第112章

and-sosaidthis，“and“Fatherso-and-sosaidthat“；“Fatherso-

and-sothinksweshoulddoso-and-so，orthatweshouldnotdoso-

and-so。“Iatfirstthoughtthathemusthavegiventhemsomething，somephiltreorthelike，butoneoftheEnglishmaid-

servants，whohadakindofrespectforme，andwhosawmuchmorebehindthescenesthanIdid，informedmethathewascontinuallyinstillingstrangenotionsintotheirheads，striving，byeverypossiblemethod，tomakethemdespisethereligionoftheirownland，andtakeupthatoftheforeigncountryinwhichtheywere。

Andsureenough，inalittletime，thegirlshadaltogetherleftoffgoingtoanEnglishchapel，andwerecontinuallyvisitingplacesofItalianworship。Theoldgovernor，itistrue，stillwenttohischurch，butheappearedtobehesitatingbetweentwoopinions；andonce，whenhewasatdinner，hesaidtotwoorthreeEnglishfriendsthat，sincehehadbecomebetteracquaintedwithit，hehadconceivedamuchmorefavourableopinionoftheCatholicreligionthanhehadpreviouslyentertained。Inaword，thepriestruledthehouse，andeverythingwasdoneaccordingtohiswillandpleasure；bydegreeshepersuadedtheyoungladiestodroptheirEnglishacquaintances，whoseplacehesuppliedwithItalians，chieflyfemales。Mypooroldgovernorwouldnothavehadapersontospeakto-forhenevercouldlearnthelanguage-butfortwoorthreeEnglishmenwhousedtocomeoccasionallyandtakeabottlewithhiminasummer-house，whosecompanyhecouldnotbepersuadedtoresign，notwithstandingtheentreatiesofhisdaughters，instigatedbythepriest，whosegrandendeavourseemedtobetorenderthemindsofallthreefoolish，forhisownends。Andifhewasbusyabovestairswiththegovernor，therewasanotherbusybelowwithuspoorEnglishservants，akindofsubordinatepriest，alowItalian；ashecouldspeaknolanguagebuthisown，hewascontinuallyjabberingtousinthat，andbyhearinghimthemaidsandmyselfcontrivedtopickupagooddealofthelanguage，sothatweunderstoodmostthatwassaid，andcouldspeakitveryfairly；andthethemesofhisjabberwerethebeautyandvirtuesofonewhomhecalledHolyMary，andthepowerandgrandeurofonewhomhecalledtheHolyFather；andhetoldusthatweshouldshortlyhaveanopportunityofseeingtheHolyFather，whocoulddoanythinghelikedwithHolyMary：inthemeantimewehadplentyofopportunitiesofseeingHolyMary，forineverychurch，chapel，andconventtowhichweweretaken，therewasanimageofHolyMary，who，iftheimagesweredressedatallinherfashion，musthavebeenveryfondofshortpetticoatsandtinsel，andwho，ifthosesaidfiguresatallresembledherinface，couldscarcelyhavebeenhalfashandsomeaseitherofmytwofellow-servants，nottospeakoftheyoungladies。

’Nowithappenedthatoneofthefemaleservantswasmuchtakenwithwhatshesawandheard，andgaveherselfupentirelytothewillofthesubordinate，whohadquiteasmuchdominionoverherashissuperiorhadovertheladies；theothermaid，however，theonewhohadakindofrespectforme，wasnotsoeasilybesotted；sheusedtolaughatwhatshesaw，andatwhatthefellowtoldher，andfromherIlearntthatamongstotherthingsintendedbythesepriestlyconfederateswasrobbery；shesaidthatthepooroldgovernorhadalreadybeenpersuadedbyhisdaughterstoputmorethanathousandpoundsintothesuperiorpriest’shandsforpurposesofcharityandreligion，aswassaid，andthatthesubordinateonehadalreadyinveigledherfellow-servantoutofeverypennywhichshehadsavedfromherwages，andhadendeavouredlikewisetoobtainwhatmoneysheherselfhad，butinvain。Withrespecttomyself，thefellowshortlyaftermadeanattempttowardsobtainingahundredcrowns，ofwhich，bysomemeans，heknewmetobeinpossession，tellingmewhatameritoriousthingitwastogiveone’ssuperfluitiesforthepurposesofreligion。“Thatistrue，“saidI，“andif，aftermyreturntomynativecountry，I

findIhaveanythingwhichIdon’twantmyself，IwillemployitinhelpingtobuildaMethodistchapel。“

’BythetimethatthethreemonthswereexpiredforwhichwehadhiredthepalaceoftheneedyPrince，theoldgovernorbegantotalkofreturningtoEngland，atleastofleavingItaly。Ibelievehehadbecomefrightenedatthecallswhichwerecontinuallybeingmadeuponhimformoney；forafterall，youknow，ifthereisasensitivepartofaman’swearingapparel，itishisbreechespocket；buttheyoungladiescouldnotthinkofleavingdearItalyandthedearpriest；andthentheyhadseennothingofthecountry，theyhadonlyseenNaples；beforeleavingdearItaliatheymustseemoreofthecountryandthecities；aboveall，theymustseeaplacewhichtheycalledtheEter