mmon state, I'm so happy!"

A thought struck Reding. "Tell me, Willis," he said, "your exact
position; in what sense are you a Catholic? What is to prevent your
returning with me to Oxford?"

His companion interposed: "I am taking a liberty perhaps," he said; "but
Mr. Willis has been regularly received into the Catholic Church."

"I have not introduced you," said Willis. "Reding, let me introduce Mr.
Morley; Morley, Mr. Reding. Yes, Reding, I owe it to him that I am a
Catholic. I have been on a tour with him abroad. We met with a good
priest in France, who consented to receive my abjuration."

"Well, I think he might profitably have examined into your state of mind
a little before he did so," said Reding; "_you_ are not the person to
become a Catholic, Willis."

"What do you mean?"

"Because," answered Reding, "you are more of a Dissenter than a
Catholic. I beg your pardon," he added, seeing Willis look up sharply,
"let me be frank with you, pray do. You were attached to the Church of
Rome, not as a child to a mother, but in a wayward roving way, as a
matter of fancy or liking, or (excuse me) as a greedy boy to something
nice; and you pursued your object by disobeying the authorities set over
you."

It was as much as Willis could bear; he said, he thought he recollected
a text about "obeying God _rather_ than men."

"I _see_ you have disobeyed men," retorted Charles; "I _trust_ you have
been obeying God."

Willis thought him rude, and would not speak.

Mr. Morley began: "If you knew the circumstances better," he said, "you
would doubtless judge differently. I consider Mr. Willis to be just the
very person on whom it was incumbent to join the Church, and who will
make an excellent Catholic. You must blame, not the venerable priest who
received him, but me. The good man saw his devotion, his tears, his
humility, his earnest desire; but the state of his mind he learned
through me, who speak French better than Mr. Willis. However, he had
quite enough conversation with him in French and Latin. He could not
reject a postulant for salvation; it was impossible. Had you been he,
you would have done the same."

"Well, sir, perhaps I have been unjust to him and you," said Charles;
"however, I cannot augur well of this."

"You are judging, sir," answered Mr. Morley, "let me say it, of things
you do not know. You do not know what the Catholic religion is, you do
not know what its grace is, or the gift of faith."

Th