Alas! guest nights were rare events now that the Queen lay ill; in fact, she had withdrawn herself from almost all public functions. The Palace was strongly guarded, and ere the young soldiers could gain admittance the officer on duty demanded the password. It had been communicated to them by the messenger, and, strange to say, the word for the night was "St. Quentin." Their business being ascertained, they were immediately conducted to the private room occupied by the Cardinal when he was at Whitehall, and soon they were ushered into his presence. He was busily engaged in writing despatches at a side-table lit by wax candles, nor did he lay aside his work till the documents were signed and sealed; then he turned round and faced his visitors. He was clad in a plain purple cassock, the only sign of his exalted rank. His handsome face was wan and pale. Alas! his health was fast failing, as all men knew. "Welcome, my sons," he said; "the Queen is anxiously awaiting your arrival, though the hour grows late; we will go to her at once," and rising he led the way to the royal apartments. Various corridors and chambers were traversed; they were quite empty save for the halberdiers who kept guard in the palace. "Stay here a moment," said the Cardinal in a low voice, as they reached a richly furnished ante-chamber, at the end of which rich curtains hung. Through these the Cardinal passed; a minute later he rejoined the envoys, saying— "Her Majesty will see you, weary as she is in mind and body; follow me." They entered Queen Mary's boudoir, the two ladies-in-waiting leaving the room on the Cardinal's signal. Mary was reclining on a soft couch; she rose to a sitting posture as she saw the young men, and graciously extended her hand, which they kissed as they fell on one knee. She was very pale, and there were marks of acute suffering in her drawn and wasted face. "His Eminence tells me that you are just arrived in London from St. Quentin; when did you leave that town?" "Four days since, may it please your Majesty," answered Geoffrey, now standing erect. "Only four days," murmured the Queen; "how small doth seem the space which separates me from my lord the King!" She sighed deeply; then, recovering herself, she asked— "How fares his Majesty? did he take part in the siege?" "The King is in excellent health," replied Geoffrey, "and he took an active part in the siege of St. Quentin." "You saw him there?" inquired Mary. "Many times, your Majesty; he was the cynosure of all eyes as he rode through the flaming streets clad in splendid armour." "Yes, I know," replied Mary, a wan smile flickering awhile on her careworn face; "he would surely be found where duty and danger called him. "Oh, I can call him to mind as he sat on his war-horse, wearing that wondrous suit of Milanese armour which becomes him so well. I mind me that it was in that suit that Titian painted him; I have a copy of it."