reature which has been fashioned by the will of God, is made
to take life, and thy heart--thy excellent heart--is slowly hardening in
the execution of this accursed office! The judgment seat hath fallen to
the lot of the corrupt and designing; mercy hath become the laughing-stock
of the ruthless, and death is inflicted by the hand of him who would live
in peace with his kind. This cometh of thwarting God's intentions with the
selfishness and designs of men! We would be wiser than he who made the
universe, and we betray the weakness of fools! Go to--go to, ye proud and
great of the earth--if we have taken life, it hath been at your bidding;
but we have naught of this on our consciences. The deed hath been the
work of the rapacious and violent--it is no deed of revenge."

"In what manner are we to know that what thou sayest is true?" asked the
chatelain, who had advanced near the altar, in order to watch the effects
of the trial to which he had put Balthazar and his wife.

"I am not surprised at thy question, Herr Chatelain, for nothing comes
quicker to the minds of the honored and happy than the thought of
resenting an evil turn. It is not so with the despised. Revenge would be
an idle remedy for us. Would it raise us in men's esteem? should we forget
our own degraded condition? should we be a whit nearer respect after the
deed was done than we were before?"

"This may be true, but the angered do not reason. Thou art not suspected,
Marguerite, except as having heard the truth from thy husband since the
deed has been committed, but thine own discernment will show that naught
is more probable than that a hot contention about the past may have led
Balthazar, who is accustomed to see blood, into the commission of this
act?"

"Here is thy boasted justice! Thine own laws are brought in support of
thine own oppression. Didst thou know how much pains his father had in
teaching Balthazar to strike, how many long and anxious visits were paid
between his parent and mine in order to bring up the youth in the way of
his dreadful calling, thou wouldst not think him so apt! God unfitted him
for his office, as he has unfitted many of higher and different
pretensions for duties that have been cast upon them in virtue of their
birthrights. Had it been I, chatelain, thy suspicions would have a better
show of reason. I am formed with strong and quick feelings, and reason has
often proved too weak for passion, though the rebuke that has be