THE GREAT CARDINAL.
BEFORE London was actually reached, the party of travellers began to break-up, one going one way, and another taking an opposite direction; so that by the time they had reached the outskirts of the village of Charing, Miles was directed to York House, the Cardinal's London residence, which he had set up not far from the winding Thames and Westminster on one side, and the pleasant green fields of St. Martin on the other.
Miles had heard something of the greatness of the Cardinal before he left Oxford, but he was scarcely prepared for the almost royal state that surrounded this palatial mansion.
Splendidly-dressed guards challenged him as he dismounted at the gate, and he had to remember that he was Sir Thomas Paton's son, as well as the messenger from Cardinal College, or he would not have gained entrance, even to the outer court, so insolent were these lacqueys of the great statesman to Miles, because they fancied he was a mere country bumpkin who had been sent on some trivial errand to their master.
But when Miles drew himself up in anger, at the thought of his precious time being wasted in useless parleying with these servants, and answered them sharply, and bade them announce him without delay, they allowed him to pass to the next set of footmen who were lounging in the inner hall, and did not condescend to turn their heads from the game they were playing, to look at the new comer.
So, after pausing a moment to look round upon the elegantly dressed lacqueys, he passed on without saying a word to them, until he was stopped at the door opposite, by one of them springing up and asking him what business he had to pass through the hall of His Eminence without asking permission of his servants.
"By the urgency of the business that brings me hither, which will brook no delay from the Cardinal's footmen," said Miles, in a commanding tone, and without another word the man preceded him to a corridor where others were waiting to speak to the Cardinal, or one of his numerous secretaries. Having passed the door, Miles was told to wait there while the footman went to announce him to a gentleman sitting at a desk, and, after a minute or two, he was summoned to give his name and address, and the business upon which he desired speech of the Cardinal. When the secretary heard that he was the bearer of private letters from Oxford concerning the Cardinal's College that had been recently established, he summoned a page who was standing near, and bade him take Miles to the ante-room of the Cardinal's private chamber. "You may have to wait some hours," said the secretary, as he told Miles to follow this elegant fop, who was evidently too well pleased at his own appearance, as he caught sight of himself in the Venetian glass that adorned the opposite wall, and which was regarded as a great curiosity and luxury in those days.
"You must wait for His Eminence," lisped the young man.
"Nay, my business will not brook the delay of waiting," said Miles, speaking loud enough to attract the attention of a little procession that was just entering the gallery at the other end.
"Back! Back!" cried the page, pulling at his doublet, and himself following on his knees, while the other gentlemen standing round bowed low, for it was no other than the great Cardinal himself, sumptuously attired and moving slowly, followed closely by several secretaries.