spiritual enlightenment with the light of truth. Eh? What answer will you make him when the innocent babe asks you: ``Papa! Who made all that enchants me in this world - the earth, the waters, the sun, the flowers, the grass?' Can you say to him: ``I don't know?' You cannot but know, since the Lord God in His infinite mercy has revealed it to us. Or your child will ask you: ``What awaits me in the life beyond the grave?' What will you say to him when you know nothing? How will you answer him? Will you leave him to the allurements of the world and the devil? That's not right,' he said, and he stopped, putting his head on one side and looking at Levin with his kindly, gentle eyes.

Levin made no answer this time, not because he did not want to enter upon a discussion with the priest, but because no one had ever asked him such questions - and when his babes did ask him those questions, it would be time enough to think about answering them.

`You are entering upon a time of life,' pursued the priest, `when you must choose your path and keep to it. Pray to God that He may in His mercy aid you and have mercy on you!' he concluded. `Our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, in the abundance and riches of His loving-kindness, forgives this child...' and, finishing the prayer of absolution, the priest blessed him and dismissed him.

On getting home that day, Levin had a delightful sense of relief at the awkward position being over and having been got through without his having to tell a lie. Apart from this, there remained a vague memory that what the kind, fine old fellow had said had not been at all as stupid as he had fancied at first, and that there was something in it that must be cleared up.

`Of course, not now,' thought Levin, `but at some later day.' Levin felt more than ever now that there was something not clear and not clean in his soul, and that, in regard to religion, he was in the same position which he perceived so clearly and disliked in others, and for which he blamed his friend Sviiazhsky.

Levin spent that evening with his betrothed at Dolly's, and was in very high spirits. To explain to Stepan Arkadyevich the state of excitement in which he found himself, he said that he was happy, like a dog being trained to jump through a hoop, who, having at last caught the idea, and done what was required of him, whines and wags its tail, and jumps up to the table and the window sills in its delight.