ecognition of Church courts,
and a hundred other details, as well as by the affection of the
people, the Church already enjoyed supreme power.

He put this once, lightly, to Father Jervis.

"The public is affected by forms much more than by principles,"
said that priest, smiling. "They have already accepted the
principles; but even at the eleventh hour they might take
fright at the forms."

"Do you mean it is possible that a Bill, if it was brought
forward, might not pass?"

"Certainly it's possible. Otherwise, why haven't we had a
Commission appointed? The Socialists aren't beaten yet. But it's
not likely; or the Bill wouldn't be brought forward at all."

The prelate said nothing.

(II)

It was not until a few days before Christmas that the
Cardinal was sent for.

At the beginning of the month the Commission had been appointed
by an overwhelming majority in the House. The proposal had been
brought forward suddenly by the Government, and with a speed and
an employment of business-like methods that seemed very strange
to the man who had lost his memory, and who still had hanging
about him a curious atmosphere of earlier days, the Commission
had despatched an immense amount of work within three weeks.

It was impossible to know how far negotiations had got; but even
the Cardinal himself was taken by surprise when he received an
invitation to attend the sitting of the Commission. He sent for
Monsignor Masterman at once.

"You will attend me, Monsignor, please. I shall have to appear
alone, but I should like you to be at hand."

It was with very much confused emotions that Monsignor found
himself, a day or two later, walking up and down a corridor in
the House of Representatives. He had arrived with the Cardinal,
had gone up the broad staircase behind him, and had followed him
even into the committee-room. A long table faced him as he
entered, and he noticed with an odd little thrill how every man
sitting there, from the white-faced, white-haired man at the
head, down to the clean-shaven, clever-looking young man nearest
the door, had risen as the two ecclesiastics came in. The table,
he noticed, was strewed with papers. An empty chair stood at the
lower end of the table--a red chair, he saw, with gilded wood.

The Cardinal sat down. The rest sat down, all in silence.
Monsignor placed the despatch-box in front of his chief, opened
it, laid a few books in order, and went out. . . .

Even now, in spite