The Deist remarked that it was straightforward; that he admired it.  “Though as an argument,” said he, “it is much as if a robber should say to an honest man on the king’s highway, ’How advantageously I am situated!  You cannot rob me, for it is inconsistent with your principles; but I can rob you, for I have none.’”

Another of the company observed that he feared it was in vain for the Church of Rome to contend that she was favorable to freedom of opinion, in any degree or form, so long as the “Index Expurgatorius” was in existence, or such stringent means adopted to repress the circulation and perusal of the Scriptures.

The liberal English Catholic again chafed at this last indictment.  “It was,” he said, “another of the calumnies with which his Church was treated.”

“Hardly a calumny, my good sir,” replied the other, “in the face of such facts as that which gave rise to the present conversation, of the encyclical letters of Pius VII., Leo XII., Gregory XVI., and many other Popes, and the well-known fact that it is impossible to obtain in Rome itself a copy of the Scriptures, except at an enormous price, and even then it must be read by special license.  Pardon me,” he continued, still addressing the English Catholic, “I mean nothing offensive to you; but neither I nor any other English Protestant can consent to admit you sincerely liberal English Roman Catholics to be in a condition to give us the requisite information touching the maxims and principles of your Church.  You have been too long accustomed to enjoy and revere religious liberty, not to imagine your Church sympathizes with it; you do not realize what she is abroad; and if you be sincere in condemning such acts as that which led to this conversation, as inconsistent with her genuine principles, why the ominous silence of you and your co-religionists in all such cases?  Where are your protests and efforts?  How is it you do not denounce maxims and practices so rife throughout Papal Christendom, since you say you would denounce them, if it were attempted to realize them here?  When you protest with one voice against these things as inconsistent (so you say) with the principles of your Church, and as therefore deeply dishonoring her,—­whether your views on this point be right or wrong,—­we shall at least admit you to have a title to give us an opinion on the subject.”

“Even then, though,” said the Deist, “we may think it safer to consult the opinions, and, what is the practices, of the vast majority of the Roman Catholic Church, and her conduct in the countries in which she holds undisputed sway, and therefore I am anxious to hear whether the Signor would justify imprisonment for reading the Bible.”