her hard earnings paid him for the prayers he offered for the deliverance of her father from his purgatorial woes. burdened with a dire debt of filial love, the priest had let her depart from domrémy; his influence followed her as an oppression and a care,a degradation also. her life of labor was a slavish life. all she did, and all she left undone, she looked at with sad-hearted reference to the great object of her life. far away she put all allurement to tempting, youthful joy. what had she to do with merriment and jollity, while a sin remained unexpiated, or a moment of her fathers suffering and sorrow could be anticipated? how, probably, would these new doctrines, held fast by some through persecution and danger, these doctrines which brought liberty to light, be received by one so fast a prisoner of hope as she? she had pledged herself, with solemn vows had promised, to complete the work her mother left unfinished when she died. some of the laborers in the field, elsie among them, had hoped, they said, that the wool-comber would retract from his dangerous position. recalling their words, jacqueline asked herself would she choose to have him retract? she reminded herself of the only martyr whose memory she loved, the glorious girl from domrémy, and a lofty and stern spirit seemed to rouse within her as she answered that question. she believed that john had found and taught the truth; and was truth to be sacrificed to power that hated it? not by a suicidal act, at least. she took the tracts, so judging, from underneath the stone, wistfully looked them over, and, as she did so, recalled these words: you cannot buy your pardon of a priest; he has no power to sell it; he cannot even give it. ask of god, who giveth to all men liberally, upbraiding not. if ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly father give his holy spirit to them that ask him! she could never forget these words. she could never forget the preachers look when he used them; nor the solemnity of the assenting faith, as attested by the countenances of those around her in that upper room. but her father! what would this faith do for the departed? yet again she dared to pray,here in this solitude, to ask for that holy spirit, the enlightener. and it was truly with trembling, in the face of all presentiments of what the gift might possibly, must certainly, import to her. but what was she, that she could withstand god, or his gift, for any fear of the result that might attend the giving of the gift? divinely she seemed to be inspired with that courageous thought. she rose up, as if to follow the laborers who had already gone to meaux. but she had not passed out from the shadow of the great trees when another shadow fell along her path. iii. it was victor le roy who was so close at hand. he recognized jacqueline; for, as he came down the road, now and then he caught a glimpse of her red peasant-dress. and he accepted his persuasion as it had been an assurance; for he believed that on such a night no other girl would linger alone near the place of her days labor. moreover, while passing the group of harvesters, he had observed that she was not among them. the acquaintance of these young persons was but slight; yet it was of such a character as must needs increase. within the last fortnight they had met repeatedly in the room of leclercs mother. on the last night of her sons preaching they had together listened to his words. the young student with manly aspirations, ambitious, courageous, inquiring, and the peasant girl who toiled in fields and vineyards, were on the same day hearkening to the call, ho, every one that thirsteth! with the consciousness that the call was meant for them. when victor le roy saw that jacqueline perceived and recognized him, he also observed the tracts in her hand and the trouble in her countenance, and he wondered in his heart whether she could be ignorant of what had passed that day at meaux, and if it could be possible that her manifest disturbance arose from any perplexity or disquietude independent of the sentence that had been passed on john leclerc. his first words brought an answer that satisfied his doubt. she has chosen that good part which shall not be taken from her, said he, as he came near. the country is so fair, could no one of them all except jacqueline see that? were they all drawn away by the bloody fascination of meaux? even elsie? it was the news that hurried her home with the rest, answered she, almost pleased at this disturbance of the solitude. did that keep you here, jacqueline? he asked. it sent me out of the city. the dust choked me. every face looked like a devils. to-morrow night, to-morrow night, the harvesters will hurry all the faster. terrible curiosity! and if they find traces of his blood along the streets, there will be enough to talk about through the rest of the harvesting. jacqueline, if the river could be poured through those streets, the sacred blood could never be washed out. tis not the indignity, nor the cruelty, i think of most, but the barbarous, wild sin. shall a mans truest liberty be taken from him, as though, indeed, he were not a man of god, but the spiritual subject of his fellows? if that is their plan, they may light the fires,there are many who will not shrink from sealing their faith with their blood. these words, spoken with vehemence, were the first free utterance victor le roy had given to his feelings all day. all day they had been concentrating, and now came from him fiery and fast. it was time for him to know in whom and in what he believed. greatly moved by his words, jacqueline said, giving him the tracts, i came from domrémy, i am free. no one can be hurt by what befalls me. i want to know the truth. i am not afraid. did john leclerc never give way for a moment? is he really to be whipped through the streets, and on the third day to be branded? will he not retract? never! was the answer,spoken not without a shudder. he did not flinch through all the trial, jacqueline. and his old mother says, blessed be jesus christ and his witnesses! i came from domrémy, seemed to be in the girls thought again; for her eyes flashed when she looked at victor le roy, as though she could believe the heavens would open for the enlightening of such believers