“You were in such haste to reach this spot?” said the old man, sombrely, “what is your crime?” “That I do not know, but I shall probably soon learn when I come before the court.” “Are you a member of the order, then?” “No, I am not.” “In that case, it will require the oaths of twenty-one members to clear you, therefore, if you have not that many friends in the order I look upon you as doomed.” “Thank you. That is as God wills.” “Assuredly, assuredly. We are all in His hands,” and the good man devoutedly crossed himself. “I have answered your questions,” said Wilhelm, “answer you some of mine. Who are you?” “I am a seeker after light.” “Well, there it is,” said Wilhelm, touching the lantern with his foot as he paced up and down the limits of the cell. “Earthly light is but dim at best, it is the light of Heaven I search after.” “Well, I hope you may be successful in finding it. I know of no place where it is needed so much as here.” “You speak like a scoffer. I thought from what you said of God’s will, that you were a religious man.” “I am a religious man, I hope, and I regret if my words seem lightly spoken. “What action of man, think you then, is most pleasing to God?” “That is a question which you, to judge by your garb, are more able to answer than I.” “Nay, nay, I want your opinion.” “Then in my opinion, the man most pleasing to God is he who does his duty here on earth.” “Ah! right, quite right,” cried the older man, eagerly. “But there lies the core of the whole problem. What _is_ duty; that is what I have spent my life trying to learn.” “Then at a venture I should say your life has been a useless one. Duty is as plain as the lighted lantern there before us. If you are a priest, fulfil your priestly office well; comfort the sick, console the dying, bury the dead. Tell your flock not to speculate too much on duty, but to try and accomplish the work in hand.” “But I am not a priest,” faltered the other, rising slowly to his feet. “Then if you are a soldier, strike hard for your King. Kill the man immediately before you, and if, instead, he kills you, be assured that the Lord will look after your soul when it departs through the rent thus made in your body.” “There is a ring of truth in that, but it sounds worldly. How can we tell that such action is pleasing to God? May it not be better to depend entirely on the Lord, and let Him strike your blows for you?” “Never! What does He give you arms for but to protect your own head, and what does He give you swift limbs for if not to take your body out of reach when you are threatened with being overmatched? God must despise such a man as you speak of, and rightly so. I am myself a commander of soldiers, and if I had a lieutenant who trusted all to me and refused to strike a sturdy blow on his own behalf I should tear his badge from him and have him scourged from out the ranks.” “But may we not, by misdirected efforts, thwart the will of God?”