by the earth. Formerly the earth bore man, to-day man bears the
earth.

But this gold had to be abstracted from its hiding-place, and it
was hidden far otherwise than in the mines of Chile or Mexico.
All the gold was in the possession of the churches and the Jews.
To extract it from this double mine it needed more than a king;
it required a pope.

And that is why Philippe le Bel, that great exploiter of gold,
resolved to have a pope of his own. Benedict XI. dead, a conclave
was held at Perugia; at this conclave the French cardinals were in
the majority. Philippe le Bel cast his eyes upon the Archbishop
of Bordeaux, Bertrand de Got, and to him he gave rendezvous in
a forest near Saint-Jean d'Angely.

Bertrand de Got took heed not to miss that appointment.

The King and the Archbishop heard mass there, and at the moment
when the Host was elevated, they bound themselves by this God
they glorified to absolute secrecy. Bertrand de Got was still
ignorant of the matter in question. Mass over, Philippe le Bel
said:

"Archbishop, I have it in my power to make thee pope."

Bertrand de Got listened no longer, but cast himself at the King's
feet, saying:

"What must I do to obtain this?"