Page:The Complete Works of Lyof N. Tolstoi - 08 (Crowell, 1899).djvu/384

370 any the less cease to aim at it, because he fails many times to hit it? It is the same with us Our well-being, according to the teaching of Christ, is in love. We search for our advantage, but each one in his own way falls more or less short of attaining it."

"Yes, but why don't you believe in all human wisdom, and why do you turn your back on it, and put your faith in your one crucified Teacher? Your thraldom, your submissiveness before Him, is what repels me."

"Again you make a mistake, and any one makes a mistake who thinks that we, in fulfilling our doctrine, pin our faith to anything because the man we believe in commanded it. On the contrary, those that seek with all their soul for the instructions of Truth, for Communion with the Father, those that seek for true happiness, cannot help hitting upon that path which Christ traversed, and, therefore, cannot help following Him, seeing Him as their leader. All who love God meet on this path, and there you will be also! He is the Son of God and the mediator between God and men, and this is so, not because any one has told us this, and we blindly believe it, but because all those that seek God find His Son before them, and only through Him can they understand, see, and know God."

Julius made no reply to this, and sat for a long while silent.

"Are you happy?" he asked.

"I have nothing better to desire. But although, for the most part, I experience a sense of perplexity, a consciousness of some vague injustice, yet that is the very reason I am so tremendously happy," said Pamphilius, smiling.

"Yes," said Julius; "maybe I should have been happier if I had not met that stranger, and if I had joined you."

"Why! if you think so, what prevents your doing so even now?"

"How about my wife?"

"You say she has an inclination to Christianity, then she will come with you."