Whenever he felt himself enabled to take his eyes from the splendor and magnificence of all he saw around him, to follow the motions of Father Maguire, he could observe that that gentleman, from the peculiar vehemence of his attitudes and the evident rapidity of his language, had made either himself or his presence there the topic of very earnest discussion.

In fact it appeared to him that the priest, from whatever cause, appeared to be rather hard set to defend him and to justify his presence among them.

A tall, stern-looking man, with a lofty forehead and pale ascetic features--from which all the genial impulses of humanity, that had once characterized them, seemed almost to have been banished by the spirit of relentless persecution--appeared to bear hard upon him, whatever the charge might be, and by the severity of his manner and the solemn but unyielding emphasis of his attitudes, he seemed to have wrought himself into a state of deep indignation.

But as it is better that our readers should be made acquainted with the topic of their discussion, rather than their attitudes, we think it necessary to commence it in a new chapter..