"And that word shall never be spoken." "The Convent of the Transfiguration must hide strange mysteries behind its walls when the Pope's own nuncio is denied admission." There was on the part of the princess a sudden start, which the cardinal accepted as confirmatory of his suspicion. "Princess," he said with a smile, "you are not yet perfect in statecraft, for you have not learned the art of veiling your thoughts. It is as I have long suspected; you have some secret connected with that monastery. Your championing of Abbot Faustus is not altogether disinterested." "Quit me this theme," said Barbara, with dignity. "I shall not misuse my authority to gratify your ambition by depriving a brave abbot of his ancient privileges. Indeed from this day forth it will be well for each of us to understand the other, inasmuch as you seem strangely disposed to reverse our respective positions, deeming yourself the ruler of Czernova, and myself your minister." She paused for a moment as if to collect her thoughts, and then resumed: "My lord cardinal, under strange circumstances you stole me away in infancy, deluding my father into the belief that I had died. You took charge of my training and education--" "With a view to your ultimate restoration," said the cardinal, bowing. "True. You desire to present the Czernovese with a princess who should be a Catholic, and not, as her forefathers had been, a member of the Greek faith--" "A noble aim!" "A princess who should be a willing tool in the hands of the Latin Church. The first part of your scheme has succeeded. I am a Catholic, and shall never break with the faith of my childhood, for it has grown dear to me, though the thought that you, my lord, belong to the same faith might very well induce me to renounce it. But as to the second part of your scheme--your expectation of finding in me a servile instrument ready to execute every decree of the Papal See is destined to failure. No priest shall dictate to the daughter of Thaddeus. Let the crosier submit to the sceptre. Jesuits by their intolerance contributed to the fall of old Poland. They shall not play their game in Czernova." The cardinal listened with chiding smile, as if at the waywardness of a pretty child. "Princess! princess! you forget the tenure by which you hold your crown." "I hold my crown," said Barbara, with proud flashing eyes, "by right of birth." "A right that you cannot prove without my witness." "And therefore you would use your knowledge?" "To advance in Czernova the interests of the True Church." "For that I could forgive you. But have you no ulterior aim? Shall I unmask the secret purpose of your heart? Radzivil made an unwise choice in sending you to the Vatican to plead for the dispensation. Were you really urgent on my behalf?" "As urgent as one may be with a pope."