Here, again, he found the dream of a democratic Pope, ceasing to support the compromised monarchies, and seeking to subdue the masses.

Since Caesar was down, or nearly so, might not the Pope realise the ancient ambition of his forerunners and become both emperor and pontiff, the sovereign, universal divinity on earth?
This, too, was the dream in which Pierre himself, with apostolic naivete, had indulged when writing his book, "New Rome": a dream from which the sight of the real Rome had so roughly roused him.

At bottom it was merely a policy of hypocritical falsehood, the priestly policy which relies on time, and is ever tenacious, carrying on the work of conquest with extraordinary suppleness, resolved to profit by everything.

And what an evolution it was, the Church of Rome making advances to Science, to the Democracy, to the Republican _regimes_, convinced that it would be able to devour them if only it were allowed the time! Ah! yes, the New Spirit was simply the Old Spirit of Domination, incessantly reviving and hungering to conquer and possess the world.
Pierre thought that he recognised among the congregation certain deputies whom he had seen at the Chamber.

Wasn't that tall gentleman with the fair beard, who listened so devoutly, one of Monferrand's creatures?
It was said that Monferrand, once a devourer of priests, was now smilingly coquetting with the clergy.