There was a period when he was
quite ready to become an emotional Catholic.
I don't know why they did not take him on the hop; but they have
queer sorts of wisdoms, those people, and queer sorts of tact.
Perhaps they thought that Edward's too early conversion would
frighten off other Protestant desirables from marrying Catholic
girls. Perhaps they saw deeper into Edward than he saw himself
and thought that he would make a not very creditable convert. At
any rate they--and Leonora--left him very much alone. It mortified
him very considerably. He has told me that if Leonora had then
taken his aspirations seriously everything would have been
different. But I dare say that was nonsense. At any rate, it was
over the question of the chapel that they had their first and really
disastrous quarrel. Edward at that time was not well; he supposed
himself to be overworked with his regimental affairs--he was
managing the mess at the time. And Leonora was not well--she
was beginning to fear that their union might be sterile. And then
her father came over from Glasmoyle to stay with them.
Those were troublesome times in Ireland, I understand. At any
rate, Colonel Powys had tenants on the brain--his own tenants
having shot at him with shot-guns.
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