hacked
him, thought I, or broken his windows, or stolen his cabbages? For it
did not seem like preaching, but quite natural. Then he said again:
'Dearly beloved, such was the hardness of heart of the people of Israel
against Moses.' Ah, thought I, if that is all the matter, that happened
a long time ago. I had thought from the way the mannikin carried on
that the parsonage was on fire."

Felix looked attentively at the old man. "You are no peasant?"

"I am a miller."

"Is yonder house the convent?"

"No, that is where the novices had their hair cut before entering into
the cloister. Now kindling material (Lohkaese) is made there. It has
been turned into a tan-yard."

"You do not appear to be a friend to the Catholics?"

"I was a Catholic at the time when everybody else was catholic."

"And then you became a Lutheran?"

"And am now a Calvinist, as we are not allowed to remain Zwingliites."

"Did you change willingly?"

"One was obliged to do it."

"And when the Pfalzgraf Ludwig becomes Kurfuerst, what will you be
then?"

"One must take things as they come," said the old man with a sly smile.
"After Ludwig comes another Frederic. You know what our Sovereign said,
'If Jack does not do it, Freddy will.' One must know how to wait."

Felix did not quite believe in the passive resignation of the weather
beaten old man, for there was a cunning look in his eyes, and his whole
appearance was not one of stupid dependence.

"In my country," said the young man carrying on the conversation, "we
say that at the present time in Germany a cock-chafer can fly over
three different national churches, but it appears to me that if he only
lives long enough, he need not even fly. Religions here seem to change
like the weather."

"That is good as producing change and movement," said the old man
laughing. "When I lived in the town, every Parson had his special idea
concerning the holy sacrament, and each of my eight children had his
separate Parson. Harry learnt that the Body of the Lord was in the
bread; that is not enough, argued little Christina, he is with, in, and
under the bread. Parson Neuser told Christopher that it was there in
the Presence and that we received it through eating. Parson Greiner
however taught Jack: circa circum, round and about, not in the bread
but close at hand. Do you understand?"

"Were the customs then," answered Felix evasively, "as varied as the
opinions."

"Oh yes," said the old man, "the