e unglue ourselves from the vanities
which imperil our existence we shall fall too. The lust of pleasure and
the lust of wealth bring their own revenges. In the nation as well as the
individual the Almighty destroys them as of old."

"True--true!"

"Then how can I hold my peace or run away while it is the duty of
Christians, of patriots, to cry out against this danger? On the soul of
every one of us the duty rests, and who am I that I should escape from
it? Oh, if the Church only realized her responsibility, if she only kept
her eyes open----"

"She has powerful reasons for keeping them closed, my son," said the
Minister, "and always will have until the Establishment is done away
with. It is coming to that some day, but meantime have a care. The clergy
are not your friends, John. Statesmen know too well the clerical cruelty
which shelters itself behind the secular arm. It is an old story, I
think, and you may find instances of that also in your ancient Palestine.
But beware, my boy, beware----"

"'Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. Ye know that it hated
me before it hated you.'"

The exaltation of John's manner was increasing, and again the Prime
Minister became uneasy, as if fearing that the young monk by his side
would ask him next to kneel and pray.

"Ah, well," he said, rising, "I suppose there is no help for it, and
matters must take their own course." Then he broke into other subjects,
talked of his brother, John's father, whom he had lately heard from. His
health was failing, he could not last very long; a letter from his son
now might make all things well.

John was silent, his head was down, but the Prime Minister could see that
his words took no effect. Then his bleak old face smiled a wintry smile
as he said:

"But you are not mending much in one way, my boy. Do you know you've
never once been here since the day you came to tell me you were to be
married, and intended to follow in the footsteps of Father Damien?"

John flinched, and the muscles of his face twitched nervously again.

"That was an impossible enterprise, John. No wonder the lady couldn't
suffer you to follow it. But she might have allowed you to see a lonely
old kinsman for all that." John's pale face was breaking, and his breath
was coming fast. "Well, well," taking his arm, "I'm not reproaching you,
John. There are passions of the soul which eat up all the rest, I know
that quite well, and when a man is under the sway