d White; "we shall be all real Catholics by then;
England will be converted."

"It will be done just in time for the Bishop," said Charlotte.

"Oh, it's not good enough for him!" said Miss Bolton; "but it may do in
church for the _Asperges_. How different all things will be!" continued
she; "I don't quite like, though, the idea of a cardinal in Oxford. Must
we be so very Roman? I don't see why we might not be quite Catholic
without the Pope."

"Oh, you need not be afraid," said White sagely; "things don't go so
apace. Cardinals are not so cheap."

"Cardinals have so much state and stiffness," said Miss Bolton: "I hear
they never walk without two servants behind them; and they always leave
the room directly dancing begins."

"Well, I think Oxford must be just cut out for cardinals," said Miss
Charlotte; "can anything be duller than the President's parties? I can
fancy Dr. Bone a cardinal, as he walks round the parks."

"Oh, it's the genius of the Catholic Church," said White; "you will
understand it better in time. No one is his own master; even the Pope
cannot do as he will; he dines by himself, and speaks by precedent."

"Of course he does," said Charlotte, "for he is infallible."

"Nay, if he makes mistakes in the functions," continued White, "he is
obliged to write them down and confess them, lest they should be drawn
into precedents."

"And he is obliged, during a function, to obey the master of ceremonies,
against his own judgment," said Willis.

"Didn't you say the Pope confessed, Mr. White?" asked Miss Bolton; "it
has always puzzled me whether the Pope was obliged to confess like
another man."

"Oh, certainly," answered White, "every one confesses."

"Well," said Charlotte, "I can't fancy Mr. Hurst of St. Peter's, who
comes here to sing glees, confessing, or some of the grave heads of
houses, who bow so stiffly."

"They will all have to confess," said White.

"All?" asked Miss Bolton; "you don't mean converts confess? I thought it
was only old Catholics."

There was a little pause.

"And what will the heads of houses be?" asked Miss Charlotte.

"Abbots or superiors," answered White; "they will bear crosses; and when
they say Mass, there will be a lighted candle in addition."

"What a good portly abbot the Vice-Chancellor will make!" said Miss
Bolton.

"Oh, no; he's too short for an abbot," said her sister; "but you have
left out the Chancellor himself: you seem to have provided for every o