he glance of love, that has
arisen in his inmost soul, he would rather forfeit his life than his
conviction, he requires no proofs, no renewing to confirm him, no
passion, no illusion, or miracle to ground him more firmly in himself,
as little will raillery, or doubt, brilliant talent, or presumptuous
philosophy, again be able to displace in his heart that directing
star."

Edmond became thoughtful. "You are recalling," said he at length,
"my former existence within me; I believe I comprehend you, and
yet formerly I did not understand myself. You even mention the
miraculous and similar things slightingly, do we not live in the age of
such things? Oh! my honoured, venerable friend, could you have beheld
what I have seen, could I tell you what I have myself experienced, you
would then be bewildered at yourself and your own conviction, but you
content yourself in peace, that you may escape the conflict, you deny
the gift of prophecy, the visions, the wonderful state of these
children and inspired Camisards, or censure with your church all, as
deception and falsehood, if perchance you do not, as however I cannot
believe of you, agree with the most infamous, and declare it the work
of Satan and of hell." "Aye, no, my young enthusiast," cried the old
man, "nothing of all this; I have spoken with sensible men, and I have
witnessed myself years ago similar singularities: Why should I deny
these miracles, and may be, here and there mingled with lies, what
should deter me from believing in them?"

"Well, nevertheless," interrupted Edmond passionately, "you will
withdraw from the truth, you will uphold only your church as truly
orthodox?"

"Has mine then no miracles to bring forward?" said the old man meekly:
"and why should I not recognise them? But should the truth of
revelation be grounded upon these alone, we were then indeed entrapped
in the worst of errors. That, which habit renders necessary to us, we
call nature and its laws: When I see a deviation from this, which
surprises and confounds me, I speak of miracles; as if these so named
laws were not likewise miracles; as if I were able to interpret, to
comprehend and explain the daily phenomena; as if each flower did not
blossom before me as a miracle; my origin, growth and decay, sun, moon,
and stars, light, air, and water, nay, the organisation of the smallest
fly were not also miracles like horror and spectre. All life surrounds
me spiritually, miraculously; or, if my