“We’ll not dispute you, sir. But let me tell my story. When the news came to Wittenberg they say that Dr. Luther told his friends he stood a fair chance of never returning, but went off boldly, saying that ‘Jesus Christ lives even in Augsburg,’ and ‘Let Christ live, and let Martin die.’ He got to the city about three weeks ago and lodged at the Carmelite Convent. You may be sure there was nudging and elbowing enough on the streets while he passed along.” “Is he a tall, grand man?” demanded an attentive young ritter. “Neither very tall, nor very grand; just a friar habited like a thousand others, only when you saw his eyes, ach! they seemed looking down into the bottom of your soul. Well--I heard he was advised by the Elector of Saxony’s councillors to ask for a safe-conduct from the Emperor before going before the legate, and I think it well he did so.” “Well, indeed!” bellowed many voices. “While he was awaiting the document from Kaiser Maximilian a slimy Italian called Serralonga came to him and told him all would go happily if he would only pronounce six letters, ‘_Revoco_’--‘I recant.’ And when Dr. Luther hesitated, the rogue asked him if he expected the Elector would go to war in his behalf against the Pope. ‘God forbid,’ says Dr. Luther. ‘And where will you find refuge then?’ demands the rascal. ‘Under heaven,’ answers Dr. Luther, and packs the fellow off upon his business. Then the safe-conduct came, and Dr. Luther went to the legate. They say there were a lot of Italian black-gowns present, anxious to see this Saxon who had set the world by the ears, and that Dr. Luther behaved very dutifully, falling on his knees before the Cardinal, speaking him very fair, and asking to be better instructed if he was in error.” “Hard knocks are the only words for those Italians!” growled out the ritter. “A pity you were not by to advise Dr. Martin,” commented the merchant dryly; “you will admit he stood to his point stoutly enough. The Cardinal began by some mollifying words, for it would be a plume in his hat to report at Rome ‘the strife is healed.’ Then he pointed out one or two of the theses which seemed to him to hit the Pope’s power hardest. Dr. Luther asked his reasons; the Cardinal cited a Papal Bull to sustain his point; Dr. Luther knocked out his Eminence’s breath by saying the Bull was not valid, being contrary to divers parts of the Scriptures.” “Ay!” cried a long-haired itinerant scholar, “there was a logical figure not to be solved by your ‘_Barbara, Celarent, Darii_’ and the rest.”