urchman's pride; for the terms
which the cardinal was empowered to offer were scarcely less haughty
than was the attitude which Venice had assumed throughout the quarrel.

His Holiness had wished that Venice, as a first step, should cancel the
"Protest" which she had widely published, declaring the interdict
invalid.

But Venice, with cool logic, had declined to accede to this; since the
protest, being based upon the censures, was practically annulled by
their withdrawal--which must therefore first take place. And, although
by this same logic she was led to declare that no act on the part of the
Republic would then be necessary to void her protest, she consented to
give a writing to that effect, so soon as the censures should have been
withdrawn.

The Pope requested that all who had left Venice on account of the
interdict should, upon its withdrawal, return and be reinstated in their
former privileges--making a special point of including the Jesuits.

But here, also, Venice made and kept to her amendment; all should
return, with full privilege and favor--save only the Jesuits, who had in
various ways rendered themselves obnoxious to the government.

The revocation of those laws which the Pope demanded was not to be
thought of, since this would be questioning the right of Venice to make
laws; neither was their suspension possible, for the laws were just. But
his Holiness might rest assured that they would be used in moderation
and Christian piety only--as they had ever been.

The real concession--the only one--was in the case of the ecclesiastical
prisoners--the Abbot of Nervessa and the Canon of Vicenza--whom his
Holiness persisted in claiming. But Monsieur du Fresne, the French
Ambassador, suggested that the Republic should, "without prejudice to
her right of jurisdiction over criminal ecclesiastics," _give_ these
prisoners to the ambassador as a mark of special favor to his king, the
mediator, who might then consign them to the Pope if he chose--they
being his to deal with.

Venice, with her powers of subtle reasoning, gladly embraced this way
out of the difficulty which had first appeared insuperable. "So to
_give_ them," she said, appeased, "confirms rather than questions our
authority, since no one may 'give' to another that over which he
exercises no dominion."

It was not Venice, but France, who was to request that the interdict be
withdrawn, that she might not seem to other nations to be under the ban;