e had spied upon. Wogan listened without any remark, and
yet without any attempt to quicken his informant. But as soon as he had
the story, he set off at a run towards the Cardinal's palace. "So the
Princess," he thought, "had more than a rumour to go upon, though how
she came by her knowledge the devil only knows." At the palace he was
told that the Cardinal was gone to the Archiginnasio.

"I will wait," said Wogan; and he waited in the library for an
hour,--another priceless hour of that swiftly passing fortnight, and he
was not a whit nearer to his end! He made it his business, however, to
show a composed face to his Eminence, and since his Eminence's dinner
was ready, to make a pretence of sharing the meal. The Cardinal was in a
mood of great contentment.

"It is your presence, Mr. Wogan, puts me in a good humour," he was
pleased to say.

"Or a certain letter your Eminence received from Spain to-day?" asked
Wogan.

"True, the letter was one to cause all the King's friends satisfaction."

"And some few of them, perhaps, relief," said Wogan.

The Cardinal glanced at Wogan, but with a quite impassive countenance.
He took a pinch of snuff and inhaled it delicately. Then he glanced at
Wogan again.

"I have a hope, Mr. Wogan," said he, with a great cordiality. "You shall
tell me if it is to fall. I see much of you of late, and I have a hope
that you are thinking of the priesthood. We should welcome you very
gladly, you may be sure. Who knows but what there is a Cardinal's hat
hung up in the anteroom of the future for you to take down from its
peg?"

The suggestion was sufficiently startling to Wogan, who had thought of
nothing less than of entering into orders. But he was not to be diverted
by this piece of ingenuity.

"Your Eminence," said he, "although I hold myself unworthy of priestly
vows, I am here in truth in the character of a catechist."

"Catechise, then, my friend," said the Cardinal, with a smile.

"First, then, I would ask your Eminence how many of the King's followers
have had the honour of being presented to the Princess Clementina?"

"Very few."

"Might I know the names?"

"To be sure."

Cardinal Origo repeated three or four names. They were the names of men
known to Wogan for irreproachable loyalty. Not one of them would have
gone about the Princess with slanders upon his master; he would have
gone bail for them all,--at least, a month ago he would, he reflected,
though now indeed he h