l of my Lord, and resign the reins to him without murmuring, or
contending. But I love my religion, I am thoroughly imbued with it, and
on that very account be it far from me to banish these poor deluded
ones and to call down a curse upon their heads."

"You are thus a worthy servant of your religion," answered Edmond, "and
deserve that the enlightening should be made manifest to you."

The venerable man looked smilingly on the youth and said: "You have now
betrayed yourself young gentleman,--do not blush," continued he in the
mildest tone, "fear nothing from me; you are not the less welcome to me
on that account. Perhaps we shall understand, when we have learnt to
know each other and perhaps not; but you shall ever remain my beloved
guest, may become also my friend, although it may happen that I should
blame your enthusiasm, or your fanaticism. How many worthy, noble,
truly inspired, loving minds have I also known among the Huguenots and
how many harsh and pitiless ones in my own church. It is now indeed a
woeful time in our country, and moreover, we see as yet no end to the
misery."

Edmond had recovered from his surprise and embarrassment, and said: "Is
it though right, to remain thus indifferent and irresolute as you
appear to me to be? Yet, perhaps, at a later period of life I shall
also feel thus, for my father, to my sorrow, spoke almost as you do."

"You do not know me yet," answered the priest, "and I may well assert,
without pretention, that sentence ought not to be pronounced so hastily
and so readily on a man, who has had such experience of himself and of
the world, who has reflected and really lived. In religious affairs
particularly, my brain whirls in agony, when I see how so many place
the whole tenor of a profound mystery in a book, an expression, a
phrase, or even a syllable, and weigh the immensity of love in grains
and scruples, that they may know the faster how surely their brother is
to be damned, who in other countries and with different vessels draws
out of the ocean of grace. Whoever too hastily gives a yes, or a no to
the interrogations of the conscience, in such assuredly neither doubt,
nor conviction is as yet awakened. That exhaustion, that mournful
faintness which comes over us, when we see all parties fallen into
error, all truth and inspiration mingled and disfigured by human
passion, is not to be called indifference. Whom the revealed word has
once enlightened can never again forget t