\"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?\"
\"I do not say, when it conflicts with that which is in itself against the law of God,\" Fra Paolo answered him, \"this limitation thou also would''''st admit; yet it may well-nigh seem to thee a blasphemy to suppose so strange a case, though many of the early fathers do provide against it. But, to take another case, when a command of the Sovereign Pontiff doth conflict with the rule of the Prince in his realm, see''''st thou not what confusion should come if the Pope may revoke the laws of princes and replace them by his own in the temporal affairs of their dominions? And if it belong to his Holiness to judge which laws shall be revoked and what may be legislated to replace the old laws, ultimately but one power should everywhere reign—and that an ecclesiastical power. The matter is simple.\"
Fra Paolo''''s searching gaze noted the flush of feeling in the face of his friend, which was his only response.
\"And thus will the Senate vote when the question shall come before them?\" Fra Francesco had asked, after a pause; for this conversation had taken place in the earlier days of the struggle, while in many quarters opinions were forming.
\"There can be no accurate recital of the manner of a happening before it hath taken place,\" the Teologo Consultore replied so placidly that his tone conveyed as little reproach as information; yet Fra Francesco could not again have put his question in any form.
Still he lingered, as if something more must be spoken, although Fra Paolo had already sent to summon his secretary. \"I also,\" he said, asserting himself, with an effort which was always painful to his gentle soul, \"I also would be faithful to my conscience and my vow; that which I believe—I can teach no other.\"
\"More can one not ask of thee,\" Fra Paolo answered, suddenly unbending from the stilted mood of his last words. \"By the light that is given him must each man choose his path.\"
\"If,\" said Fra Francesco, speaking sorrowfully, \"the blessed law of silence were added to our vow, how would it save a man perplexity and trouble! For that which one believeth must color his speech, though he would fain speak little. Thy light is larger than mine own—I know it to be so—and yet to me it bringeth no vision. I would it had been given us to see and teach alike!\"
\"In this matter of the confessional,\" said Fra Paolo, returning and speaking low, \"if but thou didst believe with me that, as a sacrament , it is oftenest unwise and best left unpractised, thy difficulties might be fewer.\"
\"Nay, Paolo mio, tempt me not. I would I might believe it, but my conscience agreeth to my vow.\"
\"As thou believest, so do; ''''for whatsoever is not of faith is sin,''''\" said Fra Paolo solemnly. \"That was a strong word spoken of doctrine to guard the conscience. I would I might scatter all the noble words of that noble Apostle Paul among the people and the priests, in our own tongue!\"
\"Sometimes thou seemest so like a rebel I know not why I come to thee in trouble\"—Fra Francesco looked at him with grieving eyes—\"except that in thine heart thou art indeed true.\"
\"So help me God—it is my prayer!\" Fra Paolo answered. \"And for thee and me alike, however we may differ, there is this other helpful word in that same blessed book which they will not let the starving people share—''''God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.'''' May God be with thee!\"
\"And Christ and the Holy Mother have thee in their keeping!\" Fra Francesco answered, with a yearning look in his loving face, in a tone that lingered on the sweet word \"mother\" and almost seemed to hint of an omission, as they clasped hands and parted.
This was the last time they had had speech together; but on the evening of the day when Venice had declared her loyalty to her Prince by unanimous vote, there was much animated talk of the matter in the refectory. Fra Francesco had joined the group and listened silently. But as the call to compline rang through the cloisters and the friars scattered, he had turned his face to Fra Paolo, who read thereon a very passion of love, reproach, and pain which he could not forget. \"When the duties of the Council press me less,\" he thought, \"I will seek him out and reason with him.\"
But after that night the gentle friar was seen no more in Venice, and inquiry failed to develop a reason for his flight. They missed him in the Servi, where already they were beginning to gather up the pale happenings of his convent life with the kindly recollection which tinged them with a thread of romance, as his brothers of the order rehearsed them in the cloistered ways where he would come no more; for to him some ministry of beauty had always been assigned. The vines drooped for his tending, they said; and the pet stork who wandered in the close languished for his hand to feed the dainty morsel, and for his voice in that indulgent teasing which had provoked its proudest preening.