me came to him secretly?"
"Yes, sir, secretly, and it is, therefore, not open to further
explanation."
"So it reached him by the medium of the confessional?"
The Monsignor rose from his seat. "Your Excellency cannot be in
earnest."
"You mean that it did not reach him by the medium of the confessional?"
"Certainly not."
"Then he is able to tell me everything, if he will?"
The Monsignor became agitated. "The Holy Father's information came
through a channel that is assimilated to the confessional, and is almost
as sacred and inviolate."
"But obedience to the Pope obliterates from all other responsibility.
His Holiness has only to say 'Speak,' and his faithful child must obey."
The Monsignor became confused. "His informant is not even a Catholic,
and he has, therefore, no right to command her."
"So it is a woman," said the Baron, and the young ecclesiastic dropped
his head.
"It is a woman and a non-Catholic, and she visited the Holy Father at
the Vatican yesterday morning; is that so?"
"I do not assert it, sir, and I do not deny it."
The Baron did not speak for a moment, but he looked steadily over his
eye-glasses at the flushed young face before him. Then he said in a
quiet tone: "Monsignor, the relations of the Pope and the Government are delicate,
and if anything occurred to carry the disagreement further it might
result in a serious fratricidal struggle."