to men in authority, like the Hegumen of your Brotherhood, what is the
highest of all crimes?"

He looked at her in mute supplication.

"I will tell you--HERESY."

Then, compassionating his suffering, she added: "My poor Sergius! I am
not upbraiding you. You are showing me your soul. I see it in its first
serious trial.... I will forget that I am the denounced, and try to help
you. Is there no principle to which we can refer the matter--no
Christian principle? The Hegumen claims silence from you; on the other
side, your conscience--I would like to say preference--impels you to
speak a word of warning for the benefit of your patroness. There, now,
we have both the dispute and the disputants. Is it not so?"

Sergius bowed his head.

"Father Hilarion once said to me: 'Daughter, I give you the ultimate
criterion of the divineness of our religion--there cannot be an instance
of human trial for which it does not furnish a rule of conduct and
consolation.' A profound saying truly! Now is it possible we have here
at last an exception? I do not seek to know on which side the honors
lie. Where are the humanities? Ideas of honor are of men conventional.
On the other hand, the humanities stand for Charity. If thou wert the
denounced, O Sergius, how wouldst thou wish to be done by?"

Sergius' face brightened.

"We are not seeking to save a heretic--we are in search of quiet for our