n bit of painted wood is a thing to bow
down to and adore."

Notwithstanding this taunt at the close of this speech, there was so
much truth in the observations of Amine, that Father Mathias felt
their power. As the wife of a Catholic, he had been accustomed to view
Amine as one who had backslided from the church of Rome--not as one
who had been brought up in another creed. He now recalled to mind,
that she had never yet been received into the church, for Father
Seysen had not considered her as in a proper state to be admitted, and
had deferred her baptism until he was satisfied of her full belief.

"You speak boldly; but you speak as you feel, my child," replied
Father Mathias after a pause. "We will, when we arrive at Goa, talk
over these things, and with the blessing of God, the new faith shall
be made manifest to you."

"So be it," replied Amine.

Little did the priest imagine that Amine's thoughts were at that
moment upon a dream she had had at New Guinea, in which her mother
appeared, and revealed to her her magic arts--and that Amine was
longing to arrive at Goa that she might practise them.

Every hour the gale increased, and the vessel laboured and leaked; the
Portuguese sailors were frightened, and invoked their saints. Father
Mathias, and the other passengers, gave themselves up for lost, for
the pumps could not keep the vessel free; and their cheeks blanched as
the waves washed furiously over the vessel: they prayed and trembled.
Father Mathias gave them absolution; some cried like children, some
tore their hair, some cursed, and cursed the saints they had but the
day before invoked. But Amine stood unmoved; and as she heard them
curse, she smiled in scorn.

"My child," said Father Mathias, checking his tremulous voice that he
might not appear agitated before one whom he saw so calm and unmoved
amidst the roaring of the elements--"My child, let not this hour of
peril pass away. Before thou art summoned, let me receive thee into
the bosom of our church--give thee pardon for thy sins, and certainty
of bliss hereafter."

"Good Father, Amine is not to be frightened into belief, even if she
feared the storm," replied she; "nor will she credit your power to
forgive her sins, merely because she says, in fear, that which in her
calm reason she might reject. If ever fear could have subjected me,
it was when I was alone upon the raft--that was indeed a trial of my
strength of mind, the bare recollection of wh