should be a Catholic was at least as fundamental an article of faith as
that the minister should be a Protestant. There was little or no
hot-gospel here; men still shook their heads sympathetically over the
old days and the old faith, which indeed had ceased to be the faith of
all scarcely twenty years ago; and it appeared to the most of them that
the proper faith of the Quality, since they had before their eyes such
families as the Babingtons, the Fentons, and the FitzHerberts, was that
to which their own squire was about to say good-bye. It was known, too,
publicly by now, that Mr. Robin was gone away for Easter, since he would
not follow his father. So the crowd waited; the dogs sunned themselves;
and the gunner sat on a wall.

* * * * *

The bells ceased at nine o'clock, and upon the moment, a group came
round the churchyard wall, down from the field-path and the stile that
led to the manor.

First, walking alone, came the squire, swiftly and steadily. His face
was flushed a little, but set and determined. He was in his fine
clothes, ruff and all; his rapier was looped at his side, and he carried
a stick. Behind him came three or four farm servants; then a yeoman and
his wife; and last, at a little distance, three or four onlookers.

There was dead silence as he came; the hum of talk died at the corners;
the bells' clamour had even now ceased. It seemed as if each man waited
for his neighbour to speak. There was only the sound of the squire's
brisk footsteps on the few yards of cobbles that paved the walk up to
the lych-gate. At the door of the church, seen beyond him, was a crowd
of faces.