tood.

The girls were gathered together one afternoon in the ante-chamber of
Margaret's apartments, and Bruno, who had come up to speak to his
daughter, was with them. Except in special cases, no chamber of any
house was sacred from a priest. Eva was busy spinning, but it would be
more accurate to say that Marie, who was supposed to be spinning also,
was engaged in breaking threads. Margaret was employed on
tapestry-work; Doucebelle in plain sewing; and Beatrice with her
delicate embroidery.

"Father," said Beatrice, looking up suddenly, "I was taught that it was
sin to make images of created things, on account of the words of the
second commandment. What do you say?"

"`_Non fades tibi sculptile, neque omnem similitudinem_,'" murmured
Bruno, reflectively. "I think, my child, that it depends very much on
the meaning of `_tibi_' Ah, I see in thy face thou hast learned no
Latin. `Thou shalt not make _to thee_ any sculptured image.' Then a
sculptured image may be made otherwise. The latter half of the
commandment, I think, shows what is meant. `_Non adorabis ea, neque
coles_'--`thou shalt not worship them.' At the same time, Saint Paul
saith, `_Omne autem, quod non est ex fide, peccatum est_'--`all that is
not of faith is sin;' and `_nisi ei qui existimat quid commune esse,
illi commune est_': namely, `to him who esteemeth a thing unclean, to
him it is unclean.' If thou really believest it sin, by no means allow
thyself to do it."

"But, Father, suppose we cannot be sure?" said Doucebelle.

"Thou needst not fear that thou wilt ever walk _too_ close to Christ,
daughter," quietly answered Bruno.

"But, Father I are we bound to give up all that can possibly be sin, or
even can become sin?" asked Eva, in a tone which decidedly indicated
dissent.

"I should like to hear thy objection, daughter."

"Why, we should have to give up every thing nice!" said Eva,
disconsolately. "There are all sorts of delightful things, which are
not exactly sins, but--"

"Not quite virtues," interposed Beatrice, with an amused expression, as
Eva paused.

"Well, no. Still they are not wrong--in themselves. But they make one
waste one's time, or forget to say one's beads, or be cross to one's
sister,--just because they are so delightful, and one does not want to
give over. And being cross is sin, I suppose; and so it is when one
forgets to say one's prayers: I don't know whether wasting time is
exactly a sin."

"I see,"