“Well, Eminenza,” spoke I, “I am too long honored by your close acquaintance not to feel myself a lamb before a leopard in dealing with your high decisions concerning me; yet even apart from the wisdom of your course, even apart from the question whether Luther be wizard or apostle, you must at least remember I call myself a cavaliere, a man of honor; and my honor is sorely touched by having been thus seized for bearing like a caged starling from Worms to Rome. I do your Eminence only justice when I say that either I must be fairly convinced my return to Italy is not against my honor, or I will make every effort to escape from your custody, however honorable.” Forli eyed me very shrewdly; his smile was benignant, but altogether inscrutable. “To Italy you shall go, Gualtiero,” said he, at length, “will-you, nill-you; but I think you will not find it contrary to your honor.” “Your Eminence may well summon up all your justly famous eloquence to convince me; all your orators’ precepts from Quintilian and Tacitus. I have been with Martin Luther now these two and more years. I have heard all the arguments which Rome can bring against him. I have weighed carefully the possible cost of supporting his cause. I will not anger your Eminence by words in his behalf which you will call weak sentiment and bathos; but far as the eastern and western seas our minds now stand asunder. You will never win me.” “I shall not try,” and still he smiled on. “I fear I divine your meaning,” I rejoined; “you believe Madonna Marianna will prove the more eloquent orator. Great are her gifts; but they are not for me. Spare us both another painful scene. She likewise will prove powerless.” “Our advocate will not be Marianna,” said Forli, with that smile which only deepened. “Who, then, Eminenza?” “Charles the Fifth--Holy Roman Emperor.” And then I was shaken for a truth, and the cardinal grinned amiably at my surprise. “_Per deos immortales_, Gualtiero, you need not be amazed! You have really become quite a man in the world. At every court men are guessing at your motives. At Rome they say it is because you did not get the red hat. Let that pass. Certain it is, all our Vatican party are saying ‘it is your Palaestro who has swept the Elector of Saxony and so many North German princes and Free Cities into the Lutheran net. _He_ it is who has made it so difficult to burn _il heretico_ without convulsing all Germany.’ It was partly on your account I quitted Paris so suddenly and came to Worms. Do not then wonder that His Majesty knows all about you, and sends for you.” “But by every power, Eminenza,” cried I, aroused, indeed, “for what purpose does the Emperor send for me, unless indeed I be such a dangerous public firebrand I must be forever smothered in a dungeon.” “Hardly that; you shall discover directly. You are to have immediate audience.” “With the Emperor?” “Even so. Doubtless you heard the cannon booming when he came out from Worms.”