Butofthisactionthereislittleneedtospeak，asithathbeenrelatedineveryGazette，andtalkedofineveryhamletinthiscountry。Toreturnfromittothewriter\'sprivateaffairs，whichhere，inhisoldage，andatadistance，henarratesforhischildrenwhocomeafterhim。BeforeOudenarde，afterthatchancerencontrewithCaptainvonHoltzatBrussels，aspaceofmorethanayearelapsed，duringwhichthecaptainofJesuitsandthecaptainofWebb\'sFusileerswerethrownverymuchtogether。Esmondhadnodifficultyinfindingout（indeed，theothermadenosecretofittohim，beingassuredfromoldtimesofhispupil\'sfidelity），thatthenegotiatorofprisonerswasanagentfromSt。Germains，andthathecarriedintelligencebetweengreatpersonagesinourcampandthatoftheFrench。\"Mybusiness，\"saidhe——\"andItellyou，bothbecauseIcantrustyouandyourkeeneyeshavealreadydiscoveredit——isbetweentheKingofEnglandandhissubjectshereengagedinfightingtheFrenchking。Asbetweenyouandthem，alltheJesuitsintheworldwillnotpreventyourquarrelling:fightitout，gentlemen。St。GeorgeforEngland，Isay——andyouknowwhosaysso，whereverhemaybe。\"
IthinkHoltlovedtomakeaparadeofmystery，asitwere，andwouldappearanddisappearatourquartersassuddenlyasheusedtoreturnandvanishintheolddaysatCastlewood。Hehadpassesbetweenbotharmies，andseemedtoknow（butwiththatinaccuracywhichbelongedtothegoodFather\'somniscience）equallywellwhatpassedintheFrenchcampandinours。OnedayhewouldgiveEsmondnewsofagreatfestethattookplaceintheFrenchquarters，ofasupperofMonsieurdeRohan\'s，wheretherewasplayandviolins，andthendancingandmasques;theKingdrovethitherinMarshalVillars\'ownguinguette。AnotherdayhehadthenewsofhisMajesty\'sague:theKinghadnothadafitthesetendays，andmightbesaidtobewell。CaptainHoltzmadeavisittoEnglandduringthistime，soeagerwasheaboutnegotiatingprisoners;and\'twasonreturningfromthisvoyagethathebegantoopenhimselfmoretoEsmond，andtomakehim，asoccasionserved，attheirvariousmeetings，severalofthoseconfidenceswhichareheresetdownalltogether。
Thereasonofhisincreasedconfidencewasthis:upongoingtoLondon，theolddirectorofEsmond\'saunt，thedowager，paidherladyshipavisitatChelsey，andtherelearntfromherthatCaptainEsmondwasacquaintedwiththesecretofhisfamily，andwasdeterminednevertodivulgeit。TheknowledgeofthisfactraisedEsmondinhisoldtutor\'seyes，soHoltwaspleasedtosay，andheadmiredHarryverymuchforhisabnegation。
\"ThefamilyatCastlewoodhavedonefarmoreformethanmyowneverdid，\"Esmondsaid。\"Iwouldgivemylifeforthem。WhyshouldIgrudgetheonlybenefitthat\'tisinmypowertoconferonthem？\"ThegoodFather\'seyesfilledwithtearsatthisspeech，whichtotheotherseemedverysimple:heembracedEsmond，andbrokeoutintomanyadmiringexpressions;hesaidhewasanoblecoeur，thathewasproudofhim，andfondofhimashispupilandfriend——regrettedmorethaneverthathehadlosthim，andbeenforcedtoleavehiminthoseearlytimes，whenhemighthavehadaninfluenceoverhim，havebroughthimintothatonlytruechurchtowhichtheFatherbelonged，andenlistedhiminthenoblestarmyinwhichamaneverengaged——meaninghisownsocietyofJesus，whichnumbers（sayshe）initstroopsthegreatestheroestheworldeverknew;——warriorsbraveenoughtodareorendureanything，toencounteranyodds，todieanydeath——soldiersthathavewontriumphsathousandtimesmorebrilliantthanthoseofthegreatestgeneral;thathavebroughtnationsontheirkneestotheirsacredbanner，theCross;thathaveachievedgloriesandpalmsincomparablybrighterthanthoseawardedtothemostsplendidearthlyconquerors——crownsofimmortallight，andseatsinthehighplacesofheaven。
Esmondwasthankfulforhisoldfriend\'sgoodopinion，howeverlittlehemightsharetheJesuit—father\'senthusiasm。\"Ihavethoughtofthatquestion，too，\"sayshe，\"dearFather，\"andhetooktheother\'shand——\"thoughtitoutformyself，asallmenmust，andcontrivetodotheright，andtrusttoheavenasdevoutlyinmywayasyouinyours。Anothersixmonthsofyouasachild，andIhaddesirednobetter。IusedtoweepuponmypillowatCastlewoodasIthoughtofyou，andImighthavebeenabrotherofyourorder;