Page:Maria Felicia.pdf/220

 were dealt with,” the Emperor firmly answered.

“Justly, says your majesty? Oh, do not speak thus, illustrious master; do not speak so, at least to me, whom only a few moments ago you so nobly promised access to your heart. Press your hand on your heart and appeal to your sense of justice. Which side was it that first began to violate justice? And, besides, what is justice, according to the views of that generation and this? Is it anything more than that which the majority favors? Cannot one person be right against the whole world, as has happened more than once? Have people never fought against truth that was unpleasant to them; have they never mocked and purposely misunderstood it if it was in the way of their selfishness? Was not Christ misunderstood in the same way?”

“Such views would confound the whole established order of things.”

“Supposing we should replace the new heresies with old reliable truths?” quickly the