Page:Pierre.djvu/156

142 'Since we seem to have been strangely drawn into the ethical aspect of this melancholy matter,' said he, 'suppose we go further in it; and let me ask, how it should be between the legitimate and the illegitimate child—children of one father—when they shall have passed their childhood?'

Here the clergyman quickly raising his eyes, looked as surprised and searchingly at Pierre, as his politeness would permit.

'Upon my word,' said Mrs. Glendinning, hardly less surprised, and making no attempt at disguising it—'this is an odd question you put; you have been more attentive to the subject than I had fancied. But what do you mean, Pierre? I did not entirely understand you.'

'Should the legitimate child shun the illegitimate, when one father is father to both?' rejoined Pierre, bending his head still further over his plate.

The clergyman looked a little down again, and was silent; but still turned his head slightly sideways toward his hostess, as if awaiting some reply to Pierre from her.

'Ask the world, Pierre,' said Mrs. Glendinning, warmly—'and ask your own heart.'

'My own heart? I will, madam,' said Pierre, now looking up steadfastly; 'but what do you think, Mr. Falsgrave?' letting his glance drop again—'should the one shun the other? should the one refuse his highest sympathy and perfect love for the other, especially if that other be deserted by all the rest of the world? What think you would have been our blessed Saviour's thoughts on such a matter? And what was that he so mildly said to the adulteress?'

A swift colour passed over the clergyman's countenance, suffusing even his expanded brow; he slightly moved in his chair, and looked uncertainly from Pierre to his mother. He seemed as a shrewd, benevolent-minded man, placed