Fabiola : or, The church of the catacombs - Digital Repository Services

was bring
celebrated ma ('
,r at bund. The younger members of the party i
the proposition with acclamations, and at ouce prepared
to set out. It appeared to most of them, young and giddy as
as a very appropriate finish to their evening's entertainment.
Most of them had never been -within the walls of a
lie church during their lives ; none of them knew anyabout
the doctrines of that church but what they had
from the teachings of their own pulpits, and that teach-
i) need hardly say, had been of no very
TJ1K TWO VICTOUJRH.
correct nature,
things in the world; so many genuflections, and crossings,
and bowings, that you can't understand what its about at all ;
besides, their music is generally very good, and it would be a
pity to miss the sight ; so do come with us, there's a good
fellow."
" My dear Frank," answered Edwin, very calmly, but very
sorrowfully, " I think you don't know what you ask me to do.
I know very little about the belief or profession of these
Catholics; and would to God I understood more clearly even
my own belief. I have often heard Mr. Grant say they are
idolaters, but I do not believe it, for I know that educated men,
such as the Catholic body has within it, would never be guilty
of such a deadly sin. My French master was a Catholic ; and
I will never do it ; I will not make the house of God for even
their churches are the houses of God a mere place of vain
amusement and idle curiosity. I will never insult the religious
belief of any of my fellow Christians by such impertinent in-
trusions upon them as that which you now ask me to join you
in perpetrating. No Frank, I will not go with such motives
as these and ; knowing me as you do, I am astonished you
The tears rushed into Edwin's eyes as he answer
"No, Frank, I am not a Papist, as you style it. I huvo
never iv.-nl u Catholic book in my life, and I am now air
enter a Catholic Church for the first time ; but if i thor
would make me a better man, or bring me nearer to (
would willingly become a Catholic to-morrow, for I cannot I
really, really cannot remain as I am," he continued with tlm
tears streaming from his eyes. "I cannot remain tin
worldly, tepid creature that I am it will kill me, it is killing
me already, for I have read, and prayed, and thought until my
;
brain is almost worn out, and yet there is nothing hnl d;uand
fear, and uncertainty on every side. Oh ! would to God I
had constantly heard Popery described as a worship of
forms and ceremonies without meaning or siguificancy, a mere
empty form intended to delude weak people, and calculated to
bring eternal ruin upon its deluded votaries. It was, therefore,
with feelings of mingled contempt and curiosity that they preto
set out in order to finish their evening's amusement
by tlus visit to the Catholic chapel. Edwin alone of the young
people made no preparation to accompany the party.
"Why, Edwin," cried young Seymour, "won't you come
knew what to do.
But, again,
with us? You don't mean to stay at home, do you, and refuse
to join us ? I'm sure you'll like it, for I have been told that
(HIS Mass, or whatever they call it, is one of the most amusing
let him take comfort, for light is at hand.
CHAPTEB VII.
INTRODUCES THE CBITICS AND DISPOSES OF THEM
MASS, AND WHAT CAME OF IT.
A MIDNIGHT
AND now, whilst Edwin Stanhope and his friends are making
their way to the Catholic Church, situated a little distance
from B square, no doubt many of our readers are grumbling,
and declaring that we have altogether overdrawn thehero
(if so we may style him) of this story. Bluff old Mr. Brown,
whose "sumnium bonum" appears to be contained in the three
"
magic letters, s. d. the Koman initials for pouuds shil-
lings and pence," declares that it is all stuff and nonsense,
and that the young puppy ought to have had something better
to think about; and, moreover, that a good hone-whipping
would have been the greatest boon that could possibly have
been conferred upon him ; and the rosy face of the good old
man becomes quite purple with indignation as he conjures up
the idea of his son, Tom Brown, taking any such ridiculous
although he never spoke to me on religion, I know he was a
good man, so gentle, so humble, and BO meek, when papa was
cross and angry with him, as he sometimes was without much
i. I repeat I know nothing of Catholic doctrine or belief,
but I am sure charity obliges me to believe them to be sincere
in their professions as we are in ours and ; yet you ask me to
accompany you to one of their churches (where they are assembled
to worship God according to the best of their power
and knowledge), just as you would ask me to accompany you
notions, and thinking about religion and that sort of thing ;
"and I should like to find you, sir," says Paterfamilias, across
the table to Tom,
to the theatre, or any other place of amusement. No, Frank,
" getting any of these hairbrained notions
into your head about becoming better, and desiring something
"
more perfect. Trash, sir ! Nonsense ! ! Humbug And poor
old Brown waxes quite warm, especially as he thinks of all his
own virtues and perfections.
" Be as good as your father, sir, and you will do. Be as
clever and longheaded as your grandfather, and you will be
perfect. But as to getting any of Master Edwin's fanciful notions,
I should like to catch you at it ; that is all, sir. I do not
believe a word of it."
Old Brown, however, need not be afraid of Tom ; for Tom,
a fine specimen of the " animal," with a decided taste for showy
vests, chains, and pins, quite agrees with the "old boy," as he
Should have asked me."
"Why, my dear fellow, how warmly you do take this matter.
I am sure I didn't ask you to join us with any such motives as
those which yoa ascribe to us. I confess I have some little
curiosity to see the High Mass, but I trust I am as incapable
as yourself, Edwin, of entering any place of worship whatsoever,
with the motives you so justly repudiate. I trust I am
as incapable as yourself of insulting the convictions of any
class of professing Christians, and now I hope you won't refuse
any longer to come with us."
As he finished speaking, Frank Seymour held out his hand
and looked at Edwin with so much sympathy and generous
feeling in his face, that Edwin at once .took the proffered hand,
and shook it warmly. The others gathering round and proig
their innocence of any such unworthy motives as those
he had mentioned, Edwin allowed himself to be overcome, and
prepared to set out with his friends.
As Edwin and Frank were passing out of the house, arm in
arm, the latter jokingly remarked, "Why, Edwin, my dear
you got so warm irreverently styles
just now that I think you must be
. 1'apiut uheady. is it so? Do tell me."
his father, that it is all a humbug, and that
he does not believe there ever was such a person as Edwin
Stanhope ; and that if there were he was a lack-a-daisical fool,
who wanted ducking in a horse-pond to give him some spirit
and manliness by spirit and manliness Tom meaning drinking,
smoking, swearing, and the other fashionable and more
objectionable amusements in which honest Tom and his class
find their pleasure and perfection.
Then there is Miss Simper, who has read novels until she
fancies herself surrounded by an atmosphere of mystery and
romance, and who, when she hears a rap at the door, rises from
her book with such a graceful air, and swims along the narrowpassage
of the dwelling which she poetically describes as "her
childhood's home," thinking of the knight in disguise who in
seeking his "ladye faire," and is only recalled to sublunary
things by finding at the door, instead of her trusty knight, the
milkman, or the butcher's boy with the sheep's-head for the
daily broth, little thinking or reflecting, poor thing, as she
takes it with a jaunty and abstracted air, how many sheep's
heads there are planted on human shoulders. Miss Simper has
read our description of Edwin, and she is sure he must have
been a dear creature but then he was so ;
very foolish to trouble
himself about these matters, which after all were of so little
importance, as he was doing the best he could ; and even Miss