t," he added. "You shall have them to-morrow, Mr. Giles."

"Your eminence will have very different accounts to settle in a short
time," said Mr. Giles, smiling. "We are hard at work; it takes three of
our clerks constantly occupied."

"But you have yet got time."

"I don't know that," said Mr. Giles. "The affairs are very large. And
the mines--they give us the greatest trouble. Our Mr. James Roundell was
two months in Wales last year about them. It took up the whole of his
vacation. And your eminence must remember that time flies. In less than
eight months he will be of age."

"Very true," said the cardinal; "time indeed flies, and so much to
be done! By-the-by, Mr. Giles, have you by any chance heard any thing
lately of my child?"

"I have heard of him a good deal of late, for a client of ours, Lord
Montairy, met him at Brentham this summer, and was a long time there
with him. After that, I hear, he went deer-stalking with some of his
young friends; but he is not very fond of Scotland; had rather too much
of it, I suspect; but the truth is, sir, I saw him this very day."

"Indeed!"

"Some affairs have brought him up to town, and I rather doubt whether he
will return to Oxford--at least, so he talks."

"Ah! I have never seen him since he was an infant, I might say," said
the cardinal. "I suppose I shall see him again, if only when I resign my
trust; but I know not. And yet few things would be more interesting to
me than to meet him!"

Mr. Giles seemed moved, for him almost a little embarrassed; he seemed
to blush, and then he cleared his throat. "It would be too great a
liberty," said Mr. Giles, "I feel that very much--and yet, if your
eminence would condescend, though I hardly suppose it possible, his
lordship is really going to do us the honor of dining with us to-day;
only a few friends, and if your eminence could make the sacrifice, and
it were not an act of too great presumption, to ask your eminence to
join our party."

"I never eat and I never drink," said the cardinal. "I am sorry, to say
I cannot. I like dinner society very much. You see the world, and you
hear things which you do not hear otherwise. For a time I presumed to
accept invitations, though I sat with an empty plate, but, though the
world was indulgent to me, I felt that my habits were an embarrassment
to the happier feasters: it was not fair, and so I gave it up. But
I tell you what, Mr. Giles: I shall be in your quarter this evening:
p