"For God's sake, do not jest," he said earnestly, "Do not jest! We
have all been jesting too long, and the time is near when we shall
find out the bitter cost of it! Levity--carelessness--doubt and
final heresy--I do not mean heresy against the Church, for that is
nothing--"
"Nothing!" exclaimed the Abbe, "YOU say this?"
"I say it!" And Bonpre's thin worn features grew transfigured with
the fervour of his thought. "I am a priest of the Church--but I am
also a man!--with reason, with brain, and with a love of truth;--and
I can faithfully say I have an almost jealous honour for my Master--
but I repeat, heresy against the Church is nothing,--it is heresy
against Christ which is the crime of the age,--and in that, the very
Church is heretic! Heresy against Christ!--Heresy against Christ! A
whole system of heresy! 'I never knew you,--depart from me, ye
workers of iniquity,' will be our Lord's words at the Last
Judgment!"
The Abbe's wonderment increased. He looked down a moment, then
looked up, and a quizzical, half-melancholy expression filled his
eyes.
"Well, I am very much concerned in all this," he said, "I wanted to
have a private talk with you on my own account, principally because
I know you to be a good man, while I am a bad one.
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