oversight, no Pope would have ventured to make such an extravagant
claim to universal sovereignty."

"Was it not the duty of Charles to defer to the request of Rome?"

"Most certainly! but his liberality to the Church might have been more
measured, and the honors conceded more judiciously denned. Hold the
Pope's stirrup!--yes, the Emperor must even stoop to that--although it
is, in reality, a mere idle form," added the Chancellor, hurriedly, as
Frederic's face colored up. "Surely none can blame the Popes if they
construe what was a mere form into an obligation of importance."

"When I held the stirrup of His Holiness, my lord Chancellor," said
Barbarossa with great dignity, "it was the homage paid by a Christian
to the chief of Christendom."

"A most excellent reason, Sire," replied the Chancellor, in an
insinuating tone. "The fulfilment of a Christian's religious duties can
but honor an Emperor. But I have yet to learn in what way those duties
interfere with the prerogatives of a Sovereign."

"Well!--you would elevate then the monarch's rights above the
Christian's responsibilities?"

The smiling glance of the statesman dwelt for an instant upon his
sovereign, who had given his minister to understand that he regarded
his opinions as somewhat heretical and very difficult of realization.
Barbarossa was willing to admit, to a certain extent, the superiority
of the temporal over the spiritual power, but he still hesitated before
the impiety of claiming the supremacy.

"Although you may place the Emperor above the Christian," resumed the
Chancellor, "you will not on that account cease to be one. I will say
even more: to reign, truly, the separation of the Empire from the
Papacy is a necessity. Look towards the monarchs of France and Saxony;
for them the Pope has never been anything more than the Bishop of Rome,
chosen from among the most worthy prelates. They were the temporal
masters of the Roman Pontiff, although ever the first to honor him as
the Head of the Church. And what, to-day, is the Papal supremacy over
the Emperor, what is his influence? You selected Victor as Sovereign
Pontiff, while the College of Cardinals elected Roland, who, under the
title of Alexander III., reigns in spite of you! Victor, the feeble
creation of your own hands, will fall as soon as your support be
withdrawn, while Alexander, your triumphant adversary, is seated more
firmly than ever upon the throne of St. Peter. His legates, only,