in the fight will be inscribed with a cross!'

'Prince Charles Edward failed, with all the aid of France to back him;
and how is his son--if he be his son--to succeed, who has no ally, no
wealth, and no prestige?'

'And do you not know that it was France and French treachery that
wrecked the cause of the Stuarts? Did not the Cardinal Gualterio detect
the secret correspondence between the Tuileries and St. James's? Is it
not on record that the expedition was delayed three days in sailing, to
give time to transmit intelligence to the English government?'

'These are idle stories, Massoni; Gualterio only dreamed them.'

'Mayhap it was also a dream that the Prince was ordered to quit Paris in
twenty-four hours, and the soil of France within a week, at the express
demand of England?'

'What you now speak of was a later policy, ignoble and mean, I admit.'

'But why waste time on the past? Has your Eminence read the memoir I
sent you?'

'I have.'

'Have you well and duly weighed the importance attached to the different
character of the present scheme from all that has preceded it, and how
much that character is likely to derive support from the peculiarity of
the Irish temperament?'

'Yes. It is a people eminently religious: steadfast in the faith.'

'Have you well considered that if this cause be not made our own it
will be turned against us; that the agents of Irish independence--Tone,
Teeling, Jackson, and other--are in close communication with the French
government, and earnestly entreating them to despatch an expedition to
Ireland?'

'This would be indeed fatal to us,' said Caraflfa despondingly.

'And yet it is what will assuredly happen if we do not intervene.'

'But can we prevent it?'

'I believe we can. I believe there is even yet time to make the struggle
our own. But if there is not--if it be too late--we shall have a great
game to play. A Protestant rising must never have our support! Better
far for us to turn to the government and by this ostentatious show of
our allegiance, lay foundation for future demands and concessions.'

The Cardinal bent his head twice in approval.

'All these things, however, combine to show that we must be up and
stirring. Many who would be with us, if they were sure of our going
forward, will take service with Tone and his party, if we delay. Carrol
himself was pledged to report in person to the secret committee at
Waterford by the eighth of the month, and we are now