"But why do you come to me?"
"Because, your Holiness, our information, although conclusive, is too
indefinite for effective action, and we believe your Holiness can supply
the means by which we may preserve public order, and"--with an apologetic
gesture--"save the life of the King."
The Pope was moving uneasily in his chair. "I will ask you to be good
enough to speak more plainly," he said.
The Baron's heavy moustache rose at one corner to a fleeting smile.
"Your Holiness," he said, "is already aware that accident disclosed to
us the source of your information. It was a lady. This knowledge enabled
us to judge who was the subject of her communication. It was the lady's
lover. Official channels give us proof that he is engaged abroad in
plots against public order, and thus..."
"If you know all this, sir, what do you want with me?"
"Your Holiness may not be aware that the person in question is a Deputy,
and that a Deputy cannot be arrested without the fulfilment of various
conditions prescribed by law. One of those conditions is that some one
should be in a position to denounce him."
The Pope half rose from his chair. "You ask me to denounce him?"
The Baron bowed very low. "The Government does not presume so far," he
said. "It only hopes that your Holiness will require your informant to
do so."
"Then you want me to outrage a confidence?"
"It was not a confession, your Holiness, and even if it had been, as
your Holiness knows better than we do, it would not be without precedent
to reveal the facts which are necessary to be known in order to prevent
crime."
The Capuchin's sandals were scraping on the floor, but the Pope raised
his left hand, and the friar fell back.
"You are aware," said the Pope, "that the lady you speak of as my
informant is married to the Deputy?"
"We are aware that she thinks she is."
"Thinks?" said the indignant voice of the Capuchin, but the Pope's left
hand was raised again.
"In short, sir, you ask me to require the wife to sacrifice her
husband."
"If your Holiness calls it so,--to perform an act that will preserve the
public peace...."
"I do call it so."
The Baron bowed, the young King was restless, and there was a moment's
silence. Then the Pope said: "Putting aside the extreme unlikelihood that the lady knows more than
she has said, and we have already communicated, what possible inducement
do you expect us to offer her that she should sacrifice her husband?"