The Pocket Bible or Christian the Printer

s and the sharp twirl of metal rattles, intercepted with a lugubrious psalmody, at the close of which the noise of bells and rattles became dea

a cart drawn by two horses caparisoned in black and silver network. The four sides of the cart were of considerable height and constituted a huge quadrangular transparency, lighted from within, and representing the figures of men and women of all ages, together with children, plunged

R

SOULS IN

MOR

A

THE CONVENT

INDU

ISE ITS

AND

SOULS THAT AR

nted, marched on either side of the cart. A large number of other Dominican monks carrying a large silver crucifi

s clamavi ad

exaudi v

es tu? in

eprecation

y, a second detachment of archers brought up the rear. A crowd of ragged men and women, all with cynic and even ruffianly faces, almost all

the Holy

s us ind

eed t

ngs upo

A large number of the inhabitants of the houses built upon the bridge threw open their windows as the procession filed by; some of these reverently knelt down at their windows. A

sion seems to me t

derstand you

lgences, also sell the ransoming of souls in pain. All those who share that belief are convinced that, by means of money, they are able to snatch from the flames of purgatory, not only the near relatives or friends whom

oubts, alas! almost turn into certainty;" but suddenly interrupting herself and listeni

anister with his hand shading the lamp, Christian saw Hervé, whom, no doubt, the clatter of bells and rattles of the procession had awakened, kneeling in only his shirt and trousers upon the floor and inflicting a rude discipline upon his sides and shoulders by means of a cat-o'-nine-tails, the thongs of which ended in knots. The lad flagellated himself with such intense e

e unhap

ment is favorable to obtain

d," replied the indulgent mother. "He must have

steps and the creak of the wooden staircase under their feet finally attracted Hervé's attention. He suddenly turned his head, and, seeing hi

unsteady, restless eyes seemed to eschew observation. The unexpected presence of his parents seemed at first to cause him a painful impression; he

ne to myself-I thought I was al

chair-your mother and I have serious matters to speak about with you; we sh

so sat down; Bridget remained standing near her husband, leaning up

ng you in the religious practices that you have of late been indulging in with all the impetuous ardor of a neophyte. But

n, fathe

words sum up the eternal morality that your mother and myself have preached and held up to you since your infancy as the example to be followed. When you reached riper years of intelligence I sought to inculcate in your mind that belief of our fathers that we are immortal, body and soul, and that after what is

sy, and flies in the f

irations after his own ideal of the relations between the Creator and the creature. The freedom

holic religion, the revealed religion," put in He

nd more reserved and taciturn, your absences from the printing shop are becoming frequent and are prolonged beyond all measure; your nature, once so pleasant and buoyant, has become irritable and sour, even

sely somber and assumed an undefinable expression. For a moment he remained silent, whereupon his voice, that soun

d to free me of. If-I have been-rude-to my sister-it is wi

ther only mentions the circumstance as one of the symptoms of

e up the company of the friends of your childhood, and no

of his control when his sister Hena was

ldly, they are running to perdition; the tho

provided they be honorable. I see you have become a

ath-he is a saint! His pl

see you form some other friendship; the monk is several years your senior; you seem to have a blind faith in him; I fear lest the fervor of his zeal may r

ne or said, father, I would have seen to

t in an accent of affectionate reproach. "Do you not know how much we love you? Are

th comes to us from heaven. There is no w

rshness of Hervé's words. "If your faith comes from heaven, filial love also is a celestial sentiment; may God forfend that it be weakened in your heart-

nderstand y

idget, who, guessing her husband's secret

you remember a few days ago at the shop when some of our fello

utterances with the contempt that they dese

tch the eyes of her son, who, from the start of this conversation held his eyes nailed to the floor. "Upon hearing so severe an opinion expressed upon the indulgences," Christian added

my conv

silence the arti

s we ourselves were, by the noise of the proc

ers for the deliverance of the souls in pur

n purgatory can be ransomed by mo

e Catholic Church, father

uld you believe yourself justified to dispose of it in behalf of the souls

ute to do what you said. I

ed. They now counted at least with Hervé's frankness. Convinced that all means were legitimate in orde

our frankness, we shall speak without circumlocution. I have this to say to you: The fruits of your moth

ed impassabl

affected by his son's impassiveness. "The money was deposited in the case in our bed

nees and his eyes on the floor, H

slowly, accentuating these last words: "It then occurred to us that, seeing the theft was justifiable by your convictions-that is to say, that it was legitimate if committed

is face; although the lad did not raise his eyes, he cast furtive glances at his parents. The somber and guilty glances, caught by Christian, surprised and distressed him. He no longe

e painful suspicions that weigh upon o

mly and tersely, "I have

artisan to himself; "it is our o

; we shall accept the excuse, in the hope of leading you back again to more wholesome ideas of good and evil. From your point of view, so far from your action being wrongful, it must have seemed meritorious to you. Why not admit it? Is it shame that restrains you, my poor boy? Fear not. The secret will remain with your father and me." And embracing the lad with maternal warmth, Bridget added: "Do not the principles in which we brought you up make us feel sure that, despite your temporary blindness, you will know better in the future? Could you possibly become confirmed in dishonesty, you, my

xible voice without raising his eye

nd threw herself convulsively sobbing into the a

y means of unworthy sophisms, your friend Fra Girard has perverted your one-time sense of right and wrong! Oh, whatever insane or impostor monks may say to the contrary, human and divine morality will always condemn theft, whatever the disguises or hypocritical pretexts may be under which it is committed. To believe that such a disgraceful action deserves no punishment-worse yet, that it is meritor

had remained in the dark, threw himself down upon his knees, picked up his instrument of discipline and began flagellating himself with savage fury. The lad smothered th