crushed to the earth, and cared not to live; vain, short-sighted mortal!
Our great Master was at that moment shaping everything to His ends, and
preparing for the entrance into His Church of a woman who may be, who
will be, I believe, another St. Helena."

"We have not spoken of this subject before," said Endymion, "and I
should not have cared had our silence continued, but I must now tell you
frankly, the secession of my sister from the Church of her fathers was
to me by no means a matter of unmixed satisfaction."

"The time will come when you will recognise it as the consummation of a
Divine plan," said the archbishop.

"I feel great confidence that my sister will never be the slave of
superstition," said Endymion. "Her mind is too masculine for that; she
will remember that the throne she fills has been already once lost by
the fatal influence of the Jesuits."

"The influence of the Jesuits is the influence of Divine truth,"
said his companion. "And how is it possible for such influence not to
prevail? What you treat as defeats, discomfitures, are events which you
do not comprehend. They are incidents all leading to one great end--the
triumph of the Church--that is, the triumph of God."

"I will not decide what are great ends; I am content to ascertain what
is wise conduct. And it would not be wise conduct, in my opinion, for
the King to rest upon the Jesuits."

"The Jesuits never fell except from conspiracy against them. It is never
the public voice that demands their expulsion or the public effort that
accomplishes it. It is always the affair of sovereigns and statesmen, of
politicians, of men, in short, who feel that there is a power at
work, and that power one not favourable to their schemes or objects of
government."

"Well, we shall see," said Endymion; "I candidly tell you, I hope the
Jesuits will have as little influence in my brother-in-law's kingdom as
in my own country."

"As little!" said Nigel, somewhat sarcastically; "I should be almost
content if the holy order in every country had as much influence as they
now have in England."

"I think your Grace exaggerates."

"Before two years are past," said the archbishop, speaking very slowly,
"I foresee that the Jesuits will be privileged in England, and the
hierarchy of our Church recognised."

It was a delicious afternoon; it had been sultry, but the sun had now
greatly declined, when the captain of the yacht came down to announce to
the Queen