"Father Paul! Father Paul! drive them out, drive them away, for heaven’s sake, for the blessed saints’ sake drive them away! You are holy, and they will fear you. Bring the book and candle, and say a prayer! Oh! they dragged me down"--and the man shuddered through all his frame--"they clutched me so under the water! Good Father! holy Father! save me from the devils!" "My son," replied the monk kindly, "I wish to help thee in thy distress, but I am neither holy nor good--only a weak sinner like thyself. If thou hast committed sin, there is One that can pardon and absolve. What is it that lies so heavy on thy conscience?" "Absolve a _Judas_!" shrieked the wretched man. "Ay, Father, I will tell you all, that you may know what a devil you have saved to curse the world." He began and told the whole story, still crouching down at the Benedictine’s feet, while Bertrand gave all up for lost, for he could not stop him, and could only look for one result from the disclosure of the tale to one whom he had every reason to suppose their deadliest foe. But, to his utter astonishment, when the confession was finished and he expected to hear the monk comfort his penitent by pronouncing the deed to be commendable rather than sinful, he began in a way directly opposite to the teachings of the order to which he seemed to belong. "My son, thou hast indeed greatly sinned; but since thou hast so well remembered the story of the betrayer, hast thou pondered as well on the history of the Betrayed? Hast thou heard of him who forgave his murderers even while they were nailing him on his cross? I make no doubt but that he had a pardon ready even for Judas, had he asked it. Remember this, my son, the betrayal was not the crime which destroyed Judas utterly, but his despair of Christ’s mercy. He was never forgiven, because he never asked for forgiveness. When that blessed Saviour said, ’Whoso cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out,’ he did not add, ’except Dick Redwood.’ When the apostle says, ’The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin,’ he did not finish, ’except the sin of ingratitude.’ Dick, there _is_ pardon there--free, full, absolute pardon for thee and for me; all that is required is that we ask for it, that we believe in it, that we trust in nothing else, and that we have a steadfast purpose to live hereafter a better and holier life. Art thou willing so to do? Is it thy purpose henceforth to give up thy wicked desires and do that heavenly Master’s will, loving thy brother man and forgiving him, even as he hath loved and forgiven thee?" The penitent was sobbing like a child as he crouched at the monk’s feet and clung to his robe. "O Father! if I could but show you! I would do any penance."