M-Maxwell would know and
trust, as he is new to us here; but I had heard him speak of his friend
Mr. Anthony Norris, who was at Lambeth House; and I determined, sir, to
send the child to you; and ask you to do this service for your friend;
for an officer of the Archbishop's household is beyond suspicion. N-now,
sir, will you do this service? If you do it not, I know not where to turn
for help."
Anthony was silent. He felt a little uneasy. Supposing that there was
sedition mixed up in this! How could he trust the man's story? How could
he be certain in fact that he was a Catholic at all? He looked at him
keenly in the fire-light. The man's one eye shone in deep anxiety, and
his forehead was wrinkled; and he passed his hand nervously over his
mouth again and again.
"How can I tell," said Anthony, "that all this is true?"
The man with an impatient movement unfastened his shirt at the neck and
drew up on a string that was round his neck a little leather case.
"Th-there, sir," he stammered, drawing the string over his head. "T-take
that to the fire and see what it is."
Anthony took it curiously, and holding it close to the fire drew off the
little case; there was the wax medal stamped with the lamb, called
_Agnus Dei_.
"Th-there," cried the man from the bed, "now I have p-put myself in your
hands--and if more is w-wanted----" and as Anthony came back holding the
medal, the man fumbled beneath the pillow and drew out a rosary.
"N-now, sir, do you believe me?"
It was felony to possess these things and Anthony had no more doubts.
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