Part 40 (1/2)
”She has sent me to you.”
”Hum,” he considered. ”First of all, this Medina affair. Let him do the challenging. She says you do not fence. 'Twould be butchery for you to meet him with swords.”
”That is a small matter, padre. What I wish to know--”
”Is whether you can conscientiously become a Christian,” he put in.
”No, padre. That is not the question. It is of no use for me to hedge. I know I cannot become what you call a Christian. My religious principles are too near those of our famous President, Thomas Jefferson.”
”Jefferson--that atheist!” he exclaimed, frowning.
”Not so, padre,” I insisted with much earnestness. ”It is an injustice to term Mr. Jefferson an atheist.”
”And you?” he demanded.
”Your Reverence, I differ from most men of the age in this: I am content to leave creeds and ceremonies to the theologians; to walk as upright a life as lies within my power; and to trust in the great Author of all to judge my deeds with the clemency of a father for his child.”
”You do not acknowledge G.o.d's vicar?”
”I have not the faith which enables me to believe your dogmas. It is no use to argue, padre. I am already sufficiently informed to know that a man of my refractory mentality cannot accept many of the fundamentals of your faith,--and I will not make false pretence by complying with the outward form.”
Instead of flus.h.i.+ng with anger, as I had expected, he looked grieved.
It was apparent that my position was a bitter disappointment to him. For several minutes he sat gazing at the crucifix on the wall across, in sorrowful meditation, forgetful even of his wine.
”Padre,” I at last said. ”I love her with a love that dwells much upon my own happiness, but more upon hers. I now know she loves me. Do you not think such love G.o.d's will?”
He crossed himself. ”G.o.d give me light! I am not among those who believe that the love of man and woman is of necessity an impure desire. G.o.d, not Satan, made Eve to be a companion unto Adam. Therefore true love is sacred in the eyes of G.o.d, and marriage a sacrament.”
”In effect, if not in form, Your Reverence, that is the belief and practice of my people. With us a wife is the dear life companion who shares our triumphs and our defeats, our joys and sorrows, who brightens our pleasures, purifies and enn.o.bles our impulses, and inspires us with the highest aspirations.”
”Such, alas! is not the att.i.tude of my people toward women,” he sighed.
”Yet to give a daughter of the Church to a heretic! _Santisima Virgen!_ It is a knotty problem.”
”To me, or to such a man as Medina,” I argued--”which would be the greater sin?”
”Her uncle is set upon giving her, not to Medina, but to one as bad--one as bad!” he repeated. ”My son--my son! if you could but become a Christian!”
”G.o.d gave me my reason, padre. If it is wrong to use my reason as I use it, I trust that He will forgive the error.”
”You are a true, clean man, and you love her as no man in New Spain can love her.”
”I do, padre.”
”Yet it is against the canons of Holy Church--to give a true believer to an outright heretic!”
”She should be free to believe and practise her religion without change,” I argued.
”True, but the children?” he demanded. ”How as to the children?”