“I do believe Christ to be present with His sacrament, inasmuch as He is alway with His people to the end of time.  But as I am not skilful in matters of such nicety, I would ask of this reverend casuist, who is more able to answer in questions of such weight than I; who am, as I said before, unlearned in disputed points; and truly I am in nothing more wishful than to come at a right knowledge and understanding of the truth.”

“Say on,” said the priest, something flattered by this modest appeal to his opinion.

“Our Lord took the cup and blessed it, of which He then drank, and afterwards His disciples?”

“Yes.  But this doth not sanction its being sent round to the laity,” replied the priest, not aware of the drift and true bearing of the inquiry.

“Then He took the bread and brake, and did eat likewise with His disciples?”

“Of a truth,” replied the unwary disputant.  “For these questions need but a plain and simple answer.”

“Then,” said Marsh, “of a surety He must have ate and drank Himself!—­Nay,” continued he, seeing the priest turn pale with rage and vexation, “I can find none other alternative.  For, unlearned and unpractised as I am; the absurdity of your belief is manifest.”

“Thou art a child of perdition—­an impious and pestilent heretic!  Thou eatest and drinkest damnation to thyself; and the Holy Church consigns all such to the flames, and to the fire of eternal wrath hereafter!” roared the infuriate priest, whose choler waxed hotter in proportion as he felt unable to withstand the conclusion of his opponent.

“For,” as it has been observed, even by some of the most enlightened Catholics themselves,[18] “theological animosity, so far from being an argument of men’s conviction in their opposite sects, is a certain proof that they have never reached any serious persuasion with regard to these sublime subjects.  Even those who are most impatient of contradiction in other controversies, are mild and moderate in comparison of polemical divines; and whenever a man’s knowledge and experience give him a perfect assurance in his own opinion, he regards with contempt rather than anger the opposition and mistakes of others.  But while men zealously maintain what they neither clearly comprehend nor entirely believe, they are shaken in their imagined faith by the opposite persuasion, or even doubts of other men, and vent on their antagonists that anger and impatience which is the natural result of this state of the understanding.”

“Master,” cried Wrinstone, “shall I fetch the bridle that we so oft use for scolds and ill women?”

“Ay, do, prithee run, Roger,” said the child, hastily, and looking towards him, “for my grandfather’s priest is like to need it soon.”

At this the worthy professor of Christian charity and good-will, darting a furious look at the girl, exclaimed—­

“Sir Roger, beware lest this viper thou art hatching be suffered to sting us.  Look to it!  This minion of thine is not too young either to work mischief or to escape its punishment!”