“There is a better world,” said Ermine softly.
“There had need be. I’m sure I deserve a bit of rest and comfort, if ever a hard-working woman did. I’ll say nought about pleasure; more by reason that I’m pretty nigh too much worn out and beat down to care about it.”
“Nay, friend,” said Gerhardt; “we sinners deserve the under-world. The road to the upper lieth only through the blood and righteousness of our Lord Christ.”
“I don’t know why you need say that,” returned Isel with mild resentment. “I’ve been as decent a woman, and as good a wife and mother, as any woman betwixt Grandpont and Saint Maudlin, let the other be who she may,—ay, I have so, though I say it that hadn’t ought. But you over-sea folks seem to have such a notion of everybody being bad, as I never heard before—not even from the priest.”
The Church to which Gerhardt belonged held firmly, as one of her most vital dogmas, that strong view of human depravity which human depravity always opposes and resents. Therefore Gerhardt did but enunciate a foundation-article of his faith when he made answer—
“‘All the evil which I do proceeds from my own depravity.’”
“Come, you’re laying it on a bit too thick,” said Isel, with a shake of her head.
“He only speaks for himself, don’t you hear, Mother?” suggested Haimet humorously.
Gerhardt smiled, and shook his head in turn.
“Well, but if all the ill we do comes of ourselves, I don’t see how you leave any room for Satan. He’s busy about us, isn’t he?”