e, just look at that group of men and women of evil
mien, collected before the door by the light of that lantern. Pray, let
us wait till they have passed on or entered the tavern.'

'Come, there is nothing to fear, I tell you.'

'No, I entreat you, Jane: another moment.--Really, I admire your
bravery!'

'Oh! 'tis because Jesus of Nazareth inspires courage as he inspires
gentleness towards the guilty, tenderness for him who suffers. And then,
if you knew how natural his language is! what touching and ingenuous
parables he finds to bring his ideas within reach of simple men, of the
poor in mind as he calls them, and whom he loves so! Thus, all, even the
little children, for whom he has so great a liking, understand his words
and lose not a syllable. Undoubtedly, before him, other Messiahs have
prophesied the deliverance of our country oppressed by the stranger,
have explained our holy scriptures, and have by the magical means of
medicine treated diseases thought incurable; but none of these Messiahs
have hitherto shown that patient sweetness with which the young master
teaches the humble and the young, all in fact; for with him there are no
infidels, no heathens; every good and simple heart for the very reason
that it is good is worthy of the kingdom of heaven. Don't you know his
parable of the heathen? Nothing is more simple and more touching.'

'No, Jane, I do not know it.'

''Tis the last I heard him preach. It is called the Good Samaritan.'

'What is a Samaritan?'

'The Samaritans are an idolatrous people, beyond the farthest mountains
of Judea; the high priests regard these people as excluded from the
kingdom of God. Here is the parable:

'A man who was going to Jerusalem fell into the hands of robbers; they
pillaged him, covered him with wounds, and went on their way leaving him
half dead.

'It so happened afterwards that a Priest went the same road, who having
perceived the wounded man, passed on.

'A Levite, who approached the same place, having noticed the wounded
man, also passed on.

'But a Samaritan, who was travelling, came to the spot where the man
was, and seeing him, he was moved with compassion, approached him,
poured oil and wine upon his wounds, bandaged them, and having placed
him on his horse, he led him to an hostelry and took care of him.

'The next morning the Samaritan drew two penny pieces from his pocket,
gave them to the host, and said to him: 'Pay attention to this man; all
that