Rechberg was bewildered with admiration. Hellig had exaggerated nothing, for Richenza was wonderfully beautiful. Suddenly her eyes were raised toward the young man, who hastily turned away. In the interval, the ceremony had been completed. The shrine had three doors, like a large church. They were open, and through a golden lattice-work could be seen the venerated relics. An immense number of tapers were burning in candlesticks of silver; several priests were watching carefully around the shrine, and monks were seated before the doors to receive the books and engravings and pictures which the piety of the crowd presented as votive offerings to the holy remains. Eberhard of Salzburg could not let escape this excellent opportunity of proclaiming his religious sentiments. He stood upright on the summit of the altar-steps, immediately in front of the ostensorium, ready to bless the princes and the people. But, before bestowing the benediction, and much to the discomfiture of the Emperor and the confusion of Rinaldo, he pronounced a few words of earnest exhortation, counselling obedience to the authority of Alexander III. "Our gracious Emperor and lord," he said, "whose duty it is to defend the Church, will root out the venom of heresy. It is due to his own renown, to the name which he inherits from his Carlovingian ancestors, to the glory which he has won, to rise in aid of the Holy See, and to show to all the scoffers, that he is the obedient son of the Pope, the protector of the Church, of law, and of morals. It is on these conditions that I bless our noble sovereign; I bless all those illustrious prelates and knights who obey Pope Alexander,--I bless all the world of faithful Catholics." He was about to take the ostensorium, when Barbarossa made a sign. It was impossible that the discourse of the Archbishop before so brilliant an assembly could be allowed to pass unnoticed. "Your Reverence has profited by this opportunity," he said, "to remind us of the duties of our position. These duties are onerous, indeed, now that error has possessed the minds of many of our fellow-men. We espouse the cause of no faction; we only defend right and justice. Our predecessors, acting in this by the advice of high ecclesiastical dignitaries, deposed all those, whatever their position, who profited by it to the injury of souls and the prejudice of the Holy Church. Our duty is the same, and we are resolved to discharge it. Whenever the Plenary Council, which is about to assemble, shall have proclaimed who is the lawful Pope, we will defend him against all his enemies and opposers whatsoever. May the present schism soon be destroyed forever, and may peace be restored to God's Holy Church."