The times., 1901-03-24

with their wordiness as if each held
something under his tongue which he
would not willingly let slip. 1t was the
cautious play of fenceTs. eact testing the
others skill, but hiding his own.
Aye? Ten years? My time, too. said
Number Nine. Was it, perchance, that
affair of the Cardinal that bolted the
door on you? There were more of it than
any one man knew except Monseigneur
himself"
Doublet and hose thrust out his hands
toward the fire.
This warns one after ten years wait
ing" he said, and rubbed his hands soft
ly. Cardinal? Cardinal? There were af-
fairs enough and Cardinals enough in
those days, but they are musty by this
time, and my Lord Cardinal is doubtless
either a Pope or saint AS for me, |
know there was man and a woman,
and each found the other enough But
wine Will taste pleaSanter than old stories
which have no end, though now l mind
me the woman passed out of the tale ten
years ago. Come, Master Pedro. Pahi
Vintages are not what they used to be.
Truly, we have had little sun of late, and
that perchance is why the juice hath so
sharp an edge.
He of the eassock emptied his glass
slowly, for all the liquors sourness.
Cardinals cardinals, he said. medita-
lively; most might go hang; but L would
l had one | wOt of by the throat. 1t is
only when one comes out even into such
warmth as this that one knows how cold
ten years winters have been
Across the table Number Eight stretch
ed out his hand and touched the other
arm.
What. You. too. itch after mans
life? Then we have more in common
than l thought Suppose we play less
warily. After all, man must live in
what ne knows. Speak of the Cardinal,
and l. presently, will tell Of the woman
Number Nine filled his glass and
Then let's drop fencing, all but the
mask" he said "A short story, mine.
Take a churchman who wants this world
his Kings crown in the mud if
only he could rise to the tiara
upon it. Such things may be,
by the help of eldest sons Of the Church.
Though pawns and knights are wanted in
the game well kings and bishops.
To such a man promises are words, and
words come easy, and there are times in
a mans conscience when the glamour of
the priesthood dazzles.
Take a man of the world at such
time, shivering under a sin that Is sin
against God and against mans honor
alike Dazzle his soul on the one side,
deaden his spirit against thought by ac-
tivity and the hope of splendid advance
ment on the other, and the man of the
world is bond-servant to the Churchmau.
Let action go far enough for suspI-
CiOn and ENHANCEMENT, but not as far as
certainty. and the Churchman folds his
scarlet robe about him and looks askance
Il
of Los Perdido.
Give the man of the world ten years
to reckon up accounts, and what fee,
thereafter, would the Cardinal pay think
you, to keep that mans fingers from his
throat?' And the man In the casSOck
again filed his glass and again emptied
It at a draught.
While the other was speaking Number
Eight had sat unmOved, watching him
through half-closed eyes
HIN" he said, at the end: lis there
IL al yF 10 gtr I
tale dun as ten years of Los Perdido,'
then he sat silent, thinking.
The fourth bottle had been uncorked,
and rousing himself Number Eight took IL
up. tilted it to one side and examined II
critically. Then he drew crown from
his pocket
Friend Pedro, two more bottles. and
with something of the sunshine IN them,
If YOU please. / have yet my tale to tell,
and there are times when mans blood
needs warming.
(which is the worse?' he asked, as Pc
dro obeyed his order. the bishop who
uses a willing pawn to check the king,
and then sacrifices the lesser piece to save
himself, or the knight? But the metaphor
fails. since chess hi - no woman less than
a queen, and this'was but the girl of
mans love.
which is worse. then; the man who
fifDgs a tool aside lest he cut his own fin
gers or even soil them. or he who steals
love from q friend under the cloak of
friendship? The latter, | think; so If II
be case or thrOdtS ana ingerS, my ndNuS
have a first claim. But let that pass;
men such let us say, as we are do not
throttle their foes like fighting dogs"
AS the others drank. Pedro Martoval,
too, had been drinking for good-fellow-
ships sake though at his own cost;
drinking deeper, indeed. since. unlike the
others. he had no intervals of talk to nil
his time, and now ne stood by the end
Of the narrow table with his glass in his
hand. listening.
whether" went on doublet and hose;
whether my tale be longer in the telling
than thine depends -
Hold interrupted Number Nine
Master Pedro hath struck a fresh ytnt-
age and a better. Let us first drink to our
next meeting. and then for thy tale
From his place at the end of the table
the gaoler broke into a hOarse laugh.
Faith" he said, If all toasts be as
barren as that one, you may save your
worshipful breath, Next meeting. for
soothl a jest indeed, did one but know
it," and ne laughed again until the wine
stopped In broad patches on both table
and floor.
"A trap a trap" cried the man of the
cassock. BY St James, but [ knew tins
sudden move hid more In ii than man 5
greed.
NO trap" answered Martoval, bru-