herein various assertions made by Roman Catholic organs
and repeated in Roman Catholic speeches were brought together, so as
to show that Mr Melmotte really had at last made up his mind on this
important question. All the world knew now, said Mr Alf's writer, that
with that keen sense of honesty which was the Great Financier's
peculiar characteristic,--the Great Financier was the name which Mr Alf
had specially invented for Mr Melmotte,--he had doubted, till the truth
was absolutely borne in upon him, whether he could serve the nation
best as a Liberal or as a Conservative. He had solved that doubt with
wisdom. And now this other doubt had passed through the crucible, and
by the aid of fire a golden certainty had been produced. The world of
Westminster at last knew that Mr Melmotte was a Roman Catholic. Now
nothing was clearer than this,--that though catching the Catholic vote
would greatly help a candidate, no real Roman Catholic could hope to
be returned. This last article vexed Mr Melmotte, and he proposed to
his friends to send a letter to the 'Breakfast Table' asserting that
he adhered to the Protestant faith of his ancestors. But, as it was
suspected by many, and was now being whispered to the world at large,
that Melmotte had been born a Jew, this assurance would perhaps have
been too strong. 'Do nothing of the kind,' said Mr Beauchamp
Beauclerk. 'If any one asks you a question at any meeting, say that
you are a Protestant. But it isn't likely, as we have none but our own
people. Don't go writing letters.'

But unfortunately the gift of an altar to St Fabricius was such a
godsend that sundry priests about the country were determined to cling
to the good man who had bestowed his money so well. I think that many
of them did believe that this was a great sign of a beauteous stirring
of people's minds in favour of Rome. The fervent Romanists have always
this point in their favour, that they are ready to believe. And they
have a desire for the conversion of men which is honest in an exactly
inverse ratio to the dishonesty of the means which they employ to
produce it. Father Barham was ready to sacrifice anything personal to
himself in the good cause,--his time, his health, his money when he had
any, and his life. Much as he liked the comfort of Carbury Hall, he
would never for a moment condescend to ensure its continued enjoyment
by reticence as to his religion. Roger Carbury was hard of heart. He
could see that. But