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           TheArchbishopPapalLegatenoticedthatheateasmallsandwichtriangleandeschewedtheotherdelicacies,butdrankfourcupsofteathirstily,addingneithersugarnormilk.Well,thatwaswhathisreportsaid;inhispersonallivinghabitsthepriestwasremarkablyabstemious,hisonlyweaknessbeingagood(andveryfast)car.

           "YournameisFrench,Father,"saidtheArchbishopPapalLegatesoftly,"butIunderstandyouareanIrishman.Howcomesthisphenomenon?WasyourfamilyFrench,then?"

           FatherRalphshookhishead,smiling."It’saNormanname,YourGrace,veryoldandhonorable.IamadirectdescendantofoneRanulfdeBricassart,whowasabaroninthecourtofWilliamtheConqueror.In1066hecametoinvadeEnglandwithWilliam,andoneofhissonstookEnglishland.ThefamilyprosperedundertheNormankingsofEngland,andlateronsomeofthemcrossedtheIrishSeaduringthetimeofHenrytheFourth,andsettledwithinthePale.WhenHenrytheEighthremovedtheEnglishChurchfromRome’sauthoritywekeptthefaithofWilliam,whichmeantwefeltweowedourfirstallegiancetoRome,nottoLondon.ButwhenCromwellsetuptheCommonwealthwelostourlandsandtitles,andtheywereneverrestoredtous.CharleshadEnglishfavoritestorewardwithIrishland.Itisnotcauseless,youknow,theIrishhatredoftheEnglish.

           "However,wedescendedtorelativeobscurity,stillloyaltotheChurch,andtoRome.MyolderbrotherhasasuccessfulstudfarminCountyMeath,andhopestobreedaDerbyoraGrandNationalwinner.