"Your Majesty," resumed Gunther, "as long as we remain in the faith of our fathers, we can enjoy great latitude of opinion. Our thoughts can reach far beyond its confines, and no inquisition has power over us: but, as soon as we profess another religion, we forfeit the right to be free. It is our duty to live up to it. One who is noble by birth can afford to admit civil equality, but he who has had nobility conferred on him, cannot do so. Will Your Majesty permit me to say one word more? I regard it as fortunate for mankind in general, and our German fatherland in particular, that there is a diversity of religious beliefs. That of itself tends to preserve feelings of humanity, for thus we cannot help seeing that there are different forms of soul utterances for one and the same thing. A multiplicity of sects affords the best protection against fanaticism and, moreover, helps to prove that religious forms are of no consequence; that is, one can be righteous in any faith and, indeed, without any outward show of religion." Gunther remained with the queen for a long while, offering further explanations of the ideas he had advanced. He was still with her, when the canon was announced. The queen sent word that she desired to be excused, and requested him to come the next day. When Gunther left, she was still as firm in her resolve as at first. She felt persuaded that this was an action in which no other being should interfere, and, least of all, a man. She was on the point of taking Irma into her confidence. She felt that the countess was clever and, moreover, a true friend. Unconquerable dread held her back. She feared lest she might appear weak and vacillating in Irma's eyes. CHAPTER V. For days, the queen remained alone. Walpurga and the child were the only ones permitted near her. She did not wish to speak to any one else, be it her husband, Gunther, or the priest. One afternoon, when Walpurga was with her, she felt impelled to ask: "Walpurga, do you know that I don't belong to your faith?" "Yes, indeed, I do; and I'm glad of it." "Glad of it?" "Of course I am; you're the first and only Lutheran I've ever known, and if they're all like you, it must be a beautiful religion." "It is beautiful, and so are all religions that make good beings of us." "Why, do you know, queen, that's the very thing my father used to say, and in the very same words? Oh, if he'd only lived long enough to have had a talk with you." The queen was silent for a long while. At last she asked: "Walpurga, if your religion was different from Hansei's, would you go to his church?" "Why, Hansei's Catholic, as well as I am." "But if it were otherwise?" "But it isn't otherwise." "But just imagine it were." "But I can't do that," said she, as if about to cry. The queen was again silent for some time. Presently Walpurga, of her own accord, said: