The
blows that wound the affections can only be healed by the affections, and
not by the intellect and considerations of reason. Faith, child! Faith is
the true Herb of Grace. The intellect is its foe; the feelings are its
native soil where it finds constant nourishment; and however deep the
bleeding wound of the mourner may be, Faith can heal it and reconcile the
sufferer to his loss. You have been taught to value a fine understanding,
to measure everything by it, to build everything on its decisions. To you
the knowledge you have attained to by argument and inference is supreme;
but the Creator has given us a heart as well as a brain; our affections,
too, stir and grow in their own way, and the knowledge they can attain
to, my child, is Faith. You love--and Love is part of your affections;
and now take my advice; do not let that reasoning intelligence, which has
nothing to do with love, have anything to say in the matter; cherish your
love and nurture it from the rich stores of your heart; thus only can it
thrive to beauty and harmony.--And this must suffice for to-day, for I
have already kept the wounded waiting too long in the Serapeum. If you
desire it, another time I will show you Christianity in all its depth and
beauty, and your love for this good man will prepare the way and open
your heart to my teaching. A day will come when you will be able to
listen to the voice of your heart as gladly as you have hitherto obeyed
the dictates of your intellect; something new will be born in you which
you will esteem as a treasure above all you ever acquired by reason and
thought. That day will assuredly dawn on you; for he whom you love has
opened the path for you that leads to the gates of Truth; and as you seek
you will not fail to find.--And so farewell. When you crave a teacher you
have only to come to him--and I know he will not have long to wait."

Gorgo looked thoughtfully at the old man as he went away and then went
with Constantine to see his parents. It was in total silence that they
made their way along the short piece of road to the house of Clemens.
Lights were visible in the viridarium and the curtains of the doorway
were drawn back; as they reached the threshold Constantine pointed to a
bier which had been placed in the little court among the flower-beds; his
parents were on their knees by the side of it.

Neither he nor Gorgo ventured to disturb their wordless devotions, but
presently the ship-master rose, d