The priest paused for some time, as though meditating.

"You're about, I hear, to marry the daughter of my parishioner

and son in the spirit, Prince Shtcherbatsky?" he resumed, with a

smile. "An excellent young lady."

"Yes," answered Levin, blushing for the priest. "What does he

want to ask me about this at confession for?" he thought.

And, as though answering his thought, the priest said to him: "You are about to enter into holy matrimony, and God may bless

you with offspring. Well, what sort of bringing-up can you give

your babes if you do not overcome the temptation of the devil,

enticing you to infidelity?" he said, with gentle

reproachfulness. "If you love your child as a good father, you

will not desire only wealth, luxury, honor for your infant; you

will be anxious for his salvation, his spiritual enlightenment

with the light of truth. Eh? What answer will you make him when

the innocent babe asks you: 'Papa! who made all that enchants me

in this world--the earth, the waters, the sun, the flowers, the

grass?' Can you say to him: 'I don't know'? You cannot but know,

since the Lord God in His infinite mercy has revealed it to us.

Or your child will ask you: 'What awaits me in the life beyond

the tomb?' What will you say to him when you know nothing? How

will you answer him? Will you leave him to the allurements of

the world and the devil? That's not right," he said, and he

stopped, putting his head on one side and looking at Levin with

his kindly, gentle eyes.

Levin made no answer this time, not because he did not want to

enter upon a discussion with the priest, but because, so far, no

one had ever asked him such questions, and when his babes did ask

him those questions, it would be time enough to think about

answering them.

"You are entering upon a time of life," pursued the priest, "when

you must choose your path and keep to it. Pray to God that He

may in His mercy aid you and have mercy on you!" he concluded.

"Our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, in the abundance and riches of

His lovingkindness, forgives this child..." and, finishing the

prayer of absolution, the priest blessed him and dismissed him.

On getting home that day, Levin had a delightful sense of relief

at the awkward position being over and having been got through

without his having to tell a lie. Apart from this, there

remained a vague memory that what the kind, nice old fellow had

said had not been at all so stupid as he had fancied at first,

and that there was something in it that must be cleared up.




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