ction is?"

"I would rather not state it."

Manna's face flushed. This man, she thought, is also a heretic in
regard to social institutions! But she quickly composed herself, and
continued quietly:--

"It ought not to be a matter of indifference to you to be regarded as
open to the charge of being unjust."

"Herr Captain," Pranken said, coming to her help, "would you favor us
so far as to give us your view? It would be very kind of you if you
would instruct us, and give us at length your objections." Then turning
to Manna, he said in a low tone:--

"Take notice, this will be the order of his discourse. First, he
declines to speak, like a singer who is urged to sing in company; then
he asks pardon for his novel views; next comes a condescending
definition; after that a citation from Professor Hamlet, to be
succeeded by a moral burst of indignation, and every one who thinks
otherwise is an idiot or a knave; and finally, when you think now is
the grand finale, he adds something else, and winds up with a trill."

Eric perceived that he was to be irritated and goaded on, but he had
self-control enough to say to himself: I will not be driven over the
barriers. With quiet deliberation he proceeded to say:--

"First of all, I beg you would remember that Catholic as well as
Protestant cathedrals are to be completed by this horrible and no
longer unusual means."

"And why so horrible?" asked Manna.

"Yes, go on, go on!" urged Pranken, as if he were flourishing his
horse-whip.

"Allow me to take more time," answered Eric; "I must take a longer
spring."

"Proceed! proceed!" said Pranken sharply, twirling the ends of his
moustache.

"The largest cathedrals," Eric began by saying, "are unfinished; quiet
in the lap of earth rest thousands and tens of thousand hands which
devotion once moved to dig the stone, to raise, and lay, and chisel
them. Careless and thoughtless enough, undoubtedly, were the workmen,
but they were set in motion by devout feeling, the feeling of those who
poured out the money, and those who superintended the work, desiring to
build a house of God. But listen to the cry now: You servant-man, you
servant-girl, you journeyman, come here! here's a lottery ticket--only
one dollar to pay--you can make so much by it, and help build a church
besides! How can the holy Word be devoutly proclaimed in a building
erected by an appeal to the covetousness of men? You smile. You think,
perhaps, that it does no h