The president of the court did not consider this murmur of applause
marked enough to be reprimanded, and let it be continued.

"And did the Countess Lamotte-Valois procure for you this audience?"
he then asked.

Prince Rohan was silent a moment, his face grew pale, his features
assumed for the first time a troubled expression, and the painful
struggles which disturbed his soul could be seen working within him.

"May it please this noble court," he replied, after a pause, with
feeling, trembling voice, "I feel at this moment that, beneath the
robe of the priest, the heart of the man beats yet. It is, however,
for every man a wrong, an unpardonable wrong, to disclose the
confidence of a lady, and to reveal to the open light of day the
favors which have been granted by her. But I must take this crime
upon myself, because I have to defend the honor of a priest, even of
a dignitary in the Church, and also because I do not dare to suffer
my purple to be soiled with even the suspicion of a lie, or an act
of falsehood. It may be--and I fear it even myself--it may be, that
in this matter, I myself was the deceived one, but I dare not bring
suspicion upon my tiara that I was the deceiver, and, therefore, I
have to meet the stern necessity of disclosing the secret of a lady
and a queen."

"Besides this," said the president, solemnly--"besides this, your
eminence may graciously consider, in presence of the authority given
you by God, all the tender thoughts of the cardinal must be silent.
The duty of a dignitary of the Church commands you to go before all