the centre of the imposing grandeur of the seas-half-way between the ocean and the sky!—­I seemed to come forth from a place of thick darkness; for the first time, for many years, I felt my heart beat freely in my bosom; for the first time, I felt myself master of my own thoughts, and ventured to examine my past life, as from the summit of a mountain, one looks down into a gloomy vale.  Then strange doubts rose within me.  I asked myself by what right, and for what end, any beings had so long repressed, almost annihilated, the exercise of my will, of my liberty, of my reason, since God had endowed me with these gifts.  But I said to myself, that perhaps, one day, the great, beauteous, and holy work, in which I was to have my share, would be revealed to me, and would recompense my obedience and resignation.”

At this moment, Rodin re-entered the room.  Father d’Aigrigny questioned him with a significant look.  The socius approached, and said to him in a low voice, so, that Gabriel could not hear:  “Nothing serious.  It was only to inform me, that Marshal Simon’s father is arrived at M. Hardy’s factory.”

Then, glancing at Gabriel, Rodin appeared to interrogate Father d’Aigrigny, who hung his head with a desponding air.  Yet he resumed, again addressing Gabriel, whilst Rodin took his old place, with his elbow on the chimney-piece:  “Go on, my dear son.  I am anxious to learn what resolution you have adopted.”

“I will tell you in a moment, father.  I arrived at Charleston.  The superior of our establishment in that place, to whom I imparted my doubts as to the object of our Society, took upon himself to clear them up, and unveiled it all to me with alarming frankness.  He told me the tendency not perhaps of all the members of the Company, for a great number must have shared my ignorance—­but the objects which our leaders have pertinaciously kept in view, ever since the foundation of the Order.  I was terrified.  I read the casuists.  Oh, father! that was a new and dreadful revelation, when, at every page, I read the excuse and justification of robbery, slander, adultery, perjury, murder, regicide.  When I considered that I, the priest of a God of charity, justice, pardon, and love, was to belong henceforth to a Company, whose chiefs professed and glorified in such doctrines, I made a solemn oath to break for ever the ties which bound me to it!"[19]

On these words of Gabriel, Father d’Aigrigny and Rodin exchanged a look of terror.  All was lost; their prey had escaped them.  Deeply moved by the remembrances he recalled, Gabriel did not perceive the action of the reverend father and the socius, and thus continued:  “In spite of my resolution, father, to quit the Company, the discovery I had made was very painful to me.  Oh! believe me, for the honest and loving soul, nothing is more frightful than to have to renounce what it has long respected!—­I suffered so much, that, when I thought of the dangers of my mission, I hoped, with a secret joy, that God would perhaps take me to Himself under these circumstances:  but, on the contrary, He watched over me with providential solicitude.”