And Pierre remained quite chilled by the haughty fashion in which that man presented himself, perhaps to stifle suspicion and certainly to accomplish an act of good policy by giving his rival a public mark of esteem and affection.
"The Cardinal! Here!" Pierre murmured despite himself.
Nani, who followed the young man's thoughts in his childish eyes, in which all could be read, pretended to mistake the sense of his exclamation.

"Yes," said he, "I learnt that the Cardinal returned to Rome yesterday evening.

He did not wish to remain away any longer; the Holy Father being so much better that he might perhaps have need of him." Although these words were spoken with an air of perfect innocence, Pierre was not for a moment deceived by them.

And having in his turn glanced at the prelate, he was convinced that the latter also knew the truth.

Then, all at once, the whole affair appeared to him in its intricacy, in the ferocity which fate had imparted to it.