She could air her father's opinions second hand with an assumption of great assurance, but she was no hand at argument or fence, and had no desire for an encounter of wits.
But Cuthbert stepped eagerly into the breach, and the two men became engrossed in talk.

Cuthbert heard of acts of tyranny and oppression, cruel punishments and ruinous fines imposed upon hapless Romanists, guiltless of any other offence than of growing up in the faith of their forefathers.

He heard, on the other hand, of Puritan preachers deprived of their cures and hunted about like criminals, though nothing save the crime of unlicensed preaching could be adduced against them.

Cuthbert's blood was young and hot, and easily stirred within him.

He began to understand how it was that the nation and this great city were never at rest.