The duke and Lady Fulda glanced at him involuntarily, and very good-naturedly tried to smile. This, however, did not necessitate such an effort as the mere cold reading of the twins' remark might make it appear, for they both had a certain charm of manner, expressive of an utter absence of any intention to offend, which no kindly disposed person could resist; and Father Ricardo was essentially kindly disposed. The twins were taking their leave by this time. Angelica proceeded to deposit one of her erratic kisses somewhere on the old duke's head, with an emphasis which caused him to wince perceptibly. Then she went up to Father Ricardo, and shook hands with him. "I hope the next time we come you will be able to tell us some nice bogey stories about death and the judgment, and hell, and that kind of thing," she said politely. "They interest us very much. You remember, you told us some before?" "It must be very jolly for grandpapa to have you here always, ready to make his blood run cold whenever he feels dull," Diavolo observed, looking up at the priest admiringly. "You do it so well, you know, just as if you believed it all." "We tried it once with some children we had to spend the day with us at Hamilton House," Angelica said. "We took them into a dark room--the long room, you know, Aunt Fulda; and Diavolo rubbed a match on the wall at the far end, and I explained that that was a glimmer of hell-fire at a great distance off; and then we told them if they didn't keep quite still the old devil himself would come creeping up behind without any noise, and jump on their backs." "And the little beggars howled," Diavolo added, as if that consequence still filled him with astonishment. "My dear children, I am afraid you tell dreadful stories," Lady Fulda exclaimed in a horrified tone. "Yes," said Angelica, with her grave little nod; "and we're improving; but we cannot come up to Father Ricardo yet in that line." "Not by a long chalk," said Diavolo. "But, my _dear_ child," Lady Fulda solemnly asserted, "Father Ricardo tells you _nothing_ but what is _absolutely_ true." "How do you know?" Angelica asked. "Oh--oh!" Lady Fulda stammered, and then looked at the priest appealingly. "When you are older, and able to understand these things," Father Ricardo began with gentle earnestness, "perhaps you will allow me--" "But how do you _know_ it's true yourself?" Angelica demanded. "Did you ever _see_ the devil, With his little spade and shovel, Digging praties in the garden With his tail cocked up?"-- Diavolo chanted, accompanying the words with a little dance, in which Angelica, holding up her habit, joined incontinently. Lady Fulda remained grave, but the old duke and Father Ricardo himself were moved to mirth, and there was no more talk of Revealed Religion, the Power of the Popedom, and the glory of the Church on earth, at Morne that day.