`I will inquire about that,' I said.
`Well! The man is a brigand of the Bohemian church, one might almost say a heretic, don't you know. His statements concerning the archbishop are really seditious and I really do think the Holy Father is advised to silence the man. He is causing unnecessary problems in Prague. This concerns me because any moment now I shall be crowned King of Bohemia.'
`His Holiness is studying the Hus case closely, Majesty,' the, marchesa said. `And you may be certain of the outcome.' She glanced at me in a way which, had I been John Hus, would have had me packing and fleeing.
`Pippo tells me that you are a close- uh -adviser to His Holiness,' Sigismund said to the marchesa.
`Hardly that, Majesty. The pope is very much his own man, but because he is such a devoutly religious person, one might say immersed in the spiritual meanings and theology, as is in, the nature of the greatest popes because I travel so much and he does not travel at all – he sometimes asks me to bring to him my impressions of people I have met and what they, have told me.'
`What will you tell him about me, dear lady?'
`I shall tell him how deliciously handsome you are.'
Sigismund attempted to chuckle, thinking with satisfaction that this beautiful woman's response proved he had not been turned into a turd as her daughter would have it. To, present yet another facet of his multi-hued person, he fell at once into gravity, at the mention of the Church, and it blotted all intelligence out of his expression. `I am so terribly concerned about the Church, Eminence. My father – as history shows us – set his life upon reuniting the Church with the Greeks. The goal of one church has been my grail. My father is gone from history but the seamless garment of Christ is rent by heinous schism. It is my sworn task to shatter that schism, to unite Christensdom under one pope.'
When Pippo Span had told him that the marchesa and I were close to Pope John: Sigismund being an instinctive opportunist, had automatically determined to make the political maximum out of meeting us so he had gulped down some Tokay and become instantly pious.
`His Holiness is one with you, Majesty,' the marchesa assured him. `The Holy Father would gladly give his life to banish the schism from the Church.'
Sigismund blinked at her. `He would?'
'A very pleasant climate here at Chur, don't you think, Majesty?'
`Climate? My dear marchesa' You imply that I was feigning concern about the schism! Please, let me assure you that, if it is necessary to convince you of the icy seriousness of my intent to destroy the schism, I will open a vein; let my royal blood run into a glass and drink a pledge which will stake my life against the end of schism.'
`I thank God,' she said. `May the extremity of the pope's danger hasten your determination.'
`How so?’
'Only a great leader such as you, who would fight, even die, for the virtuous unity of the Church, would have the perception to glean how greatly the Holy Father needs a protector, my sire. He is hemmed in by the ruthless enemies of the Church. But you can guarantee his safety, for which he would wish to show his gratitude by seeking out your counsels and by joining his spiritual meaning to Christians everywhere with the might of your arms.'
Sigismund began to see the greater opportunity. Using the pope as his shield as he hacked his way to the centre of the schism, he could with one great blow sever the diseased members from the body of the living Church and lay the victory at the feet of the electors who had named him King of the Romans but not yet crowned him.
`Defend him and protect his beleaguered Church,, Majesty,' I said, to him basso profundo, `and you will be defending all Christendom, for his is the significant papal obedience. With his blessed Church no longer a fugitive from pursuing bandits, he would grasp the necessity to realize your hallowed father's dreams by calling, with you at his side, a grand council of the Church to end the schism. No one may summon such a council except a sitting pope. You know the Church must move itself to save itself. A meeting with His Holiness, under your protection, will make that, happen. You will do it! France has no such desires. She stands by the Council of Pisa, for her obedience is to the papacy of John XXIII. England is indifferent. Spain and Provence are still true to Benedict. Only you, the King of the Romans, is pledged to this in his heart. All of your people in the north must assume this glorious task and accept history's blessing for; doing it.'
He was stunned by the future. He would sweep the imperial crown upon his own head and by reason of accomplishing what no man and no nation had been able to do would be transformed into the central power and force in, all Christendom. Statues by the hundreds would be erected in his image. Multitudes would sink to their knees at the mention of his name. This haughty young woman on his left, would whimper to have him possess her. This was hard politics.
After dinner, although Sigismund tried, to place himself next to Maria Louise, she with obvious desperation latched herself on to me, and the king found himself seated across the room beside the marchesa. Rosa and Pippo Span; remained at the table oblivious of everything.
Sigismund saw that he had been wandering ahead of his soldiers like some elder of a tribe in the wilderness, and that this chance meeting with this woman who was so close to the pope might be delivering to him the key to his future.
`How may I help His Holiness?' he asked the marchesa guilelessly.
`I would say, Majesty, that the oppression of Ladislas and the defection of Florence, Anjou and Siena has placed the Church at your feet, as it were. The chief difficulty in, achieving your own dynastic dream-that, you, King Sigismund; end the schism – is to persuade His Holiness to discuss with you the assembly of a grand council.'
`He must come to me for that.'
`You are one of several kings, among a dozen other princes,, Majesty. He is the pope.'
`My dear Marchesa, I know these people. They hate councils because councils mean reform.'
`Indeed yes,' the marchesa said., `And apart from Italy, the entire Christian world clamours for reform.'
`And you may, be sure that Pope John knows that, if he does convoke such a council, then he must resign his office because there would be no other way to settle it.'
`That is why there must be a meeting, isn't it? He would need to be assured by you that such a resignation would only be a matter of form. All three sitting popes would be called upon to resign so that the matter will be settled and one true pope elected. But could you not assure him that this one elected pope would surely be himself. He is the pope with the overwhelmingly largest obedience.'
`Look here, my dear – would you say that you had his confidence to the extent of being able to persuade him to call me out to save the Church?'
`He thinks with you about the Church's salvation, Majesty. I would tell him of the depth of your faith and zeal, and he would cry out to you.'
`Then you must do so!'
She dropped her eyes and made a pretty scene about searching for words. `But, sire,' she said in a small voice, `this is my work we are speaking of.'
`What?'
`My, business my livelihood.'
`I don't understand.'
`I thought you knew that over the years I have been privileged to represent such distinguished clients as the Dukes of Burgundy and Anjou, the Medici bank, the Chancellor of the University of Paris. Indeed, His Holiness the Pope himself-and a few of the electors.'
`The electors?'
'Also, I undertook many private missions for the late Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Duke of Milan. My clients are men whose most private interests must be arranged in collusion with others with whom it is more suitable that they should not be seen.'
Had she come here to solicit his business, he thought, outraged. But that could not be, so, he told himself instantly, for he had originated everything they had discussed. Best to come down flatly upon this thing. `Are you suggesting that I hire your services?' he asked