ssure 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----"

"Alas! He is back in Paris by now. But give me your letters! I'll
see that they are presented properly; and you shall receive a
royal command for the disputation in plenty of time."

They handed over their letters; they exchanged compliments once
more; they were escorted as far as the door of the room by the
prelate, across the next ante-chamber by an imposing man in black
velvet with a chain, across the third by a cuirassier, and across
the hall to the bottom of the steps by two tremendous footmen in
the ancient royal livery.

Monsignor was silent for a few yards.

"Aren't you afraid of an anti-clerical reaction?" he asked suddenly.

"How do you mean? I don't understand."

T