me last time. And then I go back again."

TOM'S PRESCRIPTION.

"I'll tell you now how 'twas with me," said Tom, warmly. "If it hadn't
been for Arthur, I should have done just as you did. I hope I should.
I honor you for it. But then he made it out just as if it was taking
the weak side before all the world--going in once for all against
everything that's strong and rich and proud and respectable, a little
band of brothers against the whole world. And the Doctor seemed to say
so, too, only he said a great deal more."

"Ah!" groaned East, "but there again, that's just another of my
difficulties whenever I think about the matter. I don't want to be one
of your saints, one of your elect,[22] whatever the right phrase is.
My sympathies are all the other way; with the many, the poor wretches
who run about the streets and don't go to church. Don't stare, Tom;
mind, I'm telling you all that's in my heart,--as far as I know
it,--but it's all a muddle. You must be gentle with me if you want to
land me.[23] Now I've seen a deal of this sort of religion: I was bred
up in it, and I can't stand it. If nineteen-twentieths of the world
are to be left to uncovenanted mercies,[24] and that sort of thing,
which means in plain English to go to destruction and the other
twentieth are to rejoice at it all, why--"

[22] #Elect#: chosen to salvation; one of the favored few.

[23] #Land me#: here, persuade me.

[24] #Uncovenanted mercies#: that is, to such mercies as God
will grant to the heathen or those outside the church.

"Oh I but, Harry, they're not, they don't," broke in Tom, really
shocked. "Oh! how I wish Arthur hadn't gone! I'm such a fool about
these things. But it's all you want, too, East; it is indeed. It cuts
both ways somehow--being confirmed and taking the Sacrament. It makes
you feel on the side of all the good and all the bad, too, of
everybody in the world. Only there's some great, dark, strong power,
which is crushing you and everybody else. That's what Christ
conquered, and we've got to fight. What a fool I am. I can't explain.
If Arthur were only here!"

"I begin to get a glimmering of what you mean," said East.

"I say, now," said Tom, eagerly, "do you remember how we both hated
Flashman?"

"Of course I do," said East; "I hate him still. What then?"

"Well, when I came to take the Sacrament, I had a great struggle about
that. I tried to put him out of my head; and when I couldn't do that,