“Yet as brothers of one holy order thou mayest confide in me, if perchance it may bring thee comfort.  For us of the Servi it is our duty of service.”

Fra Francesco sat for a moment in silence.  “Life is heavy,” he said slowly, “and hard to interpret.  Yet I seem to feel that thou wilt understand, though it be in the very matter of our difference.  There is one—­highly placed and noble in spirit, and to the Church a most devoted daughter—­who cometh to me for teaching in this matter of the interdict.  She asketh of me all its meaning—­what it shall bring to Venice?”

“Thou tell her, then, it shall bring naught.  For if it be pronounced it will be unjustly, and without due cause.”

“Nay, Paolo, my brother; it is written in the nineteenth maxim of the ‘Dictatus Papae’ ‘That none may judge the Pope.’”

“My brother, who gave thee thy conscience and thine intellect?” Fra Paolo questioned sternly.  “And hath He who gave them thee so taught thee to yield them that it should be as if thou had’st not these gifts which, verily, distinguish man from the animals—­to whom instinct sufficeth?  Yet, if thou would’st have answer from one of our own casuists in whom thou dost place thy trust, the Cardinal Bellarmino, in his second book on the Roman Pontiffs, will teach thee that without prejudice to this maxim of Gregory thou mayest refuse obedience to a command extending beyond the jurisdiction of him who commands; as Gaetano in his first treatise on the ‘Power of the Pope,’ will also tell thee.  For the peace of thine own mind, my brother, I would I might make thee understand!”

“Nay,” answered Fra Francesco, not less earnestly.  “Peace for him who hath faith cometh not with one intellectual solution, nor another; but with calm purpose to do the right, however it may be revealed.”

“Which, as thou knowest, Francesco, Venice seeketh—­and naught else.  It is a matter of law in which thou hast made no studies, and therefore hard for thee.  Now must I to the Council Chamber, but later I would willingly show thee all the argument.  But of this be sure.  The Republic will not offend against the liberty of the Holy Church; but she will protect her own.”

“Fearest thou not, dear friend,” Fra Francesco questioned, greatly troubled, “that thou mayest lead Venice o’erlightly to esteem this vow of obedience which every loyal son of the Church oweth to the Holy Father?  My heart is sore for thee.  I see not the matter as thou would’st have me.”

“Nay,” said Fra Paolo quietly, “to each one his burden!  If thy conscience bears not out my teaching, thou art free from it.  I interpret the law by the grace which God hath given me; I, also, being free from sin therein, if my understanding be not equal to the tasks wherein I seem to feel God’s guidance.”

“Yet tell me, I pray thee, Paolo mio, and be not displeased by mine insistence,—­perchance it may help me to comprehend this mystery,—­how knowest thou the limit beyond which one may without sin, judge that the Holy Father shall not command obedience of the sons of the Church?”