The cardinal threw up his hands. "It was a mistake," he said, "and it was buried fifty years ago. Why dig it up?"
"Forgive me," said Lady Nora, and she started toward the hatch.
"My child," said the cardinal, "you say that you will not marry his lordship unless he brings you the cup. Do you hope that he will bring it?"
She looked at him a moment, the red and white roses warring in her cheeks. "Yes," she said, "I hope it, for I love him," and she put her hands to her face and ran below.
"If the earl is the man I take him to be," said the cardinal to himself, "I fear that I am about to shut my eyes to a felony," and he pressed the electric button at his side. The head steward appeared so quickly that he overheard the cardinal say—"I certainly should have done it, at his age."
V
At six bells there was a tap on the cardinal's door.
"Come in," he said.
The head steward entered. He had exchanged the white duck of the afternoon for the black of evening. He was now the major-domo. He wore silk stockings and about his neck was a silver chain, and at the end of the chain hung a key.
"Your eminence's servant has come on board," he said.