You came in, mother, just as the gentleman had fallen on his knees to implore me to leave you." "And I gave him my mind on the subject," retorted Herse with grim satisfaction.

"I let him know what I thought of him.

He may talk about the soul--what he is after is the girl.

I know these Christians and I know what the upshot will be.

He will take advantage of the edict to gain his ends, and then you will be separated from us and shut up in a reformatory or a refuge or a cloister or whatever they call their dismal prisons, and will learn more about your soul than you will care to know.
It will be all over then with singing, and laughter, and amusement.