Lord Hungerford to speak of, and read openly, all those facts which had so deeply interested her, and which she must have foregone, had she yielded to the wish of accompanying her Catholic friend to the service at Burnleigh.

Lady Winefride had arrived, at the usual time for the Mass on the week days; and, at that very hour when the persecution of "her people" were being related at the priory, she was kneeling before the sanctuary at Burnleigh chapel, favoured by a participation in the most blessed mystery of the altar; and, after such communion with her God as a Catholic alone can know, the aged Christian was returning full of calm devotion to the Priory, when, in driving through the village of Sedgemoor, she saw, on a large placard, the same announcement which had occupied the thoughts of so many during that day. Lady Winefride gave a mournful smile, as she traced the same watch-words which had ruined the fortunes, corrupted the integrity, or broken the hearts, of those whose histories had been imprinted in her early memory. "Alarming increase of Popery"-" Principles of the glorious Reformation" stood forth conspicuously in capitals, amid the smaller print, and furnished, not only thoughts of the past, but meditations for the future, till she joined our heroine in the drawing room of the Priory. The rest of the party had retired, to dress for dinner; but Geraldine, who was on the point of following their example, could not resist the unexpected boon of a short tête-à-tête with the almost inaccessible Lady Winefride, and, joyfully greeting her, entreated her ladyship to grant her ten minutes uninterrupted hearing.

"Do you wish me to subscribe to your Reformation Society?" said Lady Winefride smiling; “because it will not take me ten minutes to say'No.'"

"What a setting at nought of all my confessions and confidences!" said Geraldine, also smiling, but vexed. "Why is it that you continue to elude my serious application to you, that you discourage my advance in the pursuit of what you, Lady Winefride, must think the only truth ?-that you refuse to dispel the few remaining doubts which prevent my cordial reception of that vast, that wondrous scheme of God's dealings with man, received by Catholics ?”

"These are heavy charges," replied Lady Winefride, still smiling benevolently on the eager countenance of her reprover.

"But indeed they are true," continued Geraldine. "I was reconciled to leaving my home, and, with it, the hope of a confidential communication with the pious and judicious priest of Elverton, simply because I concluded that your ladyship would be here. My heart leaped for joy, when I found my hopes realized, and perceived, by your kind greeting, that I was an object of some interest to you."

"And that indeed you are," interrupted Lady Winefride.

"But not in what regards my real welfare," continued Geraldine;" and I own that I am greatly disappointed and cast down."

"You are unused to disappointment or humiliation of any kind, I should conclude," said Lady Winefride;" and if so, this incomprehensible and provoking conduct of mine, in compelling you to abide by the judgment of another, will perhaps be a more profitable exercise in Christian attainment than the solving of some controversial difficulties."

"Then you are determined not to assist me, Lady Winefride?" said Geraldine, proudly yet mournfully. "Well! God can work without human means, and I will trust no longer to them; I can still read, and think, and pray."

"I have made no determination not to assist you,"

replied Lady Winefride; "but the time has not yet arrived for me to give you more than this passing advice, which is not to read, and not to think, on those deep subjects, which have taken such possession of your mind during the past six months. Having done all that the head can do, now let the heart work;-resign it entirely into the hands of Him, who has already given you such proofs of his electing love;-pray that he will crown his rich gifts to you, by giving you that child-like simplicity and humility without which no one can become a Catholic!"

At this instant, Lord Hervey entered the room, and notwithstanding the polite greeting which took place between him and Lady Winefride, his countenance betrayed the displeasure with which he again found her ladyship in private communication with Geraldine. The latter immediately withdrew to her toilette, partly touched and partly mortified, by the result of this last appeal to her Catholic friend, yet resolved, for a time, to follow her advice, and to cease from controversy. This, however, proved impossible.

In the evening, Mr. Everard drew Geraldine aside, and told her that he had met several of the Catholic gentry that morning at Burnleigh, and that he believed none of them intended to be present, still less to speak, at the approaching Reformation meeting. "Some of them," added he, "laugh at these impotent attempts to keep the Protestant world in leading strings any longer, and consider that silence, on the part of the aspersed, is the most dignified proof of contempt, while those who do consider some condescension necessary from Catholics towards their ignorant countrymen, are deterred from appearing, by the notion that a fair hearing will not be granted them."

"I am sorry to hear this," replied Geraldine, "for

there will be great triumph amongst the Protestant party, should the Catholics refuse to meet them. Such refusals are always given out to proceed from a latent sense of error, and a dread of open and manly discussion before the people."

At this instant, Lord Hervey joined them, saying, with an air of triumph, "So you see, Mr. Everard, these cunning papists are afraid to meet us! Refusals have been sent from all the principal Romanists of the county, both priests and laymen. Error always skulks in the dark. And is not this enough in itself to decide between the parties? We are bold in the Lord, Miss Carrington !"

Geraldine felt that she could not reply with calmness, she was therefore silent; but Mr. Everard said, "Rest assured, my Lord, that whenever the lawfully appointed heads and pastors of the Establishment invite a conference with the vicars-apostolic and bishops of the Catholic Church in England and Ireland, the challenge will meet with very different treatment."

"But we see otherwise," replied Lord Hervey; "for, when the invitation, with every possible concession on their part, was sent by the committee from Exeter Hall to Dr. Murray, it was declined !" "Who

"Of course it was !" said Mr. Everard. are the committee of Exeter Hall, that a Catholic bishop should leave the important duties of a distant see, to meet a party, who, though nominally in the Church of England, advance opinions which undermine their own Church equally with his-a party unauthorized by their own spiritual rulers? Let, however, the archbishops and bishops of the English Protestant Church assemble in Exeter Hall, or where you will, with a duly appointed chairman, and you will find no reluctance on the part of the Catholic dignitaries to meet them in conference, while the Catholic laity will throng the meeting.

But pray, Lord Hervey, are you aware of the circumstances attending the last bear-garden held at Elverton, called a Reformation Meeting, at which several of the neighbouring Catholics were present, both of the priesthood and laity?”

"I heard there was some clamour," replied his Lordship; "but I was abroad at the time, and know no particulars."

"Then I will give you some," said the old gentleman, raising his voice to gain a larger audience, in which he succeeded to his full wishes, Lady Winefride alone remaining in the adjoining drawingroom. "The facts were these:-At the first Reformation Meeting in the town of Elverton, several of the hearers were Catholics; and the priest of that place joining the party on the platform, had prepared to speak towards the close of the meeting. Before, however, he could advance in his turn, so many misstatements and invectives had been uttered, and the ignorant crowd below had been so much excited by inflammatory eloquence, that, when Mr. Bernard's name was announced as the Roman Catholic Priest,' a general groan was heard his speech was interrupted by commentshe was not allowed to know his own creed, still less to explain it—he was accused of compromising and palliating in favour of the monster Popery, though he quoted from the catechisms-and tumult and uproar continued,―till coughed, and groaned, and hissed to silence, Mr. Bernard left the meeting! With this experience of the candour and politeness to be expected from a wilfully prejudiced party, the Catholic priests declined attending the next anniversary meeting; whereupon these Reformation gentry boasted, as they do now, that they had invited the Popish priests to attend the meeting, but that dreading to encounter a fair discussion before the public, they preferred carrying on their proselyting system