按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Monseigneur Dupanloup was disgusted； and Dr。 Dollinger prepared
himself for resistance。 It was clear that there would be a
disaffected minority at the Council。
Catholic apologists have often argued that the Pope's claim to
infallibility implies no more than the necessary claim of every
ruler； of every government； to the right of supreme command。 In
England； for instance； the Estates of the Realm exercise an
absolute authority in secular matters； no one questions this
authority； no one suggests that it is absurd or exorbitant； in
other words； by general consent the Estates of the Realm are；
within their sphere； infallible。 Why； therefore； should the Pope；
within his sphere the sphere of the Catholic Church be denied
a
similar infallibility？ If there is nothing monstrous in an Act of
Parliament laying down what all men shall do； why should there be
anything monstrous in a Papal Encyclical laying down what all men
shall believe？ The argument is simple； in fact； it is too simple；
for it takes for granted the very question which is in dispute。
Is there indeed no radical and essential distinction between
supremacy and infallibility？ Between the right of a Borough
Council to regulate the traffic and the right of the Vicar of
Christ to decide upon the qualifications for Everlasting Bliss？
There is one distinction； at any rate； which is palpable： the
decisions of a supreme authority can be altered； those of an
infallible authority cannot。 A Borough Council may change its
traffic regulations at the next meeting； but the Vicar of Christ；
when in certain circumstances and with certain precautions； he
has once spoken； has expressed； for all the ages； a part of the
immutable； absolute； and eternal Truth。 It is this that makes the
papal pretensions so extraordinary and so enormous。 It is also
this that gives them their charm。 Catholic apologists； when they
try to tone down those pretensions and to explain them away；
forget that it is in their very exorbitance that their
fascination lies。 If the Pope were indeed nothing more than a
magnified Borough Councillor； we should hardly have heard so much
of him。 It is not because he satisfies the reason； but because he
astounds it； that men abase themselves before the Vicar of
Christ。
And certainly the doctrine of Papal Infallibility presents to the
reason a sufficiency of stumbling…blocks。 In the fourteenth
century； for instance； the following case arose。 John XXII
asserted in his bull 'Cum inter nonnullos' that the doctrine of
the poverty of Christ was heretical。 Now； according to the light
of reason； one of two things must follow from thiseither John
XXII was himself a heretic； or he was no Pope。 For his
predecessor； Nicholas III； had asserted in his bull 'Exiit qui
seminat' that the doctrine of the poverty of Christ was the true
doctrine； the denial of which was heresy。 Thus if John XXII was
right； Nicholas III was a heretic； and in that case Nicholas's
nominations of Cardinals were void； and the conclave which
elected John was illegal so that John was no Pope； his
nominations of Cardinals were void； and the whole Papal
succession vitiated。 On the other hand； if John was wrongwell；
he was a heretic； and the same inconvenient results followed。
And； in either case； what becomes of Papal Infallibility？
But such crude and fundamental questions as these were not likely
to trouble the Council。 The discordant minority took another
line。 Infallibility they admitted readily enough； the
infallibility； that is to say； of the Church； what they shrank
from was the pronouncement that this infallibility was
concentrated in the Bishop of Rome。 They would not actually deny
that； as a matter of fact； it was so concentrated； but to declare
that it was； to make the belief that it was an article of faith
what could be more it was their favourite expression more
inopportune？ In truth； the Gallican spirit still lingered among
them。 At heart； they hated the autocracy of Rome the domination
of the centralised Italian organisation over the whole vast body
of the Church。 They secretly hankered； even at this late hour；
after some form of constitutional government； and they knew that
the last faint vestige of such a dream would vanish utterly
with the declaration of the infallibility of the Pope。 It did not
occur to them； apparently； that a constitutional Catholicism
might be a contradiction in terms； and that the Catholic Church；
without the absolute dominion of the Pope； might resemble the
play
of Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark。
Pius IX himself was troubled by doubts。 'Before I was Pope；'
he observed； 'I believed in Papal Infallibility； now I feel it。'
As for Manning； his certainty was no less complete than his
master's。 Apart from the Holy Ghost； his appointment to the See
of Westminster had been due to Pio Nono's shrewd appreciation of
the fact that he was the one man in England upon whose fidelity
the Roman Government could absolutely rely。 The voice which kept
repeating 'Mettetelo li； mettetelo li' in his Holiness's ear；
whether or not it was inspired by God； was certainly inspired by
political sagacity。 For now Manning was to show that he was not
unworthy of the trust which had been reposed in him。 He flew to
Rome in a whirlwind of Papal enthusiasm。 On the way； in Paris； he
stopped for a moment to interview those two great props of French
respectability； M。 Guizot and M。 Thiers。 Both were careful not to
commit themselves； but both were exceedingly polite。 'I am
awaiting your Council；' said M。 Guizot； 'with great anxiety。 It
is the last great moral power and may restore the peace of
Europe。' M。 Thiers delivered a brief harangue in favour of the
principles of the Revolution； which； he declared； were the very
marrow of all Frenchmen； yet； he added； he had always supported
the Temporal Power of the Pope。 'Mais； M。 Thiers；' said Manning；
'vous etes effectivement croyant。' 'En Dieu；' replied M。 Thiers。
The Rome which Manning reached towards the close of 1869 was
still the Rome which； for so many centuries； had been the proud
and visible apex； the palpitating heart； the sacred sanctuary；
of the most extraordinary mingling of spiritual and earthly
powers that the world has ever known。 The Pope now； it is true；
ruled over little more than the City itself the Patrimony of
St。
Peter and he ruled there less by the Grace of God than by the
goodwill of Napoleon III； yet he was still a sovereign Prince；
and Rome was still the capital of the Papal State； she was not
yet the capital of Italy。 The last hour of this strange dominion
had almost struck。 As if she knew that her doom was upon her；
the Eternal City arrayed herself to meet it in all her glory。
The whole world seemed to be gathered together within her
walls。 Her streets were filled with crowned heads and Princes
of the Church； great ladies and great theologians； artists
and friars； diplomats and newspaper reporters。 Seven hundred
bishops were there from all the corners of Christendom；
and in all the varieties of ecclesiastical magnificence in
falling lace and sweeping purple and flowing violet veils。
Zouaves stood in the colonnade of St Peter's； and Papal
troops were on the Quirinal。 Cardinals passed； hatted and
robed； in their enormous carriage of state； like mysterious
painted idols。 Then there was a sudden hush： the crowd grew
thicker and expectation filled； the air。 Yes！ it was he！ He was
coming！ The Holy Father！ But first there appeared； mounted on a
white mule and clothed in a magenta mantle； a grave dignitary
bearing aloft a silver cross。 The golden coach followed； drawn by
six horses gorgeously caparisoned； and within； the smiling white…
haired Pio Nono； scattering his benedictions； while the multitude
fell upon its knees as one man。 Such were the daily spectacles of
coloured pomp and of antique solemnity； which so long as the sun
was shining； at any rate dazzled the onlooker into a happy
forgetfulness of the reverse side of the Papal dispensation the
nauseating filth of the highways； the cattle stabled in the
palaces of the great； and the fever flitting through the ghastly
tenements of the poor。
In St。 Peter's； the North Transept had been screened off； rows of
wooden seats had been erected covered with Brussels carpet； and
upon these seats sat each crowned with a white mitre； the 700
Bishops in Council。 Here all day long rolled forth； in sonorous
Latin； the interminable periods of episcopal oratory； but it was
not here that the issue of the Council was determined。 The
assembled Fathers might talk till the marbles of St。 Peter's
themselves grew weary of the reverberations； the fate of the
Church was decided in a very different manner by little knots
of influential persons meeting quietly of a morning in the back
room of some inconspicuous lodging…house； by a sunset rendezvous
in the Borghese Gardens between a Ca