aplain. "Here may
plainly be seen how the matter stands. It is hidden away in politics,
but the spirit they cannot conceal; it is precisely the same French
spirit of hell, the spirit of revolt, the spirit of the Devil, which
lifts itself against even the living God. Do you see that, pastor? Do
you see how wholly these 'freedom politics,' as they are called, are
held up and impregnated with this godless spirit of revolt? In truth,
it becomes more and more clear that it is the part of us, the watchmen
of Zion,--more now than ever before,--to watch and pray."

The pastor sat and meditated. He looked oppressed and sorrowful. It
was too quiet for Hans: he moved away to Hauk and Ragna. The chaplain
appeared to like this, and became more calm.

"Dear pastor," said he after a while, "just as surely as there is
truth in our work,--yes, this question presses itself more and more in
upon me,--as surely as there is truth in our work: that we shall watch
over God's house and people,--we _cannot_ remain silent and be calm
when we see a spirit like this coming bearing in upon us--a spirit
which is directly founded upon heathenism, and so plainly shows its
Satanic origin. Shall it be? Can we answer for that before our Lord
and God?"

The pastor was silent. He was in great doubt and uncertainty of mind.
"I do not believe that it is right to bring politics into the house of
God," said he at last.

"Politics, no! But this is not politics; this is a spirit of the
times, a view of life which takes the outward garb of politics, but at
the bottom is merely a new outbreak of the same old heathenism that
the Church at all times has had to contend with. I, for my part, do
not believe that I can keep silent with a quiet conscience."

The pastor held his peace and thought. "This is a hard question," he
said finally. "May our Lord give us wisdom!"

"Amen," said the chaplain....

That night the old pastor did not sleep well. He walked up and down
his chamber and thought. "When it comes to the point," said he to
himself, "Balle is right; there _is_ something bad and evil in the
spirit of the time; there _is_ something devilish. Merely look, now,
at this Eystein Hauk, this clever fine fellow: he is not to be got at.
He is frozen to ice and hardened to steel, slippery and smooth as a
serpent. There came such an uncanny spirit from him that he made me
downright sick: no respect, no veneration even for his own father; God
knows how he can hold f