Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-02
CHAPTER XIV.

CHAPTER XIV.
The Cardinals Move.
His eminence had been left all alone
in the room after the passage OF her
majesty to her own apartments.
'.And now. what is the next move in this
game of chess?" he unused. as he took the
key of the closet door from his pocket and
thoughtfully contemplated this tiny en-
CINE of his far-reaching and elaborate
schemes.
For the moment. my guess was q
shrewd one: His grace Of W. ex Is In
there. and had not locked that door he
would have precipitated climax which
had sent Queen Mary into a fever OF
jealous rage. and the Spanish ambassa-
dor and myself back to Spain tomorrow"
He listened intently for a second or SO;
no sound came from the inner room. Then
he glanced up toward the gallery.
There was. OF course. no sign OF Lady
Ursula. Even il she intended anon to
rejoin his grace she would certainly wait
a little while ere she once more ventured
to sally forth.
The cardinal very softly put the key
back into the lock and waited.
Very soon the door was vigorously
shaken. His eminence retired to the
further end of the room and rcalled loudly:
who goes there?"
by our lady.' came in Strong accents
from the other side of the locked door.
whoever you may be, an you don't open
this door 1t shall fall In splinters atop
of you"
Time to once more recross the room.
and turn small key. and a second later
the cardinal stood face to face with the
Duke of Wessex.
His grace of Wessey, he murmured
with an expression Of boundless astonish-
ment
Himself I'm person. MY lord" rejoined
Wessex, trying with alt his might to ap-
pear unconcerned before this man. whom
he knew to be his deadjiest enemy. MAR
ry." he added. with iwell-acted gaiety.
1.-The next moment, antyour eminence had
not released me. I might have lost my
temper.
"A precious trife Your grace would no
doubt have quickly found again." said
his eminence with marked suavity. "Ah!
/ well recollect In my young days Deing
locked Unjust like your grace-by lady.
who was no less fat
Had he entertained the slightest doubt
as to whether the little dramatic episode
just enacted had borne its bitter fruit.
he would have seed it summarily dispelled
with the first glance he had cast at Wes-
sex.
The dukes graie face was deadly pale.
and the violent Effort which he made to
contain himself vas apparent in the heav-
lily swollen veins in his temples and the
almost impercentible tremor Of his hands.
But his voice was quite steady, as he said
lightly:
NAY. why should your eminence speak
of a lady in this case?"
What have 4 said?" quoth the cardinal.
throwing up his beringed hands in mock
fear! Discretion is an integral portion Of
my calling. 1 was merely INDUCING in
"reminiscences. My purple robes do not. as
you know. conceal priest. Though a
prince of the church. | am an ecclesiastic
only in name. and therefore may remem-
Der. without blush. that l was twenty
once and very hot-tempered. The lady
in my case put me under lock and key
whilst She went to another gallant.
again you speak of lady, my lord.
said the duke with the same light indif-
ference. @nlay 1 ask"
Nay. pay, pray you ask me nothing
I saw nqthing, believe me-
He paused a moment. Wessex had
turned to his dog. who. yawning and ,
stretching. after the manner of his kind,
and not the least upset by his recent in
carceration. had just appeared in tho
doorway of the inner room
II saw nothing" continued the cardi-
nal With a voice full of gentle. good
natured indulgence. save charming
lady standing here alone, close to that
door. when 1 entered with her majesty.
alas / cannot tell The charming lady
had just turned the key in the lock-and
this set me thinking of my own youth
and folies-but your grace must pardon
an old man who has but one affection
left in life. Don Miguel is as son to
me-
Il pray you. my lord" here interrupted
Wessex haughtily, what has the Mar
quis de Suarez's name to do with me?"
"Only this, my son." rejoined the car
dinal with truly paternal benevolence.
don Miguel is stranger in England
had almost hoped that hospitality would
prevent your grace from flying your hawk
after his birds
Don Miguel would be hard HIT" he
added quickly. seeing that Wessex, at the
end Of his patience. was about to make an
angry retort. FOR we all know that where
his grace of Wessex desires to conquer,
other vows and other lovers are very soon
forgotten--but the marquis is young-L
would like to plead his cause
His keen eyes had never FOR moment
strayed from the proud face of the duke.
He was shrewd enough to know that in
speaking thus he was reaching the outer
most limits of his grace's forbearance.
His robes and his age rendered him to a
certain extent immune from an actual
quarrel with man of Wessex's physique,
nor did fear for his own personal safety
ever enter into the far-seeing calcutta
tions of this astute diplomatist. What
ever his weaknesses might be, cowardice
was not one OF them. and he pursued his
own aims boldly and relentlessly.
But he had had to endure a great deal
through the personality and the pres
ence of the Duke of Wessex; the humilia-
ton put upon him this very afternoon by
Mary Tudor still ranked deeply In his
mind. and the vein of cruelty. almost in
separable from his nationality. rendered
the present situation peculiarly pleasing
to this dssecter of human hearts.
Until this moment he had perhaps not
quite realized that his grace of Wessex
nd been hard hit Having willfully put
away from his own life every tender SEN
!. m mt he did not understand the quick
rise of a great and whole-souled passion
The duke had ever been noted for his
gallantry his chivalry and his numerous
and light amourettes. and the cardinal
never imagined that in the daring game
which he had planned. and which with
the help of the wench Mirrab he was
about to play, he would have to reckon
with something more serious than a pass
ing Irritation.
TO his feline disposition. his callous es-
innate OF human nature, his real hatred
for this political rival. there was now q
delicious satisfaction in dealing a really
mortal wound to the ma1nfor whose sake
\