"'The priests, who were always in attendance on the tribunal of life and death where Hermann was the judge, came forward; in the grounds of the court they received the criminals' confession, and upon their penitent acknowledgment of their sin, gave them assurance of forgiveness and then the bread that represents the Lord's body. So, reconciled with God, the seven men came back to the place of judgment; and after Hermann had again prayed with them and commended the penitents to the Lord, he had their heads struck off before his eyes.'" Meredith stopped perforce, for a storm of exclamations burst upon him. "Horrible!" "Frightful!" "I never heard of such an awful man!" "I think he was rather an awful man," said Meredith. "I have no doubt all ill-doers would have held him in a good deal of awe." "But his own brothers!" said Esther. "They were convicted criminals, all the same." "But don't you think a man ought to spare his own!" "A man--yes. A judge--no." "But a judge is a man." "I should think it was very disagreeable for a man to be a judge," said Meredith. "But why?" asked Flora. "I should think it was nice, just for that reason, that a man could spare people he wanted to spare." "Flora Franklin!" exclaimed her brother. "Is that your idea of a judge?" "It is my idea of a man." "But don't you know better? A judge has no business to spare anybody, except the innocent; his duty is to see justice done--he has nothing to do with mercy." "Nothing to do with mercy! O Meredith!" "Not as a judge. He is put in his place to see the laws executed." "Then you think that dreadful old heathen you are reading about did _right_ to have his friends' heads struck off?" "I think he did just his duty." "Oh, _do_ you, Ditto?" cried Maggie. "He did not make the law, Maggie; he had only to see it obeyed. The law was terribly severe; but I think the judge was very tender." "O Ditto!" "He was what you call a true man. He was no heathen, Flora. But nothing would make him budge from the right. I think he was magnificent. I wonder how many men could be found nowadays who would be faithful to duty at such a cost." "You have strange notions of duty!" said his sister. "I am afraid you have imperfect notions of faithfulness." "Well, go on. I have no opinion of religion that is not kind." "The religion that is from above 'is _first_ pure, then peaceable,'" said Meredith. "Go on," said Flora. "I suppose you would cut my head off, if you were judge, and I had done something you thought deserved it." "If the law said you deserved it. But I think I would give my head in that case for yours, Flora. It would be easier." "What good would that do?" "Keep the law unbroken and save you. Well, I will go on with my story--