ou until you no longer poison the air I breathe; perhaps
the simplest way therefore, would be for you to decide without much
hesitation to emigrate to America, and join the Mormons, a vocation for
which you've all sorts of valuable qualifications, in case you don't
prefer Cayenne, a region in which home missions still have a fine field."

A pause ensued. The two mortal enemies looked each other steadily in
the face.

"And if," said Lorinser at last, "instead of taking advantage of all
these benevolent counsels, I prefer to inform the police to-morrow
morning, that a madman broke into my house with threats and attempts at
intimidation, and request protection against this violence? Certain
private affairs, over which you seem to have excellent reasons for
drawing a veil, would probably not withhold me from procuring myself
peace at any price."

"At _any_ price? That might perhaps be somewhat costly for you. Or
would you like, in answer to this notice, a complaint to be entered by
an honored patroness--on account of the embezzlement of money entrusted
to you for the poor?"

"Embezzlement!" exclaimed Lorinser, starting up. For the first time
during the whole conversation the iron mask fell, and his real face
appeared, disfigured by the most violent distortions.

"Embezzlement?" he repeated. "What ridiculous words you use; they serve
to show how far you are from understanding a nature like mine! Or no:
you're probably well aware whom you have before you, one of the elect,
who pass through life enwrapped by the atmosphere of the supernatural,
and do not think themselves compelled to keep always in the straight
roads made for sober children of the world. What is money to us? A
wretched, despicable necessity, as worthless as the other conditions of
this poor clay! He who never rises from the dust, may allow himself to
be a slave, watch pennies and reckon shillings. But should he who
offers the poor treasures with full hands, those treasures which
neither morth nor rust corrupt, opens heaven to them, and raises them
out of all anxiety and trouble into the fulness of eternal life,
scruple to receive from them what the lowest and basest human beings
can give each other, coined metal or stamped paper, and haggle over his
daily bread by mouthfuls with those who must forever remain his
debtors? Would you come to such a man with accusations about careless
bookkeeping, which to be sure to the petty souls in this world of trade
se