lodgeth he?--is he a London man?"

"He is a Worcestershire gentleman, on a visit hither."

"Pass him. Who else?"

"Well--a man named Darcy."

"A man, and _not_ a gentleman? Whence comes he?"

"I don't know. Scarcely a gentleman, seeing he deals in horses."

"Horses are good fellows enough, mostly: but folks who deal in horses
are apt to be worser,--why, can I never tell. Is the horse-dealer
pleasant company belike?"

"Not so much to my liking as Mr Winter."

"I'm fain to hear it. Who else?"

"There is a Mr Percy, kin to my Lord Northumberland."

Aunt Temperance drew in her breath with an inverted whistle. "Lo, you
now, we are in select society!"

But Edith turned suddenly round. "Aubrey, is he a true Protestant?"
She knew that Lord Northumberland was reckoned "the head of the
recusants."

"I really don't know, Aunt," replied Aubrey, to whom the idea had never
before occurred. "I never heard him say aught whence I could guess it.
He is a very agreeable man."

"The more agreeable, maybe, the more dangerous. My boy, do have a care!
`He that is not with Me is against Me.'"

"Oh, he's all right, I am sure," said Aubrey, carelessly.

"You seem sure on small grounds," said Aunt Temperance. "Well, have we
made an end?--is he the last?"

"No, there is one other--Mr Catesby."

Aubrey had deliberately left Catesby to the last, yet he could not have
explained for what reason. Lady Louvaine spoke for the first time.

"Catesby?--a Catesby of Ashby Ledgers?"

"I have not heard, further than that his home is in Northamptonshire,
and his mother the Lady Anne Catesby."

"I think it is. They are a Popish family, or were, not many years ago.
Aubrey, come here."

The young man obeyed, in some surprise. His gentle grandmother was not
wont to speak in tones of such stern determination as these.

"My boy!" she said, "I charge thee on my benison, and by the dear memory
of him from whom thou hast thy name, that thou endeavour thyself to
thine utmost to discover whether these men be Papists or no. Ask not of
themselves--they may deceive thee; and a Papist oft counts deceit no
wrong when it is done in the interests of his Church. Make my
compliments to my cousin, my Lady Oxford, and give her the names of
these gentlemen, and where they lodge; saying also that I do most
earnestly beseech that she will make inquiry by her chaplain, and give
me to know, how they stand concerned in this matter. Aubrey, you k