"What say I?" was the calm answer. "Why, I say they spake very sooth, saving that they pushed not the matter to its full issue. Had they followed their reasoning on to the further end, then would they have said, and spoken truly, `If this man can in very deed forgive sin, then is He God.' Mark, I pray thee, what did our Lord in this matter. He brought forth His letters of warrant. He healed the palsied man afore them--`that ye wite,' saith He, `that mannes sone hath power in erthe to forgyve synnes.' As though He had said unto them, `Ye say well; none may forgive sins but God alone: wherefore see, in My forgiving of sin, the plain proof that I am God's Son.' To show them that He had power to forgive sin, He did heal this man of his malady. And verily I ask no more of any priest that would confess me, but only that he bring forth his letters of warrant, as did his Master and mine. When I shall I see him to heal the sick with a word, then will I crede that he can forgive sin in like manner. Lo' thou, if he can forgive, he can heal: if he can heal by his word, then can _he_ forgive." The waters were rather too deep for Bertram to wade in. He tried another line of argument. "Saint James also saith that men should confess their sins." "`Ech to othire'--well: when it liketh Sir Marmaduke to knowledge his sins unto me, then will I mine unto him, if we have done any wrong each to other. But look thou into that matter of Saint James, and thou shalt find it to touch not well men, but only sick; which, knowledging their sins when their conscience is troubled, and praying each for other, shall be healed of their sickness." "Moreover, Achan did confession unto Josue," said Bertram, starting another hare. "Ah! Josue was a priest, trow?" "Nay, but if it be well to knowledge our sins each to other, it shall not be worse because the man is a priest." "Nor better," said Hugh, in his quietest manner. "Nay!" urged Bertram, who thought he had the advantage here, "but an' it be well to confess at all, it is good to confess unto any: and if to any, to a woman; or if to a woman, to a man; or to a man, then to a priest." Hugh gave a soft little laugh. "Good friend, I could prove any gear in the world by that manner of reasoning. If it be good to confess unto any, then unto anything that liveth; and if so, then to a beast; and if to a beast, then to yonder cat. Come hither, Puss, and hear this my friend his confession!" "Have done with thy mocking!" cried Bertram. "And mind thou, the Lord did charge the holy apostles with power to forgive sins." "Granting that so be--what then?" "What then? Why, that priests have now the like power." "But what toucheth it the priests?" "In that they be successors unto the apostles." "In what manner?" Hugh was evidently not disposed to take any links of the chain for granted.