shows towards sinners: not an
admiration of the Martyrs and early Fathers, and a delight in their
writings. Individuals may display a touching gentleness, or a
conscientiousness which demands our reverence; still, till they have
faith, they have not the foundation, and their superstructure will fall.
They will not be blessed, they will effect nothing in religious matters,
till they begin by an act of unreserved faith in the word of God,
whatever it be; till they go out of themselves; till they cease to make
something within them their standard, till they oblige their will to
perfect what reason leaves sufficient, indeed, but incomplete. And when
they shall recognize this defect in themselves, and try to remedy it,
then they will recognize much more;--they will be on the road very
shortly to be Catholics."

There was nothing in all this exactly new to Reding; but it was pleasant
to hear it from the voice of another, and him a priest. Thus he had
sympathy and authority, and felt he was restored to himself. The
conversation stopped. After a while he disclosed to his new friend the
place for which he was bound, which, after what Charles had already been
saying, could be no great surprise to him. The latter knew the Superior
of San Michaele, and, taking out a card, wrote upon it a few words of
introduction for him. By this time they had reached Paddington; and
scarcely had the train stopped, when the priest took his small
carpet-bag from under his seat, wrapped his cloak around him, stepped
out of the carriage, and was walking out of sight at a brisk pace.

CHAPTER VII.

Reding naturally wished to take the important step he was meditating as
quietly as he could; and had adopted what he considered satisfactory
measures for this purpose. But such arrangements often turn out very
differently from their promise; and so it was in his case.

The Passionist House was in the eastern part of London; so far
well;--and as he knew in the neighbourhood a respectable publisher in
the religious line, with whom his father had dealt, he had written to
him to bespeak a room in his house for the few days which he trusted
would suffice for the process of his reception. What was to happen to
him after it, he left for the advice he might get from those in whose
hands he found himself. It was now Wednesday; he hoped to have two days
to prepare himself for his confession, and then he proposed to present
himself before those who were to