“Well, it is with the greatest grief that his Holiness perceives that his pious intentions are likely to be frustrated:  for so fierce and numerous are now the brigands in the public approaches to Rome, that, verily, the boldest pilgrim may tremble a little to undertake the journey; and those who do so venture will, probably, be composed of the poorest of the Christian community,—­men who, bringing with them neither gold, nor silver, nor precious offerings, will have little to fear from the rapacity of the brigands.  Hence arise two consequences:  on the one hand, the rich—­whom, Heaven knows, and the Gospel has, indeed, expressly declared, have the most need of a remission of sins—­will be deprived of this glorious occasion for absolution; and, on the other hand, the coffers of the Church will be impiously defrauded of that wealth which it would otherwise doubtless obtain from the zeal of her children.”

“Nothing can be more logically manifest, my Lord,” said Rienzi.

The Vicar continued—­“Now, in letters received five days since from his Holiness, he bade me expose these fearful consequences to Christianity to the various patricians who are legitimately fiefs of the Church, and command their resolute combination against the marauders of the road.  With these have I conferred, and vainly.”

“For by the aid, and from the troops, of those very brigands, these patricians have fortified their palaces against each other,” added Rienzi.

“Exactly for that reason,” rejoined the Bishop.  “Nay, Stephen Colonna himself had the audacity to confess it.  Utterly unmoved by the loss to so many precious souls, and, I may add, to the papal treasury, which ought to be little less dear to right-discerning men, they refuse to advance a step against the bandits.  Now, then, hearken the second mandate of his Holiness:—­’Failing the nobles,’ saith he, in his prophetic sagacity, ’confer with Cola di Rienzi.  He is a bold man, and a pious, and, thou tellest me, of great weight with the people; and say to him, that if his wit can devise the method for extirpating these sons of Belial, and rendering a safe passage along the public ways, largely, indeed, will he merit at our hands,—­lasting will be the gratitude we shall owe to him; and whatever succour thou, and the servants of our See, can render to him, let it not be stinted.’”

“Said his Holiness thus!” exclaimed Rienzi.  “I ask no more—­the gratitude is mine that he hath thought thus of his servant, and intrusted me with this charge; at once I accept it—­at once I pledge myself to success.  Let us, my Lord, let us, then, clearly understand the limits ordained to my discretion.  To curb the brigands without the walls, I must have authority over those within.  If I undertake, at peril of my life, to clear all the avenues to Rome of the robbers who now infest it, shall I have full licence for conduct bold, peremptory, and severe?”

“Such conduct the very nature of the charge demands,” replied Raimond.