In a moment a big, strongly-built person, looking like
a prosperous man of business, labouring under a vehement and
passionate emotion, came quickly in, looked about him, and
advancing to Manning, poured out a series of indignant reproaches.
"You have got hold of my boy," he said, "with your hypocritical and
sneaking methods; you have made him a Roman Catholic; you have
ruined the happiness and peace of our home; you have broken his
mother's heart, and overwhelmed us in misery." He went on in this
strain at some length. Manning, who was standing in his cassock,
drew himself up in an attitude of majestic dignity, and waited
until the intruder's eloquence had exhausted itself, and had ended
with threatening gestures. Some of those present would have
intervened, but Manning with an air of command waved them back, and
then, pointing his hand at the man, he said: "Now, sir, I have
allowed you to have your say, and you shall hear me in reply. You
have traduced Holy Church, you have broken in upon the Sanctuary,
you have uttered vile and abominable slanders against the Faith;
and I tell you," he added, pausing for an instant with flashing
eyes and marble visage, "I tell you that within three months you
will be a Catholic yourself.
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