And ah! if I could tell you everything, if I could show you the frightful under-side of this world of ours, the monstrous, ravenous ambition, the abominable network of intrigues, venality, cowardice, treachery, and even crime!" On seeing Don Vigilio so excited, in such a blaze of spite, Pierre thought of extracting from him some of the many items of information which he had hitherto sought in vain.

"Well, tell me merely what is the position of my affair," he responded.

"When I questioned you on my arrival here you said that nothing had yet reached Cardinal Boccanera.
But all information must now have been collected, and you must know of it.

And, by the way, Monsignor Fornaro told me that three French bishops had asked that my book should be prosecuted.

Three bishops, is it possible ?" Don Vigilio shrugged his shoulders.