being able to adore upon the papal throne a pope who was so worthy. At
these words, leaving Caesar still on his knees, and reseating
himself--for he had risen from his seat to embrace him--the pope assumed
a grave and composed expression of face, and spoke as follows, loud
enough to be heard by all, and slowly enough far everyone present to be
able to ponder and retain in his memory even the least of his words:

"We are convinced, Caesar, that you are peculiarly rejoiced in beholding
us on this sublime height, so far above our deserts, whereto it has
pleased the Divine goodness to exalt us. This joy of yours is first of
all our due because of the love we have always borne you and which we
bear you still, and in the second place is prompted by your own personal
interest, since henceforth you may feel sure of receiving from our
pontifical hand those benefits which your own good works shall deserve.
But if your joy--and this we say to you as we have even now said to your
brothers--if your joy is founded on ought else than this, you are very
greatly mistaken, Caesar, and you will find yourself sadly deceived.
Perhaps we have been ambitious--we confess this humbly before the face of
all men--passionately and immoderately ambitious to attain to the
dignity of sovereign pontiff, and to reach this end we have followed
every path that is open to human industry; but we have acted thus, vowing
an inward vow that when once we had reached our goal, we would follow no
other path but that which conduces best to the service of God and to the
advancement of the Holy See, so that the glorious memory of the deeds
that we shall do may efface the shameful recollection of the deeds we
have already done. Thus shall we, let us hope, leave to those who follow
us a track where upon if they find not the footsteps of a saint, they may
at least tread in the path of a true pontiff. God, who has furthered the
means, claims at our hands the fruits, and we desire to discharge to the
full this mighty debt that we have incurred to Him; and accordingly we