tempt
at a "jockey" of him must inevitably fail. The Abbe, to do him justice,
took all this candor well,--affected to deem it the mere ebullition of
honest John Bullism; and so they were well met. At times, indeed,
the priest's enthusiasm carried him a little away, and he ventured to
speculate on the glorious career that conversion would open to the noble
Viscount, and the splendid fruits such a change would be certain to
produce. Norwood was, however, too practical for such remote benefits;
and if the Abbe couldn't "make the thing safe," as he styled it, would
not listen to this suggestion. A rich Italian princess,--there were two
or three such prizes in the wheel,--or an infanta of Spain, might solace
many a theological doubt; but Norwood said there was no use in quoting
the "fathers" when he was thinking only of the "daughters."

And the priest wisely seemed to take him at his word. As for Lady
Hester, political intrigue was quite new to her, and, consequently, very
delightful. Since the Cardinal's departure for Rome, she had begun to
weary somehow of the ordinances of her new faith. The canonico but ill
replaced his Eminence. He had none of that velvety smoothness of manner,
that soft and gentle persuasiveness of the dignitary He could neither
smile away a doubt nor resolve a difficulty by a "bon mot" It is
but fair to say that he was no ascetic, that he loved good cheer
and pleasant converse, and was free to let others participate in the
enjoyment. Lady Hester, was, however, too much habituated to such
indulgences to reckon them other than necessaries. D'Esmonde, if he had
had time, might have compensated for all these deficiencies, but he
was far too deeply engaged with other cares, and his air of grave
preoccupation was more suited to awe her Ladyship than suggest ease in
his presence. And now we come to Albert Jekyl,--the last member of this
incongruous family. Nothing was less to his taste than any fanaticism,
whether it took the form of religion or politics. All such extravagances
were sure to interfere with society, impede intercourse, and disturb
that delightful calm of existence wherein vices ripen, and where men of
his stamp gather the harvest.

To overthrow a Government, to disturb the settled foundations of a
State, were, to his thinking, a species of _inconvenance_ that savored
of intense vulgarity; and he classified such anarchists with men who
would like to smash the lamps, tear down the hangings, an