"He said," replied the cardinal, "that he had asked you to be his wife."

"Indeed he has," said Lady Nora, "and so have others."

"He also said," continued the cardinal, "that you had promised to marry
him when he brought you the turquoise cup."

"And so I will," said Lady Nora.

"He proposed to buy the cup," continued the cardinal. "He offered four
thousand pounds, which, he said, was all he had in the world."

"Good old Bobby!" exclaimed Lady Nora. "That was nice of him, wasn't
it?" and her eyes glistened.

"Yes," said the cardinal, "that was nice of him; but when I had
explained how impossible it was to sell the cup he bade me good-by, and,
as he was going, said, 'I shall have it. All is fair in love and war.' I
feared then that he meant to take the cup. Since I have seen you I am
certain of it."

"What larks!" cried Lady Nora. "Fancy Bobby with a dark lantern, a
bristly beard, and a red handkerchief about his neck. All burglars are
like that, you know; and then fancy him creeping up the aisle with his
Johnnie--no, his jimmy--and his felt slippers--fancy Bobby in felt
slippers--and he reaches the treasury door, and just then the moon comes
up and shines through that window and illuminates the key in St. Peter's
hand, and Bobby says, 'An omen,' and he takes out his own key-ring and
the first one he tries fits the lock and the door flies open, and Bobby