f Prime in the church of Saint
Laurence, had been cast down one by one into the city-sewer, each
chanting as he vanished:

"_Christi Fili Dei vivi miserere nobis,_"

and from the darkness had come up the same broken song till it was
silenced with stones. Meanwhile, the German prisons were thronged with
the first batches of recusants. The world shrugged its shoulders, and
declared that they had brought it on themselves, while yet it deprecated
mob-violence, and requested the attention of the authorities and the
decisive repression of this new conspiracy of superstition. And within
St. Peter's Church the workmen were busy at the long rows of new altars,
affixing to the stone diptychs the brass-forged names of those who had
already fulfilled their vows and gained their crowns.

It was the first word of God's reply to the world's challenge.

* * * * *

As Christmas drew on it was announced that the Sovereign pontiff would
sing mass on the last day of the year, at the papal altar of Saint
Peter's, on behalf of the Order; and preparations began to be made.

It was to be a kind of public inauguration of the new enterprise; and,
to the astonishment of all, a special summons was issued to all members
of the Sacred College throughout the world to be present, unless hindered
by sickness. It seemed as if the Pope were determined that the world
should understand that war was declared; for, although the command would
not involve the absence of any Cardinal from his province for more than
five days, yet many inconveniences must surely result. However, it had
been said, and it was to be done.

* * * * *

It was a strange Christmas.

Percy was ordered to attend the Pope at his second mass, and himself
said his three at midnight in his own private oratory. For the first
time in his life he saw that of which he had heard so often, the
wonderful old-world Pontifical procession, lit by torches, going through
the streets from the Lateran to St. Anastasia, where the Pope for the
last few years had restored the ancient custom discontinued for nearly a
century-and-a-half. The little basilica was reserved, of course, in
every corner for the peculiarly privileged; but the streets outside
along the whole route from the Cathedral to the church--and, indeed, the
other two sides of the triangle as well, were one dense mass of silent
heads and flaming torches. The Holy Father was attended at the altar by
the usual sovereigns; and Percy from