“Look,” said Kaspar Schlick, “Prester John won’t be arriving any time soon from India with thousands of horses and elephants to solve the matter of the Bohemian Schism on our behalf. We—and we alone—must put an end to it. King Sigismund sent me here for that very reason. We must know what we can realistically hope for in Silesia, Moravia, the Duchy of Opava and Poland. The latter, I hope, will soon be explained to us by His Eminence the Bishop of Krakow. After all, his intransigent stance regarding the Polish supporters of Wycliffism is known far and wide, and his presence here proves his support for the politics of the Holy Roman Emperor—”

“We know in Roma with what enthusiasm and devotion Bishop Zbigniew fights,” interrupted Giordano Orsini, “and we shall not fail to reward it.”

“Thus,” asked Kaspar Schlick, “may I assume that the Kingdom of Poland actively supports the policies and initiatives of King Sigismund?”

“I would be most glad to hear the answer to that question,” said the Teutonic Knight, Gottfried of Rodenberg, who was lounging at the table, “and to learn when we can expect the active participation of the Polish army in the anti-Hussite crusade. I’d like to hear that from someone objective. So, please go on, Monsignore Orsini. We are all ears!”

“Indeed,” added Schlick, smiling, keeping his eyes on Bishop Oleśnicki. “We are all ears. How went your mission at the court of Jogaila?”

“I spoke at length to King Władysław,” Orsini said in a somewhat sorrowful voice, “but with little effect. On behalf of and with the authorisation of His Holiness, I gave the King of Poland a relic of no little importance—one of the nails that held our Saviour to the cross. Vero, if such a relic is incapable of inspiring a Christian monarch to join an anti-heretical crusade, then—”

“He is not a Christian monarch.” Bishop Konrad finished the sentence for the legate.

“You’ve noticed?” The Teutonic Knight grimaced scornfully. “Better late than never!”

“So the true faith cannot count on Polish support?” asked Ludwik of Brzeg.

“The Kingdom of Poland and King Władysław,” said Bishop Oleśnicki, speaking for the first time, “support the true faith and the Church of Peter using the best of all possible means—namely Peter’s Pence. None of the kings represented here can say that about himself.”

“Bah!” Duke Ludwik waved a hand contemptuously. “Say what you like, Jogaila’s no bloody Christian. He’s a neophyte with the Devil still lurking in him.”