But, just as the great door was closing, it darted in again, circled
round the banqueting hall, and came back to rest in the safe nest of
the kindly heart which had sent it forth.
No blessing, truly vitalised, ever ceases to live. If the blessed be
unworthy, it returns on swift wing to the blesser.
CHAPTER XXI
SO MUCH FOR SERAPHINE!
A sense of peace fell upon the banqueting hall, with the closing of the
door. All unrest and suspicion seemed to have departed. An atmosphere
of confidence and serenity pervaded the great chamber. It was in the
Bishop's smile, as he turned to the Knight.
"At length the time has come when we may talk freely; and truly, my
son, we have much to say."
The Knight glanced round the spacious hall, and his look implied that
he would prefer to talk in a smaller chamber.
"Nay, then," said the Bishop. "No situation can be better for a
private conversation than the very centre of a very large room. Have
you not heard it said that walls have ears? Well, in a small room,
they may use them to some purpose. But here, we sit so far removed
from the walls that, strain their ears as they may, they will hear
nothing; even the very key-hole, opening wide its naughty eye, will see
naught, neither will the adjacent ear hear anything. We may speak
freely."
The Bishop, signing to the Knight to help himself to fruit, moved the
wine toward him. At his own right hand stood a Venetian flagon and
goblet of ruby glass, ornamented with vine leaves and clusters of
grapes.
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