FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107  
108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   >>   >|  
in the failing gleams of the setting sun, and Dalaber told of Garret's night and the errand on which he was bound. Arthur smiled, and slightly shrugged his shoulders; but the confidence his friend unconsciously put in him by these revelations was sacred to him. He had not desired to know; but at least the secret was safe with him. "He will not go there," said Clarke, as he heard the tale. "Not go to my brother?" questioned Dalaber quickly. "No, he will not go there. I know the man too well to believe it. The impulse for flight came upon him, and he was persuaded that it might be an open door. But he will not carry the plan through. His conscience will not permit him to hire himself under a false name to a man who believes him an orthodox priest holding his own views. Garret will never do that, and he will be right not to do it. It would be a false step. One may not tamper with the truth, nor act deceitfully in holy things." Then Arthur Cole began to speak, and to tell Clarke what had happened with regard to the cardinal and the heads of various houses, and how his own name had been set down as one who was suspected of the taint of heresy. "They know that men come to your rooms to read the Scriptures and discourse thereon," he concluded, "and in these times that is almost enough to brand a man a heretic. And yet I know that you are not one. I would that the cardinal himself were half so true a servant of God." A slight smile passed over Clarke's beautiful face. The light seemed to deepen within his eyes. "Take heed, my kindly young friend, or men will call thee heretic next," he said. "It is hard to know sometimes what they mean by the word. Let it be enough for us to know that we are all members of the mystical body of Christ, and that none can sever us from our union with Him, save He Himself; and His word, even to the erring and the feeble and the sinner, is, 'Come unto me. Him that cometh I will in no wise cast out.'" "I know, I know--if that were only enough!" cried Arthur, in perplexity and distress. "It is enough for me," answered Clarke, with his illuminating smile. "But will you not have a greater care for yourself--for our sakes who love you, if not for your own?" urged the other. "What would you have me to do, or not to do?" asked Clarke. "I would have you abandon your reading and discussions--for a time. I would have you, perhaps, even quit Oxford till this storm sweeps by. Why s
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107  
108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Clarke
 

Arthur

 

heretic

 
cardinal
 

Garret

 
friend
 

Dalaber

 

servant

 

slight

 

kindly


deepen

 
beautiful
 

passed

 

feeble

 

answered

 

illuminating

 

greater

 

abandon

 

reading

 
sweeps

Oxford

 

discussions

 
distress
 

perplexity

 

members

 

mystical

 

Christ

 
Himself
 

erring

 
sinner

cometh

 

happened

 

quickly

 

questioned

 
brother
 

impulse

 

flight

 
conscience
 

persuaded

 

secret


errand

 
failing
 

gleams

 

setting

 

smiled

 

slightly

 

sacred

 

desired

 

revelations

 

shrugged