THE COUNTRY SUNDAY. 75 



some places whole villages belong to English monks, and 

 there is not a man or woman in them who is not a Catho- 

 lic ; there are even small country towns which by dint 

 of time, money, and territorial influence have been rc-ab- 

 sorbcd, and are now as completely Catholic as they were 

 before Henry VIII. In these half-village half-towns 

 you may chance on a busy market day to come across a 

 great building abutting on the street, and may listen to 

 the organ and the chant ; there is incense and gorgeous 

 ceremony, the golden tinkle of the altar-bell. How your 

 head, it is the host ; cross yourself, it is the mass. The 

 butcher and the dealer are busy with the sheep, but it is 

 a saint's day. By-and-by no doubt we shall have a 

 village Lourdcs at home, and miracles and pilgrimages 

 and offerings and shrines : the village will be right glad 

 to see the pilgrims, if only they come from the West 

 Knd and have money in the purse. Th<^villagc would 

 be very glad indeed of a miracle to bring it a shower of 

 gold. 



