Peter's poor. By smooth transition he passed to higher
themes: with absent eyes turned to the laurel-planted court on to
which the hall opened, he spoke as if scarcely aware of a listener,
of troubles at Rome occasioned by imprudences, indiscretions--what
should he say--of the Holy Father. As Petronilla bent forward, all
tremulous curiosity, he lowered his voice, grew frankly
confidential. The Pope had been summoned to Byzantium, to discuss
certain points of doctrine with the Emperor; his departure was
delayed, but no doubt in his weakness he would obey. Verily, the
lack of courage--not to use severer terms--so painfully evident
in Pope Vigilius, was a grave menace to the Church--the Catholic
Church, which, rightly claiming to rule Christendom, should hold no
terms with the arrogance of Justinian. Could it be wondered that the
Holy Father was disliked--not to say hated--by the people of
Rome? By his ill management the papal granaries had of late been so
ill stored that the poor had suffered famine, the Greeks having put
an end to that gratuitous distribution of food to which the Roman
populace had from of old been accustomed.
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