“That man I will send to Italy clothed with the plenitude of my power. He will go to Rome and speak to Pope and Curia as they have never been admonished before. He will command the Vatican to purge itself of the extortions and malefactions which have made the name of Rome a byword and a hissing. Pluralities, first-fruits, nepotism, indulgence hawking, expectatives, every other gross evil, shall cease altogether. Nay, that part of Luther’s doctrine which impartial divines pronounce good and truly Catholic shall be embedded in the doctrine of the Church. My high deputy shall do all these things. If the Vatican hesitate, he shall have behind him every pikeman of Castile, every lanz-knecht of Germany. And _then_ even Rome will hear him.” He paused, evidently expecting me to say something, and I made shift to remark. “To find the ambassador the Emperor desires will be hard.” His eyes cut me through at a glance. “I have found him. He is here.” Involuntarily my eyes roved around the room in a kind of maze. Then Charles spoke again. His tone was passionless and prosaic. “He is yourself. I have studied your career and qualifications closely. You are both German and Italian. Because you are in a measure a dreamer is no disadvantage. You will therefore follow your object the more devotedly. You will have vast obstacles to overcome, but you will surmount them. I will bestow on you, if you wish, a Spanish dukedom, so that you may take rank above all great personages, save reigning princes. You will not at first display armed force at Rome, but armed force shall not fail you when you summon it. I know Leo de’ Medici. He will rage, threaten, but he will not fight. You will win the praise of all good Catholics and of your Emperor.” For an instant as Charles spoke I felt my senses reeling. I turned hot, then cold. I was thankful I was not pressed for instant reply. When at length he paused I strove desperately to answer calmly. “Your Majesty has overwhelmed me. What am I to say? Regenstein and Palaestro are noble houses, but we are not princes of the blood.” “I am satisfied with your nobility,” was the imperturbable answer. “Your Majesty has omitted one thing. What is to be the disposition of Luther?” The Emperor frowned. The question, I instantly knew, was unwelcome, but he answered it directly. “Inasmuch as this reformation is to be made _for_ the Church and not against the Church, it is the more needful that I avoid open countenance of heresy. Luther is manifestly guilty of many matters touching not morals merely, but doctrines. He must return to Wittenberg; there the ban of the Empire will be issued against him, he will be seized and punished according to the ancient law touching heretics.”