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Byakindofinstinctdistilledfromhisexperienceofclergymen’sbelongings，Godfreyhadexpectedtoseeadowdyfemale，withared，fatface，andwateryeyes，perhapswearinganapronandablackdresshookedawry，accompaniedbyasnub-nosedlittlegirlwithstraighthair，andacoldinthehead。Inplaceofthesehesawafashionably-
dressed，Parisian-lookinglady，whostillseemedquiteyoung，verypleasanttobehold，withherdarkeyesandgracefulmovements，andagirl，apparentlyabouthisownage，whowasequallyattractive。
Shewasbrown-eyed，withaquick，mobileface，andalitheandshapely，ifasyetsomewhatunformedfigure。Thelongthickplaitinwhichherchestnuthairwasarrangedcouldnothideitsplenitudeandbeauty，whilethesmallnessofherhandsandfeetshowedbreeding，asdidhermannersandpresence。TheobservantGodfrey，athisfirstsightofJuliette，forsuchwashername，marvelledhowitwaspossiblethatsheshouldbethedaughterofthatplainandungainlyoldpasteur。Onthispointitisenoughtosaythatothershadexperiencedthesamewonder，andremainedwiththeircuriosityunsatisfied。Butthenhemightaswellhaveinquiredhowhe，Godfrey，cametobehisfather’sson，sinceinthewholeuniversenotwocreaturescouldhavebeenmorediverse。
MonsieurBoisetwaddledforward，withagaitliketothatofasuperannuatedduck，followedatsomedistancebyGodfreyandthestalwartJeanwiththeluggage。
“Mydears，“hecalledoutinhishighvoice，“Ihavefoundournewlittlefriend；thetrainbroughthimsafely。Hereheis。“
MadameandJuliettelookedaboutthem。
“Iseehimnot，“saidMadame。
“Whereishe？“askedJuliette，inapleasantgirlishvoice。“Stillatthegate？Andsaythen，myfather，“thisinlowtonesmeantnottobeoverheard，“whoisthismonsieur？“
“Heisthelittleboy，“exclaimedthePasteur，chucklingathisjoke，“butyouseehehasgrowninthetrain。“
“/MonDieu!/“exclaimedMadame，“Iwonderifhisbedwillbelongenough？“
“Itisveryamusing，“remarkedJuliette。
Thentheybothdescendedfromtheverandah，togreethimwithforeigncordialitywhich，astheyspokerapidlyinFrench，wassomewhatlostonGodfrey。Recognizingtheirkindintentions，however，hetookoffhishatandbowedtoeachinturn，remarkingashedidso：
“/Bonjour，oui。Oui，bonjour/，“theonlywordsintheGallictonguethatoccurredtohimatthemoment。
“IspeekEngleesh，“saidJuliette，withsolemngrandeur。
“I’mjollygladtohearit，“repliedGodfrey，“andI/parleFran？ais/，orsoonshall，Ihope。“
SuchwasGodfrey’sintroductiontohisnewhomeatKleindorf，whereverysoonhewashappyenough。Notwithstandinghisstrangeappearanceandhisawkwardness，MonsieurBoisetprovedhimselftobewhatiscalled“adearoldgentleman“；moreover，reallylearned，andthisinsundrydifferentdirections。Thus，hewasanexcellentastronomer，andthepossessorofafirst-ratetelescope，mountedinalittleobservatory，onarockypeakofgroundwhichroseupahundredfeetormoreintheimmediateneighbourhoodofthehouse，thatitselfstoodhigh。Thisinstrument，whichitsownerhadacquiredsecondhandatsomesale，ofcoursewasnotofthelargestsize。Still，itwaspowerfulenoughforallordinaryobservations，andtoshowmanyhundredsoftheheavenlybodiesthatareinvisibletothenakedeye，evenintheclearairofSwitzerland。
ToGodfrey，whohad，itwillberemembered，astronglikingforastronomy，itwasasourceofconstantdelight。Whatismore，itprovidedalinkofcommoninterestthatsoonripenedintofriendshipbetweenhimselfandhisoddoldtutor，whohadbeenobligedhithertotopursuehisastralresearchesinsolitude，sincetoMadameandtoJuliettethesedidnotappeal。Nightbynight，especiallyafterthewintersnowsbegantofall，theywouldsitbythestoveinthelittleobservatory，gazingatthestars，makingcalculations，inwhich，notwithstandinghisdislikeofmathematics，Godfreysoonbecameexpert，andsettingdowntheresultsofwhattheylearned。
Inwasincourseofthesestudiesthatthewholewonderoftheuniversecamehometohimforthefirsttime。Helookeduponthemarveloftheheavens，themightyprocessionoftheplanets，therisingandsettingofthevastsunsthatburnbeyondtheminthedepthsofspace，weighingtheirbulkandmeasuringtheirdifferences，andtrembledwithmingledjoyandawe。Werethesetheheritageofman？
Wouldheevervisittheminsomeunknownstateandage？Ormusttheyremaineternallyfarandalien？Thisiswhathelongedtolearn，andtohimastronomywasagatewaytoknowledge，ifonlyhecoulddiscoverhowtopassthegate。
Godfreyhadnotthetruescientificspirit，orayearningforinformation，evenaboutthestars，foritsownsake。Hewantedtoascertainhowtheseaffected/him/andthehumanraceofwhichhewasamember。Inshort，hesoughtananswertotheoldquestion：Arewemerelythespawnofourlittleearth，destinedtoperish，astheearthitselfmustdooneday，or，throughwhateverchangeswemustpass，areweasimmortalastheuniverseandtheMightthatmadeit，whateverthatmaybe？Thatwashisproblem，thesamewhichperplexeseveryhighandthinkingsoul，andatthisimpressionableperiodofhislifeitscarcelyeverlefthim。Therehewouldsitwithbroodingeyesandbentbrowseekingtheanswer，butasyetfindingnone。
OnceJuliettediscoveredhimthus，havingcometotheobservatorytotellhimthathisdinnerhadbeenwaitingforhalfanhour，andforawhilewatchedhimunnotedwiththelittleshadedlampshiningonhisface。Instantly，inherquickfashion，shechristenedhim，/Hibou/，and/Hibou/orOwl，becamehisnicknameinthatestablishment。Indeed，withhisdarkeyesandstronglymarkedfeatures，wrappedinacontemplativecalmsuchasthestudyofthestarsengenders，inthatgloomhedidlooksomethinglikeanowl，howeverdifferentmayhavebeenhisappearanceonotheroccasions。
“Whatareyouthinkingof，MonsieurGodfrey？“sheasked。
Hecamebacktoearthwithastart。
“ThestarsandMan，“heanswered，colouring。
“/MonDieu!/“sheexclaimed，“Ithinkmanisenoughtostudywithoutthestars，whichweshallnevervisit。“
“Howdoyouknowthat，Mademoiselle？“
“Iknowitbecausewearehereandtheyarethere，far，faraway。Alsowedieandtheygoonforever。“
“Whatisspace，andwhataredeathandtime？“queriedGodfrey，withsolemnity。
“/MonDieu!/“saidJulietteagain。“Cometodinner，thechickenitgrowscold，“buttoherselfsheadded，“Heisanoddbird，thisEnglish/hibou/，butattractive——whenheisnotsograve。“
MeanwhileGodfreycontinuedtoponderhismightyproblem。WhenhehadmasteredenoughFrenchinwhichMadameandJulietteprovedefficientinstructors，hepropoundedittotheoldPasteur，whoclappedhishanduponaBible，andsaid：
“/There/istheanswer，youngfriend。“
“Iknow，“repliedGodfrey，“butitdoesnotquitesatisfy；IfeelthatImustfindthatanswerformyself。“
MonsieurBoisetremovedhisbluespectaclesandlookedathim。
“Suchsearchesaredangerous，“hesaid。“Believeme，Godfrey，itisbettertoaccept。“
“ThenwhydoyoufindfaultwiththeRomanCatholics，Monsieur？“
Thequestionwaslikeamatchappliedtoahaystack。AtoncethePasteurtookfire：
“Becausetheyaccepterror，nottruth，“hebegan。“Whatfoundationhavetheyformuchoftheirbelief？Itisnothere，“andagainheslappedtheBible。
Thenfollowedalongtirade，fortheonethingthisgoodandtolerantoldmancouldnotendurewastheRomanCatholicbranchoftheChristianFaith。
Godfreylistenedwithpatience，tillatlastthePasteur，havingburnthimselfout，askedhimifhewerenotconvinced。
“Idonotknow，“hereplied。“ThesequarrelsoftheChurchesandofthedifferentfaithspuzzleandtireme。I，too，Monsieur，believeinGodandafuturelife，butIdonotthinkitmattersmuchbywhatroadonetravelstothem，Imeansolongasitisaroad。“
ThePasteurlookedathimalarmed，andexclaimed：
“SurelyyouwillnotbeafishcaughtinthenetwhichalreadyIhaveobservedthatcunningandplausiblecurétryingtothrowaboutyou!
Oh!whatthenshouldIanswertoyourfather？“
“Donotbefrightened，Monsieur。IshallneverbecomeaRomanCatholic。ButallthesameIthinktheRomanCatholicsverygoodpeople，andthattheirfaithisaswellasanother，atanyrateforthosewhobelieveit。“
Thenhemadeanexcusetoslipaway，leavingthePasteurpuzzled。
“Heiswrong，“hesaidtohimself，“mostwrong，butallthesame，letitbeadmittedthattheboyhasabigmind，andintelligent——yes，intelligent。“
Itiscertainthatthosewhosearchwithsufficientearnestnessendinfindingsomething，thoughthediscoveredpathmayruninthewrongdirection，orproveimpassable，orwindthroughcaverns，oralongtheedgeofprecipices，downwhichsoonerorlaterthetravellerfalls，orleadatlengthtosome/cul-de-sac/。TheaxiomwasnotvariedinGodfrey’scase，andthepathhefoundwasnamed——MissOgilvy。
OnthefirstSundayafterhisarrivalatKleindorfafinecarriageandpairdrewupattheshrubberygate，justasthefamilywerereturningfromthemorningserviceinthelittlechurchwherethePasteurministered。Madamesighedwhenshesawit，forshewouldhaveloveddearlytopossesssuchanequipage，asindeed，shehaddoneatoneperiodinhercareer，beforeanobscureseriesofcircumstancesledtoherstrangeunionwithMonsieurBoiset。
