If you
have faith enough in Hazard to believe in him, you have faith enough to
accept his church. Faith means submission. Submit!"
"I want to submit," cried Esther piteously, rising in her turn and
speaking in accents of real distress and passion. "Why can't some of you
make me? For a few minutes at a time I think it done, and then I
suddenly find myself more defiant than ever. I want nothing of the
church! Why should it trouble me? Why should I submit to it? Why can't
it leave me alone?"
"What you want is the Roman church," continued Strong mercilessly. "They
know how to deal with pride of will. Millions of men and women have gone
through the same struggle, and the church tells them to fix their eyes
on a symbol of faith, and if their eyes wander, scourges them for it."
As he talked, he took up the little carved ivory crucifix which stood on
the mantel-piece among other bits of studio furniture, and holding it up
before her, said: "There! How many people do you think, have come to
this Christ of yours that has no meaning to you, and in their struggle
with doubt, have pressed it against their hearts till it drew blood? Ask
it!"
"Is that all?" said Esther, taking the crucifix from his hand and
looking curiously at it. Then she silently put it against her heart and
pressed it with more and more force, until Strong caught her hand in
alarm and pulled it away.
"Come!" said he coolly, as he forced her to give up the crucifix; "my
little bluff has failed.
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