"That is very difficult to understand." I said, "Am I not to say, My mother, my father, my Fritz? Ought I to love every one the same because all are equally God's? If property is sin, then why is stealing sin? Eva, this religion is quite above and beyond me. It seems to me in this way it would be almost as wrong to give thanks for what we have, as to covet what we have not, because we ought not to think we have anything. It perplexes me extremely."
I lay down again, resolved not to think any more about it. Fritz and I proved once, a long time ago, how useless it is for me, at least, to attempt to get beyond the Ten Commandments. But trying to comprehend what Eva said so bewildered me, that my thoughts soon wandered beyond my control altogether. I heard no more of Eva or the winds, but fell into a sound slumber, and dreamt that Eva and an angel were talking beside me all night in Latin, which I felt I ought to understand, but of course could not.
The next day we had not been long on our journey when, at a narrow part of the road, in a deep valley, a company of horsemen suddenly dashed down from a castle which towered on our right, and barred our further progress with serried lances.
"Do you belong to Erfurt?" asked the leader, turning our horses' heads, and pushing Christopher aside with the butt end of his gun.
"No," said Christopher, "to Eisenach."
"Give way, men," shouted the knight to his followers; "we have no quarrel with Eisenach. This is not what we are waiting for."
The cavaliers made a passage for us, but a young knight who seemed to lead them rode on beside us for a time.
"Did you pass any merchandise on your road?" he asked of Christopher, using the form of address he would have to a peasant.
"We are not likely to pass anything," replied Christopher, not very courteously, "laden as we are."
"What is your lading?" asked the knight.