tion, intermixed with black priests, white
priests, grey priests; and though I don't say there was no honey in the
place, for I believe there was, I am ready to take my Bible oath that it
was not made there, and that the priests kept it all for themselves."

CHAPTER XCIX.

A Cloister--Half English--New Acquaintance--Mixed Liquors--Turning
Papist--Purposes of Charity--Foreign Religion--Melancholy--Elbowing and
Pushing--Outlandish Sight--The Figure--I Don't Care for You--Merry
Andrews--One Good--Religion of My Country--Fellow of Spirit--A
Dispute--The Next Morning--Female Doll--Proper Dignity--Fetish Country.

"The day after our arrival," continued the postillion, "I was sent, under
the guidance of a lackey of the place, with a letter, which the priest,
when he left, had given us for a friend of his in the Eternal City. We
went to a large house, and on ringing, were admitted by a porter into a
cloister, where I saw some ill-looking, shabby young fellows walking
about, who spoke English to one another. To one of these the porter
delivered the letter, and the young fellow going away, presently returned
and told me to follow him; he led me into a large room, where, behind a
table, on which were various papers, and a thing, which they call in that
country a crucifix, sat a man in a kind of priestly dress. The lad
having opened the door for me, shut it behind me, and went away. The man
behind the table was so engaged in reading the letter which I had
brought, that at first he took no notice of me; he had red hair, a kind
of half-English countenance, and was seemingly about five-and-thirty.
After a little time he laid the letter down, appeared to consider a
moment, and then opened his mouth with a strange laugh, not a loud laugh,
for I heard nothing but a kind of hissing deep down the throat; all of a
sudden, however, perceiving me, he gave a slight start, but instantly
recovering himself, he inquired in English concerning the health of the
family, and where we lived; on my delivering him a card, he bade me
inform my master and the ladies that in the course of the day he would do
himself the honour of waiting upon them. He then arose and opened the
door for me to depart; the man was perfectly civil and courteous, but I
did not like that strange laugh of his, after having read the letter. He
was as good as his word, and that same day paid us a visit. It was now
arranged that we should pass the winter in Rome, to