He may
bless his stars that I don't want to do him mischief; but to _love
him_, it's jist imposs'ble."
"With man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible,"
said the pastor solemnly.
Jacques's naturally philosophic though untutored mind saw the force
of this. He felt that God, who had formed his soul, his body, and the
wonderfully complicated machinery and objects of nature, which were
patent to his observant and reflective mind wherever he went, must of
necessity be equally able to alter, influence, and remould them all
according to His will. Common-sense was sufficient to teach him this;
and the bold hunter exhibited no ordinary amount of common-sense in
admitting the fact at once, although in the case under discussion
(the loving of his enemy) it seemed utterly impossible to his
feelings and experience. The frown, therefore, passed from his brow,
while he said respectfully, "What you say, sir, is true; I believe
though I can't _feel_ it. But I s'pose the reason I niver felt much
drawn to the red-skins is, that all the time I lived in the
settlements I was used to hear them called and treated as thievin'
dogs, an 'when I com'd among them I didn't see much to alter my
opinion. Here an' there I have found one or two honest Injins, an'
Redfeather is as true as steel; but the most o' them are no better
than they should be. I s'pose I don' think much o' them just because
they are red-skins."
"Ah, Jacques, you will excuse me if I say that there is not much
sense in _that_ reason.
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