believe to be true, through a
pusillanimous fear of death? Is it possible you can have so poor an
opinion of your son?'

The rage of the proselyting chief, which had been hitherto with
difficulty restrained, now broke through all bounds. He caught the
crucifix from the table, unsheathed his sword, and holding them both
before his son, exclaimed, 'better to be childless than have a heretic
for a son! Choose instantly. Abjure your false belief, or die by my
hands!'

'You gave me life, my father,' said Oswald; and you can also take it
from me. I remain stedfast in the truth. Therefore end quickly with me,
in God's name.'

'God of Abraham strengthen me! cried the father, looking wildly towards
heaven and raising his weapon; but Bibran and Lamormaine caught his
arm.

'God does not require a father to sacrifice his son,' said the
governor.

'Would you give the heretics cause to curse our holy faith through your
senseless fury?' cried the Jesuit to him, in a tone of reprehension.

'Take him to prison!' commanded Dohna, who had returned to the room.
'He may there consider until morning, whether he will or will not
abjure his heresy.' Should he continue obstinate, I will then permit
justice to take its course upon the murderer of my officer.'

'God grant thee his light and peace, my poor father! Then shall we
again meet above!' cried Oswald with filial tenderness to the colonel,
who, exhausted by excess of anger, stared wildly about him as if bereft
of consciousness, and finally rushed from the room without speaking.

CHAPTER XIII.

Overcome by sorrow for his father's anger, and racked with anxiety for
the fate of his beloved Faith, whom he could protect no longer, Oswald
sat in the criminal's apartment of the guard-house, looking listlessly
through his grated window upon the snow-covered market-place. It was a
cold still night, and the stars shone through the clear atmosphere with
unusual brilliancy. The persecutors and the afflicted were finally at
peace, and had forgotten their insolence and their sufferings in the
embraces of sleep. The clocks of the church towers struck the midnight
hour. The guard was aroused for the purpose of relieving the sentinels
on post, and the rattling of arms resounded through the guard-house.
The noise, however, soon subsiding, quiet again prevailed, and Oswald,
to whom the confused and restless working of his mind had become almost
insupportable,