ng up. "Have you ever seen this
marvellous piece of work? I have been admiring it for a quarter of an
hour." He loved all objects of the kind, and understood them with rare
knowledge.

"It is indeed exceedingly beautiful," answered Saracinesca, who longed to
take advantage of the opportunity of speaking to Cardinal Antonelli upon
the subject nearest to his heart.

"Yes--yes," returned the Cardinal rather vaguely, and made as though he
would go on. He saw from Saracinesca's commonplace praise, that he knew
nothing of the subject. The old Prince saw his opportunity slipping
from him, and lost his head. He did not recollect that he could see the
Cardinal alone whenever he pleased, by merely asking for an interview.
Fate had thrust the Cardinal in his path, and fate was responsible.

"If your Eminence will allow me, I would like a word with you," he said
suddenly.

"As many as you please," answered the statesman, blandly. "Let us sit
down in that corner--no one will disturb us for a while."

He seemed unusually affable, as he sat himself down by Saracinesca's
side, gathering the skirt of his scarlet mantle across his knee, and
folding his delicate hands together in an attitude of restful attention.

"You know, I daresay, a certain Del Ferice, Eminence?" began the Prince.

"Very well--the _deus ex machina_ who has appeared to carry off Donna
Tullia Mayer. Yes, I know him."

"Precisely, and they will match very well together; the world cannot help
applauding the union of the flesh and the devil."

The Cardinal smiled.

"The metaphor is apt," he said; "but what about them?"

"I will tell you in two words," replied Saracinesca. "Del Ferice is a
scoundrel of the first water--"

"A jewel among scoundrels," interrupted the Cardinal, "for being a
scoundrel he is yet harmless--a stage villain."

"I believe your Eminence is deceived in him."

"That may easily be," answered the statesman. "I am much more often
deceived than people imagine." He spoke very mildly, but his small black
eyes turned keenly upon Saracinesca. "What has he been doing?" he asked,
after a short pause.

"He has been trying to do a great deal of harm to my son and to my son's
wife. I suspect him strongly of doing harm to you."

Whether Saracinesca was strictly honest in saying "you" to the Cardinal,
when he meant the whole State as represented by the prime minister, is a
matter not easily decided. There is a Latin saying, to the effect that a
m