"Mostly people of substance and good character," he answered. "None of very high rank, that I have heard of, but many gentlemen have gone from this country, and more substantial yeomen and tradesmen, but all of the sort called Puritans. A good many of the descendants of the French Huguenots have also joined them, driven out by this new edict concerning their worship, and obliging them to conform. The Court is doing here what Mazarin hath done in France, namely, sending away the wealth and industry of the country to enrich foreign lands. However, in this case, it may turn to good in the end, for I believe the trade to North America will in time grow so great as to be valuable to the mother country." "Think you that the Church of England will be benefited by these extreme measures?" I ventured to ask him. "So far from it that she hath need to pray that she may be delivered from the foes of her own household," said he. "But that I believe her to be founded on the rock of Divine Truth, I should despair of her cause, and think the dark ages were coming back again." "Yet the Archbishop professes a great hatred of popery!" I said. "They say he hath refused a cardinal's hat more than once." "The Archbishop thinks mayhap that he would rather be King of Brentford than Lackey in London!" said Mr. Corbet, dryly. "What signifies lacking the name, if we have all the worst errors of the thing? I would as soon have an Italian Pope as an English one, and the Star Chamber seems like to rival the Inquisition in its cruelties. But we will talk no more of these grave matters now," he added, seeing Betty's eyes wide open. "I wonder if she ever heard the story of how Will Atkins and I saved the Indian woman's babe from the lion?" Betty had never heard the tale, and "did seriously her ear incline," like Desdemona in the play. If she were older—but she is only a child, and it can do no harm. Only for her misfortune, it would be a good marriage—but then Mr. Corbet is past thirty—nearer forty, I should say. He tells a story better than any one I ever heard, neither speaking too much of himself nor affecting a false modesty. He hath read and reflected much, as well as seen a great deal of the world, but Mrs. Judith says the Corbets are naturally scholars. The families have been so much mixed up with intermarriages and constant intercourse that I should think it would be hard to tell which was Corbet and which was Stanton. When the tale of the lion was ended ('tis not a true lion, either, Mr. Corbet says, but a much smaller, though very fierce beast), I told Betty it was time to go in, and Mr. Corbet took his leave.