. My lord
and my lady were seldom without visitors, in whose society it was curious
to contrast the difference of behaviour between Father Holt, the director
of the family, and Doctor Tusher, the rector of the parish--Mr. Holt moving
amongst the very highest as quite their equal, and as commanding them all;
while poor Doctor Tusher, whose position was indeed a difficult one,
having been chaplain once to the Hall, and still to the Protestant
servants there, seemed more like an usher than an equal, and always rose
to go away after the first course.

Also there came in these times to Father Holt many private visitors, whom
after a little, Henry Esmond had little difficulty in recognizing as
ecclesiastics of the father's persuasion; whatever their dresses (and they
adopted all) might be. These were closeted with the father constantly, and
often came and rode away without paying their devoirs to my lord and
lady--to the lady and lord rather--his lordship being little more than a
cipher in the house, and entirely under his domineering partner. A little
fowling, a little hunting, a great deal of sleep, and a long time at cards
and table, carried through one day after another with his lordship. When
meetings took place in this second year, which often would happen with
closed doors, the page found my lord's sheet of paper scribbled over with
dogs and horses, and 'twas said he had much ado to keep himself awake at
these councils: the countess ruling over them, and he acting as little
more than her secretary.

Father Holt began speedily to be so much occupied with these meetings as
rather to neglect the education of the little lad who so gladly put
himself under the kind priest's orders. At first they read much and
regularly, both in Latin and French; the father not neglecting in anything
to impress his faith upon his pupil, but not forcing him violently, and
treating him with a delicacy and kindness which surprised and attached the
child; always more easily won by these methods than by any severe exercise
of authority. And his delight in our walks was to tell Harry of the
glories of his order, of its martyrs and heroes, of its brethren
converting the heathen by myriads, traversing the desert, facing the
stake, ruling the courts and councils, or braving the tortures of kings;
so that Harry Esmond thought that to belong to the Jesuits was the
greatest prize of life and bravest end of ambition; the greatest career
here, and in hea