on　my　delivering　him　a　card；　he　bade　me　inform　my　master　and　the
  ladies　that　in　the　course　of　the　day　he　would　do　himself　the　honour
  of　waiting　upon　them。　　He　then　arose　and　opened　the　door　for　me　to
  depart。　　The　man　was　perfectly　civil　and　courteous；　but　I　did　not
  like　that　strange　laugh　of　his　after　having　read　the　letter。　　He
  was　as　good　as　his　word；　and　that　same　day　paid　us　a　visit。　　It　was
  now　arranged　that　we　should　pass　the　winter　in　Rome　…　to　my　great
  annoyance；　for　I　wished　to　return　to　my　native　land；　being　heartily
  tired　of　everything　connected　with　Italy。　　I　was　not；　however；
  without　hope　that　our　young　master　would　shortly　arrive；　when　I
  trusted　that　matters；　as　far　as　the　family　were　concerned；　would　be
  put　on　a　better　footing。　　In　a　few　days　our　new　acquaintance；　who；
  it　seems；　was　a　mongrel　Englishman；　had　procured　a　house　for　our
  accommodation；　it　was　large　enough；　but　not　near　so　pleasant　as
  that　we　had　at　Naples；　which　was　light　and　airy；　with　a　large
  garden。　　This　was　a　dark　gloomy　structure　in　a　narrow　street；　with
  a　frowning　church　beside　it；　it　was　not　far　from　the　place　where
  our　new　friend　lived；　and　its　being　so　was　probably　the　reason　why
  he　selected　it。　　It　was　furnished　partly　with　articles　which　we
  bought；　and　partly　with　those　which　we　hired。　　We　lived　something
  in　the　same　way　as　at　Naples；　but　though　I　did　not　much　like
  Naples；　I　yet　liked　it　better　than　this　place；　which　was　so　gloomy。
  Our　new　acquaintance　made　himself　as　agreeable　as　he　could；
  conducting　the　ladies　to　churches　and　convents；　and　frequently
  passing　the　afternoon　drinking　with　the　governor；　who　was　fond　of　a
  glass　of　brandy　and　water　and　a　cigar；　as　the　new　acquaintance　also
  was　…　no；　I　remember；　he　was　fond　of　gin　and　water；　and　did　not
  smoke。　　I　don't　think　he　had　so　much　influence　over　the　young
  ladies　as　the　other　priest；　which　was；　perhaps；　owing　to　his　not
  being　so　good…looking；　but　I　am　sure　he　had　more　influence　with　the
  governor；　owing；　doubtless；　to　his　bearing　him　company　in　drinking
  mixed　liquors；　which　the　other　priest　did　not　do。
  'He　was　a　strange　fellow；　that　same　new　acquaintance　of　ours；　and
  unlike　all　the　priests　I　saw　in　that　country；　and　I　saw　plenty　of
  various　nations；　they　were　always　upon　their　guard；　and　had　their
  features　and　voice　modulated；　but　this　man　was　subject　to　fits　of
  absence；　during　which　he　would　frequently　mutter　to　himself；　then；
  though　he　was　perfectly　civil　to　everybody；　as　far　as　words　went；　I
  observed　that　he　entertained　a　thorough　contempt　for　most　people；
  especially　for　those　whom　he　was　making　dupes。　　I　have　observed　him
  whilst　drinking　with　our　governor；　when　the　old　man's　head　was
  turned；　look　at　him　with　an　air　which　seemed　to　say；　〃What　a
  thundering　old　fool　you　are〃；　and　at　our　young　ladies；　when　their
  backs　were　turned；　with　a　glance　which　said　distinctly　enough；　〃You
  precious　pair　of　ninnyhammers〃；　and　then　his　laugh　…　he　had　two
  kinds　of　laughs　…　one　which　you　could　hear；　and　another　which　you
  could　only　see。　　I　have　seen　him　laugh　at　our　governor　and　the
  young　ladies；　when　their　heads　were　turned　away；　but　I　heard　no
  sound。　　My　mother　had　a　sandy　cat；　which　sometimes　used　to　open　its
  mouth　wide　with　a　mew　which　nobody　could　hear；　and　the　silent　laugh
  of　that　red…haired　priest　used　to　put　me　wonderfully　in　mind　of　the
  silent　mew　of　my　mother's　sandy…red　cat。　　And　then　the　other　laugh；
  which　you　could　hear；　what　a　strange　laugh　that　was；　never　loud；
  yes；　I　have　heard　it　tolerably　loud。　　He　once　passed　near　me；　after
  having　taken　leave　of　a　silly　English　fellow　…　a　limping　parson　of
  the　name　of　Platitude；　who；　they　said；　was　thinking　of　turning
  Papist；　and　was　much　in　his　company；　I　was　standing　behind　the
  pillar　of　a　piazza；　and　as　he　passed　he　was　laughing　heartily。　　O
  he　was　a　strange　fellow；　that　same　red…haired　acquaintance　of　ours！
  'After　we　had　been　at　Rome　about　six　weeks　our　old　friend　the
  priest　of　Naples　arrived；　but　without　his　subordinate；　for　whose
  services　he　now　perhaps　thought　that　he　had　no　occasion。　　I　believe
  he　found　matters　in　our　family　wearing　almost　as　favourable　an
  aspect　as　he　could　desire：　　with　what　he　had　previously　taught　them
  and　shown　them　at　Naples　and　elsewhere；　and　with　what　the　red…
  haired　confederate　had　taught　them　and　shown　them　at　Rome；　the　poor
  young　ladies　had　become　quite　handmaids　of　superstition；　so　that
  they；　especially　the　youngest；　were　prepared　to　bow　down　to
  anything；　and　kiss　anything；　however　vile　and　ugly；　provided　a
  priest　commanded　them；　and　as　for　the　old　governor；　what　with　the
  influence　which　his　daughters　exerted；　and　what　with　the　ascendency
  which　the　red…haired　man　had　obtained　over　him；　he　dared　not　say
  his　purse；　far　less　his　soul；　was　his　own。　　Only　think　of　an
  Englishman　not　being　master　of　his　own　purse！　　My　acquaintance；　the
  lady's　maid；　assured　me　that；　to　her　certain　knowledge；　he　had
  disbursed　to　the　red…haired　man；　for　purposes　of　charity；　as　it　was
  said；　at　least　one　thousand　pounds　during　the　five　weeks　we　had
  been　at　Rome。　　She　also　told　me　that　things　would　shortly　be
  brought　to　a　conclusion　…　and　so　indeed　they　were；　though　in　a
  different　manner　from　what　she　and　I　and　some　other　people
  imagined；　that　there　was　to　be　a　grand　festival；　and　a　mass；　at
  which　we　were　to　be　present；　after　which　the　family　were　to　be
  presented　to　the　Holy　Father；　for　so　those　two　priestly　sharks　had
  managed　it；　and　then　。　。　。　she　said　she　was　certain　that　the　two
  ladies；　and　perhaps　the　old　governor；　would　forsake　the　religion　of
  their　native　land；　taking　up　with　that　of　these　foreign　regions；
  for　so　my　fellow…servant　expressed　it；　and　that　perhaps　attempts
  might　be　made　to　induce　us　poor　English　servants　to　take　up　with
  the　foreign　religion；　that　is　herself　and　me；　for　as　for　our
  fellow…servant；　the　other　maid；　she　wanted　no　inducing；　being
  disposed　body　and　soul　to　go　over　to　it。　　Whereupon　I　swore　with　an
  oath　that　nothing　should　induce　me　to　take　up　with　the　foreign
  religion；　and　the　poor　maid；　my　fellow…servant；　bursting　into
  tears；　said　that　for　her　part　she　would　die　sooner　than　have
  anything　to　do　with　it；　thereupon　we　shook　hands　and　agreed　to
  stand　by　and　countenance　one　another：　　and　moreover；　provided　our
  governors　were　fools　enough　to　go　over　to　the　religion　of　these
  here　foreigners；　we　would　not　wait　to　be　asked　to　do　the　like；　but
  leave　them　at　once；　and　make　the　best　of　our　way　home；　even　if　we
  were　forced　to　beg　on　the　road。
  'At　last　the　day　of　the　grand　festival　came；　and　we　were　all　to　go
  to　the　big　church　to　hear　the　mass。　　Now　it　happened　that　for　some
  time　past　I　had　been　much　afflicted　with　melancholy；　especially
  when　I　got　up　of　a　morning；　produced　by　the　strange　manner　in　which
  I　saw　things　going　on　in　our　family；　and　to　dispel　it　in　some
  degree；　I　had　been　in　the　habit　of　taking　a　dram　before　breakfast。
  On　the　morning　in　question；　feeling　particularly　low　spirited　when
  I　thought　of　the　foolish　step　our　governor　would　probably　take
  before　evening；　I　took　two　drams　before　breakfast；　and　after
  breakfast；　feeling　my　melancholy　still　continuing；　I　took　another；
  which　produced　a　slight　effect　upon　my　head；　though　I　am　convinced
  nobody　observed　it。
  'Away　we　drove　to　the　big　church；　it　was　a　dark　misty　day；　I
  remember；　and　very　cold；　so　that　if　anybody　had　noticed　my　being
  slightly　in　liquor；　I　could　have　excused　myself　by　saying　that　I
  had　merely　taken　a　glass　to　fortify　my　constitution　against　the
  weather；　and　of　one　thing　I　am　certain；　which　is；　that　such　an
  excuse　would　have　stood　me　in　stead　with　our　governor；　who　looked；
  I　thought；　as　if　he　had　taken　one　too；　but　I　may　be　mistaken；　and
  why　should　I　notice　him；　seeing　that　he　took　no　notice　of　me？　so
  away　we　drove　to　the　big　church；　to　which　all　the　population　of　the
  place　appeared　to　be　moving。
  'On　arriving　there　we　dismounted；　and　the　two　priests；　who　were
  with　us；　led　the　family　in；　whilst　I　followed　at　a　little　distance；
  but　quickly　lost　them　amidst　the　throng　of　people。　　I　made　my　way；
  however；　though　in　what　direction　I　knew　not；　except　it　was　one　in
  which　everybody　seemed　striving；　and　by　dint　of　elbowing　and
  pushing　I　at　last　got　to　a　place　which　looked　like　the　aisle　of　a
  cathedral；　where　the　people　stood　in　two　rows；　a　space　between
  being　kept　open　by　certain　strangely…dressed　men　who　moved　up　and
  down　with　rods　in　their　hands；　all　were　looking　to　the　upper　end　of
  this　place　or　aisle；　and　at　the　upper　end；　separated　from　the
  people　by　palings　like　those　of　an　altar；　sat　in　magnificent…
  looking　stalls；　on　the　right　and　the　left；　various　wonderful…
  looking　individuals　in　scarlet　dresses。　　At　the　farther　end　was
  what　appeared　to　be　an　altar；　on　the　left　hand　was　a　pulpit；　and　on
  the　right　a　stall　higher　tha