"I would become a Protestant."
"Misguided, accursed son of the flesh, with which you defile the vessel of divinity, your joys shall one day be shivered by the hand of the Lord like this idol!" cried Severinus in an outburst of fury, seizing the Hebe and dashing it so violently at the feet of the startled Heinrich that the room shook and the graceful head rolled a long distance. The dust rose from the floor in clouds.
For a moment Heinrich stood petrified with astonishment, gazing regretfully at the beautiful broken limbs. "So you intend to close our conversation with this resounding crash, father?" he asked at last, when he had recovered his former sarcastic mood.
"Close? Oh, no; we have not done with each other yet," said Severinus, as he paced up and down the apartment several times, and then suddenly paused with quiet dignity before Heinrich. "This is the most disgraceful trick my impetuous temper has ever played me. Fortunately, I can replace your broken property. It would be far more difficult to repair the moral loss you have sustained in this hour. We will come to an understanding quietly. My recent violence was the last outbreak of my sorrow for your loss, but your cold derision has chilled my affection forever. Ascribe it to your own conduct if my dealings with you are henceforth destitute of all consideration. The man is dead to me, you are now simply the enemy of my church, whom at any cost I must disarm."
Heinrich looked at him in astonishment. "Indeed, I am curious to learn in what way you will propose to effect this."
"You shall know at once. We must first determine the relations in which you will in future stand towards our order."
"That would be useless labor, father, since for a long time no relations have existed between us, and none will ever be formed again!"
"They will, they must exist! The tie was formerly a voluntary one on your part, now it will be compulsory: that is the only difference. You have proved to me that you have secretly deserted us, my care will be to prevent your making it public; and since persuasion is unavailing, this must be done by force."
"Force?" cried Heinrich, starting up. "What do you mean?"
"Simply that I possess means to compel you to that which you will not do of your own free will."