sby, "there are two or three more yet to come; you
will see."

"Why, Fusby," said Vincent, overhearing and coming up, "you are like the
three old crones in the Bride of Lammermoor, who wished to have the
straiking of the Master of Ravenswood."

Fusby nodded his person, but made no answer.

"Not all three at once, I hope," said Sheffield.

"Oh, it's quite a concentration, a quintessence of Protestant feeling,"
answered Vincent; "I consider _myself_ a good Protestant; but the
pleasure you have in hunting these men is quite sensual, Fusby."

The Common-Room man here entered, and whispered to Carlton that a
stranger was waiting for him in his rooms.

"When do your men come up?" said Sheffield to Vincent.

"Next Saturday," answered Vincent.

"They always come up late," said Sheffield.

"Yes, the House met last week."

"St. Michael's has met too," said Sheffield: "so have we."

"We have a reason for meeting late: many of our men come from the North
and from Ireland."

"That's no reason, with railroads."

"I see they have begun our rail," said Vincent; "I thought the
University had opposed it."

"The Pope in his own states has given in," said Sheffield, "so we may
well do the same."

"Don't talk of the Pope," said Vincent, "I'm sick of the Pope."

"The Pope?" said Fusby, overhearing; "have you heard that his Holiness
is coming to England?"

"Oh, oh," cried Vincent, "come, I can't stand this. I must go; good
night t'you, Carlton. Where's my gown?"

"I believe the Common-Room man has hung it up in the passage;--but you
should stop and protect me from Fusby."

Neither did Vincent turn to the rescue, nor did Fusby profit by the
hint; so poor Carlton, with the knowledge that he was wanted in his
rooms, had to stay a good half-hour _tete-a-tete_ with the latter, while
he prosed to him _in extenso_ about Pope Sixtus XIV., the Jesuits,
suspected men in the University, Mede on the Apostasy, the Catholic
Relief Bill, Dr. Pusey's Tract on Baptism, Justification, and the
appointment of the Taylor Professors.

At length, however, Carlton was released. He ran across the quadrangle
and up his staircase; flung open his door, and made his way to his inner
room. A person was just rising to meet him; impossible! but it was
though. "What? Reding!" he cried; "who would have thought! what a
pleasure! we were just-- ... What brings you here?" he added, in an
altered tone. Then gravely, "Reding, where are you?"

"Not yet a