The Cardinal's Snuff Box
Page 124"If a thing were needed to make me unhappy, it would be the
announcement of your intended departure," Beatrice said,
smiling. "But otherwise, I am no more unhappy than it is
natural to be. Life, after all, is n't such a furiously gay
business as to keep one perpetually singing and dancing--is it?
But I am not especially unhappy."
"H'm," said the Cardinal. Then, in a minute, "You will come to
Rome in November, I suppose?" he asked.
"Yes--towards the end of November, I think," said Beatrice.
The Cardinal rose, and began to walk backwards and forwards
again.
In a little while the sound of carriage-wheels could be heard,
The Cardinal looked at his watch.
"Here is the carriage," he said. "I must go down and see that
poor old woman . . . . Do you know," he added, after a
moment's hesitation, "I think it would be well if you were to
go with me."
A shadow came into Beatrice's eyes.
"What good would that do?" she asked.
"It would give her pleasure, no doubt. And besides, she is one
of your parishioners, as it were. I think you ought to go.
You have never been to see her since she fell ill."
"Oh--well," said Beatrice.
In the carriage, when they had passed the village and crossed
the bridge, as they were bowling along the straight white road
that led to the villa, "What a long time it is since Mr.
Marchdale has been at Ventirose," remarked the Cardinal.
"Oh--? Is it?" responded Beatrice, with indifference.
"It is more than three weeks, I think--it is nearly a month,"
the Cardinal said.
"Oh--?" said she.
"He has had his hands full, of course; he has had little
leisure," the Cardinal pursued. "His devotion to his poor old
servant has been quite admirable. But now that she is
"Yes," said Beatrice.
"He is a young man whom I like very much," said the Cardinal.
"He is intelligent; he has good manners; and he has a fine
sense of the droll. Yes, he has wit--a wit that you seldom
find in an Anglo-Saxon, a wit that is almost Latin. But you
have lost your interest in him? That is because you despair of
his conversion?"
"I confess I am not greatly interested in him," Beatrice
answered. "And I certainly have no hopes of his conversion."