to get rid of both without disturbing the sick people.  She who had always appeared so modest and sometimes so disdainful, she who would not for all the world have touched a man’s bed with her little finger, lifted the sick man and changed his linen without any fuss, and placed him to rest in a more comfortable position.  The zeal of charity is of more value than modesty.  What she did was done so skilfully and with such a light touch that he felt better almost without knowing she had touched him.  Husband and wife mingled their blessings upon the kindly girl who tended, pitied, and consoled them.  She was an angel from heaven come to visit them; she was an angel in face and manner, in gentleness and goodness.  Emile was greatly touched by all this and he watched her without speaking.  O man, love thy helpmeet.  God gave her to relieve thy sufferings, to comfort thee in thy troubles.  This is she!

The new-born baby was baptised.  The two lovers were its god-parents, and as they held it at the font they were longing, at the bottom of their hearts, for the time when they should have a child of their own to be baptised.  They longed for their wedding day; they thought it was close at hand; all Sophy’s scruples had vanished, but mine remained.  They had not got so far as they expected; every one must have his turn.

One morning when they had not seen each other for two whole days, I entered Emile’s room with a letter in my hands, and looking fixedly at him I said to him, “What would you do if some one told you Sophy were dead?” He uttered a loud cry, got up and struck his hands together, and without saying a single word, he looked at me with eyes of desperation.  “Answer me,” I continued with the same calmness.  Vexed at my composure, he then approached me with eyes blazing with anger; and checking himself in an almost threatening attitude, “What would I do?  I know not; but this I do know, I would never set eyes again upon the person who brought me such news.”  “Comfort yourself,” said I, smiling, “she lives, she is well, and they are expecting us this evening.  But let us go for a short walk and we can talk things over.”

The passion which engrosses him will no longer permit him to devote himself as in former days to discussions of pure reason; this very passion must be called to our aid if his attention is to be given to my teaching.  That is why I made use of this terrible preface; I am quite sure he will listen to me now.

“We must be happy, dear Emile; it is the end of every feeling creature; it is the first desire taught us by nature, and the only one which never leaves us.  But where is happiness?  Who knows?  Every one seeks it, and no one finds it.  We spend our lives in the search and we die before the end is attained.  My young friend, when I took you, a new-born infant, in my arms, and called God himself to witness to the vow I dared to make that I would devote my life to the happiness of your life, did I know myself what I was undertaking?  No; I only knew that in making you happy, I was sure of my own happiness.  By making this useful inquiry on your account, I made it for us both.