He was looking keenly at her face: not a single sign of her intense mental agitation escaped his shrewd observation. A satisfied smile lurked round the corners of his thin lips, and a flash of triumph lit up the depths of his piercing eyes. That searching glance at Mary Tudor had told the envoy of the King of Spain that victory was at last within his grasp. "My lord Cardinal," rejoined Mary firmly, "you are aware of the fact that His Grace of Wessex is on the eve of being tried by his peers, for a heinous crime of which he is innocent." "I am aware," replied the Cardinal gently, "that His Grace stands self-convicted of the murder of my friend and colleague Don Miguel, Marquis de Suarez, a guest at Your Majesty's Court." "Truce on this folly, my lord," retorted Mary impatiently, "you know just as well as I do, that His Grace is incapable of any such act of cowardice, and that some mystery, which no one can fathom, lies at the bottom of this monstrous self-accusation." "Whatever may be my own feelings in this matter, Your Majesty," said His Eminence, still speaking very guardedly, "I was forced to accomplish my duty, when I made and signed my deposition, which I fear me has gone far towards confirming the guilt of His Grace." "I have heard of your deposition, my lord. It rests on your finding His Grace's dagger. . . ." "Beside the body of the murdered man, and still stained with Don Miguel's blood." "What of that? Some one else must have used the dagger." "Possibly." "You did not suggest this in your deposition." "It was not asked of me by His Grace's judges." "There is time to make a further statement." "It could but be in consonance with what I have already said." "And your servant?" "Pasquale?" "He lied when he averred that he heard angry words 'twixt His Grace and Don Miguel." "He has sworn it upon oath. Pasquale is a good Catholic, and would not commit the deadly sin of perjury." "You are fencing with me, my lord," said Mary Tudor with sudden vehemence. "I but await Your Majesty's command!" rejoined His Eminence blandly. "My command?" she said firmly. "This, my lord, that you save His Grace of Wessex from the consequences of this crime, in which he had no hand." "To save His Grace of Wessex?" he ejaculated with the greatest astonishment, "I? and at this eleventh hour? Nay! meseems that were impossible." "Then Your Eminence can set your wits to attempt the impossible," rejoined Mary curtly. "But why should Your Majesty suggest this strange task to me?" he urged with the same well-feigned surprise. "Because Your Eminence hath more brains than most." "Your Majesty is too gracious." "And because you have the success of your own schemes more at heart than most," added the Queen significantly. "Then, if I do not succeed in effecting the impossible, Your Majesty, am I to be sent back to Spain ignominiously to-morrow?" queried the Cardinal with more than a soupçon of sarcasm.