for I can only remember the Creed, Paternoster and 'Hail Mary,' but there are prayers to 'Our Mother,' which, if repeated regularly for a time, gives one their wishes if lawful. We are married, of course, Anatole, in the eyes of God; do you not believe so?"
"Yes," replied Anatole with sturdy conviction, as he embraced her.
"I have not been a good woman in the past, dearest, yet I have told you all that past and how I abhor it now. You would make me your wife in the eyes of man as well as of God, would you not, Anatole, in spite of my wicked past?"
She looked at him with piteous appeal in her lovely blue eyes, her lips quivering with emotion.
"Of course I would, Eugene, and consider myself only too lucky to have the privilege. But why trouble about that now? When our chance comes we will go and be married; while, as for your past—why it is only a quarter page compared to mine. I know that you never loved before, and that is good enough for me."
"But not for me now, Anatole," replied the countess sadly. I thought nothing of these things then, when I had cast from me the Church and its teachings, as tyrannical and fabricless superstition; but here, on this lonely land, I have had more leisure to examine myself, and think of the differences of sexes and their different obligations and duties, particularly, dearest, since another life besides my own has thrilled me. Now it is that I miss my prayer book and the little present my mother gave me called The Imitation of Christ, which once gave me pleasure, before I was led astray.
I think now with so much regret and remorse on my past life. It seems nothing to me, Anatole, what you have done with your past life, for although you may
