"There it is again!" cried Frederic, "always observations!"
"Allow me, Sire, to lay before you the reasons which have influenced the convictions of the Archbishop," said Conrad.--"Immediately upon the death of Adrian IV., the Sacred College unanimously elected Roland, now Alexander III."
"Unanimously?" interrupted Barbarossa. "If I recollect aright, all the Cardinals were not present!"
"True, three were absent,--but two of them were held as prisoners by your Majesty," replied Conrad.
"The answer is devoid of reason, my lord Abbot. Those two Cardinals had incurred my displeasure. We merely invited them not to leave our court,--but they could scarcely be called prisoners;--however, proceed!"
"Alexander's energetic, inflexible character was known, and it was decided to depose him. A powerful faction elected Cardinal Octavian, and Alexander was forcibly expelled. In consequence of this, the Archbishop Eberhard, and every other prelate who is learned in the sacred canons, regard Victor's election as illegal, and look upon Alexander as the legitimate Pope."
"This is strange!" said the Emperor, forced to blush before the Abbot's arguments. "We certainly had never considered the question in this light.--We will have to be influenced by the Archbishop's opinion.--Hitherto we had thought differently. Your Metropolitan should have explained before the Council of Pavia, to which he was convened, the reasons which you have just advanced!--If we are in error, if we have indorsed so far the Anti-Pope, it is your master's fault. We much desire an interview with the worthy prelate, and regret exceedingly, that we cannot at once profit by his experience. The more so that, had he so willed it, this schism might have been long since ended."
The Abbot was dumb with surprise, but he still hesitated to give faith to the entire sincerity of the Emperor.
"The schism grieves us much," continued Barbarossa. "The Defender of the Faith, more than any one else, must deplore its continuance. Hitherto we have done all in our power in order that Victor, whom we supported, should be acknowledged by the whole Church. But what you have just told us, as coming from the Archbishop, creates grave doubts in our mind."