had　employed；　the　individual　in　black　uttered　several　sentences　in
  tones　and　with　gestures　which　were　intended　to　express　a
  considerable　degree　of　pathos；　though　it　is　possible　that　some
  people　would　have　thought　both　the　one　and　the　other　highly
  ludicrous。　　After　a　pause；　Francis　Ardry　recommenced　imitating　the
  tones　and　the　gestures　of　his　monitor　in　the　most　admirable　manner。
  Before　he　had　proceeded　far；　however；　he　burst　into　a　fit　of
  laughter；　in　which　I　should；　perhaps；　have　joined；　provided　it　were
  ever　my　wont　to　laugh。　　'Ha；　ha！'　said　the　other；　good…humouredly；
  'you　are　laughing　at　me。　　Well；　well；　I　merely　wished　to　give　you　a
  hint；　but　you　saw　very　well　what　I　meant；　upon　the　whole　I　think
  you　improve。　　But　I　must　now　go；　having　two　other　pupils　to　visit
  before　four。'
  Then　taking　from　the　table　a　kind　of　three…cornered　hat；　and　a　cane
  headed　with　amber；　he　shook　Francis　Ardry　by　the　hand；　and；　after
  glancing　at　me　for　a　moment；　made　me　a　half　bow；　attended　with　a
  strange　grimace；　and　departed。
  'Who　is　that　gentleman？'　said　I　to　Francis　Ardry；　as　soon　as　were
  alone。
  'Oh；　that　is　…　'　said　Frank；　smiling；　'the　gentleman　who　gives　me
  lessons　in　elocution。'
  'And　what　need　have　you　of　elocution？'
  'Oh；　I　merely　obey　the　commands　of　my　guardians；'　said　Francis；
  'who　insist　that　I　should；　with　the　assistance　of　…；　qualify　myself
  for　Parliament；　for　which　they　do　me　the　honour　to　suppose　that　I
  have　some　natural　talent。　　I　dare　not　disobey　them；　for；　at　the
  present　moment；　I　have　particular　reasons　for　wishing　to　keep　on
  good　terms　with　them。'
  'But；'　said　I；　'you　are　a　Roman　Catholic；　and　I　thought　that
  persons　of　your　religion　were　excluded　from　Parliament？'
  'Why；　upon　that　very　thing　the　whole　matter　hinges；　people　of　our
  religion　are　determined　to　be　no　longer　excluded　from　Parliament；
  but　to　have　a　share　in　the　government　of　the　nation。　　Not　that　I
  care　anything　about　the　matter；　I　merely　obey　the　will　of　my
  guardians；　my　thoughts　are　fixed　on　something　better　than
  politics。'
  'I　understand　you；'　said　I；　'dog…fighting　…　well；　I　can　easily
  conceive　that　to　some　minds　dog…fighting　…　'
  'I　was　not　thinking　of　dog…fighting；'　said　Francis　Ardry；
  interrupting　me。
  'Not　thinking　of　dog…fighting！'　I　ejaculated。
  'No；'　said　Francis　Ardry；　'something　higher　and　much　more　rational
  than　dog…fighting　at　present　occupies　my　thoughts。'
  'Dear　me；'　said　I；　'I　thought　I　had　heard　you　say　that　there　was
  nothing　like　it！'
  'Like　what？'　said　Francis　Ardry。
  'Dog…fighting；　to　be　sure；'　said　I。
  'Pooh；'　said　Francis　Ardry；　'who　but　the　gross　and　unrefined　care
  anything　for　dog…fighting？　　That　which　at　present　engages　my　waking
  and　sleeping　thoughts　is　love　…　divine　love　…　there　is　nothing　like
  THAT。　　Listen　to　me；　I　have　a　secret　to　confide　to　you。'
  And　then　Francis　Ardry　proceeded　to　make　me　his　confidant。　　It
  appeared　that　he　had　had　the　good　fortune　to　make　the　acquaintance
  of　the　most　delightful　young　Frenchwoman　imaginable；　Annette　La
  Noire　by　name；　who　had　just　arrived　from　her　native　country　with
  the　intention　of　obtaining　the　situation　of　governess　in　some
  English　family；　a　position　which；　on　account　of　her　many
  accomplishments；　she　was　eminently　qualified　to　fill。　　Francis
  Ardry　had；　however；　persuaded　her　to　relinquish　her　intention　for
  the　present；　on　the　ground　that；　until　she　had　become　acclimated　in
  England；　her　health　would　probably　suffer　from　the　confinement
  inseparable　from　the　occupation　in　which　she　was　desirous　of
  engaging；　he　had；　moreover　…　for　it　appeared　that　she　was　the　most
  frank　and　confiding　creature　in　the　world　…　succeeded　in　persuading
  her　to　permit　him　to　hire　for　her　a　very　handsome　first　floor　in
  his　own　neighbourhood；　and　to　accept　a　few　inconsiderable　presents
  in　money　and　jewellery。　　'I　am　looking　out　for　a　handsome　gig　and
  horse；'　said　Francis　Ardry；　at　the　conclusion　of　his　narration；　'it
  were　a　burning　shame　that　so　divine　a　creature　should　have　to　go
  about　a　place　like　London　on　foot；　or　in　a　paltry　hackney　coach。'
  'But；'　said　I；　'will　not　the　pursuit　of　politics　prevent　your
  devoting　much　time　to　this　fair　lady？'
  'It　will　prevent　me　devoting　all　my　time；'　said　Francis　Ardry；　'as
  I　gladly　would；　but　what　can　I　do？　　My　guardians　wish　me　to　qualify
  myself　for　a　political　orator；　and　I　dare　not　offend　them　by　a
  refusal。　　If　I　offend　my　guardians；　I　should　find　it　impossible　…
  unless　I　have　recourse　to　Jews　and　money…lenders　…　to　support
  Annette；　present　her　with　articles　of　dress　and　jewellery；　and
  purchase　a　horse　and　cabriolet　worthy　of　conveying　her　angelic
  person　through　the　streets　of　London。'
  After　a　pause；　in　which　Francis　Ardry　appeared　lost　in　thought；　his
  mind　being　probably　occupied　with　the　subject　of　Annette；　I　broke
  silence　by　observing；　'So　your　fellow…religionists　are　really　going
  to　make　a　serious　attempt　to　procure　their　emancipation？'
  'Yes；'　said　Francis　Ardry；　starting　from　his　reverie；　'everything
  has　been　arranged；　even　a　leader　has　been　chosen；　at　least　for　us
  of　Ireland；　upon　the　whole　the　most　suitable　man　in　the　world　for
  the　occasion　…　a　barrister　of　considerable　talent；　mighty　voice；
  and　magnificent　impudence。　　With　emancipation；　liberty；　and　redress
  for　the　wrongs　of　Ireland　in　his　mouth；　he　is　to　force　his　way　into
  the　British　House　of　Commons；　dragging　myself　and　others　behind　him
  …　he　will　succeed；　and　when　he　is　in　he　will　cut　a　figure；　I　have
  heard　…　himself；　who　has　heard　him　speak；　say　that　he　will　cut　a
  figure。'
  'And　is　…　competent　to　judge？'　I　demanded。
  'Who　but　he？'　said　Francis　Ardry；　'no　one　questions　his　judgment
  concerning　what　relates　to　elocution。　　His　fame　on　that　point　is　so
  well　established；　that　the　greatest　orators　do　not　disdain
  occasionally　to　consult　him；　C…　himself；　as　I　have　been　told；　when
  anxious　to　produce　any　particular　effect　in　the　House；　is　in　the
  habit　of　calling　in　…　for　a　consultation。'
  'As　to　matter；　or　manner？'　said　I。
  'Chiefly　the　latter；'　said　Francis　Ardry；　'though　he　is　competent
  to　give　advice　as　to　both；　for　he　has　been　an　orator　in　his　day；
  and　a　leader　of　the　people；　though　he　confessed　to　me　that　he　was
  not　exactly　qualified　to　play　the　latter　part　…　〃I　want　paunch；〃
  said　he。'
  'It　is　not　always　indispensable；'　said　I；　'there　is　an　orator　in　my
  town；　a　hunchback　and　watchmaker；　without　it；　who　not　only　leads
  the　people；　but　the　mayor　too；　perhaps　he　has　a　succedaneum　in　his
  hunch：　　but；　tell　me；　is　the　leader　of　your　movement　in　possession
  of　that　which　…　wants？'
  'No　more　deficient　in　it　than　in　brass；'　said　Francis　Ardry。
  'Well；'　said　I；　'whatever　his　qualifications　may　be；　I　wish　him
  success　in　the　cause　which　he　has　taken　up　…　I　love　religious
  liberty。'
  'We　shall　succeed；'　said　Francis　Ardry；　'John　Bull　upon　the　whole
  is　rather　indifferent　on　the　subject；　and　then　we　are　sure　to　be
  backed　by　the　Radical　party；　who；　to　gratify　their　political
  prejudices；　would　join　with　Satan　himself。'
  'There　is　one　thing；'　said　I；　'connected　with　this　matter　which
  surprises　me　…　your　own　lukewarmness。　　Yes；　making　every　allowance
  for　your　natural　predilection　for　dog…fighting；　and　your　present
  enamoured　state　of　mind；　your　apathy　at　the　commencement　of　such　a
  movement　is　to　me　unaccountable。'
  'You　would　not　have　cause　to　complain　of　my　indifference；'　said
  Frank；　'provided　I　thought　my　country　would　be　benefited　by　this
  movement；　but　I　happen　to　know　the　origin　of　it。　　The　priests　are
  the　originators；　'and　what　country　was　ever　benefited　by　a　movement
  which　owed　its　origin　to　them？'　so　says　Voltaire；　a　page　of　whom　I
  occasionally　read。　　By　the　present　move　they　hope　to　increase　their
  influence；　and　to　further　certain　designs　which　they　entertain　both
  with　regard　to　this　country　and　Ireland。　　I　do　not　speak　rashly　or
  unadvisedly。　　A　strange　fellow　…　a　half…Italian；　half…English
  priest；　…　who　was　recommended　to　me　by　my　guardians；　partly　as　a
  spiritual；　partly　as　a　temporal　guide；　has　let　me　into　a　secret　or
  two；　he　is　fond　of　a　glass　of　gin　and　water　…　and　over　a　glass　of
  gin　and　water　cold；　with　a　lump　of　sugar　in　it；　he　has　been　more
  communicative；　perhaps；　than　was　altogether　prudent。　　Were　I　my　own
  master；　I　would　kick　him；　politics；　and　religious　movements；　to　a
  considerable　distance。　　And　now；　if　you　are　going　away；　do　so
  quickly；　I　have　an　appointment　with　Annette；　and　must　make　myself
  fit　to　appear　before　her。'
  CHAPTER　XLIII
  Progress　…　Glorious　John　…　Utterly　unintelligible　…　What　a
  difference。
  BY　the　month　of　October　I　had；　in　spite　of　all　difficulties　and
  obstacles；　accomplished　about　two…thirds　of　the　principal　task
  which　I　had　undertaken；　the　compiling　of　th