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 not leave him on his soft-scented cushion? Nature is equally kind to all her creatures; she has no special favors for the large, the rich, the great. Every task is of equal importance to her, whether performed by the butterfly or the sun; she has justice for all. She leads everything by the same laws to decay and death; but only to decompose, change and combine it with other matter and again awaken it to new life in a grander, nobler form.”

The harper, deeply moved, watched with unfeigned wonder the porter’s son, whose eyes were again turned to heaven. Andrew was serene; he did not question, doubt, fluctuate as the harper did; he was blessed with that full assurance of faith which gives strength and dignity. By his side the harper felt more immature and insignificant than he had ever felt before. At last, with trembling voice, he said:

“My meeting with the heretic is to mea sign, I believe, that I shall be delivered from my own heresies.”