The Wellfields; A Novel (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1881 Excerpt: ... indefinable, but palpable, -1--an expression which any acute observer must have noted. 'Any one coming in, and riot knowing the circumstances, ' thought Somerville; 'knowing only that this is a Jesuit seminary, and that over there the students sit, would inevitably say, "What a thoroughly Roman Catholic-looking trio--especially that eldest one in the middle "' He watched with more intentness still. Father Somerville was zealous for his faith--he was ambitious too; he knew that in his Church services of a tangible kind met with tangible rewards. To say that he then and there formed a scheme, which he decided at all hazards to carry out, would be to do a clever man egregious injustice. Simply, he had a subtle brain and a natural turn for intrigue, which of course his education and career had fostered. He saw possibilities--possibilities which excited his active brain, and kindled his ambition and imagination. 'They were Catholics before--till not more than a hundred years ago, ' he thought. 'His mother was Catholic of the Catholic. Why not Catholics again, if anything? Who knows? Time will show.' The service over, there was a sermon, and presently the congregation broke up, and streamed out into the open air. The students marched off in procession, and departed by a side-door. Somerville just paused as he passed, to whisper to Jerome: 'If you will wait in the garden or on the playground, I will join you in a few moments.' And following this direction, Wellfield went out by the west door, and took his way to the broad space on the brow of the hill, which seemed to form quite a little tableland in' itself, and which was the playground of Brentwood College. He paced about there, and watched the crimson and purple pomp of the August sunset. It was a scene...