"One word before we leave, Mr Desborough, if you please," said Amelia, with more dignity than I had thought she possessed. "I have strong reason to believe these persons to be Popish recusants, and the last to whom my father would have confided us, had he known their real character. They have not used any of us so kindly that I need spare them out of any tenderness." "I thank you, Miss Bracewell," said my Uncle Charles, who also, I thought, was showing qualities that I had not known to be in him. (How scenes like these do bring one's faculties out!) "I rather thought there was some sort of Jesuitry at work. Madam," he turned to Mrs Crossland, "I am sure there is no necessity for me to recall the penal laws to your mind. So long as these young ladies are left undisturbed in my care, in any way,--so long, Madam,--they will not be put in force against you. You understand me, I feel sure. Now, girls, let us go." So, we three girls walking, and Hatty in the chair, with Dobson and Caesar as a guard behind, we reached Bloomsbury Square. "Charles, what is it all about?" said Grandmamma, taking a bigger pinch than usual, and spilling some of it on her lace stomacher. "A spider's web, Madam, from which I have been freeing four flies. But one was a blue-bottle, and broke some of the threads," said my Uncle Charles, laughing, and patting my shoulder. "Really!" said Grandmamma. "I am pleased to see you, young ladies. Hester, my dear, are you sure you are quite well?" "I shall be better now," Hatty tried to say, in a trembling voice,--and fainted away. There was a great commotion then, four or five talking at once, making impossible recommendations, and getting in each other's way; but at the end of it all we got poor Hatty into bed in my chamber, and even Grandmamma said that rest was the best thing for her. My Aunt Dorothea mixed a cordial draught, which she gave her to take; and as Hatty's head sank on the pillow, she said to my surprise,-- "Oh, the rest of being free again! Cary, I never expected you to be the heroine of the family." "I think you are the heroine, Hatty." "Most people would have thought I should be. But I have proved weak as water--yet not till after long suffering and hard pressure. You will never see the old Hatty again, Cary." "Oh yes, dear!" said I. "Wait a few days, till you have had a good rest, and we have fed you up. You will feel quite different a week hence." "My body will, I dare say, but me--that inside feeling and thinking machine--that will never be the same again. I want to tell you everything." "And I want to hear it," I replied. "But don't talk now, Hatty; go to sleep, like a good girl. You will be much better for a long rest." I drew the curtains, and asked Amelia to stay until Hatty was asleep. I knew she would not talk much, and Hatty would not care to tell her things as she would me. Going down-stairs, my Uncle Charles greeted me, laughing, with,--