to lie at Hare Street to-night, sir?" I said.

"I had hoped to do so," he said. "I am come from Lincolnshire; and I was
recommended to Mr. Jermyn's if I could not get so far as Standon; and I
cannot, for my horse is lame."

* * * * *

My Cousin Tom received the priest in a surprising medley of emotions
which he exhibited one by one to me who knew him so well. He was at
first plainly terrified at receiving a priest and a Jesuit; but,
presently recovered himself a little and strove to remember that here
was one of God's priests who would bring a blessing on the house--(and
said so); finally all else was swallowed up in pleasure, or very nearly,
when I took occasion on Mr. Hamerton's going upstairs to pull off his
boots, to tell him that I had seen this priest very intimate with His
Royal Highness the Duke of York; and that he had been a near friend of
Mr. Bedingfeld, the Duke's confessor.

My Cousin Dorothy received him with the reverence that pious maids can
shew so easily towards a priest. She had his chamber ready for him in
ten minutes; with fresh water in the basin and flowers upon the table:
she even set out for his entertainment three or four books of devotion
by his bedside. And all the time at supper she never ceased to give him
attention, drawing the men's eyes to his plate and cup continually.

Mr. Hamerton was a very quiet gentleman, wonderfully at his ease at
once, and never losing his discretion; he talked generally and
pleasantly at supper, of his road to Hare Street, and told us an
edifying story or two of Catholics at whose houses he had lain on his
way from Lincolnshire. These Jesuits are wonderful folk: he seemed to
know the country all over, and where were the safer districts and where
the dangerous. I have no doubt he could have given me an excellent
road-map with instructions that would take me safe from London to
Edinburgh, if I had wished it.

"And have you never been troubled with highwaymen?" asked my Cousin Tom.

"No, Mr. Jermyn," said the priest, "except once, and that was a Catholic
robber. I thought he was by the start he gave when he saw my crucifix as
he was searching me; and taxed him with it. So the end was, he returned
me my valuables, and took a little sermon from my lips instead."

* * * * *

When supper was over, and Dorothy had gone upstairs to make all ready
for mass on the next morning, Mr. Hamerton, at our que