ntly dwelling, the gaiety of the wood fire,
the white table-cloth, the wine and the steaming dishes entered, little
by little, into my soul. Whilst I ate I nearly forgot that I had come to
the fireside of this priest to exchange the soreness of remorse for the
fertilising dew of repentance. Monsieur Safrac reminded me of the hours,
already long since past, which we had spent together in the college when
he had taught philosophy.

"You, Ary," he said to me, "were my best pupil. Your quick intelligence
was always in advance of the thought of the teacher. For that reason I
at once became attached to you. I like a Christian to be daring. Faith
should not be timid when unbelief shows an indomitable audacity. The
Church nowadays has lambs only; and it needs lions. Who will give us
back those learned fathers and doctors whose erudition embraced all
sciences? Truth is like the sun; it requires the eye of an eagle to
contemplate it."

"Ah, M. Safrac, you brought to bear on all questions that daring vision
which nothing dazzles. I remember that your opinions sometimes even
startled those of your colleagues whom the holiness of your life filled
with admiration. You did not fear new ideas. Thus, for instance, you
were inclined to admit the plurality of inhabited worlds."

His eyes kindled.

"What will the cowards say when they read my book? I have meditated,
and I have worked under this beautiful sky, in this land which God has
created with a special love. You know that I have some knowledge of
Hebrew, Arabic, Persian, and certain of the Indian dialects. You also
know that I have brought here a library rich in ancient manuscripts. I
have plunged profoundly into the knowledge of the tongues and traditions
of the primitive East. This great work, by the help of God, will not
have been in vain. I have nearly finished my book on 'Origins,' which
re-establishes and upholds that Biblical exegesis of which an impious
science already foresaw the imminent overthrow. God in His mercy has at
last permitted science and faith to be reconciled. To effect this
reconciliation I have started with the following premises:

"The Bible, inspired by the Holy Ghost, tells only the truth, but it
does not tell all the truth. And how could it, seeing that its only
object is to inform us of what is needful for our eternal salvation?
Apart from this great purpose it has no other. Its design is as simple
as it is infinite. It includes the fall and the rede