ic. One of their
ministers laughed at him, saying he was a poor ignorant fellow who knew
not what it was to be a Catholic. 'I know very well;' said Humphrey,
'though I cannot say it in proper divinity language.' There is the
Religion for you!" went on Mr. Buxton; "all meet there, wise and simple
alike. There is no difference; no scholarship is needed for faith. 'I
know what it is,' cried Humphrey, 'though I cannot explain it!'"

The news came to Anthony just when he needed it; he felt he had done so
little to teach his flock now he was to leave them; but if he had only
done something to keep alive the fire of faith, he had not lost his time;
and so he went about his spiritual affairs with new heart, encouraging
the wavering, whom he was to leave, warning the over-confident, urging
the hesitating, and saying good-bye to them all. Isabel went with him
sometimes; or sometimes walked or rode with Mary, and was silent for the
most part in public. The master of the house himself did his affairs, and
carried a heavier heart each day. And at last the opportunity came which
Mary had predicted.

He had come in one evening after a hot ride alone over to Tonbridge on
some business with the priest there; and had dressed for supper
immediately on coming in.

As there was still nearly an hour before supper, he went out to walk up
and down the same yew-alley near the garden-house where he had walked
with Mary. Anthony and Isabel had returned a little later from East
Maskells, and they too had dressed early. Isabel threw a lace shawl over
her head, and betook herself too to the alley; and there she turned a
corner and almost ran into her host.

It was, as Mary had said, a God-made opportunity. Neither time nor place
could have been improved. If externals were of any value to this
courtship, all that could have helped was there. The setting of the
picture was perfect; a tall yew-hedge ran down the northern side of the
walk, cut, as Bacon recommended, not fantastically but "with some pretty
pyramids"; a strip of turf separated it from the walk, giving a sense
both of privacy and space; on the south side ran flower-beds in the turf,
with yews and cypresses planted here and there, and an oak paling beyond;
to the east lay the "fair mount," again recommended by the same
authority, but not so high, and with but one ascent; to the west the path
darkened under trees, and over all rose up against the sunset sky the
tall grotesque towers and