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the safety of the Church that he should be at Rome than herefor you
know； my good father； we have securities that are unfortunately wanting
in France。〃＇36＇
After some moments of silence； the cardinal said suddenly to Father
d'Aigrigny： 〃As we were talking of Father Rodin； tell me frankly what you
think of him。〃
〃Your Eminence knows his capacity；〃 said Father d'Aigrigny； with a
constrained and suspicious air； 〃our reverend Father…General〃
〃Commissioned him to take your place；〃 said the cardinal； 〃I know that。
He told me so at Rome。 But what do you think of the character of Father
Rodin？ Can one have full confidence in him？〃
〃He has so complete； so original； so secret； and so impenetrable a mind；〃
said Father d'Aigrigny； with hesitation； 〃that it is difficult to form
any certain judgment with respect to him。〃
〃Do you think him ambitious？〃 said the cardinal； after another moment's
pause。 〃Do you not suppose him capable of having other views than those
of the greater glory of his Order？Come； I have reasons for speaking
thus；〃 added the prelate； with emphasis。
〃Why；〃 resumed Father d'Aigrigny； not without suspicion； for the game is
played cautiously between people of the same craft； 〃what should your
Eminence think of him； either from your own observation； or from the
report of the Father…General？〃
〃I thinkthat if his apparent devotion to his Order really concealed
some after…thoughtit would be well to discover itfor； with the
influence that he has obtained at Rome （as I have found out）； he might
one day； and that shortly； become very formidable。〃
〃Well！〃 cried Father d'Aigrigny； impelled by his jealousy of Rodin； 〃I
am； in this respect； of the same opinion as your Eminence； for I have
sometimes perceived in him flashes of ambition； that were as alarming as
they were extraordinaryand since I must tell all to your Eminence〃
Father d'Aigrigny was unable to continue； at this moment Mrs。 Grivois；
who had been knocking at the door； half…opened it； and made a sign to her
mistress。 The princess answered by bowing her head； and Mrs。 Grivois
again withdrew。 A second afterwards Rodin entered the room。
＇36＇ It is known that； in 1845； the Inquisition； solitary confinement；
etc。； still existed at Rome。
CHAPTER XVII。
RENDERING THE ACCOUNT。
At sight of Rodin； the two prelates and Father d'Aigrigny rose
spontaneously； so much were they overawed by the real superiority of this
man； their faces； just before contracted with suspicion and jealousy；
suddenly brightened up； and seemed to smile on the reverend father with
affectionate deference。 The princess advanced some steps to meet him。
Rodin； badly dressed as ever； leaving on the soft carpet the muddy track
of his clumsy shoes； put his umbrella into one corner； and advanced
towards the tablenot with his accustomed humility； but with slow step；
uplifted head； and steady glance； not only did he feel himself in the
midst of his partisans； but he knew that he could rule them all by the
power of his intellect。
〃We were speaking of your reverence； my dear； good father；〃 said the
cardinal； with charming affability。
〃Ah！〃 said Rodin； looking fixedly at the prelate； 〃and what were you
saying？〃
〃Why；〃 replied the Belgian bishop； wiping his forehead； 〃all the good
that can be said of your reverence。〃
〃Will you not take something； my good father？〃 said the princess to
Rodin； as she pointed to the splendid sideboard。
〃Thank you； madame； I have eaten my radish already this morning。〃
〃My secretary； Abbe Berlini； who was present at your repast； was； indeed；
much astonished at your reverence's frugality；〃 said the prelate： 〃it is
worthy of an anchorite。〃
〃Suppose we talk of business；〃 said Rodin； abruptly； like a man
accustomed to lead and control the discussion。
〃We shall always be most happy to hear you；〃 said the prelate。 〃Your
reverence yourself fixed to…day to talk over this great Rennepont affair。
It is of such importance； that it was partly the cause of my journey to
France； for to support the interests of the glorious Company of Jesus；
with which I have the honor of being associated； is to support the
interests of Rome itself； and I promised the reverend Father…General that
I would place myself entirely at your orders。〃
〃I can only repeat what his Eminence has just said；〃 added the bishop。
〃We set out from Rome together； and our ideas are just the same。〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Rodin； addressing the cardinal； 〃your Eminence may
serve our cause； and that materially。 I will tell you how presently。〃
Then； addressing the princess； he continued： 〃I have desired Dr。
Baleinier to come here； madame； for it will be well to inform him of
certain things。〃
〃He will be admitted as usual；〃 said the princess。
Since Rodin's arrival Father d'Aigrigny had remained silent； he seemed
occupied with bitter thoughts； and with some violent internal struggle。
At last； half rising； he said to the prelate； in a forced tone of voice：
〃I will not ask your Eminence to judge between the reverend Father Rodin
and myself。 Our General has pronounced； and I have obeyed。 But； as your
Eminence will soon see our superior； I should wish that you would grant
me the favor to report faithfully the answers of Father Rodin to one or
two questions I am about to put to him。〃
The prelate bowed。 Rodin looked at Father d'Aigrigny with an air of
surprise； and said to him； dryly： 〃The thing is decided。 What is the use
of questions？〃
〃Not to justify myself；〃 answered Father d'Aigrigny； 〃but to place
matters in their true light before his Eminence。〃
〃Speak； then； but let us have no useless speeches；〃 said Rodin； drawing
out his large silver watch； and looking at it。 〃By two o'clock I must be
at Saint…Sulpice。〃
〃I will be as brief as possible；〃 said Father d'Aigrigny； with repressed
resentment。 Then； addressing Rodin； he resumed： 〃When your reverence
thought fit to take my place； and to blame； very severely perhaps； the
manner in which I had managed the interests confided to my care； I
confess honestly that these interests were gravely compromised。〃
〃Compromised？〃 said Rodin； ironically； 〃you mean lost。 Did you not order
me to write to Rome； to bid them renounce all hope？〃
〃That is true；〃 said Father d'Aigrigny。
〃It was then a desperate case； given up by the best doctors；〃 continued
Rodin； with irony； 〃and yet I have undertaken to restore it to life。 Go
on。〃
And； plunging both hands into the pockets of his trousers； he looked
Father d'Aigrigny full in the face。
〃Your reverence blamed me harshly；〃 resumed Father d'Aigrigny； 〃not for
having sought； by every possible means； to recover the property odiously
diverted from our society〃
〃All your casuists authorize you to do so；〃 said the cardinal； 〃the texts
are clear and positive； you have a right to recover； per fas aut nefas
what has been treacherously taken from you。〃
〃And therefore；〃 resumed Father d'Aigrigny； 〃Father Rodin only reproached
me with the military roughness of my means。 ‘Their violence；' he said；
‘was in dangerous opposition to the manners of the age。' Be it so； but
first of all； I could not be exposed to any legal proceedings； and； but
for one fatal circumstance； success would have crowned the course I had
taken； however rough and brutal it may appear。 Now； may I ask your
reverence what〃
〃What I have done more than you？〃 said Rodin to Father d'Aigrigny； giving
way to his impertinent habit of interrupting people； 〃what I have done
better than you？what step I have taken in the Rennepont affair； since I
received it from you in a desperate condition？ Is that what you wish to
know？〃
〃Precisely；〃 said Father d'Aigrigny； dryly。
〃Well； I confess；〃 resumed Rodin； in a sardonic tone； 〃just as you did
great things； coarse things； turbulent things； I have been doing little；
puerile； secret things。 Oh； heaven！ you cannot imagine what a foolish
part I； who passed for a man of enlarged views； have been acting for the
last six weeks。〃
〃I should never have allowed myself to address such a reproach to your
reverence； however deserved it may appear；〃 said Father d'Aigrigny； with
a bitter smile。
〃A reproach？〃 said Rodin； shrugging his shoulders； 〃a reproach？ You
shall be the judge。 Do you know what I wrote about you； some six weeks
ago？ Here it is： ‘Father d'Aigrigny has excellent qualities。 He will be
of much service to me'and from to…morrow I shall employ you very
actively； added Rodin； by way of parenthesis‘but he is not great enough
to know how to make himself little on occasion。' Do you understand？〃
〃Not very well；〃 said Father d'Aigrigny； blushing。
〃So much the worse for you；〃 answered Rodin； 〃it only proves that I was
right。 Well； since I must tell you； I have been wise enough to play the
most foolish part for six whole weeks。 Yes； I have chatted nonsense with
a grisettehave talked of liberty； progress； humanity； emancipation of
women； with a young； excited girl； of Napoleon the Great； and all sorts
of Bonapartist idolatry； with an old； imbecile soldier； of imperial
glory； humiliation of France； hopes in the King of Rome； with a certain
marshal of France； who； wit