The disruption between the Greek and Latin Churches being now an accomplished fact, the Archbishop of Antioch went the length of excommunicating the Pope and the whole Roman Church, asserting that if there were to be a supreme Pontiff, he had the better claim to the title. This event caused a disruption on a small scale in Margaret's bower, where Beatrice scandalised the fair community by wanting to know why the Pope should not be excommunicated if he deserved it. "Excommunicate the head of the Church!" said Hawise, in a horrified tone. "Well, but here are two Churches," persisted Beatrice. "If the Pope can excommunicate the Archbishop, what is to prevent the Archbishop from excommunicating the Pope?" "Poor creature!" said Hawise pityingly. "The Eastern schism is no Church!" added Eva. "Oh, I do wish some of you would tell me what you mean by a Church!" exclaimed Beatrice, earnestly, laying down her work. "What makes one thing a Church, and another a schism?" But that was just what nobody could tell her. Hawise leaped the chasm deftly by declaring it an improper question. Eva said, "_Si bete_!" and declined to say more. "Well, I may be a fool," said Beatrice bluntly: "but I do not think you are much better if you cannot tell me." "Of course I could tell thee, if I chose!" answered Eva, with lofty scorn. "Then why dost thou not?" was the unanswerable reply. Eva did not deign to respond. But when Bruno next appeared, Beatrice put her question. "The Church is what Christ builds on Himself: a schism is bred in man's brain, contrary to holy Scripture." In saying which, Bruno only quoted Bishop Grosteste. "But, seeing men are fallible, how then can any human system claim to be at all times The Church?" asked Beatrice. "The true Church is not a human system at all," said he. "Father, Beatrice actually fancies that the Archbishop of Antioch could excommunicate the holy Father!" observed Hawise in tones of horror. "I suppose any authority can excommunicate those below him, in the Church visible," said Bruno, calmly: "in the invisible Jerusalem above, which is the mother of us all, none excommunicates but God. `Every branch in Me, not fruit-bearing, He taketh it away.' My daughters, it would do us more good to bear that in mind, than to blame either the Pope or the Archbishop." And he walked away, as was his wont when he had delivered his sentence. That afternoon, the Countess sent for Beatrice and Doucebelle to her own bower. They found her seated by the window, with unusually idle hands, and an expression of sore disturbance on her fair, serene face. "There is bad news come, my damsels," she said, when the girls had made their courtesies. "And I do not know how to tell my Magot. Perhaps one of you might manage it better than I could. And she had better be told, for she is sure to hear it in some way, and I would fain spare the child all I can." "About Sir Richard the Earl, Lady?" asked Beatrice.