est afterwards, that the scene would have ended very
differently. But the naturalness and ease of the pose were
absolute. He stood there, the hands lightly laid one upon the
other, his face palish certainly, but not colourless. There was
even a slight flush in his cheeks from his quick walk up the long
hall. It was a situation in which the weight of a hair would turn
the scale. . . .

Then the President lifted his head slightly, and a tremor ran
round the circle.

"I see no reason for delay," he said heavily. "Our terms were
clear. This man came with the full knowledge of them and the
consequences of disregarding them----"

The Pope lifted his hand.

"One instant, Mr. President----"

"I see no reason----"

"Gentlemen-----"

A murmur of consent rolled round the thirty persons sitting there,
so unmistakable that the man who up to now had ruled them all with
a hint or gesture dropped his head again. Then the Pope went on.

"Gentlemen, I have really no more to say than that which I have
said. But I beg of you to reconsider. You propose to kill me as
you have killed my messengers. Well, I am at your disposal. I did
not expect to live so long when I set out from Rome this morning.
But, then, what will you gain? At midnight every civilized nation
is in arms. And I will tell you what perhaps you do not
know--that the East is supporting Europe. The Eastern fleets are
actually on their way at this moment that I speak. You propose to
reform Society. I will not argue as to those reforms; I say only
that they are too late. I will not argue as to the truth of the
Christian religion. I say only that the Christian religion is
already ruling this world. You kill me? My successor will reign
to-morrow. . . . You kill the Emperor; his son, now in Rome, at
that moment begins to reign. Gentlemen, what do you gain? Merely
this--that in days to come your names will be foul in all men's
mouths. . . . At this moment you have an opportunity to submit;
in a few minutes it will be too late."

He paused a moment.

Then, to the priest's eyes, it seemed as if some subtle change
passed over his face and figure. Up to now he had spoken,
conversationally and quietly, as a man might speak to a company
of friends. But, though he had not noticed it at the time, he
remembered later how there had been gathering during his little
speech a certain secret intensity and force like the kindling of
a fire. In this pause it swept on and up, flushing