wily interpretation he could give to the Word of God, which
he did not employ to convert me to his wishes. Here is an example of his
logic:--

"'Fair daughter,' said he to me one day, 'knowest thou who God truly is?'

"'He is the Creator of the Universe,' I answered drily.

"'No,--no,--no,--no! that is not enough,' he replied, laughing at my
ignorance. 'God is love, but love in the abstract, which receives its
incarnation in the mutual affection of two hearts which idolize each other.
You, then, must not only love God in His abstract existance, but must also
love Him in His incarnation, that is, in the exclusive love of a man who
adores you. _Quod Deus est amor, nec colitur, nisi amando._'

"'Then,' I replied, 'a woman who adores her own lover would adore Divinity
itself?'

"'Assuredly,' reiterated the priest over and over again, taking courage
from my remark, and chuckling at what seemed to him to be the effect of his
catechism.

"'In that case,' said I hastily, 'I should select for my lover rather a man
of the world than a priest.'

"'God preserve you, my daughter! God preserve you from that sin!' added my
interlocutor, apparently frightened. 'To love a man of the world, a sinner,
a wretch, an unbeliever, an infidel! Why, you would go immediately to hell.
The love of a priest is a sacred love, while that of a profane man is
infamy; the faith of a priest emanates from that granted to the holy
Church, while that of the profane is false,--false as the vanity of the
world. The priest purifies his affections daily in communion with the Holy
Spirit: the man of the world (if he ever knows love at all) sweeps the
muddy crossings of the street with it day and night.

"'But it is the heart, as well as the conscience, which prompts me to fly
from the priests,' I replied.

"'Well, if you cannot love me because I am your confessor, I will find
means to assist you to get rid of your scruples. We will place the name of
Jesus Christ before all our affectionate demonstration, and thus our love
will be a grateful offering to the Lord, and will ascend fragrant with
perfume to Heaven, like the smoke of the incense of the sanctuary. Say to
me, for example, "I love you in Jesus Christ; last night I dreamed of you
in Jesus Christ;" and you will have a tranquil conscience, because in doing
this you will sanctify every transport of your love.'

"Several circumstances not indicated here, by the way, compelled me to come
in frequent