You talk like a soldan!" An assenting murmur came from
the other ecclesiastics.

The Queen spoke. "Master Christopherus, if it be a great
thing to do, is not the doing it and thereby blessing yourself
no less than others--is not that reward? Not that
Castile shall deny you reward, no! Trust me that if you
bring us the key of India you shall not find us niggardly!
But we and they who advise us stumble at your prescribing
wealth, honors and gifts that they say truly are better fitting
a great prince! Trust us for enrichment and for honor do
you come back with the great thing done! Leave it all now
to Time that brings to pass. So you will be clearer to go
forth to the blessed carrying of Christ!"

She spoke earnestly, a Queen, but with much about her
of womanly, motherly sweetness. I saw that she greatly
liked the man and somewhere met his spirit. But the King
was gathering hardness. He spoke to a secretary standing
behind him. "Have you it there written down, the Italian's
demand?"

The man produced a paper. "Read!" But before it
could be unfolded, Master Christopherus spoke.

" `Italian!' Seven years in Spain and ten in Portugal,
and a good while in Porto Santo that belongs to Portugal,
a little in England and in Ultima Thule or Iceland, and long,
long years upon ships decked and undecked in all the seas
that are known--fourteen years, childhood and boyhood, in