for her tea, which she prefers to take cosily and comfortably
with me in the dingle. The place, it is true, is as free to you as to
ourselves, nevertheless, as we are located here by necessity, whilst you
merely come as a visitor, I must take the liberty of telling you that we
shall be glad to be alone, as soon as you have said what you have to say,
and have finished the glass of refreshment at present in your hand. I
think you said some time ago that one of your motives for coming hither
was to induce me to enlist under the banner of Rome. I wish to know
whether that was really the case?"

"Decidedly so," said the man in black; "I come here principally in the
hope of enlisting you in our regiment, in which I have no doubt you could
do us excellent service."

"Would you enlist my companion as well?" I demanded.

"We should be only too proud to have her among us, whether she comes with
you or alone," said the man in black, with a polite bow to Belle.

"Before we give you an answer," I replied, "I would fain know more about
you; perhaps you will declare your name?"

"That I will never do," said the man in black; "no one in England knows
it but myself, and I will not declare it, even in a dingle; as for the
rest, _Sono un Prete Cattolico Appostolico_--that is all that many a one
of us can say for himself, and it assuredly means a great deal."

"We will now proceed to business," said I. "You must be aware that we
English are generally considered a self-interested people."

"And with considerable justice," said the man in black, drinking. "Well,
you are a person of acute perception, and I will presently make it
evident to you that it would be to your interest to join with us. You
are at present, evidently, in very needy circumstances, and are lost, not
only to yourself, but the world; but should you enlist with us, I could
find you an occupation not only agreeable, but one in which your talents
would have free scope. I would introduce you in the various grand houses
here in England, to which I have myself admission, as a surprising young
gentleman of infinite learning, who by dint of study has discovered that
the Roman is the only true faith. I tell you confidently that our popish
females would make a saint, nay, a God of you; they are fools enough for
anything. There is one person in particular with whom I should wish to
make you acquainted, in the hope that you would be able to help me to
perform good servic