uncle and aunt at first looked
stiff enough at these visits, and the latter took care always to make a
third in every conversation; but still Mr. Leigh was a gentleman's
son, and it would not do to be rude to a neighboring squire and a good
customer; and Rose was the rich man's daughter and they poor cousins,
so it would not do either to quarrel with her; and besides, the
pretty maid, half by wilfulness, and half by her sweet winning tricks,
generally contrived to get her own way wheresoever she went; and
she herself had been wise enough to beg her aunt never to leave them
alone,--for she "could not a-bear the sight of Mr. Eustace, only
she must have some one to talk with down here." On which her aunt
considered, that she herself was but a simple country-woman; and that
townsfolks' ways of course must be very different from hers; and that
people knew their own business best; and so forth, and let things go
on their own way. Eustace, in the meanwhile, who knew well that the
difference in creed between him and Rose was likely to be the very
hardest obstacle in the way of his love, took care to keep his private
opinions well in the background; and instead of trying to convert the
folk at the mill, daily bought milk or flour from them, and gave it
away to the old women in Moorwinstow (who agreed that after all, for
a Papist, he was a godly young man enough); and at last, having taken
counsel with Campian and Parsons on certain political plots then on
foot, came with them to the conclusion that they would all three go to
church the next Sunday. Where Messrs. Evan Morgans and Morgan Evans,
having crammed up the rubrics beforehand, behaved themselves in a most
orthodox and unexceptionable manner; as did also poor Eustace, to the
great wonder of all good folks, and then went home flattering himself
that he had taken in parson, clerk, and people; not knowing in his
simple unsimplicity, and cunning foolishness, that each good wife in the
parish was saying to the other, "He turned Protestant? The devil turned
monk! He's only after Mistress Salterne, the young hypocrite."

But if the two Jesuits found it expedient, for the holy cause in which
they were embarked, to reconcile themselves outwardly to the powers
that were, they were none the less busy in private in plotting their
overthrow.

Ever since April last they had been playing at hide-and-seek through the
length and breadth of England, and now they were only lying quiet till