He was a member of the princess's ministry, a permanent member, in fact, for, by virtue of an antiquated statute both the Roman archbishop and the Greek archpastor were entitled to hold office in the cabinet--an arrangement that did not tend to its harmony. A favor to one was an affront to the other; and the mild and amiable Radzivil was perpetually employed in smoothing the differences between them. Barbara's avowal to the cabinet of her real faith had been a great triumph for Ravenna over his Greek rival Mosco, and he looked forward to additional triumphs. His desire of bringing all Czernova within the papal fold was known to all men; not so well known, however, was his taste for amorous intrigue, though a physiognomist on studying his countenance would have said that Ravenna, like Cæsar, never permitted pleasure to interfere with ambition. Doffing his red beretta the cardinal bent his knee and raised the princess's hand to his lips. It was clear at a glance that Ravenna was not a _persona grata_ with Barbara, for though she did not withdraw her hand her face assumed a cold expression. With an air of authority he took his place on the left side of the princess, and began to pace to and fro with her beneath the shade of the linden trees. "Princess, I have returned, as you see, from the Vatican, the bearer of a missive from his Holiness, Pope Pius." He presented a massive envelope, its seal stamped with the papal keys. But Barbara waved it aside. She had received many such epistles of late, and the novelty was wearing off. "You know its contents, I presume. Read it for me. What says his Holiness?" Ravenna broke the seal and unfolded the letter which was a somewhat lengthy one, and written in the choicest Latinity. "The Holy Father greets you as his dear daughter _in Christo_, and, as you are now firmly established upon the throne"--Barbara could not repress a smile in view of the recent menace of the Czar--"he deems that the time is ripe for the public avowal of your faith." "At last the Pope and I are at one. This night shall Radzivil make known my faith to the Diet. I ever loathed this garb of secrecy and hypocrisy." "Its assumption was necessary. The saints themselves must bow in the house of Rimmon at times." "Would that I could drop the other deception and reign in my own name!" murmured Barbara to herself. "His Holiness," proceeded the cardinal, glancing at the papal missive, "anticipates the happy day when Czernova shall be purified from the malaria of heresy that now taints it." "And in what way does he suggest that the purificatory process shall begin?" said the princess with a slight frown. "His Holiness hath ventured in this epistle to briefly indicate the lines of the ecclesiastical policy to be observed within the principality. We must begin by penalizing the schismatic Greeks. The Diet must pass a law to exclude them from holding civil offices."