_CHAPTER XVI_.
_THE EMPEROR'S SLAVE_.
The first service which Barbarossa exacted of Victor, was the solemnexcommunication of Alexander III., and his partisans, in presence ofthe army, and in front of the walls of Milan. A few days after hisarrival at the Camp, an immense tribune, draped with black cloth, andprovided with numerous seats, was erected at a safe distance from thecity. In the centre was an elevated platform, and behind this a thronefor the Emperor, whence he could communicate his desires to the variousspeakers. Thousands of soldiers from all parts of the Camp surroundedthe tribune, and a crowd of curious spectators lined the towers andwalls of the city.
At the appointed hour, the Emperor, the nobles, the false Pope, and theprelates, ascended the platform and took seats according to theirrespective rank. Alberic, the Pope's chaplain, first, in a noisyharangue, explained the object of the assembly. He denounced Alexanderand his adherents as heretics, and extolled Victor as the legitimatePope.
Lighted tapers were then handed to the nobles and the clergy; andOctavian, mounting the pulpit, began to recite, in a voice tremblingwith passion, the usual lengthy formula of excommunication, at theclose of which, as the sentence of malediction was thundered out, theEmperor, nobles, and clergy extinguished their candles.
This solemn farce, enacted by Frederic's orders, in the immediatevicinity of a city whose inhabitants were enthusiastic partisansof the cause of Alexander, was received by the Milanese with shoutsof derision; and scarcely had the anathema been uttered when aspeaking-trumpet was heard upon the walls.
"Octavian," it cried, "wrongfully surnamed Victor, slave of theEmperor, we scorn your maledictions.--Heaven blesses whom you curse,and curses whom you bless!"
Few of the soldiers present had ever before heard a speaking-trumpet,and these words seemed supernatural, while the distant echo gavecredence to the speedy realization of the prophecy. But Frederic, moreenlightened, skilfully parried the blow, and aware of a report whichhad been circulated latterly, that an angel had descended from heavento curse Victor and his partisans, he looked on in scornful silence,while the crowd broke out in clamorous surprise.
Suddenly a straw effigy of the Pope, crowned with rags, with a papermitre on its head, and a scroll with the inscription, in large letters,of "Pope Victor" in its hand, was hurled from the walls by a catapult,and fell close to Octavian's feet, while, amid a burst of contemptuouslaughter, the voice again shouted through the trumpet, "Straw Pope!Straw Pope!"
Octavian was thunderstruck, and stood gazing with a wild stare upon theeffigy, and his face assumed an expression so ridiculously stupid, thatRinaldo and the bystanders, remarking the absurd resemblance between itand the figure, could with difficulty restrain their mirth.
Frederic reflected grimly for a moment, but soon found means to turnthis incident to profit.
"Resume your seat!" he said to Victor, and then rising with the fierceand decided manner which so well became him, he commanded silence. EvenRinaldo's face wore a serious expression, and all awaited,breathlessly, the monarch's harangue.
"What means all this? What seeks Milan with these sinful mockeries?Will that accursed city never respect anything? She turns into ridiculeeven the holy symbols of spiritual power; she mocks at the legitimateHead of the Church; and that her insults may be the better heard, amiserable speaking-trumpet cries them from the walls! Remember thetyranny which reigns in Milan, think of the destruction of Lodi and themisfortunes of Como; think of all those things, and then tell me ifthat city does not merit destruction!"
Frederic ceased, but his words had produced the desired effect.
"She deserves her fate!" cried, eagerly, the soldiers of Lodi and Comowho were present; "she deserves her fate; down with Milan!"
"Yes, she deserves it," resumed the Emperor, "and this time weourselves will execute the decrees of justice!" He paused, and raisinghis hand to his brow, took off the crown. Then, his eyes raised toheaven, and his right hand extended, he cried, with a loud voice,--
"I, Frederic of Hohenstauffen, king of the Germans and Emperor of Rome,do swear before Almighty God and the ever blessed Virgin Mary, by theholy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints of Paradise, that thiscrown will no more grace my brow until the city of Milan shall havebeen destroyed in chastisement for her crimes!"
The Emperor made the sign of the cross, and delivered the diadem intothe keeping of the Imperial Chancellor.
This solemn oath electrified the Italians.
"Long live the Emperor!" shouted a thousand voices. "Long live theEmperor! Down with Milan!"
In the midst of the applause, Barbarossa, well satisfied with theresult of his harangue, left the tribune, followed by his nobles.Meanwhile Victor, who had returned to his tent, gave free vent to hisanger, and while Alberic was divesting him of his mantle, shook hishead with most unequivocal marks of resentment.
"Straw pope!" he exclaimed; "straw pope! the wretches, to compare me,the legitimate Head of the Church, to a man of straw!"
"It is most infamous!" replied the chaplain; "it merits the vengeanceof heaven."
"Patience, the Milanese will pay dearly for their insolence. It neededbut this to fill the cup of Imperial anger. This city must be destroyedand levelled with the earth. Henceforth whoever dares to intercede forthis new Nineveh, is the foe of the Church, of the Pope, and of theEmperor."
"And the speaking-trumpet," added Alberic; "that abominablespeaking-trumpet!"
"True, I had almost forgotten that," replied Victor. "What was it theycalled me? Straw Pope!--the villains! I am the true Pope, both by thechoice of the people and Imperial sanction. Yes, of course I am," herepeated, as though wishing to persuade himself that it really was so."Alexander can never be more than the Cardinal Roland, for he wasneither elected by the people nor confirmed by the Emperor."
"Most certainly, there is no doubt of the fact," added Alberic,quickly, for he knew Victor's anxiety in the matter.
"But what was it they really called me?--I think I heard the words'Slave of the Emperor'!"
"That was what they said," my lord. "It was a ridiculous epithet, foryou, who seek to defend the prerogatives of the Church, can be slave tono one."
These words were bitterly ironical, for Octavian remembered his baseservility to the wishes of his master Barbarossa, and he moved uneasilyupon his chair, as he resumed,--
"I give to the Emperor what is his by right, and in this I obey thecommands of our Lord; but in all that concerns the Church, I aminflexible and yield obedience to no earthly power. Have I not oftengiven proofs of this? Did I not do so only on the day before yesterday,when the Emperor urged me to pronounce the separation of Henry andClemence? And did we not, in virtue of our sacred office, refuse thedemand?"
"I admired your energy, my lord."
"There are no excuses, no threats which can decide us to annul thismarriage!" continued Octavian. "If monarchs could, at their pleasure,divorce their wives, we should have little justice and order. No, bythe eternal salvation of my soul, to which may God be merciful, I willnever countenance a like enormity!"
As Victor finished, Rinaldo entered the room. Octavian's tirade had notescaped the watchful observation of the courtier. Indeed, althoughrarely bold enough to resist the Emperor's commands, there were timeswhen Octavian, either through shame or anger, refused obedience. Likeall men of contracted and timid ideas, he sometimes tried to show proofof energy. Deploring his position, but without greatness of soul enoughto consent to break his chains and retire to a subordinate capacity, hegave full vent to his ill-temper against all whom he had no especialcause to fear. Humble and submissive towards the Emperor and hisministers, he was disdainful and supercilious to his inferiors.
For once, Victor seemed decided to give an evidence of character. Heremained seated, and replied coldly to the salutations of theChancellor. But the wily courtier paid no attention to his insolence;and seating himself quietly, he began,--
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p; "Before submitting to your Holiness the message intrusted me by oursovereign lord the Emperor, I desire to offer my sincere regrets forthe grave scandal caused by the Milanese."
"The devilful blindness of these Godforsaken people is the surest proofof our legitimacy," interrupted Victor; "we have therefore no needeither of your commiseration or your sympathy. You will communicatethis reply to the Emperor. We will now examine whether this message, incase it should be a petition, merits our consideration."
It needed all Rinaldo's self-command to remain serious at Octavian'sspeech, and particularly at the air with which it was uttered. IfVictor really were what he tried to seem, the Count of Dassel wouldhave had good reason to be provoked; but as he had known the Pope formany years, his arrogance only excited a smile, as he answered,--
"In this business, I am well aware that the well known wisdom of yourHoliness has no need of my sympathy. I will therefore, as such is yourdesire, explain the purport of the Emperor's communication. It concernsthe rupture of the marriage between the Duke of Saxony and his wifeClemence."
"We have already expressed our opinions decidedly on that point,"replied Octavian.
"True, a few days ago," said Rinaldo; "but at present His Majestydesires to terminate the matter without delay, and requests you toappoint a time when the divorce shall be solemnly pronounced inpublic."
"Must I then repeat what I have already said?" replied Victor, withsurprise. "The marriage is legal, and cannot be annulled. The questionof consanguinity is, by no means, clearly established, and the degreeis too remote."
"Nevertheless, the Emperor desires the divorce for grave politicalreasons," said Rinaldo, quietly.
"Political reasons! What have we to do with politics?"
"Very true, affairs of state are not your province, still, yourHoliness might have some consideration for the Emperor's wishes."
"Very well, my lord chancellor! you say that the affairs of state arenot our province, and yet in the affairs of the Church we must consultthe Emperor's wishes. If that were so, what position should we occupy?The Milanese have defined it perfectly: 'the base slave of theEmperor'!"
"Your Holiness should remember that you owe everything to the Emperor."
"I beg your pardon, my lord chancellor; I hold my power in virtue of myelection by the Cardinals and the people."
"The Cardinals!" Dassel cried, ironically; "how many of them voted foryou? if I remember rightly, only two. And you speak of the people'schoice? The pagan Jugurtha reproached the Roman people with itscorruption; yet, without the rich bribes paid by your friends, eventhat venal people would not have pronounced in your favor."
Octavian colored violently at the insult.
"I have no wish to wound your Holiness," continued Dassel, "but simplyto warn you against any feelings of ingratitude to the Emperor."
"Admitting what you have said to be true, was not our election ratifiedby four plenary councils?"
"Four plenary councils!" sneered Rinaldo. "There should have been four,but the Emperor has never been able to bring the Bishops together. Youshould know of what value is a plenary council where there are noBishops! But let me beg you to put an end to this useless discussion. Ionly wish to transmit the Emperor's orders and carry back to him youranswer."
"The Emperor's orders! Oh! this is too much, my lord!"
"Yes; but if you prefer, we will call it the Emperor's request," saidthe minister, rising as he spoke; "orders or request, it matterslittle! since the Emperor insists upon implicit obedience to the one,as to the other. Perhaps, upon reflection, you will perceive that yourdisobedience may possibly have most disagreeable consequences."
"For the love of God! do not leave me," cried the alarmed Victor. "Onlyshow me how I can, in defiance of my duty and my conscience, annul alegal marriage? I am always ready to show my obedience to His Majesty;I only implore him not to insist upon this flagrant violation of divineand ecclesiastical laws."
"Have you the power to loose?"
"Yes; but not the bonds of an indissoluble marriage."
"The consanguinity between Henry and Clemence is a valid cause ofdivorce. Their genealogical tree shall be submitted for yourexamination; you can then conscientiously annul the marriage."
Victor was dreadfully embarrassed, and sought in vain an escape fromthe dilemma. On the one side, he felt ashamed of his weakness, and hisconscience reproached him bitterly; but on the other, he saw that mostdisagreeable consequences would result from his refusal. The tone ofthe Chancellor, his gloomy and threatening demeanor, his readiness toleave the apartment, alarmed Octavian, on whose forehead stood greatdrops of perspiration, a striking proof that bad actions are often morepainful in their accomplishment than those dictated by a worthy motive.
"May I then announce to the Emperor, that you will obey him?" resumedDassel; "or shall I transmit your refusal, so that His Majesty can atonce proclaim the illegality of your claims to the Papal throne?"
"I will obey," faltered Victor.
"At last you have come to a wise decision," said the courtier, whoseface immediately resumed its cordial expression. "May I ask when yourHoliness will fulfil your promise?"
"Whenever it may so please the Emperor."
"Your visit will be most agreeable to His Majesty," Dassel resumed. "Ihave only now to request your Holiness to confer the Episcopal mitreupon some young man, high in favor with His Majesty, to whom he wishesto offer this mark of his confidence. He thinks that it would be wellfor the ceremony to take place next week, in the Cathedral of Pavia.One of the candidates is the young Count Biandrate, whose nomination tothe Archbishopric of Ravenna was delayed, owing to some objections onthe part of your predecessor, Pope Adrian."
"I must confirm His Majesty's choice, and will be at Pavia on the daymentioned."
The Chancellor bowed and withdrew. Ashamed and cast down, the Popestood motionless, gazing at the door through which Dassel haddisappeared. He seemed scarcely to credit his humiliation, as hemurmured,--
"Aye, I am the Emperor's slave, naught but his miserable, degradedslave!"
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