ts is great honor."

She looked at him quickly, blushed, cast down her eyes, and began,
nervously, to play with a gold boat-whistle that hung at her belt. When
she had exhausted the possibilities of the whistle she looked up again,
and the cardinal saw that there were tears upon her cheeks. When she
knew that he had seen them she disregarded them, and threw up her head,
proudly.

"Yes," she said, "I think of him far too often; so often that it makes
me angry, it makes me ashamed. He is an earl; he is tall and straight
and beautiful and clean, and--he loves me--I know it," she exclaimed,
her face illumined; "but why," she went on, "should I give myself to him
on these accounts? Why should he not earn me? Why does he compel me to
so one-sided a bargain? I, too, am tall and straight and clean, and not
ill-favored, and, in addition, I have that curse of unmarried women--I
have money. Why does he not _do_ something to even up the transaction?
Why does he not write a page that some one will read? Why does he not
write a song that some one will sing? Why does he not do something that
will make the world call me his wife, instead of calling him my husband?
The other day, when he and love were tugging at me, I told him I would
marry him if he brought me the turquoise cup. It was an idle thing to
say, but what I say I stand by. I shall never marry him unless he brings
it to me. You know us Irish women. We have our hearts to contend with,
but we keep our word. I set my lord a trivial task. If he really wants
me he will accomplish it. I am not dear at the price."

"With true love," said the cardinal, "I do not think there is any
question of price. It is an absolute surrender, without terms. I say
this guardedly, for I am no expert as to this thing called human love. I
recognize that it is the power that moves the world, but, for more than
fifty years, I have tried to forget the world."

"Yes," cried Lady Nora, "and, but for a cruel mistake, you would have
married my grandmother."

"Yes," said the cardinal, "but for a cruel mistake."

"The mistake was hers," exclaimed Lady Nora.

The cardinal threw up his hands. "It was a mistake," he said, "and it
was buried fifty years ago. Why dig it up?"

"Forgive me," said Lady Nora, and she started toward the hatch.

"My child," said the cardinal, "you say that you will not marry his
lordship unless he brings you the cup. Do you hope that he will bring
it?"

She looked at him a mom