“May as well follow divergent paths,” she said with a timidity which implied that she, by no means, desired the proposition to be accepted.
“No, my dear Clara, I shall not mention it again if it is unpleasant to you. I shall leave you in the hands of God and continue to pray for you. I think you will take a different view of the matter after a while.”
“But I would as soon you would talk to me as to look at me as if I were a criminal.”
“I do not think,” said Ernest, “that religion will convert me into a long-faced monk. On the contrary, I expect to be more cheerful and happy than I could be otherwise. You are the one to look solemn and gloomy.”
“You expect,” said Clara, not appearing to notice the last remark, “you expect to give up dancing, as most church people do.”
“Certainly. I cannot do violence to my conscience by indulging in an amusement which I regard as of doubtful propriety, to say the least of it.”
“Where is the harm in dancing? Church people condemn it, but I never could see any sin in it--not the least.”
“But there would be sin in it to me with my present views,” said Ernest.
“Yes, that is true; but the time has come when I must and will renounce it.”
“That is a matter to be determined by your own conscience. I shall not interfere.”
“There is the theatre--you will give that up too?”
“Then,” said Clara with a slight frown, “what congeniality of taste and pursuits is there between us?”
“Why, my loved one,” said Ernest with a smile, “fortunately theatres and dances occupy but a small portion of our time.”
Ernest loved his affianced with such an intensity that he dreaded to get into an unpleasant controversy that might culminate fatally to his hopes. If he were too puritanical and inflexible, he thought, she might sever all the ties between them--an event which made him shudder to contemplate; so he replied:
“All congeniality of taste between us need not be destroyed because you may fancy some amusements which I do not. It could scarcely be expected that two human beings should think exactly alike. With regard to your dancing, I leave it to your conscience and to time which usually destroys our relish for most of the sports and enjoyments of youth. I have strong hopes that you will sooner or later perceive the necessity of leaving the paths of moral ruin and renouncing the pleasures of sin for the more solid and substantial pleasures of religion.”