Ethbert.  “Love your enemies,” saith God to those who know him.  “Avenge not yourselves,” he says again to his beloved.

Theobald, still more astonished.  Your words trouble me.  Is it then a crime to destroy an adversary?

Ethbert.  Cain rose up against his brother Abel; and it was because the works of his brother were good, but his own were evil.  The Christian does not hate.  The Christian does not avenge himself.

Theobald.  Am I then not a Christian?

Ethbert, mildly and respectfully.  He who is of Christ, walks as Christ himself walked.  Christ went from place to place doing good; and it is Christ himself, who says to his Church:  “Love one another.  He who loveth is of God.”

Theobald was silent.  These words:  “He who loveth is of God,” had touched his heart, and he was affected and humbled.  Ethbert was also silent, secretly asking of God to enlighten and soften the heart of the chevalier, for which Matthew and himself had already prayed more than once.

At last Theobald said, slowly, “It is not, then, like Christians, for men to hate and war with each other?  And yet these impious men deserve to be burned; and are not those who imitate them the enemies of God and of the Church?”

“It is no Christian,” replied Ethbert, “who kindles the fire that consumes a friend of Jesus; and this Huss and Jerome, who were delivered to the flames, loved Jesus.”

Theobald.  But did they not blaspheme the Holy Church?

Ethbert.  He who loves Jesus does not blaspheme his name; and the name of Jesus is written on the Church of Jesus.  No, no:  the Christian does not hate or revenge himself; and he blasphemes neither his God nor the Church of God!

“It is enough!” said Theobald to the servant.  “Leave me—­I have need of repose and silence:”  and the servant went out.

Meanwhile Gottfried had retired into his room, and, like David, wept and sobbed before the Lord, repeating, with bitterness, “Arnold! my son Arnold!  Thou art no more! thy father will never more see thee on earth!”

FOOTNOTES: 

[Footnote 2:  Those who followed the doctrine of John Huss against the Church of Rome.  The Calixtans, in particular, maintained that in the sacrament the cup or chalice should be given to the people.]

[Footnote 3:  A name assumed by the Hussites, under the command of John Ziska, after having built a fortress which they called Tabor, near the city of Bechin, in Bohemia.]

CHAPTER IV.

KINDNESS TO AN ENEMY—­ARNOLD ARRIVES ALIVE, BUT WOUNDED—­THEOBALD’S AMAZEMENT AT THE KINDNESS HE RECEIVES.

Erard heard the voice of his grandfather, and ran to throw himself in his arms, exclaiming, “The wicked man! the wicked man!—­he has killed my father!  God has not preserved him, grandpapa!  My father is dead!”