After the ceremony of reception was finished, Their Majesties, Augustitudes, Highnesses, and Honours, lingered, chatting with the pontifical court. Some of them had a few words with the Supreme Pontiff. The Northern Emperor came and said, "I know that Your Holiness will felicitate me on a dispatch which I have just received from my brother Prince Henry, who announces that my glorious German navy has taken Kronstadt." Hadrian replied; and added "Be merciful, Augustitude." William then did a politely ferocious scowl, intended to indicate imperial impatience; and continued in a lower tone, "I am also anxious to assure Your Holiness that I myself deeply regret the absence of my cousin and imperial brother, Victor Emanuel. All that I could say has been said to persuade His Augustitude to join me on this auspicious and never-to-be-forgotten occasion. I wish that to be known." "It only is a personal obstacle, not a political, which prevents the Southern Emperor from coming here?" "Most Holy Lord, it is not even a personal obstacle. Victor Emanuel has the most profound and much-to-be-admired and pre-eminently-well-merited veneration and reverence for Your Person. It is--well, really it seems almost childish--but he has persuaded himself that----" "That the Roman Pontiff owes the King of Italy a visit?" "Precisely, Holy Father. There is some history of an approach which His Augustitude's royal and martyred father made to the Conclave of 1878----" "And for a mere idea, Victor Emanuel, will continue alienate from Us! Yet, ideas are very fine things, to be respected, to be cultivated, in this material age. They are so rare, so singular. And constancy, fidelity to an idea, above all things is singular and rare, in this age of compromise from which the world only now emerges. Victor Emanuel is not to be blamed, but praised." Suddenly a bright light came in the Apostle's eyes. "Well, then, the next step is obvious. If the son will not come to the Father, then the Father must go to the son." And an impulse to instant movement appeared to urge Him onward. The Northern Emperor splendidly rose to the occasion. "It would be one more grand deed added to Your Holiness's many grand deeds. I trust that I may have the never-sufficiently-to-be-valued honour of accompanying You." "But We walk:" said Hadrian. "I also will gladly walk:" said William.