The warmth of Louise’s feelings betrayed no disrespect to her mother, and perhaps the good woman felt pleased at the sensitiveness of her daughter on such a subject. Still there was no removal of the objection which was felt against Adolph, and she replied: “Your justification of your conduct, and your sensitiveness on the subject to which you supposed I referred, show how important you and all deem the fame of a young woman; how essential to her is not only a pure mind, but an unsuspected character; and that to which I have referred is so intimately connected with what you suspect, that I shall take your virtuous indignation at what you imagined my allusion, as almost as applicable to my meaning as to your suspicions.” “What is it you mean, mother?” “I mean, that with all the kindness of Adolph’s manners—with all the respect he has shown for me, and his affection to you, he is tainted with the infidelity of the times, and not merely neglects the offices of the church, but ridicules the Christian religion.” “Never, mother, never; depend on it, some one has slandered Adolph to you.” “Does Adolph frequent, I will not say the _sacraments_ of his church, but the church itself?” “I see him frequently there.” “You see him there, my daughter, when he expects you are ready to return—but never does he assist in the services of the church?” “I am not able to assert how often he attends the church, mother; but I think as frequently as most of the young men of this department, at least, of our village.” “That may be, my child, but it is of the general prevalence of irreligion in which it seems that Adolph shares, that I complain—and you know, my daughter, that following your father’s advice, on his death-bed, I have said in the language of the King of Israel, ‘as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’” “And God forbid, my dear mother, that I should hinder the fulfillment of your pious resolution, or be an exception in your religious family.” “And yet you will be, if you yoke yourself unequally with one who, if not a heretic, is only not _that_ from his indifference to any religion.” “I will not, of course, assume that yoke without your approval.” “That is in a spirit of obedience; but, my daughter, it would be better if instead of limiting yourself not to marry any one without my approval, you would consent to advise with me as to some proper person among your acquaintance whom you _would_ marry.” “My dear mother, the only equality in such a yoke of convenience would be the perfect indifference with which each would regard the other.”