It was quite a long time before the sisters caught sight of him, and then he was walking arm-in-arm with Master Clarke, who, catching sight of the little group, brought him straight up to them and presented him.

Radley was dressed in academic garb, like all the members of the university.  He looked about five-and-twenty years old, was a tall and finely proportioned man, deep chested and muscular, with a gravely deferential manner that was pleasing and modest.

Arthur Cole and Anthony Dalaber came hastening up to join the group, and presently it broke up somewhat, and thus Magdalen found herself walking towards home with Clarke, whilst the others followed as they chose, having been asked by Dr. Langton to partake of a cold collation at his house, which had been carefully spread overnight by the hands of the girls themselves.

“He has a wonderful voice,” said Magdalen, with a slight backward glance over her shoulder towards Radley; “who is he, and whence does he come?”

“He sang as a boy in one of those grammar schools which the cardinal is now interesting himself so much to promote.  But when he lost his boy’s voice he was not able to remain at the school, and has since been a servant in several great houses.  He obtained a position in the cardinal’s house last year, and it was there that the great man heard him singing over his work, and had him brought before him.  Finding that he had some learning, and was eager for more, he decided to appoint him as singing man at his own college here, and to let him continue his studies as well.  I trow that he would have willingly made him one of the petty canons, but Radley declined that honour.  He has no call to the priesthood, he says; and in truth he has heard much in London of the Association of Christian Brothers, and has read many of the forbidden books.

“Indeed, I think I may call him one of them.  I am not afraid to tell you this, Mistress Magdalen, for I know your heart is full of sympathy for us, who are seekers after purer truth than we can always find amongst those who are set to dispense it to us.”

The girl’s eyes were full of sympathy and earnest interest.

“Indeed, I would fain see all men longing after light and truth.  God is Light, and God is Truth; His Son came as the Light of the world.  He must desire all men to seek the Light.  And if His church does not shine with it as it should, men must needs try to add to her light, each in his own measure.”

Magdalen looked with the greater interest at Radley after having heard what John Clarke spoke of him.  He sat beside Dalaber at table, and the two seemed on intimate terms.

Arthur Cole was beside her, and took up much of her attention.  His admiration was almost openly expressed, and the girl sometimes blushed at his gallant compliments.  She liked the gay-hearted young man, but she was not so much attracted towards him as towards Clarke and those more thoughtful spirits.  Still, she was not proof against the fascination of his courtly address, and she listened with interest to his account of the game he had learned in Italy and had introduced to England, and which bears so close a resemblance to our modern game of football that it may well be regarded as its parent.