ave always so considered him."

"And they were right."

"Why then could he be the friend of Barbarossa, whilst you are not so?"

Among the rare qualities of Alexander III. must be counted the truly
Christian patience with which he listened to the reproaches of wicked
men, and the mildness which he employed in trying to convince them of
their perversity. But the Holy Father was compelled to admit the
hopeless impossibility of impressing upon this rabble the great
importance of his contest with Frederic.

After a moment's reflection, he went towards the table and sought among
the parchments.

"Here is a document," he said, "written by Pope Adrian. It will show
you that our predecessor was gravely annoyed by the Emperor's conduct
which always was hostile to the independence of the Church. 'God be
thanked,' he writes to the German bishops, 'that you have remained
faithful! God be thanked for giving you the ability to judge,
dispassionately, between Frederic and the Holy See! This schism which
he has instigated will recoil upon his own head; it is like a dragon,
which, wishing to fly to heaven, has fallen to the earth, and has been
swallowed up. He who would exalt himself, shall be abased. This fox
seeks to lay waste the Lord's vineyard; this guilty son forgets all
gratitude and all fear. He has fulfilled none of his promises, he has
deceived us in everything; he deserves then to be treated as a rebel to
his God, as a heathen, as an outlaw.' You see then, my children, how
severely Adrian judged the Emperor. What would this saintly Pontiff
write now; what sentence would he pass upon Frederic at the time when
he is persecuting with still more virulence the Church of God?"

A savage yell, which seemed to approach the castle, interrupted
Alexander, and Frangipani appeared.

"Holy Father," said the soldier, "I can no longer endure the presence
of these bandits; allow me to drive them away by force."

"By no means; let no blood be spilled! Tell them," he said, turning to
Guerrazzi, "that there can be no alliance between Christians and the
enemies of God; tell them, distinctly, that Rome has naught to fear, so
long as she fights against the foes of the Church!"

He withdrew, and a few moments later, Guerrazzi was again upon his
column, haranguing the rabble which pressed eagerly around him. The
tailor inveighed bitterly against the harshness of Alexander, who, he
asserted, had no pity for the sufferings of the people, and