of the long hours they had spent
together. He opened one of the lockers in his study, and from a small
drawer selected an ancient ring, in which was set a piece of crystal with
a delicate intaglio of a figure of Victory. He took Gouache's hand and
slipped the ring upon his finger. He had taken a singular liking to
Anastase.

"Wear it as a, little souvenir of me," he said kindly. "It is a Victory;
you are a soldier now, so I pray that victory may go with you; and I give
Victory herself into your hands."

"And I," said Gouache, "will pray that it may be a symbol in my hand of
the real victories you are to win."

"Only a symbol," returned the Cardinal, thoughtfully. "Nothing but a
symbol. I was not born to conquer, but to lead a forlorn-hope--to deceive
vanquished men with a hope not real, and to deceive the victors with an
unreal fear. Nevertheless, my friend," he added, grasping Gouache's hand,
and fixing upon him his small bright eyes,--"nevertheless, let us fight,
fight--fight to the very end!"

"We will fight to the end, Eminence," said Gouache. He was only a private
of Zouaves, and the man whose hand he held was great and powerful; but
the same spirit was in the hearts of both, the same courage, the same
devotion to the failing cause--and both kept their words, each in his own
way.

CHAPTER XXIII.

Astrardente was in some respects a picturesque place. The position of the
little town gave it a view in both directions from where it stood; for it
was built upon a precipitous eminence rising suddenly out of the midst of
the narrow strip of fertile land, the long and rising valley which, from
its lower extremity, conducted by many circuits to the Roman Campagna,
and which ended above in the first rough passes of the lower Abruzzi. The
base of the town extended into the vineyards and olive-orchards which
surrounded the little hill on all sides; and the summit of it was crowned
by the feudal palace-castle--an enormous building of solid stone, in the
style of the fifteenth century. Upon the same spot had formally stood a
rugged fortress, but the magnificent ideas of the Astrardente pope
had not tolerated such remains of barbarism; the ancient stronghold had
been torn down, and on its foundations rose a gigantic mansion,
consisting of a main palace, with great balconies and columned front,
overlooking the town, and of two massive wings leading back like towers
to the edge of the precipitous rock to northwards.