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"I have long known the crafty arts of the Imperial Court, and the
skill with which it has led away others in its train," replied Peter. "The
Count Henry has been tricked. He swore to execute a treaty whose
results he could not foresee. We must seek a way by which his oath
to Barbarossa may not be violated."
"God speaks by your mouth, father, and I will follow your advice."
"Do not leave me thus; give me your blessing, father," said the
King, kneeling as he spoke.
Louis breathed more freely as the time passed without any signs
of Barbarossa, for he began to hope that the Emperor would not
come, and the interview not take place.
"He has been detained by some state affairs," said the Count of
Nevers.
"And I suppose, until these affairs are settled, the King of France
can wait. Very well indeed," replied Louis. "But we will wait no
longer--although there are some persons in France who desire our
humiliation, and perhaps even our dethronement!"
"Those men are nothing more than traitors!" said the Duke of
Burgundy, who was aware of the relations between Henry and the
Emperor.
The Count scowled angrily at the speaker.
"I did not believe," added the King, "that in all France there was a
man base enough to sell his honor, even if there were any one
capable of paying him in false promises."
"But the Emperor will certainly come; wait a little longer," urged
the Count Henry.
Louis looked towards the German camp, and under the influence
of returning fears, was about to wait still longer, but the Duke
opposed him.
"I commend France to the care of the Almighty," said the feeble
monarch; "but be kind enough, noble Duke, to ride over and salute
the Emperor in my name."
After another glance behind him, the King mounted, and rode
with the Duke of Burgundy towards Laon.
"And why should I not be? The heroic soul of the Duke of
Burgundy will inspire the King. Our valiant sovereign will not keep
his promise. As Alexander will not come, Barbarossa will be obliged
to bring Victor. Ah! there is a worthy man for you; he thinks it no
crime to rob a rich convent! But, if Pope Alexander keeps his place,
the devil! I will have to do penance!"
Whilst the Count of Nevers was explaining the motives which
attached him to Frederic and Victor, the two ecclesiastics were
conversing privately.
"These fears are only human; but God's decrees are inscrutable,
and beyond the comprehension of mortal man," replied the
Archbishop. "How did Louis receive the news of the negotiations
with the English King? I know that your mission is to sound him on
that subject. But here comes the Emperor;" and he pointed to a
cloud of dust in the distance.
"He imagines that he has acted royally," said Barbarossa; "is it not
ridiculous to think that peace is endangered, because one of us
came to the bridge a little later than the other? But how is it with the
chief article of the treaty? Will the Cardinal Roland be present at the
council?"
"The invitation! What does this mean? Do you think that Roland
can be influenced by an invitation? You will be good enough to
remember, my Lord, that in our treaty, sworn to by you in the name
of your King, it was stipulated that Roland should be forced to
appear before his judges."
"Most certainly, Sire; and I will perform what I have promised; but
I cannot oblige the King to do as much."
"Still it is the only way to prevent him from violating his oath,"
added William of Nevers.
There was a pause, Frederic's brow darkened, and his eye cast a
threatening glance towards France.
Dassel bowed and left the tent, well satisfied with his master's
energy.
"The motives were not invented by him, Sire. Our Holy Church
teaches that her chief cannot submit to any earthly tribunal."
Frederic spoke with much bitterness and rose to indicate that the
audience was at an end. The prelate remained quietly seated; he
understood Barbarossa's disposition perfectly, and he regretted to
see so influential a sovereign follow a course which could not but
cause great evils to Christendom. He deplored the fatal
consequences which were inevitable, and he endeavored to make
them evident in terms the novelty of which must have surprised the
Emperor.
"There is but one sovereign lord upon earth," said the Emperor,
proudly; "the laws are only the expression of his will, and all power
exists by it alone!"
"It may be so for earthly concerns; but for spiritual matters, God
has chosen another sovereign, the chief of religious unity, the
supreme shepherd of Christianity--the Pope!"
"The Emperor also belongs to the fold of the faithful," said
Frederic, quickly, "so that the Pope must be the Emperor's shepherd,
his spiritual father; am I not right?"
"And yet the Roman Emperor bore the title of pontifex maximus!
How do you explain that, my lord Archbishop?"
"Very well! But if, in case of disunion, the people leaned towards
the spiritual, it would be easy to lessen the Emperor's person, and
overthrow the tyrant."
"I received his letter a few days since," replied the prelate,
drawing a parchment from his bosom; "it contains a dissertation
upon the present condition of the Church, and particularly upon your
designs. But it tells me no more than your Majesty himself has just
stated, still I was unwilling to believe it."
"Speak!"
"You will it so; make up your mind then to listen to some bitter
truths.--
"You will acknowledge, Sire, that the Pope must be free and
independent to discharge his ministry. What would become of an
enslaved Church, dependent upon the will of a temporal ruler? Great
God! to what baseness would she not be obliged to descend; what
infamous enormities would she not have to sanction, under the
pretext of State policy! A religion which acts in the interest of human
passions instead of opposing their indulgence, could not aid in the
salvation of souls--Everything would be subverted; sin would invade
the whole world, and would extinguish Christ's holy light, and with it
all faith, all desire, all power of good!--And this," concluded the
prelate, with energy, "this is the state of degradation to which you
would reduce a Church which has existed for a thousand years!"
The Archbishop had risen, and stood before the Emperor like a
prophet of old.