eat city, even, nothing different--my parish, my church,
my house--what, besides these, is there, is not there for me."

A reminiscence of his early youthful years was awakened in Eric's soul,
and he told the priest that the thought had often presented itself to
him, in the midst of his jolly garrison life, that he had a fitness for
the ecclesiastical vocation, but that he could not devote himself to it
without a belief in revelation.

"Yes, indeed, one cannot make himself believe, but one can make himself
humble, and every one can and ought to do that, and then the grace of
believing is vouchsafed."

The ecclesiastic announced this as if it were a mathematical axiom, and
Eric replied in a modest tone,--

"Every man acquires a ground-work of thought and feeling, just as he
does his mother tongue, by hearing it spoken; and might it not be said
also, that his soul acquires a language which has no outward sound, but
which becomes embodied as a religious disposition and habitual
tendency, and which, if it is genuine, cannot be interfered with, for,
in this primitive stratum, root and soil are one and the same."

"You have studied the Mystics?" asked the ecclesiastic.

"Only partially. I should like to say further, that all fair
controversialists are obliged to agree upon something as unassailable,
or undemonstrable."

That holy stillness again possessed the place, where two human beings
were breathing, who desired each in his own way to serve the highest.

"You are at the age," the priest resumed, "when young gentlemen think
of marriage, and as is the prevailing fashion, marriage with a maiden
who has money,--a great deal of money. You appear so true-hearted, that
I must ask you directly, although I would much rather not, if it is
true that you are a suitor of Fraeulein Sonnenkamp?"

"I?" Eric asked with vehement astonishment. "I?"

"Yes, you."

"I thank you," Eric said in a clear voice, recovering from his
amazement, "I thank you, that you question me so directly. You know I
am not of your church."

"And Fraeulein Sonnenkamp is of our church, and it would be hard--"

"I was not thinking of that," Eric said, interrupting him. "Wonderful,
through what tests I must pass! First a supercilious cavalier, then a
nobleman, then a military officer, then a doctor, and now in the
priestly sieve."

"I do not understand you."

"Ah, truly," began Eric, "and I tell you, I confess to your noble, mild
countenance, and so