Monsignor looked again at the faces of those who sat with him. Opposite was Lord Southminster himself in the ordinary quiet evening dress of his class, his guild-badge worn, as the custom was, like a star on his left breast. His face showed nothing except an air of attention; there was no excitement in it, nor even suspense. On his right sat the Cardinal in his scarlet. He was smiling gravely to himself, and his lips moved slightly now and then. At this moment he was playing gently with a walnut-shell that lay on his plate. The three others showed more signs of excitement. Old General Hartington, who could remember being taken to London to see the festivities at the coronation of George V, was leaning back in his chair frowning. (He had been reminiscent this evening in a rather voluble manner, but had not uttered a word now for five minutes.) The chaplain had shifted round in his chair, watching the door, and the sixth man, a cousin of the host, who, Monsignor understood, held some responsible post in the Government volor service, was sitting just now with his head in his hands. Still no one spoke. The cousin pushed back his chair suddenly and went to the window. "Well, Jack?" said the host. "Nothing--just going to have a look at the weather." He stood there, having pulled back the curtain a little and unlatched the shutter, looking out through the glass. Then Lord Southminster's reserve broke down. "If it's not done to-night," he said abruptly, "God only knows----Well, well." "It will be done to-night," said the Cardinal, still without lifting his eyes. "Certainly, your Eminence, if nothing interferes; but how can we be sure of that? I know the Government means business." "It's half an hour since the last message," observed the General. Lord Southminster got up suddenly and went to the lobby-door. As he went the door into the parlours opened and his mother looked in. "Any more news, my son?" "No, mother. I was just going to ask." The old lady came forward as her son went out--a splendid old creature in her lace and jewels--active still and upright in spite of her years. She made a little gesture as the men offered to move, and went and leaned by the old-fashioned open fire-place, such as her husband had put in at the restoration throughout the house. "Your Eminence, can you reassure us?" she said, smiling. The Cardinal, too, smiled as he turned in his chair. "I am confident the Bill will pass," he said. "But I do not know yet what the price will be." "Your Eminence means in England? Or elsewhere?" asked the chaplain abruptly. "In England and elsewhere, father." Old Lady Jane Morpeth appeared at this moment, and the two ladies sat down on the high oak settle that screened the fire from the window. They showed no signs of anxiety; but Monsignor perceived that their return at all to this room just now was significant. Simultaneously the young man came in again, closing the door behind him.