who had given the mask the death-warrant of Delano when he stood upon the steps of St. Peter. His red cloak had been thrown aside; but still all of his garments were of a blood-red hue.
"Hugi, has he—the mask—arrived?" asked Cardinal Corneto,[1] of the messenger,
"He has."
"Then retire, and bid him to our presence."
The order was obeyed. An instant later, the mask of St. Peter's stood before the cardinals.
"Mask," said Corneto, "there 's work for thee."
"I await your orders."
"There they are,"—handing a paper. "The document refers to Mercado. See that you execute its every precept. His death is desired by His Eminence; he must be numbered among those who HAVE lived, before two days have passed."
The mask ran his eye eagerly over the paper. "Ha, ha! thus do I succeed," he muttered, in a low tone. "The lover of Lucretia Borgia is doomed!"
And then he turned to depart.
"Stay," commanded Corneto. "There 's another warrant for thee to serve. Its tenor, death!"
"To whose concern?"
"Signora Fortello's!"
- ↑ Cardinal Corneto is not a fictitious character, He was an immensely wealthy man, and—from all accounts—extremely avaricicus. For the circumstances attending his death, the reader is referred to "Dowling's History of Romanism," a work of the most sterling character. My account of it, near the close of this work, will be found historically correct.
