TheletterwentontorequestthathewouldclimbnomoreAlps，sincehehadbeensenttoSwitzerland，toscalenotmountains，butthepeaksofknowledge。Itadded，withthatnaiveselfishnessfromwhichsometimeseventhemostpiousarenotexempt，“hadyoubeenkilled，inadditiontolosingyourownlife，whichwouldnotsomuchhavemattered，sinceItrustthatyouwouldhavepassedtoabetter，youwouldhavedoneawrongtoyourfamily。Inthatevent，asyouarenotyetofage，Ibelievethemoneywhichyourfriendlefttoyourecently，wouldhavereturnedtoherestateinsteadofgoingtobenefityournaturalheirs。“
Godfreyponderedoverthewords“naturalheirs，“wonderingwhothesemightbe。Comingfinallytotheconclusionthathehadbutone，namelyhisfather，whichaccountedforthesolicitudeexpressedsoearnestlyintheletter，heutteredanexpletive，whichshouldnothavepassedhisyouthfullips，andthrewitdownuponthetopofthatofMadameRiennes。
Afterthishelefttheroommuchdepressed，andwatchinghisopportunity，forthemerrypartyinthe/salon/whohadgatheredtogreethimwerestilltheredrinkingheavywhitewine，heslippedthroughthebackdoortowalkinthewoods。Thesewoodswerelonely，butthentheysuitedhismood。Intruth，neverhadhefeltmorealoneinhislife。Hisfatherandhewereutterlydifferent，andestranged，andhehadnootherrelatives。Infriendshewasequallylacking。MissOgilvy，whomhehadbeguntolove，wasdead，andafriendinheavenissomewayoff，althoughhedidthinkhehadheardhervoicewhenhewassoneartojoiningher。
ThereremainednoonesavethePasteur，ofwhomhewasgrowingtrulyfond，somuchso，thathewishedthattheoldgentlemanhadbeenappointedtobehisfatheraccordingtotheflesh。Therestoftheworldwasablanktohim，exceptforIsobel，whohaddesertedhim。
Besides，somenewsentimenthadenteredintohisrelationswithIsobel，wherebythesewerehalfspoiled。Ofcourse，althoughhedidnotaltogetherunderstandit，thiswastheeternalcomplicationofsexwhichcursesmorethanitblessesintheworld；ofsex，theeatingfirethatissobeautifulbutburns。Forwhenthatfirehaspassedovertheflowersoffriendship，theyarechangedintosomenewgrowth，thathowevergorgeousitmaybe，yetalwayssmellsofflame。Sexbeingtheoriginoflifeisnecessarilyalsotheoriginoftrouble，sincelifeandtroubleareinseparable，anddevoursthegentlejoysoffriendship，asakitedevourslittlesingingbirds。Thesegotoitssustenance，itistrue，andbotharebirds，butthekiteisaverydifferentcreaturefromthenightingaleorthelark。Oneofthegreatadvantagesofmatrimony，ifitendureslongenough，isthatwhenthesexattraction，whichwasitscause，hasfaded，orpracticallydied，oncemoreitmakesfriendshippossible。
Perhapsthebestthingofthelittlewehavebeentoldaboutheaven，isthatinittherewillbenosex。Iftherewere，itisdoubtfulwhetheritcouldremainheaven，aswedefinethatstate，sincethenmustcomedesires，andjealousies，andselfishness，anddisappointment；alsobirthsanddeaths，sincewecannotconceivesex-
lovewithoutanobject，orabeginningwithoutanend。Fromallofwhichtroubleswelearnthattheangelsarerelieved。
Nowthiswondrous，burningmantleofsexhadfallenonGodfreyandIsobel，ashehadlearnedwhenhesawherwiththeknightinarmourinthegarden，andeverythingwaschangedbeneathitsfiery，smotheringfolds，andforhimtherewasnoIsobel。Hisfriendhadgone，andhewasleftwanderingalone。Hisdistresswasdeep，andsincehewastooyoungtomaskhisfeelings，aspeoplemustlearntodoinlife，itshoweditselfuponhisface。Atsupperthatnight，allofthelittlepartyobservedit，forhewhoshouldhavebeengay，wassadandspokelittle。Afterwards，whenthePasteurandGodfreywenttotheobservatorytoresumetheirastronomicalstudies，theformerlookedathimawhile，andsaid：
“Whatisthematter，Godfrey？Tellme。“
“Icannot，“hereplied，colouring。
“Isitsobadasthatthen？Ithoughtthatperhapsyouhadonlyreceivedaletter，orletters。“
“Ireceivedtwoofthem。Onewasfrommyfather，whoscoldsmebecauseIwasnearlykilled。“
“Indeed。Heseemsfondofscolding，yourfather。Butthatisnonewthing，andonetowhichyoushouldbeused。Howabouttheotherletter？Wasit，perchance，fromMadameRiennes？“
“Itisnotsigned，butIthinkso。“
“Really。Itisodd，but，Itoo，havehadaletterfromMadameRiennes，alsounsigned，andIthink，afterreadingit，thatyoumaysafelyshowmeyours，andthentellmethetruthofalltheseaccusationsshemakesconcerningyouandJuliette。“
NowGodfreyturnedcrimson。
“HowcanI？“hemurmured。“FormyselfIdonotcare，butitseemslikebetraying——someoneelse。“
“Itisdifficult，myboy，tobetraythatwhichisalreadywellknown，tome，amongothers。Hadthisletter，perchance，somethingtodowithanexpeditionwhichyoutwoyoungpeoplemadetosearchforflowers，andnothingelse？Ah!Iseeitisso。Thenyoumaysafelyshowittome，sinceIknowallaboutthatexpedition。“
SoGodfreyproducedtheepistle，foratthemomentheforgotthatitcontainedallusionstoMadamealso，andholdingitgingerlybetweenhisthumbandfinger，handedittohim。ThePasteurreaditthroughwithoutshowingtheslightestemotion。
“Ah!“hesaid，whenhehadfinished，“inherwaysheisquitemagnificent，thatoldwitch。But，surely，oneday，unlesssherepents，shewillbeaccommodatedwithsomeparticularhellofherown，sincetherearefewworthytoshareitwithher。Yousee，myboy，whatshesaysaboutMadame。Well，asIthinkItoldher，thatdearwifeofminemayhavehadherfoolishmoments，likemostothers，ifallthetruthwereknown。Butnotethis——thereisagreatdifferencebetweenthosewhohavefoolishmoments，ofwhateversort，andthosewhomakeittheirbusinesstoseeksuchmoments；further，betweenthosewhorepentoftheirerrorsandthosewhogloryin，andtrytocontinuethem。IfyouhaveanydoubtofthatstudytheBible，andreadamongstothers，ofDavid，wholivedtowritethePsalms，andofMaryMagdalene，whobecameasaint。Also，althoughthisdidnotoccurtothattigerofawoman，Imayhaveknownofthosemoments，andevendonemybesttohelpmywifeoutofthem，andbeenwellrewarded“——herehiskindoldfacebeamedlikethesun——“oh!yes，mostgloriouslyrewarded。SoafigfortheoldwitchandhertalesofMadame!AndnowtellmethetruthaboutyourselfandJuliette，withamindatease，forJuliettehastoldittomealready，andIwishtocomparethestories。“
SoGodfreytoldhimeverything，andaridiculouslittletaleitwas。
WhenhehadfinishedthePasteurburstoutlaughing。
“Youareindeedsinners，youtwo，“hesaid，“sogreat，thatsurelyyoushouldstanddressedinwhitesheets，oneoneithersideofthealtar，withthecrushedflowerinthemiddle。Ah!thatiswhatIregret，thisflower，foritisveryrare。OnlyoncehaveIfounditinallmylife，andthen，astherewasnoladypresent，Ileftitwhereitgrew。
Hearken，allthisisapackofnonsense。
“Hearkenagain，Godfrey。Everybodythingsmeanoldfool。Howcanitbehelpedwithsuchafaceasmine，andthesebluespectacles，whichI
mustwear？Butevenanoldfoolseesthingssometimes。Thus，IhaveseenthatMadame，whohadonceplentyofmoneytoplaywith，andlongs，poordear，forthefinethingsoflife，isveryanxiousthatherJulietteshouldmakeagoodmarriage。Ihaveseen，too，thatshehasthoughtofyou，whomshethinksmuchricherthanyouare，asagoodmatchforJuliette，andhasdoneherbesttomakeJuliettethinkasshedoes，allofwhichisquitenaturalinher，andindeed，praiseworthy，especiallyifshelikesandrespectstheyoungman。But，myboy，itisthegreatestnonsense。Tobeginwith，youdonot，andneverwill，careforJuliette，andshedoesnot，andneverwill，careforyou。Yournatures，ah!theyarequitedifferent。Youhavesomethingbigintheyou，andJuliette——well，shehasnot。Marriagewithherwouldbeforyouamisery，andforJulietteamiseryalso，sincewhathaveyouincommon？Besides，evenifitwereotherwise，doyouthinkIwouldallowsuchathing，withyousoyoungandinmycharge？Bah!begoodfriendswiththatprettygirl，andgohuntforflowerswithherasmuchasyoulike，fornothingwillevercomeofit。Only，betnomoreinkisses，fortheyaredangerous，andsparkssometimessetfiretohaystacks。“
“Indeed，Iwillnot，“exclaimedGodfreywithfervour。
“There，then，thattroubleisfinished。“Here，althoughhedidnotknowit，thePasteurwasmistaken。“Andnow，astotherestofthisletter。Itismalignant，malignant，anditswriterwillalwaysseektodoyouill，andperhaps，sometimessucceed。Itisthepricewhichyoumustpayforhavingmixedwithsuchapersonwhomixeswiththedevil，thoughthatwasnofaultofyours，myboy。Still，always，alwaysintheworldwearesufferingfromthefaultsofothers。Itisalaw，thelawofvicarioussacrifice，whichrunsthrougheverything，why，wedonotknow。Still，benotafraid，foritisyouwhowillwinatthelast，notshe。Fortherest，soonyouwillgoawayfromhere，sincetheyearforwhichyoucameisalmostfinished，andyoumustturnyourmindtothebiggerlife。Iprayyouwhenyoudo，nottoforgetme，for，myboy，I，whohavenoson，havelearnedtoloveyoulikeason，betterperhaps，thanhadyoubeenone，sinceoftenIhaveobservedthatitisnotalwaysfathersandsonsthatloveeachothermost，frequentlytheotherway，indeed。
“AlsoIprayanotherthingofyou——thatifyouthinkIhaveanywisdom，oranylittlelightinthelampofthisugly，oldbodyofmine，youwillalwaystakemeforacounsellor，andwritetomeconcerningyourtroubles，asindeed，youmustdo，forrememberIamyourtrusteeofthisproperty，andperhapspayattentiontotheadviceImaygive。Andnowletusgettoourstars；theyaremuchmoreamusingthanMadameRiennes。ItisstrangetothinkthatthesameGodwhomadethestarsalsomadeMadameRiennes。TrulyHeisacharitableandtolerantGod!“
“Perhapsthedevilmadeher，“suggestedGodfrey。
“Itmaybeso，itmaybeso，butisitnotsaidintheBookofProverbs，Ibelieve，thatHemakesbothgoodandevilforHisowninfiniteends，thoughwhatthesemaybe，I，wormthatIam，cannotpretendtounderstand。Andnowtoourstarsthatarefarawayandpure，thoughwhoknowsbutthatifonewereneartothem，theywouldproveasfulloffoulnessastheearth？“
ThePasteurwasrightwhenhesaidthatMadameRienneswouldnotceasefromattemptstodoeviltoGodfrey，andthereforewrongwhenheaddedthatthetroubleshehadcausedwasfinished。Ofthis，thatyoungmanwasmadepainfullyaware，whenafortnightorsolateranotherletterfromhisfatherreachedhim。ItinformedhimthatMr。Knighthadreceivedananonymouscommunicationwhichstatedthathe，Godfrey，wasleadinganevillifeinLucerne，alsothathewasbeingentrappedintoamarriagewithMademoiselleBoiset，whomhehadbeenseenembracingbehindsomerocks。Theletterended：