, upon his departure, felt himself much at a loss what course to
pursue. His line of education, as well as his father's tenets in matters
of church and state, had taught him a holy horror for Papists, and a
devout belief in whatever had been said of the Punic faith of Jesuits,
and of the expedients of mental reservation by which the Catholic
priests in general were supposed to evade keeping faith with heretics.
Yet there was something of majesty, depressed indeed and overclouded,
but still grand and imposing, in the manner and words of Father
Buonaventure, which it was difficult to reconcile with those
preconceived opinions which imputed subtlety and fraud to his sect and
order. Above all, Alan was aware that if he accepted not his freedom
upon the terms offered him, he was likely to be detained by force; so
that, in every point of view, he was a gainer by accepting them.

A qualm, indeed, came across him, when he considered, as a lawyer, that
this father was probably, in the eye of law, a traitor; and that there
was an ugly crime on the Statute Book, called misprision of treason. On
the other hand, whatever he might think or suspect, he could not take
upon him to say that the man was a priest, whom he had never seen in the
dress of his order, or in the act of celebrating mass; so that he felt
himself at liberty to doubt of that respecting which he possessed no
legal proof. He therefore arrived at the conclusion, that he would
do well to accept his liberty, and proceed to Redgauntlet under the
guarantee of Father Buonaventure, which he scarce doubted would be
sufficient to save him from personal inconvenience. Should he once
obtain speech of that gentleman, he felt the same confidence as
formerly, that he might be able to convince him of the rashness of
his conduct, should he not consent to liberate Darsie Latimer. At all
events, he should learn where his friend was, and how circumstanced.

Having thus made up his mind, Alan waited anxiously for the expiration
of the hour which had been allowed him for deliberation. He was not kept
on the tenter-hooks of impatience an instant longer than the appointed
moment arrived, for, even as the clock struck, Ambrose appeared at the
door of the gallery, and made a sign that Alan should follow him. He did
so, and after passing through some of the intricate avenues common in
old houses, was ushered into a small apartment, commodiously fitted
up, in which he found Father Buonaventure