From
Rheims, sir."
The priest dropped his foot and leaned forward.
"From Rheims?" he said sharply.
The other nodded.
"Eight or ten at least will arrive. Not all are priests. One is a friend
of our own from Derbyshire, who will not be made priest for five years
yet."
"I had not heard they were to come so soon," said Father Campion. "And
what a company of them!"
"There are a few of them who have been here before. Mr. Ballard is one
of them."
The priest was silent an instant.
"Mr. Ballard," he said. "Ballard! Yes; he has been here before. He
travels as Captain Fortescue, does he not? You are a friend of his?"
"Yes, sir."
Father Campion made as if he would speak; but interrupted himself and
was silent; and it seemed to Marjorie as if another mood was fallen on
him. And presently they were talking again of London and its sights.
IV
In spite of her weariness, Marjorie could not sleep for an hour or two
after she had gone to bed. It was an extraordinary experience to her to
have fallen in, on the very night of her coming to London, with the one
man whose name stood to her for all that was gallant in her faith. As
she lay there, listening to the steady breathing of Alice, who knew no
such tremors of romance, to the occasional stamp of a horse across the
yard, and, once or twice, to voices and footsteps passing on some paved
way between the houses, she rehearsed again and again to herself the
tales she had heard of him.
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