Eugene made no reply.
"Eugene, my only son, my best hope, my greatest joy, did it depend on me I would not shackle your freedom of action; Christianity, Mohammedanism, or any other ism, might be at your option. Your happiness is my desire, and whatever I might think of your creed, I would not let it stand between me and my love for you. But yet is not thus with your father. He will not suffer a Catholic in his house."
She paused; still Eugene replied not. She went on: "Eugene, you would not be the cause of my death! I feel you would not!"' and she threw her arms about him. "Yet these divisions will surely kill me; I dare not tell you how I have suffered during the last few weeks."
"I have seen it, dear mother, and though I only partly guessed the cause, I deeply sympathize with your unhappiness."
"Then you will remedy it?"
"I do not see how just yet. Thought must be free. I dare not bind myself to think at another's pleasure."
"But you need not declare your thoughts".
"Nay, mother, I must be free: free to think, free to act according to the dictates of my conscience. I learned this necessity from yourself, dear mother; do not now belie your own teachings. You told me ever to seek the truth, and to act upon it when found. I will not bind myself to follow another course, were a kingdom to be the purchase of the compromise."
"Or your mother's love, Eugene?"
"My mother will but love me better for practising the lessons that she taught me. I know my mother's principles, and I do not fear the loss of her love."