a for a full two months that the Papal
Legate made his appearance in Affonso Henriques' capital.

A very splendid Prince of the Church was Cardinal Corrado, the envoy
dispatched by Pope Honorius II., full armed with apostolic weapons to
reduce the rebellious Infante of Portugal into proper subjection.

His approach was heralded by the voice of rumour. Affonso Henriques
heard of it without perturbation. His conscience at ease in the
absolution which he had wrung from Mother Church after his own fashion,
he was entirely absorbed in preparations for a campaign against the
Moors which was to widen his dominions. Therefore when at length the
thunderbolt descended, it fell--so far as he was concerned--from a sky
entirely clear.

It was towards dusk of a summer evening when the legate, in a litter
slung in line between two mules, entered Coimbra. He was attended by two
nephews, Giannino and Pierluigi da Corrado, both patricians of Rome,
and a little knot of servants. Empanoplied in his sacred office, the
cardinal had no need of the protection of men-at-arms upon a journey
through god-fearing lands.

He was borne straight to the old Moorish palace where the Infante
resided, and came upon him there amid a numerous company in the great
pillared hall. Against a background of battle trophies, livid weapons,
implements of war, and suits of mail both Saracen and Christian, with
which the bare walls were hung, moved a gaily-clad, courtly gathering of
nobles and their women-folk, when the great cardinal, clad from head to
foot in scarlet, entered unannounced.

Laughter rippled into silence. A hush descended upon the company, which
stood now at gaze, considering the imposing and unbidden guest. Slowly
the legate, followed by the two Roman youths, advanced down the hall,
the soft pad of his slippered feet and the rustle of his silken robes
being at first the only sound. On he came, until he stood before the
shallow dais, where in a massively carved chair sat the Infante of
Portugal, mistrustfully observing him. Affonso Henriques scented here
an enemy, an ally of his mother's, the bearer of a fresh declaration of
hostilities. Therefore of deliberate purpose he kept his seat, as if to
stress the fact that here he was the master.

"Lord Cardinal," he greeted the legate, "be welcome to my land of
Portugal."

The cardinal bowed stiffly, resentful of this reception. In his long
journey across the Spains, princes and nobles had flocked