"My old man is seventy-one, and I do not believe that he will last much longer," remarked Ursul thoughtfully. The minister held the pinch of snuff, that he had meant to apply to his nose, between his fingers, and looked attentively at Aunt Ursul. "Should he live longer, he has had me thirty years; and sometime everything must come to an end; so we are very properly called and chosen thereto." The minister dropped the pinch of snuff. "For God's sake, Aunt Ursul, what are you driving at?" "I took you to be more courageous," said Aunt Ursul. "And I you to be more rational," said the minister. "About such things one must ask his own heart," said Aunt Ursul. "And the heart is a timorous, perverse thing," replied the minister. "Yes, very timid," said Aunt Ursul, scornfully. "Yes; truly perverse," said the minister guardedly. "Now, without further parley, will you be my man, or not?" said Aunt Ursul who had lost patience. "God forbid!" said the minister, who could no longer control his repugnance. "Indeed, you look like a man," said Aunt Ursul contemptuously, turning on her heel. "Are you then entirely God-forsaken, unhappy woman?" said the minister, laying his fleshy hand on Aunt Ursul's shoulder. "Not I, but you, hare-hearted man," said Aunt Ursul, shaking off his hand and turning vigorously away. "You who always preach about sacrifice and love, and have neither the one nor the other; and shear the cuckoo for the lost lamb, if you can only sit quietly by your flesh-pots. Now then stay, in the devil's name--God forgive me the sin--I shall be able alone to find the road to my poor, misguided boy, and God will give me the right words to touch his heart." Again Aunt Ursul turned away. The minister slapped his forehead, and with a few rapid steps overtook her as she was hastening from him. "Aunt Ursul!" "What do you want?" "Naturally I will go with you." "For once." "For once and every time. By the thousand, woman! why did you not tell me at once that it was something about Conrad?" "About whom else should it be?" "About many things. Forget what I have said. I give you my word as a man and as a servant of God that it was a misunderstanding--of which I am ashamed--and for which I ask your pardon. When shall we start?" Aunt Ursul shook her head. She could not conceive what her old friend had before thought, but she felt that he was now fully resolved, and minutes were precious. "At once naturally," she replied to his last question. "I am ready." "So! Come in and say a friendly word to the girl, and let nothing be noticed. Lambert must not know what we have in hand. Nobody must know. If we succeed in bringing him back it is well; if not, let his shame be buried with us. In either case they must not feel concerned about us. It is possible, dominie, that we shall never return. You comprehend that clearly?" "God's will be done," said the minister. CHAPTER XIII