"Yes? well, his shadow, then,-for one can see that at twenty paces from here."

My lord," said the footman, half-confused, half-inclined to laugh," he expects some one, it is himself who desired me" "To lie? I much doubt it.

Why not say at once how it is?

He is learning his sermon.-You say that he is expecting some one; is it so?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Never mind; I must see him."

The footman took a light and went on before him. Arrived at the first story, he knocked at one of the doors on the landingplace. It was opened.

"Welcome, monsieur Claude," said Bourdaloue.-“Eh! but— it is Monsieur de Condom-"

"Monsieur Claude !" said Bossuet, in the greatest astonishment, and fixing his eyes on the Jesuit with a sort of distrust ;"what Claude is it?"

"Claude-the minister

"Claude of Charenton ?"

"Of Charenton.

Bossuet could not recover from his surprise.

name of Claude sounded disagreeably to his ear.

Besides, this

The minister

of Charenton was of all the Protestants of France, and even of Europe, the best match for the bishop of Condom. The latter had had famous specimens of this, in their celebrated conference; and although his party had proclaimed the victory his, he knew better than any one, that if he had not been positively beaten, neither had Claude any more than himself.*

* It is known, that each afterwards published his account of this conference. But neither of these two accounts, made long after, present the characteristics of truth. They have, in common, a most singular deficiency in yhilosophy. The smallness of the circle within which two champions

"In fact," resumed Bourdaloue, "you know him better than I do, for I have never seen him."

"And you expect him?"

"He has requested an interview."

። Through whom did he request it?"

"He wrote to me; here is his letter-would you like me to

read it to you?"

"Let me have it."

"Sir and much respected brother-"

"Brother!" murmured Bossuet.

"Why not?" asked Bourdaloue.

word in speaking to the Protestants."

"You have often used this

This was true; but even in bestowing on the Protestants the name of brothers, Bossuet always appeared slightly displeased when they returned him the same appellation. It was somewhat as if a great lord should call you my friend, to whom it would be improper for you to apply the same term.

He did not answer.

"Sir and much respected brother,

"Finding myself at Versailles for some days, it would be gratifying to me not to leave without having seen, at least once, a man whose reputation"-I pass over some sentences; here is the close;" do not mistake, I beg of you, as to the object of my request. There is no question of a discussion;-we will talk of anything you like, of preaching, if it suits you, for my name is perhaps well enough known to you, for you not to be ignorant that I am one of the trade; and if either of us should happen

of their size could combat for so long a time, is astonishing. All Bossuet's arguments rest on the authority of the church; on the very thing which requires proof more than all the rest; and Claude, too faithful to the dialectics of the age, does not seem to perceive that he would find strength in a frank and serious appeal to common sense, history, and the Bible.

to leave the neutral and pacific ground to which we confine ourselves, we will mutually recall each other to order.

"Accept, etc.

"And you agreed ?" said Bossuet.

66

CLAUDE."

Certainly; he is a man to be known. I would not have sought it, but I am enchanted with the opportunity. What torments me is, that I do not know my sermon."

"Not at all?"

"If it were not at all, you would not see me in the pulpit tomorrow."

"You begin to know it then ?"

"It is just that. I have been studying it these forty-eight hours."

"Ah! if you had believed me, you would have been relieved from this sort of trouble long ago."

"It was necessary to begin by endowing me with your mind, before giving me your method."

"Always so much humility, Monsieur Boudaloue" "Always so much genius, Monsieur de Condom."

"Flatterer! Have you still what I wrote you on the subject, nearly ten years ago?"

"The letter on improvisation? I have lent it to the Abbé dé Fénélon. To him, who extemporises already, it will be of use. To return to my sermon, I begin to know it, as you say, but I do not know it. I at first replied to Monsieur Claude, that I would receive him on Monday next, after the fêtes; but he is obliged to be at Charenton on Sunday. I was obliged to say that I would expect him this evening. I shall make up for it by studying a part of the night."

"If you do not spend it in writing," said Bossuet.

"In writing. I! My sermon has been finished since day before yesterday."

"Do you never re-touch your discourses?"

"Never, when I have ce begun to commit them. My head would not stand it."

"Listen," said Bossuet; "one is sometimes forced to do that, which one has never done before. I do not know what is the subject of your sermon; but there will very probably be more or less in it to be changed-"

"It is difficult."

"To be omitted

"That is easier."

"To be added-"

" Do

you dream of such a thing! The evening before! But what is it? You have a very peculiar air—"

Bossuet told him all. He saw that the king, undecided, wavering, ready to relapse, needed a check which would recall him to himself; he came to ask Bourdaloue to undertake this, and to awaken him from the pulpit, by something strong and daring.

"You see how matters stand," added he. "You see that I have done what I could. The words I have spoken have been almost useless, the letter will be forgotten in presence of three lines from Madame de Montespan. You alone still have something in your power. If he be not conquered, he is moved; the occasion is a favorable one, and may, perhaps, never return. You may now obtain for religion and morals the most glorious victory which they have to gain in France."

And as Bourdaloue was silent;

"You do not reply. Would you hesitate? Will you force me to exact as a duty, what I now ask as a favor? I have the paternal right-”

Bourdaloue did not compose with difficulty. Ideas were what

he was less wanting in than anything else, for we have as many as three and even four sermons by him upon the same subject, without these discourses having anything in common. But he liked to write at his leisure; calm and silence were necessary to him; and beyond everything, it was necessary that he should have time enough before him to study his discourse when he should have finished it; and while Bossuet was never bolder, nor more copious than when he was hurried, Bourdaloue no sooner felt himself So, than he grew frightened and lost his power. Not that he had not often deceived himself in this respect, and found himself, when the moment arrived, more expeditious than he had ventured to hope; but it was not in his power to prevent his first feeling from being one of fear and discouragement. So much the more in this case, since it was not merely a question of altering rapidly some parts of a discourse already studied, but to throw himself abruptly into the midst of one of the most delicate affairs with which a priest can intermeddle. It is not difficult, then, to understand what an effort he was obliged to make, to answer, "I will try." And even this he said in a low vr ́ce, and with a sigh.

"And you will succeed," said Bossuet.

"I will try," he repeated. "Will you help me?"

"Most willingly-if I can.”

"If you can! I am going to read you my sermon; you must explain to me more in detail, what you think I should add. Yes, in truth, it is a favorable occasion. Ah! if I had only known of it eight days sooner!"

“Well! you would have only had eight days more of disquiet."

“The sermon will only be the better for it, perhaps. Read on, however."