orth to you?"

"More than all I possess, infinitely more!" said the shrewd Braschi.
"Were I sure of your voice, I might then have a definite hope of
becoming pope; for your voice carries many others with it. How, then,
can you expect me to estimate what is inestimable?"

"Would you give me twenty thousand?" asked Albani.

"Threefold that sum if I possessed it, but I have nothing! I am a very
poor cardinal, as you well know. My whole property consists of six
thousand scudi, and that trifling sum I dare not offer you."

"Borrow, then, of Signora Malveda!" said Albani. "Cardinal Rezzonico is
rich and liberal. Let us speak directly to the point. You would be pope,
and I am willing to forward your views. How much will you pay?"

"If Signora Malveda will lend me four thousand scudi, I should then have
ten thousand to offer you!"

"Well, so be it. Ten thousand scudi will do, if you will add to it a
trifling favor."

"Name it," said Braschi.

"You know that Ganganelli opposes the crowning of our famous
improvisatrice, Corilla, in the capitol. This is an injustice which
Ganganelli's successor will have to repair. Will you do it?"

Braschi gave the cardinal a sly glance. "Ah," said he, "Signora Corilla
seems to be less liberal than Signora Malveda? She will allow you no
discount of her future laurel-crown, is it not so? I know nothing
worse than an ambitious woman. Listen, Albani; it seems that we must be
mutually useful to each other; I need your voice to become pope, and you
need mine to become a favored lover. Very well, give me your voice, and
in return, I promise you a laurel-crown for Signora Corilla, and eight
thousand scudi for yourself!"

"Ah, you would haggle!" contemptuously exclaimed Albani. "You would be
a very niggardly vicegerent of God! But as Corilla is well worth two
thousand scudi, I am content. Give me eight thousand scudi and the
promise to crown Corilla!"

"As soon as I am pope, I will do both. My sacred word for it! Shall I
strengthen my promise by swearing upon the Bible?"

Cardinal Albani gave the questioner a glance of astonishment, and then
broke out with a loud and scornful laugh.

"You forget that you are speaking to one of your kind! Of what use would
such a holy farce be to us who have no faith in its binding power? No,
no, we priests know each other. Such buffoonery amounts to nothing. One
written word is worth a thousand sworn oaths! Let us have a contract
prepared--that is better.