th garments, the produce of her own labour? Did she not of late
take into her own house a paralytic boy, whose loathsomeness had
driven away every one else? And now that we have removed that
charge, has she not with her a leprous boy, to whose necessities she
ministers hourly, by day and night? What valley but blesses her for
some school, some chapel, some convent, built by her munificence?
Are not the hospices, which she has founded in divers towns, the
wonder of Germany?--wherein she daily feeds and houses a multitude
of the infirm poor of Christ? Is she not followed at every step by
the blessings of the poor? Are not her hourly intercessions for the
souls and bodies of all around incessant, world-famous, mighty to
save? While she lives only for the Church of Christ, will you
accuse her of selfish isolation?

C. Wal. I tell you, monk, if she were not healthier by God's making
than ever she will be by yours, her charity would be by this time
double-distilled selfishness; the mouths she fed, cupboards to store
good works in; the backs she warmed, clothes-horses to hang out her
wares before God; her alms not given, but fairly paid, a halfpenny
for every halfpenny-worth of eternal life; earth her chess-board,
and the men and women on it merely pawns for her to play a winning
game--puppets and horn-books to teach her unit holiness--a private
workshop in which to work out her own salvation. Out upon such
charity!

Con. God hath appointed that our virtuous deeds
Each merit their rewards.

C. Wal. Go to--go to. I have watched you and your crew, how you
preach up selfish ambition for divine charity and call prurient
longings celestial love, while you blaspheme that very marriage from
whose mysteries you borrow all your cant. The day will come when
every husband and father will hunt you down like vermin; and may I
live to see it.

Con. Out on thee, heretic!

C. Wal. [drawing]. Liar! At last?

C. Pama. In God's name, sir, what if the Princess find us?

C. Wal. Ay--for her sake. But put that name on me again, as you do
on every good Catholic who will not be your slave and puppet, and if
thou goest home with ears and nose, there is no hot blood in
Germany.

[They move towards the cottage.]

Con. [alone]. Were I as once I was, I could revenge:
But now all private grudges wane like mist
In the keen sunlight of my full intent;
And this man counts but for some sullen bull
Who paws and mutters at unhee