k made no answer.

'Go to,' said I; 'it is because the Church of England is not a
persecuting church, that those whom you call the respectable part are
leaving her; it is because they can't do with the poor Dissenters what
Simon de Montfort did with the Albigenses, and the cruel Piedmontese with
the Vaudois, that they turn to bloody Rome; the Pope will no doubt
welcome them, for the Pope, do you see, being very much in want, will
welcome--'

'Hollo!' said the Radical, interfering, 'what are you saying about the
Pope? I say, hurrah for the Pope; I value no religion three halfpence,
as I said before, but if I were to adopt any, it should be the Popish as
it's called, because I conceives the Popish to be the grand enemy of the
Church of England, of the beggarly aristocracy, and the borough-monger
system, so I won't hear the Pope abused while I am by. Come, don't look
fierce. You won't fight, you know, I have proved it; but I will give you
another chance--I will fight for the Pope, will you fight against him?'

'Oh dear me, yes,' said I, getting up and stepping forward. 'I am a
quiet peaceable young man, and, being so, am always ready to fight
against the Pope--the enemy of all peace and quiet; to refuse fighting
for the aristocracy is a widely different thing from refusing to fight
against the Pope; so come on if you are disposed to fight for him. To
the Pope broken bells, to Saint James broken shells. No Popish vile
oppression, but the Protestant succession. Confusion to the Groyne,
hurrah for the Boyne, for the army at Clonmel, and the Protestant young
gentlemen who live there as well.'

'An Orangeman,' said the man in black.

'Not a Platitude,' said I.

The man in black gave a slight start.

'Amongst that family,' said I, 'no doubt, something may be done, but
amongst the Methodist preachers I should conceive that the success would
not be great.'

The man in black sat quite still.

'Especially amongst those who have wives,' I added.

The man in black stretched his hand towards his gin and water.

'However,' said I, 'we shall see what the grand movement will bring
about, and the results of the lessons in elocution.'

The man in black lifted the glass up to his mouth, and, in doing so, let
the spoon fall.

'But what has this to do with the main question?' said I; 'I am waiting
here to fight against the Pope.'

'Come, Hunter,' said the companion of the man in the snuff-coloured coat,
'get up, and fi