and on the firmness of his vocation, all
appeared before him now to reproach him.

Then the humorous theory of his father in regard to those other
arguments, in addition to those of persuasion, of which the apostle St.
James, the bishops of the middle ages, and St. Ignatius Loyola had made
use, occurred to his mind, and it seemed to him now not so preposterous
as before, and he almost repented not having put them into practice.

He then recalled to mind the custom of an orthodox doctor, a
distinguished philosopher of Persia, of our own day, mentioned in a book
recently written on that country--a custom which consisted in punishing
with harsh words his hearers and pupils when they laughed at his
teachings or could not understand them, and, if this did not suffice, in
descending from his chair, saber in hand, and giving them all a beating.
This method, as it appears, had proved efficacious, especially in
controversy; although it had chanced that the said philosopher, coming
across an opponent of the same way of thinking as himself, had received
from him a severe wound in the face.

Don Luis, in the midst of his mortification and ill-humor, could not
help laughing at the absurdity of this recollection. He thought there
were not wanting in Spain philosophers who would willingly adopt the
Persian method; and, if he himself did not put it into practice, it was
certainly not through fear of the wounds he might receive, but through
considerations of greater weight.

"I did very wrong in preaching there," he said to himself. "I should
have remained silent. Our Lord Jesus Christ has said, 'Give not that
which is holy to dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest
they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.'

"But, no; why should I complain? Why should I return insult for insult?
Why should I allow myself to be vanquished by anger! Many holy fathers
have said, 'Anger in a priest is even worse than lasciviousness.' The
anger of priests has caused many tears to be shed, and has been the
cause of terrible evils.

"Anger perhaps it was--this terrible counselor--that at times persuaded
them that it was necessary for the people to shed blood at the Divine
command, and that brought before their sanguinary eyes the vision of
Isaiah; they have then seen, and caused their fanatic followers to see,
the meek Lamb converted into an inexorable avenger, descending from the
summit of Edom, proud in the multitud