They shall perish in his fury, and melt like wax before the fire." "Amen!" ejaculated Catesby, as the priest concluded.

"You have spoken prophetically, father." "I have but recited a prayer transmitted to me by Father Garnet," rejoined Oldcorne.
"Do you discern any hidden meaning in it ?" demanded Catesby.
"Yea, verily my son," returned the priest.

"In the '_false error vanishing like_ SMOKE,'-- in the '_house perishing with a_ CRACK,'-- and in the '_fury flying forth as_ THUNDER,'-- I read the mode the great work shall be brought about." "And you applaud the design ?" asked Catesby, eagerly.
"_Non vero factum probo, sed eventum amo_," rejoined the priest.
"The secret is safe in your keeping, father ?" asked Catesby, uneasily.
"As if it had been disclosed to me in private confession," replied Oldcorne.
"Hum!" muttered Catesby.

"Confessions of as much consequence to the state have ere now been revealed, father." "A decree has been passed by his holiness, Clement VIII., forbidding all such revelations," replied Oldcorne.

"And the question has been recently propounded by a learned brother of our order, Father Antonio Delrio, who, in his Magical Disquisitions, putteth it thus:--'Supposing a malefactor shall confess that he himself or some other has laid GUNPOWDER, or the like combustible matter, under a building--'" "Ha!" exclaimed Catesby, starting.
"-- 'And, unless it be taken away,'" proceeded the priest, regarding him fixedly, "'the whole house will be burnt, the prince destroyed, and as many as go into or out of the city will come to great mischief or peril!'"[2] "Well!" exclaimed Catesby.
"The point then arises," continued Oldcorne, "whether the priest may make use of the secret thus obtained for the good of the government, and the averting of such danger; and, after fully discussing it, Father Delrio decides in the negative." "Enough," returned Catesby.
"By whom is the blow to be struck ?" asked Viviana, who had listened to the foregoing discourse in silent wonder.
"By me," answered Catesby.