He was in no condition to attend the service the next day, not being
able to walk to the Church, nor to sit and stand in the draughty
building through the prayer and preaching that were not easily
distinguished from on another. He was glad of such a dispensation
without offence, for, children, though you suppose all Protestants to
be alike, such members of the English Church as my family, stand as
far apart from the sects that distracted England as we do from the
Huguenots; and it was almost as much against my brother's conscience
to join in their worship, as it would be against our own. The
English Church claims to be a branch of the true Catholic Church, and
there are those among the Gallicans who are ready to admit her claim.
Harry Merrycourt, who was altogether a political, not a religious
rebel, would gladly have kept Lord Walwyn company; but it was needful
not to expose himself to the suspicion of his hosts, who would have
bestowed numerous strange names on him had he absented himself.
And thus Eustace was left alone in the great hall, lord and lady,
guests and soldiers, men and maids, all going off in procession
across the fields; while he had his choice of the cushions in the
sunny window, or of the large arm-chair by the wood fire on the
hearth.
All alone there he had taken out his Prayer-book, a little black
clasped book with my father's coat-of-arms and one blood-stain on it
--he loved it as we love our Book of the Hours, and indeed, it is much
the very same, for which reason it was then forbidden in England--and
was kneeling in prayer, joining in spirit with the rest of his
Church, when a soft step and a rustle of garments made him look up,
and he beheld the white face and trembling figure of poor Millicent.
Pages:
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143