One Snowy Night Part 22

"Oh, of course. He's to judge us at the last day."

"If He save thee not before He judge thee, thou wilt never be saved.

Dost thou not know He is the Saviour of men?"

"Well, I've heard say so, but I never thought it meant any thing."

"It means every thing to sinners. Now, how art thou about to come by the salvation that Christ has wrought for thee?"

"The priest will give me some, won't he?"

"He hath it not to give thee. Thou must go straight to the Lord Himself."

"But I can't go save through the Church. And oh dear, but I should be frightened to have aught to do with Him! Except when He's a baby, and then we've got our Lady to intercede for us."

"Art thou, then, very much afraid of me?"

"You? Oh no! You're coming with me to take care of me--aren't you?"

"I am. But what am I doing for thee, in comparison of Him who died for thee? Afraid of the Lord that laid down His life for thine! Why, Maiden, there is nought in His heart for thee save love and pity and strength to help. He loved thee--get it into thy mind, grave it deep in thy soul--He loved thee, and gave His life for thee."

"Me?" Leuesa had come to a sudden stand. "You don't mean _me_?"

"I mean thee, and none other."

"Mother always says I'm so stupid, n.o.body will ever care for me. I thought--I never heard any body talk like that. I thought it was only the very greatest saints that could get near Him, and then only through the Church."

"Thou and I are the Church, if Christ saves us."

"Oh, what do you mean? The priests and bishops are the Church. At least they say so."

"Ay, they do say so, the hirelings that foul with their feet the water whence the flock should drink: 'we are the people, and wisdom shall die with us!' 'The Temple of the Lord are we!' But the Temple of the Lord is larger, and wider, and higher, than their poor narrow souls. Maiden, listen to me, for I speak to thee words from G.o.d. The Church of G.o.d consists of the elect of G.o.d from the beginning to the end of the world, by the grace of G.o.d, through the merits of Christ, gathered together by the Holy Ghost, and fore-ordained to eternal life. They that hear and understand the Word of G.o.d, receiving it to their souls' health, and being justified by Christ--these are the Church; these go into life eternal. Hast thou understood me, Maiden?"

"I don't--exactly--know," she said slowly. "I should like to understand. But how can I know whether I am one of them or not?"

"Of the elect of G.o.d? If thou hast chosen G.o.d rather than the world, that is the strongest evidence thou canst have that He has chosen thee out of the world."

"But I sha'n't be in the world--just exactly. You see I'm going to live in the anchorhold. That isn't the world."

It was not easy to teach one who spoke a different dialect from the teacher. To Gerhardt, the world was the opposite of G.o.d; to Leuesa, it was merely the opposite of the cloister.

"Put 'sin' for 'the world,' Maiden," said Gerhardt, "and thou wilt understand me better."

"But what must I do to keep out of sin?"

"'If thou wilt love Christ and follow His teaching,'" said Gerhardt, quoting from his confession of faith, "'thou must watch, and read the Scriptures. Spiritual poverty of heart must thou have, and love purity, and serve G.o.d in humility.'"

"I can't read!" exclaimed Leuesa, in a tone which showed that she would have deemed it a very extraordinary thing if she could.

"Thou canst hear. Ermine will repeat them to thee, if thou ask her--so long as we are here."

"Osbert says you won't be for long. He thinks you are bad people; I don't know why."

"Nor do I, seeing we serve G.o.d--save that the enemy of G.o.d and men spreads abroad falsehoods against us."

They had reached the little postern of the Castle. Gerhardt rapped at the door, and after two or three repet.i.tions, it was opened.

"Oh, it's you, is it?" said Stephen's voice behind it. "Get you in quickly, Leuesa, for Hagena's in a terrible tantrum. She declares you've run away."

"I'm late, I know," answered Leuesa humbly; "but I could not help it, Stephen."

"Well, you'll catch it, I can tell you; and the longer you stay, the more you'll catch: so best get it over.--Gerard, will you come in? I want a word with you."

Gerhardt stepped inside the postern, and Stephen beckoned him into an outhouse, at the moment untenanted.

"What are you going to do?"

"About what?"

"What! Don't you know you are to be haled before the Bishops? Every body else does."

"Yes, I have been told so."

"Are you going to wait for them?" demanded Stephen, with several notes of astonishment in his voice.

"I am going to wait for the Lord."

"You'll be a fool if you do!" The tone was compa.s.sionate, though the words were rough.

"Never. 'They shall not be ashamed that wait for Him.'"

"Do you expect Him to come down from Heaven to save you from the Bishops?"

"As He pleases," said Gerhardt quietly.

"But, man!--if you are a man, and not a stone--don't you know that the Church has authority from G.o.d to bind and loose--that her sentence is His also?"

"Your Church has no jurisdiction over mine."

"My Church, forsooth! I am speaking of the Catholic Church, which has authority over every Christian on earth."

"Where is it?"

"Every where."

"The Church that is every where consists of faithful souls, elect of G.o.d. That Church will not condemn me for being faithful to the Word of G.o.d."

"Oh, I can't split straws like you, nor preach like a doctor of the schools either. But one thing I can do, and that is to say, Gerard, you are in danger--much more danger than the rest. Get away while you can, and leave them to meet it. They won't do half so much to them as to you."