‘The poor have ever been the salt of the earth, my lord,’ said the priest.

‘That begs the whole question,’ said the bishop, turning to his host, and, beginning to talk about a breed of pigs which had lately been imported into the palace sties.  Father Barham turned to Mr Hepworth and went on with his argument, or rather began another.  It was a mistake to suppose that the Catholics in the county were all poor.  There were the A s and the B s, and the C s and the D s.  He knew all their names and was proud of their fidelity.  To him these faithful ones were really the salt of the earth, who would some day be enabled by their fidelity to restore England to her pristine condition.  The bishop had truly said that...