Part 42 (1/2)
The two courts see in all this a political calculation on my part, whence it follows that if I continue to displease Rome and Madrid measures will be taken--”
”The Holy Father, the vicar of G.o.d on earth, has the power to release subjects from obedience to their sovereign, if he falls into heresy, deals with the same, or tolerates it.”
”Proceed, reverend Father.”
”The confirmatory bull of his Holiness Paul IV is formal--the Pope of Rome, by virtue of his divine right, is vested with power to excommunicate, suspend and depose all Kings guilty of divine _lese majeste_, or tolerant toward that irremissible crime. After which, the throne being declared vacant, it devolves upon the first good Catholic--who make take possession.”
”That sounds like a threat, directed at my son Charles IX and at myself.”
”It is a paternal warning, madam.”
”In plain words, my son runs the risk of seeing himself deposed by the Pope.”
”A disagreeable possibility, madam.”
”Reverend Father, a.s.suming the throne is declared vacant--by whom will our Holy Father have it filled? Surely not by a Bourbon, seeing the house of Bourbon is heretical. Consequently, the good Catholic Rome and Spain have in view probably is young Henry of Guise, the descendant of Charlemagne, according to the theory of the house of Lorraine.”
”That is a temporal question which does not concern me, madam. It is, however, a notable fact that young Henry of Guise, son of the martyr of Orleans, carries a name that is dear to all Catholics.”
”Accordingly, the purpose of your mission, reverend Father, is to convey a threat to me? But why blame me, a woman, with the slowness of the military operations against the Huguenots?”
”It is believed, madam, that you would look with too much disfavor upon a chief who would insure speedy triumph to the Catholic armies, and that you deliberately hamper the military operations by inciting rivalry among the several captains and setting them at odds. The strategic mistake of allowing the Duke of Deux-Ponts to penetrate into the very heart of France and carry a reinforcement of troops to the Huguenots is laid to your door. The junction of the two army corps is now an accomplished fact.”
”The Duke of Deux-Ponts!” exclaimed Catherine De Medici with a sinister smile. ”You do not seem to know what has befallen that heretic chief.
But, before speaking of the miscreant, I wish to put you in condition to appreciate the facts concerning myself. I shall be frank--my interests command it.”
”Madam, I am ready to hear.”
”In order that you may have the key to my falsely interpreted conduct, I shall begin by making the following declaration to you--I have no religion! Does such an introduction, perchance, astonish or shock you?”
”By no means.”
”Then, my reverend Father, we shall be able to understand each other.
You justify--according to what is reported of your Order--tolerance for vice, provided appearances are saved. Now, then, I have no religion. It follows that I concern myself only with promoting my own ambition.”
”Frankness can not be carried further.”
”With the same outspokenness I shall add that I love power--to rule is life to me. I have been compared to Queen Brunhild. It is said I wink at precocious debauchery among my children with the view of unnerving and stupefying them. It is claimed I sow the seed of jealousy, intrigue and lechery among them.”
”Those things are said--and many more, and more grave, madam.”
”Some credence must be accorded to _hear say_, reverend Father. At least, in what concerns myself, people are rarely wide of the mark. But let me proceed. The religious wars have furnished me with the means of alternately cropping the crests, now with the aid of the ones, then with the aid of the others, of both the Catholic and the Protestant seigneurs, who, during my husband's reign, conceived the design of restoring their old feudal sovereignties. I still have the house of Guise to contend with, as Brunhild of old had the stewards of the palace on her hands. Thus I combated the Reformation, or gave comfort to the Huguenots against the Catholics, according as political exigencies dictated. At present I am well acquainted with the purposes of the Protestants, and I know how to conduct myself in order to annihilate them--when the moment shall have come to strike the decisive blow.”
”You have unfolded to me your theories, madam, but you have recited not a single act in support of your predilection for our holy Church. We require proofs.”
”Now let us pa.s.s to acts, reverend Father. A few minutes ago you mentioned the name of the Duke of Deux-Ponts, who hurried from Germany in aid of the Huguenots Conde, Coligny and his brother Dandelot.”
”The hydra-heads of the heresy, madam.”
”Well, reverend Father, already the hydra has three heads less. The Duke of Deux-Ponts is dead; Monsieur Dandelot is dead; the Prince of Conde is dead!”