most intimate friend in the Church of Rome—she kept her word and handed my letter to my colleagues.
A meeting of our cabinet ministers was at once called at Manchester; the two who were more friendly with me were absent, and the other four entrusted F. David with discretionary power to proceed. I had been to London and met him in the train in the evening; he spoke with apparent cordiality about everything except the object of his visit, which he carefully avoided. We sat for some hours chatting pleasantly—and I was fully aware that at the same time he had the order for my deposition in his pocket. However, I was not deceived; I began my preparations for departure the same evening, and kept up the fiction of perfect serenity.
Next morning he at once proceeded to business. He asked curtly of the condition of the college and of my own personality: in both cases I assured him with equal courtesy and curtness that everything was quite satisfactory. It had been the intention of my friend at London, and probably of my authorities, that F. David should induce me to communicate my difficulties and endeavour to remove them. For many reasons, which would have readily occurred to them under less exciting circumstances, it was not my intention to do so; and, as F. David knew that he had counselled me in those difficulties to the best of his power some years previously, I do not suppose that he expected any such confidence from me. He was
