"Well now, only one more blow from the flail, and then We will take up the crook. Do stop your Catholics from toadying the German Emperor. Read that. It's perfectly absurd for them to tell him that _the whole Catholic world would be delighted if the protection of Catholics in the Orient were confided to him_. He's an admirable person: but We are not going to confide the protection of Catholics in the Orient to him. England is the only power which can manage Orientals. And what right have these Erse and Gaelic Catholics to speak for 'the whole Catholic world'? Do neither England nor Italy count? Do make these pious fat-wits mind their own business--make them understand that when they tell the Kaiser that _they will exert themselves to remove all misunderstandings between Germany and England_--England last, you note--they would be comical if they were not impertinent and entirely stupid,--and of course disloyal as usual." Hadrian collected His documents and the book of newspaper-cuts: swept them all into a portfolio; and abruptly changed the subject. "Will Your Eminency be good enough to tell Us the circumstances which led to Our extraordinary election?" Barely recovered from his commotion of mind, and posed point-blank like this, Cardinal Courtfield hesitated and said something about the Acts of the Conclave. His aboriginally tardy temperament was incapable of keeping pace with the feline agility of the Pontiff. Hadrian perceived his difficulty, and intently pursued the inquiry from another footing. "We know all about the Acts of the Conclave, which We shall read at Our leisure. But We want the more human light which Your Eminency can throw upon the subject. Perhaps it will be simpler if We use the Sokratic method. By what means did Our name, did the mere fact of Our existence become known to the Sacred College?" "By my means, Holiness." "We understand that Your Eminency actually proposed us to the Conclave?" "That is so." "And We infer that you also recommended Us: or at least described Us in such a way that the cardinals knew whom they were electing?" "Yes, Holy Father." "Why did Your Eminency propose Us?" the Pope purred. The cardinal seemed to be at a loss again. He appeared to have a difficulty in expression, not a lack of material for expression. Hadrian made a dash for the rudiments. "There were other names before the College? Why were none of their owners chosen?" "It was impossible to agree about their merits, Holiness." "Several attempts, no doubt, were made?" "The Ways of Scrutiny and Access were tried seven times." "And then?" "And then came a deadlock. None of the candidates obtained a sufficiency of suffrages: and none of the electors were willing to change their opinion." "And then?" "The Way of Compromise was tried." "And, through Your Eminency's means, the compromissaries were induced to impose Us on the Sacred College?" "Yes, Holiness."