'What do you propose to do?'
'That is what troubles me. I don't know. I feel that I ought to do something, but--it is so stupid of me!--I don't know what.'
'Does your trouble resemble the rich young man's of whom some of us have read?'
This was the Earl of Hailsham. The Duke shook his head.
'No; it's not that. He knows that I will do anything I can do; but I don't think He wants me to do anything at all. He is content with the knowledge that I know He is here, that His presence makes me happy. I think that's it.'
Such sentiments from a young man were unusual. His hearers stared the more. The Archbishop said, gravely, sententiously:
'My dear Duke, I beg that you will give this matter your most serious consideration; that you will seek advice from those qualified to give it; and that only after the most careful deliberation you will say or do anything which you may afterwards regret. I confess I don't understand how you arrive at your conclusions. And I would point out to you very earnestly how much easier it is to do harm than good.'
The young man, leaning over on to the table, looked his senior curiously in the face.
'Don't you know that He is Christ--not in your heart of hearts?'
The question, and the tone of complete conviction with which it was put, seemed to cause the Archbishop some disturbance.