Chapter XII.

by James Fenimore Cooper

　　"Your creeds and dogmas of a learned churchMay build a fabric, fair with moral beauty;But it would seem that the strong hand of GodCan, only, 'rase the devil from the heart."--Duo.

　　While the congregation was separating, Mr. Grant approached the placewhere Elizabeth and her father were seated, leading the youthfulfemale whom we have mentioned in the preceding chapter, and presentedher as his daughter. Her reception was as cordial and frank as themanners of the country and the value of good society could render it;the two young women feeling, instantly, that they were necessary tothe comfort of each other, The Judge, to whom the clergymans daughterwas also a stranger, was pleased to find one who, from habits, sex,and years, could probably contribute largely to the pleasures of hisown child, during her first privations on her removal from theassociations of a city to the solitude of Templeton; while Elizabeth,who had been forcibly struck with the sweetness and devotion of theyouthful suppliant, removed the slight embarrassment of the timidstranger by the ease of her own manners. They were at onceacquainted; and, during the ten minutes that the "academy" wasclearing, engagements were made between the young people, not only forthe succeeding day, but they would probably have embraced in theirarrangements half of the winter, had not the divine interrupted themby saying:

　　"Gently, gently, my dear Miss Temple, or you will make my girl toodissipated. You forget that she is my housekeeper, and that mydomestic affairs must remain unattended to, should Louisa accept ofhalf the kind offers you are so good as to make her."

　　"And why should they not be neglected entirely, sir?" interruptedElizabeth. "There are but two of you; and certain I am that myfathers house will not only contain you both, but will open its doorsspontaneously to receive such guests. Society is a good not to herejected on account of cold forms, in this wilderness, sir; and I haveoften heard my father say, that hospitality is not a virtue in a newcountry, the favor being conferred by the guest."

　　"The manner in which Judge Temple exercises its rites would confirmthis opinion; but we must not trespass too freely. Doubt not that youwill see us often, my child, particularly during the frequent visitsthat I shall be compelled to make to the distant parts of the country.But to obtain an influence with such a people," he continued, glancinghis eyes toward the few who were still lingering, curious observers ofthe interview, "a clergyman most not awaken envy or distrust bydwelling under so splendid a roof as that of Judge Temple."

　　"You like the roof, then, Mr. Grant," cried Richard, who had beendirecting the extinguishment of the fires and other little necessaryduties, and who approached in time to hear the close of the divinesspeech. "I am glad to find one man of taste at last. Heres Duke.now, pretends to call it by every abusive name he can invent; butthough Duke is a tolerable judge, he is a very poor carpenter, let metell him. Well, sir, well, I think we may say, without boasting, thatthe service was as well per formed this evening as you often see; Ithink, quite as well as I ever knew it to be done in old Trinity--thatis, if we except the organ. But there is the school-master leads thepsalm with a very good air. I used to lead myself, but latterly Ihave sung nothing but bass. There is a good deal of science to beshown in the bass, and it affords a fine opportunity to show off afull, deep voice. Benjamin, too, sings a good bass, though he isoften out in the words. Did you ever hear Benjamin sing the Bay ofBiscay, 0?"

　　"I believe he gave us part of it this evening," said Marmaduke,laughing. "There was, now and then, a fearful quaver in his voice,and it seems that Mr. Penguillian is like most others who do one thingparticularly well; he knows nothing else. He has, certainly, awonderful partiality to one tune, and he has a prodigious self-confidence in that one, for he delivers himself like a northwestersweeping across the lake. But come, gentlemen, our way is clear, andthe sleigh waits. Good-evening, Mr. Grant. Good-night, young lady--remember you dine beneath the Corinthian roof, to-morrow, withElizabeth."

　　The parties separated, Richard holding a close dissertation with Mr.Le Quoi, as they descended the stairs, on the subject of psalmody,which he closed by a violent eulogium on the air of the "Bay ofBiscay, 0," as particularly connected with his friend Benjaminsexecution.

　　During the preceding dialogue, Mohegan retained his seat, with hishead shrouded in his blanket, as seemingly inattentive to surroundingobjects as the departing congregation was itself to the presence ofthe aged chief, Natty, also, continued on the log where he had firstplaced himself, with his head resting on one of his hands, while theother held the rifle, which was thrown carelessly across his lap. Hiscountenance expressed uneasiness, and the occasional unquiet glancesthat he had thrown around him during the service plainly indicatedsome unusual causes for unhappiness. His continuing seated was, however, out of respect to the Indian chief. to whom he paid the utmostdeference on all occasions, although it was mingled with the roughmanner of a hunter.

　　The young companion of these two ancient inhabitants of the forestremained also standing before the extinguished brands, probably froman unwillingness to depart without his comrades. The room was nowdeserted by all but this group, the divine, and his daughter. As theparty from the mansion-house disappeared, John arose, and, droppingthe blanket from his head, he shook back the mass of black hair fromhis face, and, approaching Mr. Grant, he extended his hand, and saidsolemnly:

　　"Father, I thank you. The words that have been said, since the risingmoon, have gone upward, and the Great Spirit is glad. What you havetold your children, they will remember, and be good." He paused amoment, and then, elevating himself with the grandeur of an Indianchief, he added: "If Chingachgook lives to travel toward the settingsun, after his tribe, and the Great Spirit carries him over the lakesand mountains with the breath of his body, he will tell his people thegood talk he has heard; and they will believe him; for who can saythat Mohegan has ever lied?"

　　"Let him place his dependence on the goodness of Divine mercy," saidMr. Grant, to whom the proud consciousness of the Indian sounded alittle heterodox, "and it never will desert him. When the heart isfilled with love to God, there is no room for sin. But, young man, toyou I owe not only an obligation, in common with those you saved thisevening on the mountain, but my thanks for your respectable and piousmanner in assisting in the service at a most embarrassing moment. Ishould be happy to see you sometimes at my dwelling, when, perhaps, myconversation may strengthen you in the path which you appear to havechosen. It is so unusual to find one of your age and appearance, inthese woods, at all acquainted with our holy liturgy, that it lessensat once the distance between us, and I feel that we are no longerstrangers. You seem quite at home in the service; I did not perceivethat you had even a book, although good Mr. Jones. had laid severalin different parts of the room."

　　"It would be strange if I were ignorant of the service of our church,sir," returned the youth modestly; "for I was baptized in itscommunion and I have never yet attended public worship elsewhere. Forme to use the forms of any other denomination would be as singular asour own have proved to the people here this evening."

　　"You give me great pleasure, my dear sir," cried the divine, seizingthe other by the hand, and shaking it cordially. "You will go homewith me now--indeed you must--my child has yet to thank you for savingmy life. I will-listen to no apologies. This worthy Indian, and yourfriend, there, will accompany us. Bless me! to think that he hasarrived at manhood in this country, without entering a dissenting *meeting-house!"

　　* The divines of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United Statescommonly call other denominations Dissenters, though there never wasan established church in their own country!

　　"No, no," interrupted the Leather-Stocking, "I must away to thewigwam; theres work there that mustnt be forgotten for all yourchurchings and merry-makings. Let the lad go with you in welcome; heis used to keeping company with ministers, and talking of suchmatters; so is old John, who was christianized by the Moravians aboutsthe time of the old war. But I am a plain unlarned man, that hassarved both the king and his country, in his day, agin the French andsavages, but never so much as looked into a book, or larnt a letter ofscholarship, in my born days. Ive never seen the use of much in-doorwork, though I have lived to be partly bald, and in my time havekilled two hundred beaver in a season, and that without counting thcother game. If you mistrust what I am telling you, you can askChingachgook there, for I did it in the heart of the Delaware country,and the old man is knowing to the truth of every word I say."

　　"I doubt not, my friend, that you have been both a valiant soldier andskilful hunter in your day," said the divine; "but more is wanting toprepare you for that end which approaches. You may have heard themaxim, that young men may die, but that old men must"

　　"Im sure I never was so great a fool as to expect to live forever,"said Natty, giving one of his silent laughs; "no man need do that whotrails the savages through the woods, as I have done, and lives, forthe hot months, on the lake streams. Ive a strong constitution, Imust say that for myself, as is plain to be seen; for Ive drunk theOnondaga water a hundred times, while Ive been watching the deer-licks, when the fever-an-agy seeds was to be seen in it as plain andas plenty as you can see the rattle snakes on old Crumhorn. But thenI never expected to hold out forever; though theres them living whohave seen the German flats a wilderness; ay! and them thats larned,and acquainted with religion, too; though you might look a week, now,and not find even the stump of a pine on them; and thats a wood thatlasts in the ground the better part of a hundred years after the treeis dead."

　　"This is but time, my good friend," returned Mr. Grant, who began totake an interest in the welfare of his new acquaintance, "but I wouldhave you prepare for eternity. It is incumbent on you to attendplaces of public worship, as I am pleased to see that you have donethis evening. Would it not he heedless in you to start on a daystoil of hard hunting, and leave your ramrod and flint behind?"

　　"It must be a young hand in the woods," interrupted Natty, withanother laugh, "that didnt know how to dress a rod out of an ashsapling or find a fire-stone in the mountains. No, no, I neverexpected to live forever; but I see, times be altering in thesemountains from what they was thirty years ago, or, for that matter,ten years. But might makes right, and the law is stronger than an oldman, whether he is one that has much laming, or only like me, that isbetter now at standing at the passes than in following the hounds, asI once used to could. Heigh-ho! I never knowd preaching come into asettlement but it made game scarce, and raised the price of gunpowder;and thats a thing thats not as easily made as a ramrod or an Indianflint."

　　The divine, perceiving that he had given his opponent an argument byhis own unfortunate selection of a comparison, very prudentlyrelinquished the controversy; although he was fully determined toresume it at a more happy moment, Repeating his request to the younghunter with great earnestness, the youth and Indian consented to accompany him and his daughter to the dwelling that the care of Mr.Jones had provided for their temporary residence. Leather-Stockingpersevered in his intention of returning to the hut, and at the doorof the building they separated.

　　After following the course of one of the streets of the village ashort distance. Mr. Grant, who led the way, turned into a field,through a pair of open bars, and entered a footpath, of but sufficientwidth to admit one person to walk in at a time. The moon had gained aheight that enabled her to throw her rays perpendicularly on thevalley; and the distinct shadows of the party flitted along on thebanks of the silver snow, like the presence of aerial figures, glidingto their appointed place of meeting. The night still continuedintensely cold, although not a breath of wind was felt. The path wasbeaten so hard that the gentle female, who made one of the party,moved with ease along its windings; though the frost emitted a lowcreaking at the impression of even her light footsteps.

　　The clergyman in his dark dress of broadcloth, with his mild,benevolent countenance occasionally turned toward his companions,expressing that look of subdued care which was its characteristic,presented the first object in this singular group. Next to him movedthe Indian, his hair falling about his face, his head uncovered, andthe rest of his form concealed beneath his blanket. As his swarthyvisage, with its muscles fixed in rigid composure, was seen under thelight of the moon, which struck his face obliquely, he seemed apicture of resigned old age, on whom the storms of winter had beatenin vain for the greater part of a century; but when, in turning hishead, the rays fell directly on his dark, fiery eyes, they told a taleof passions unrestrained, and of thoughts free as air. The slightperson of Miss Grant, which followed next, and which was but toothinly clad for the severity of the season, formed a marked contrastto thc wild attire and uneasy glances of the Delaware chief; and morethan once during their walk, the young hunter, himself noinsignificant figure in the group, was led to consider the differencein the human form, as the face of Mohegan and the gentle countenanceof Miss Grant, with eyes that rivalled the soft hue of the sky, methis view at the instant that each turned to throw a glance at thesplendid orb which lighted their path. Their way, which led throughfields that lay at some distance in the rear of the houses, wascheered by a conversation that flagged or became animated with thesubject. The first to speak was the divine.

　　"Really," he said, "it is so singular a circumstance to meet with oneof your age, that has not been induced by idle curiosity to visit anyother church than the one in which he has been educated, that I feel astrong curiosity to know the history of a life so fortunatelyregulated. Your education must have been excellent; as indeed isevident from your manners and language. Of which of the States areyou a native, Mr. Edwards? for such, I believe, was the name that yougave Judge Temple."

　　"Of this."

　　"Of this! I was at a loss to conjecture, from your dialect, which doesnot partake, particularly, of the peculiarities of any country withwhich I am acquainted. You have, then, resided much in the cities,for no other part of this country is so fortunate as to possess theconstant enjoyment of our excellent liturgy."

　　The young hunter smiled, as he listened to the divine while he soclearly betrayed from what part of the country he had come himself;but, for reasons probably connected with his present situation, hemade no answer.

　　"I am delighted to meet with you, my young friend, for I think aningenuous mind, such as I doubt not yours must be, will exhibit allthe advantages of a settled doctrine and devout liturgy. You perceivehow I was compelled to bend to the humors of my hearers this evening.Good Mr. Jones wished me to read the communion, and, in fact, all themorning service; but, happily, the canons do not require this of anevening. It would have wearied a new congregation; but to-morrow Ipurpose administering the sacrament, Do you commune, my young friend?"

　　"I believe not, sir," returned the youth, with a little embarrassment,that was not at all diminished by Miss Grants pausing involuntarily,and turning her eyes on him in surprise; "I fear that I am notqualified; I have never yet approached the altar; neither would I wishto do it while I find so much of the world clinging to my heart."

　　"Each must judge for himself," said Mr. Grant; "though I should thinkthat a youth who had never been blown about by the wind of falsedoctrines, and who has enjoyed the advantages of our liturgy for somany years in its purity, might safely come. Yet, sir, it is a solemnfestival, which none should celebrate until there is reason to hope itis not mockery. I observed this evening, in your manner to JudgeTemple, a resentment that bordered on one of the worst of humanpassions, We will cross this brook on the ice; it must bear us all, Ithink, in safety. Be careful not to slip, my child." While speaking,he descended a little bank by the path, and crossed one of the smallstreams that poured their waters into the lake; and, turning to seehis daughter pass, observed that the youth had advanced, and waskindly directing her footsteps. When all were safely over, he movedup the opposite bank, and continued his discourse. "It was wrong, mydear sir, very wrong, to suffer such feelings to rise, under anycircumstances, and especially in the present, where the evil was notintended."

　　"There is good in the talk of my father," said Mohegan, stoppingshort, and causing those who Were behind him to pause also; "it is thetalk of Miquon. The white man may do as his fathers have told him;but the Young Eagle has the blood of a Delaware chief in his veins;it is red, and the stain it makes can only be washed out with theblood of a Mingo."

　　Mr. Grant was surprised by the interruption of the Indian, and,stopping, faced the speaker. His mild features were confronted to thefierce and determined looks of the chief, and expressed the horror hefelt at hearing such sentiments from one who professed the religion ofhis Saviour. Raising his hands to a level with his head, heexclaimed:

　　"John, John! is this the religion that you have learned from theMoravians? But no--I will not be so uncharitable as to suppose it.They are a pious, a gentle, and a mild people, and could nevertolerate these passions. Listen to the language of the Redeemer: ButI say unto you, love your enemies; bless them that curse you; do goodto them that hate you; pray for them that despitefully use you andpersecute you. This is the command of God, John, and, withoutstriving to cultivate such feelings, no man can see Him."

　　The Indian heard the divine with attention; the unusual fire of hiseye gradually softened, and his muscles relaxed into their ordinarycomposure; but, slightly shaking his head, he motioned with dignityfor Mr. Grant to resume his walk, and followed himself in silence, Theagitation of the divine caused him to move with unusual rapidity alongthe deep path, and the Indian, without any apparent exertion, kept anequal pace; but the young hunter observed the female to linger in hersteps, until a trifling distance intervened between the two former andthe latter. Struck by the circumstance, and not perceiving any newimpediment to retard her footstep, the youth made a tender of hisassistance.

　　"You are fatigued, Miss Grant," he said; "the snow yields to the foot,and you are unequal to the strides of us men. Step on the crust, Ientreat you, and take the help of my arm, Yonder light is, I believe,the house of your father; but it seems yet at some distance."

　　"I am quite equal to the walk," returned a low, tremulous voice; "butI am startled by the manner of that Indian, Oh! his eye was horrid, ashe turned to the moon, in speaking to my father. But I forgot, sir;he is your friend, and by his language may be your relative; and yetof you I do not feel afraid."

　　The young man stepped on the bank of snow, which firmly sustained hisweight, and by a gentle effort induced his companion to follow.Drawing her arm through his own, he lifted his cap from his head,allowing the dark locks to flow in rich curls over his open brow, andwalked by her side with an air of conscious pride, as if inviting anexamination of his utmost thoughts. Louisa took but a furtive glanceat his person, and moved quietly along, at a rate that was greatlyquickened by the aid of his arm.

　　"You are but little acquainted with this peculiar people, Miss Grant,"he said, "or you would know that revenge is a virtue with an Indian.They are taught, from infancy upward, to believe it a duty never toallow an injury to pass unrevenged; and nothing but the strongerclaims of hospitality can guard one against their resentments wherethey have power."

　　"Surely, sir," said Miss Grant, involuntarily withdrawing her arm fromhis, "you have not been educated with such unholy sentiments?"

　　"It might be a sufficient answer to your excellent father to say thatI was educated in the church," he returned; "but to you I will addthat I have been taught deep and practical lessons of forgiveness. Ibelieve that, on this subject, I have but little cause to reproachmyself; it shall he my endeavor that there yet be less."

　　While speaking, he stopped, and stood with his arm again proffered toher assistance. As he ended, she quietly accepted his offer, and theyresumed their walk.

　　Mr. Grant and Mohegan had reached the door of the former's residence,and stood waiting near its threshold for the arrival of their youngcompanions. The former was earnestly occupied in endeavoring tocorrect, by his precepts, the evil propensities that he had discoveredin the Indian during their conversation; to which the latter listenedin Profound but respectful attention. On the arrival of the younghunter and the lady, they entered the building. The house stood atsome distance from the village, in the centre of a field, surroundedby stumps that were peering above the snow, bearing caps of purewhite, nearly two feet in thickness. Not a tree nor a shrub was nighit; but the house, externally, exhibited that cheer less, unfurnishedaspect which is so common to the hastily erected dwellings of a newcountry. The uninviting character of its outside was, however,happily relieved by the exquisite neatness and comfortable warmthwithin.

　　They entered an apartment that was fitted as a parlor, though thelarge fireplace, with its culinary arrangements, betrayed the domesticuses to which it was occasionally applied. The bright blaze from thehearth rendered the light that proceeded from the candle Louisaproduced unnecessary; for the scanty furniture of the room was easilyseen and examined by the former. The floor was covered in the centreby a carpet made of rags, a species of manufacture that was then, andyet continues to be, much in use in the interior; while its edges,that were exposed to view, were of unspotted cleanliness. There was atrifling air of better life in a tea-table and work-stand, as well asin an old-fashioned mahogany bookcase; but the chairs, the dining-table, and the rest of the furniture were of the plainest and cheapestconstruction, Against the walls were hung a few specimens of needle-work and drawing, the former executed with great neatness, though ofsomewhat equivocal merit in their designs, while the latter werestrikingly deficient in both,

　　One of the former represented a tomb, with a youthful female weepingover it, exhibiting a church with arched windows in the background.On the tomb were the names, with the dates of the births and deaths,of several individuals, all of whom bore the name of Grant. Anextremely cursory glance at this record was sufficient to discover tothe young hunter the domestic state of the divine. He there read thathe was a widower; and that the innocent and timid maiden, who had beenhis companion, was the only survivor of six children. The knowledgeof the dependence which each of these meek Christians had on the otherfor happiness threw an additional charm around the gentle but kindattentions which the daughter paid to the father.

　　These observations occurred while the party were seating themselvesbefore the cheerful fire, during which time there was a suspension ofdiscourse. But, when each was comfortably arranged, and Louisa, afterlaying aside a thin coat of faded silk, and a gypsy hat, that was morebecoming to her modest, ingenuous countenance than appropriate to theseason, had taken a chair between her father and the youth, the formerresumed the conversation.

　　"I trust, my young friend," he said, "that the education you havereceived has eradicated most of those revengeful principles which youmay have inherited by descent, for I understand from the expressionsof John that you have some of the blood of the Delaware tribe. Do notmistake me, I beg, for it is not color nor lineage that constitutesmerit; and I know not that he who claims affinity to the proper ownersof this soil has not the best right to tread these hills with thelightest conscience."

　　Mohegan turned solemnly to the speaker, and, with the peculiarlysignificant gestures of an Indian, he spoke:

　　"Father, you are not yet past the summer of life; your limbs areyoung. Go to the highest hill, and look around you. All that yousee, from the rising to the setting sun, from the head-waters of thegreat spring, to where the crooked river* is hid by the hills, ishis. He has Delaware blood, and his right is strong.

　　* The Susquehannah means crooked river; "hannah," or "hannock," meantriver in many of the native dialects. Thus we find Rappahannock asfar south as Virginia.

　　But the brother of Miquon is just; he will cut the country in twoparts, as the river cuts the lowlands, and will say to the YoungEagle, Child of the Delawares! take it--keep it; and be a chief inthe land of your fathers."

　　"Never!" exclaimed the young hunter, with a vehemence that destroyedthe rapt attention with which the divine and his daughter werelistening to the Indian. "The wolf of the forest is not morerapacious for his prey than that man is greedy of gold; and yet hisglidings into wealth are subtle as the movements of a serpent."

　　"Forbear, forbear, my son, forbear," interrupted Mr. Grant. "Theseangry passions most be subdued. The accidental injury you havereceived from Judge Temple has heightened the sense of your hereditarywrongs. But remember that the one was unintentional, and that theother is the effect of political changes, which have, in their course,greatly lowered the pride of kings, and swept mighty nations from theface of the earth. Where now are the Philistines, who so often heldthe children of Israel in bondage? or that city of Babylon, whichrioted in luxury and vice, and who styled herself the Queen of Nationsin the drunkenness of her pride? Remember the prayer of our holylitany, where we implore the Divine Power--that it may please thee toforgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, and to turn theirhearts. The sin of the wrongs which have been done to the natives isshared by Judge Temple only in common with a whole people, and yourarm will speedily be restored to its strength."

　　"This arm!" repeated the youth, pacing the floor in violent agitation."Think you, sir, that I believe the man a murderer? Oh, no! he is toowily, too cowardly, for such a crime. But let him and his daughterriot in their wealth--a day of retribution will come. No, no, no," hecontinued, as he trod the floor more calmly--" it is for Mohegan tosuspect him of an intent to injure me; but the trifle is not worth asecond thought." He seated himself, and hid his face between hishands, as they rested on his knees.

　　"It is the hereditary violence of a natives passion, my child," saidMr. Grant in a low tone to his affrighted daughter, who was clingingin terror to his arm. "He is mixed with the blood of the Indians, youhave heard; and neither the refinements of education nor theadvantages of our excellent liturgy have been able entirely toeradicate the evil. But care and time will do much for him yet."

　　Although the divine spoke in a low tone, yet what he uttered was heardby the youth, who raised his head, with a smile of indefiniteexpression, and spoke more calmly:

　　"Be not alarmed, Miss Grant, at either the wildness of my manner orthat of my dress. I have been carried away by passions that I shouldstruggle to repress. I must attribute it, with your father, to theblood in my veins, although I would not impeach my lineage willingly;for it is all that is left me to boast of. Yes! I am proud of mydescent from a Delaware chief, who was a warrior that ennobled humannature. Old Mohegan was his friend, and will vouch for his virtues."

　　Mr. Grant here took up the discourse, and, finding the young man morecalm, and the aged chief attentive, he entered into a full andtheological discussion of the duty of forgiveness. The conversationlasted for more than an hour, when the visitors arose, and, afterexchanging good wishes with their entertainers, they departed. At thedoor they separated, Mohegan taking the direct route to the village,while the youth moved toward the lake. The divine stood at theentrance of his dwelling, regarding the figure of the aged chief as itglided, at an astonishing gait for his years, along the deep path; hisblack, straight hair just visible over the bundle formed by hisblanket, which was sometimes blended with the snow, under the silverylight of the moon. From the rear of the house was a window thatoverlooked the lake; and here Louisa was found by her father, when heentered, gazing intently on some object in the direction of theeastern mountain. He approached the spot, and saw the figure of theyoung hunter, at the distance of half a mile, walking with prodigioussteps across the wide fields of frozen snow that covered the ice,toward the point where he knew the hut inhabited by the Leather-Stocking was situated on the margin of the lake, under a rock that wascrowned by pines and hemlocks. At the next instant, the wild lookingform entered the shadow cast from the over-hanging trees, and was lostto view.

　　"It is marvellous how long the propensities of the savage continue inthat remarkable race," said the good divine; "but if he perseveres ashe has commenced, his triumph shall yet be complete. Put me in mind,Louisa, to lend him the homily against peril of idolatry, at hisnext visit."

　　"Surety, father, you do not think him in danger of relapsing into theworship of his ancestors?"

　　"No, my child," returned the clergyman, laying his hand affectionatelyon her flaxen locks, and smiling; "his white blood would prevent it;but there is such a thing as the idolatry of our passions."