"What of Astura as his own--to have and to hold?" he said at last with bated breath. A sudden sinister gleam from Anjou's eyes betokened his understanding. "The dead are all immortal," he said with a shrug. A sudden commotion, the sound of voices in the antechamber, produced a momentary lull in the conversation, and at the beck of the Pontiff the Cardinal of Cosenza rose to inquire into the cause of the disturbance. After a time he returned and whispered some words into Clement's ears. The Pontiff was seen to start; and to look from one to the other of those present. Then he nodded and, through the door of the audience-chamber, Francesco was ushered into the august presence of the Father of Christendom. He was received with a courteous quiet, the Pontiff and those about him regarding him curiously. Francesco advanced at a signal from the Cardinal of Cosenza, who acted as master of ceremonies, knelt and kissed the Pontiff's feet. He felt somewhat dazed by the unwonted presence and awaited in silence the Pontiff's question. In a fleeting glance he had taken in his surroundings, but as, when he rose from his kneeling position, his gaze encountered that of the Pontiff's minion, there swept over him such a wave of rage, horror and shame, that all the color left his face, and his hands were clenched, as if he would spring at the cowled form by the Pontiff's side and strangle him. He restrained himself with an effort, but the gesture had not passed unremarked by Anjou, who was engaged in sedulously counting his beads and fingering the Leaden Lamb about his neck, while he drew the cowl somewhat deeper over his face. Francesco, turning to the Pontiff, was struck by the reticent shrewdness in Clement's eyes, the expression of his face, the calm, unmoved poise of body and head. It crossed his consciousness in a flash that it was possible for this man to impress his will upon a world, no matter if that world rebelled. "Your name?" the Pontiff spoke at last. "Francesco Villani," came the reply, given with bated breath. Clement stared into space as one endeavoring to recall a memory. "Villani,--Villani--" he muttered to himself with an absent air. "Where have we heard the name before?" The Cardinal of Cosenza leaned forward, his lips at Clement's ear. The Pontiff nodded. "We remember,--we remember,--the illegitimate offspring of Gregorio Villani, Grand Master of the Knights of the Hospital!" The words had been spoken with intent of being heard by all present. Francesco straightened himself to his full height. His eyes blazed as he faced the Pontiff. "Your Holiness need not proclaim my father's shame to the ears of Christendom! Let it suffice, that I am atoning for his fault,--if fault it was!" There was a heavy silence, during which the Pontiff and Charles of Anjou exchanged significant glances.