("Monsignor Allet,” whispered Father Jervis, as he appeared.)

Monsignor Masterman stood bewildered.  The dilemma had not occurred to him; but Father Jervis, it seemed, was prepared.  He said a rapid sentence to the secretary, who turned, bowing, and immediately began in English without the trace of any accent.

“I perfectly understand—­perfectly indeed.  These doctors rule us with a rod of iron, don’t they?  It’ll be arranged directly.  We all talk English here; and I’ll say a word to His Eminence.  The very same thing happened to himself a year or two back.  He was forbidden to talk in French.  It is astonishing, is it not? the subtlety of these doctors!  And yet how natural.  No two languages have the same mental reaction, after all.  They’re perfectly right.”

Monsignor caught a glimmering of what he was at.  But he thought he had better be cautious.

“I’m afraid I shall give a lot of trouble,” he murmured, looking doubtfully at this sparkling-eyed, blue-chinned young man, who spoke with such rapidity.

“Not in the least, I assure you.”  He turned to the older priest.  “The Cardinal left here only half an hour ago.  How unfortunate!  He came over to arrange the final details of the disputation.  You’ve heard of that?”

“Not a word.”

The young prelate beamed.

“Well, you’ll hear the finest wit in France!  It’s for this afternoon.” (His face fell.) “But it’s Latin.  Perhaps Monsignor ought not——­”

“Ah! so long as he doesn’t talk—–!” (Father Jervis turned to his friend.) “I was telling Monsignor here that the doctor ordered you to engage in no business that did not interest you; and that Latin was rather a strain to you just now——­”

This seemed adroit enough.  But Monsignor was determined to miss no new experience.

“It will simply delight me,” he said.  “And what is the subject?”

“Well,” said the Frenchman, “it’s for the benefit of the Emperor.  Two of the Parisian theologians are disputing De Ecclesia.  The thesis of the adversary, who opens, is that the Church is merely the representative of God on earth—­a Society that must, of course, be obeyed; but that Infallibility is not necessary to her efficiency.”

Father Jervis’ eyes twinkled.

“Isn’t that a little too pointed?  Why, that’s the Emperor’s one difficulty!  I understand that he allows, politically speaking, the need for the Church, but denies her divinity.”

“I assure you,” said the French priest solemnly, “that the thesis is his own selection.  You see, he’s sick of these Socialists.  He understands perfectly that the one sanction of human authority must come from God, or from the people; and he’s entirely on God’s side!  But he cannot see the infallibility, and therefore, as he’s a sincere man—–!” he ended with an eloquent shrug.

“Well,” said Father Jervis, “if the Cardinal’s not here——­”