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carried a resolution declaring that the Oblates of St。 Charles
had intruded themselves illegally into the Seminary。 The Cardinal
quashed the proceedings of the Chapter； whereupon； the Chapter
appealed to Rome。 Dr。 Errington； carried away by the fury of the
controversy； then appeared as the avowed opponent of the Provost
and the Cardinal。 With his own hand he drew up a document
justifying the appeal of the Chapter to Rome by Canon Law and the
decrees of the Council of Trent。 Wiseman was deeply pained： 'My
own coadjutor；' he exclaimed； 'is acting as solicitor against me
in a lawsuit。' There was a rush to Rome； where； for several
ensuing years； the hostile English parties were to wage a furious
battle in the antechambers of the Vatican。 But the dispute over
the Oblates now sank into insignificance beside the rage of
contention which centred round a new and far more deadly
question； for the position of Dr。 Errington himself was at stake。
The Cardinal； in spite of illness； indolence； and the ties of
friendship； had been brought at last to an extraordinary step
he was petitioning the Pope for nothing less than the deprivation
and removal of the Archbishop of Trebizond。
The precise details of what followed are doubtful。 It is only
possible to discern with clearness； amid a vast cloud of official
documents and unofficial correspondences in English； Italian； and
Latin； of Papal decrees and voluminous scritture； of confidential
reports of episcopal whispers and the secret agitations of
Cardinals； the form of Manning； restless and indomitable；
scouring like a stormy petrel the angry ocean of debate。 Wiseman；
dilatory； unbusinesslike； and infirm； was ready enough to leave
the conduct of affairs in his hands。 Nor was it long before
Manning saw where the key of the whole position lay。 As in the
old days； at Chichester； he had secured the goodwill of Bishop
Shuttleworth by cultivating the friendship of Archdeacon Hare； so
now； on this vaster scale of operations； his sagacity led him
swiftly and unerringly up the little winding staircase in the
Vatican and through the humble door which opened into the cabinet
of Monsignor Talbot； the private secretary of the Pope。 Monsignor
Talbot was a priest who embodied in a singular manner； if not the
highest； at least the most persistent traditions of the Roman
Curia。 He was a master of various arts which the practice of ages
has brought to perfection under the friendly shadow of the triple
tiara。 He could mingle together astuteness and holiness without
any difficulty； he could make innuendoes as naturally as an
ordinary man makes statements of fact； he could apply flattery
with so unsparing a hand that even Princes of the Church found it
sufficient； and； on occasion； he could ring the changes of
torture on a human soul with a tact which called forth universal
approbation。 With such accomplishments； it could hardly be
expected that Monsignor Talbot should be remarkable either for a
delicate sense of conscientiousness or for an extreme refinement
of feeling； but then it was not for those qualities that Manning
was in search when he went up the winding stair。 He was looking
for the man who had the ear of Pio Nono； and； on the other side
of the low…arched door； he found him。 Then he put forth all his
efforts； his success was complete； and an alliance began which
was destined to have the profoundest effect upon Manning's
career； and was only dissolved when； many years later； Monsignor
Talbot was unfortunately obliged to exchange his apartment in the
Vatican for a private lunatic asylum at Passy。
It was determined that the coalition should be ratified by the
ruin of Dr。 Errington。 When the moment of crisis was seen to be
approaching； Wiseman was summoned to Rome； where he began to draw
up an immense scrittura containing his statement of the case。 For
months past； the redoubtable energies of the Archbishop of
Trebizond had been absorbed in a similar task。 Folio was being
piled upon folio； when a sudden blow threatened to put an end to
the whole proceeding in a summary manner。 The Cardinal was seized
by violent illness； and appeared to be upon his deathbed。 Manning
thought for a moment that his labours had been in vain and that
all was lost。 But the Cardinal recovered； Monsignor Talbot used
his influence as he alone knew how； and a papal decree was issued
by which Dr。 Errington was 'liberated' from the Coadjutorship of
Westminster； together with the right of succession to the See。
It was a supreme act of authoritya 'colpo di stato di
Dominiddio'； as the Pope himself saidand the blow to the Old
Catholics was correspondingly severe。 They found themselves
deprived at one fell swoop both of the influence of their most
energetic supporter and of the certainty of coming into power at
Wiseman's death。 And in the meantime； Manning was redoubling his
energies at Bayswater。 Though his Oblates had been checked over
St。 Edmund's； there was still no lack of work for them to do。
There were missions to be carried on； schools to be managed；
funds to be collected。 Several new churches were built； a
community of most edifying nuns of the Third Order of St。 Francis
was established； and ￡30；000； raised from Manning's private
resources and from those of his friends； was spent in three
years。 'I hate that man；' one of the Old Catholics exclaimed； 'he
is such a forward piece。' The words were reported to Manning； who
shrugged his shoulders。 'Poor man；' he said； 'what is he made of？
Does he suppose； in his foolishness； that after working day and
night for twenty years in heresy and schism； on becoming a
Catholic； I should sit in an easy…chair and fold my hands all the
rest of my life？' But his secret thoughts were of a different
caste。 'I am conscious of a desire；' he wrote in his Diary； 'to
be in such a position： （I） as I had in times past； （2） as my
present circumstances imply； （3） as my friends think me fit for；
and （4） as I feel my own faculties tend to。
'But； God being my helper； I will not seek it by the lifting of a
finger or the speaking； of a word。'
So Manning wrote； and thought； and prayed； but what are words；
and thoughts； and even prayers； to the mysterious and relentless
powers of circumstance and character？ Cardinal Wiseman was slowly
dying； the tiller of the Church was slipping from his feeble
hand； and Manning was beside him； the one man with the energy；
the ability； the courage； and the conviction to steer the ship
upon her course。 More than that； there was the sinister figure of
a Dr。 Errington crouching close at hand； ready to seize the helm
and make straightwho could doubt it？for the rocks。 In such a
situation the voice of self…abnegation must needs grow still and
small indeed。 Yet it spoke on； for it was one of the paradoxes in
Manning's soul that that voice was never silent。 Whatever else he
was； he was not unscrupulous。 Rather； his scruples deepened with
his desires； and he could satisfy his most exorbitant ambitions
in a profundity of self…abasement。 And so now he vowed to Heaven
that he would SEEK nothing no； not by the lifting of a finger
or the speaking of a word。 But； if something came to him？ He
had vowed not to seek； he had not vowed not to take。 Might it not
be his plain duty to take？ Might it not be the will of God？
Something； of course； did come to him； though it seemed for a
moment that it would elude his grasp。 Wiseman died； and there
ensued in Rome a crisis of extraordinary intensity。 'Since the
creation of the hierarchy；' Monsignor Talbot wrote； it is the
greatest moment for the Church that I have yet seen。' It was the
duty of the Chapter of Westminster to nominate three candidates
for succession to the Archbishopric； they made one last effort；
and had the temerity to place upon the list； besides the names of
two Old Catholic bishops； that of Dr。 Errington。 It was a fatal
blunder。 Pius IX was furious； the Chapter had committed an
'insulta al Papa'； he exclaimed； striking his breast three times
in his rage。 'It was the Chapter that did it；' said Manning；
afterwards； but even after the Chapter's indiscretion； the fatal
decision hung in the balance for weeks。 'The great point of
anxiety with me； wrote Monsignor Talbot to Manning； 'is whether a
Congregation will be held； or whether the Holy Father will
perform a Pontifical act。 He himself is doubting。 I therefore say
mass and pray every morning that he may have the courage to
choose for himself； instead of submitting the matter to a
Congregation。 Although the Cardinals are determined to reject Dr。
Errington； nevertheless I am afraid that they should select one
of the others。 You know very well that Congregations are guided
by the documents that are placed before them； it is for this
reason that I should prefer the Pope's acting himself。'
But the Holy Father himself was doubting。 In his indecision； he
ordered a month of