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SEEKERS AFTER GOD. 313
the Virgin Mary and the saints; but this Portuguese
and Spanish form of the Jesus-doctrine does not
commend itself to me. I am puzzled to account for
the cruelties of the Inquisition, and at some of the
political things done by the rulers of the religion at
Rome, for they do not seem to accord with what
Jesus teaches. However, I hope at some time to
meet with a teacher from England or America. The
Hollanders hinted that there was a great difference
between the forms of the Jesus-religion in northern
and in southern Europe."
So then Honda had given up
all
hope of fighting
the foreigners or drawing their blood, and had given
himself to the patient task of enlightening the young
men of his own province. Further, he had, by means
of the wise assistance of Doctor Sano, made his
peace even with the young lady, Asai, who, misinformed
and in a fit of passion, had once desired that
the god Fudo might take his life. They had been
married, and wer^ now living in quiet and comfort
in a beautiful little house within the inclosure of
the castle. Her father had purchased the rank and
privileges of a samurai, and now wore two swords
and lived within the castle precincts, having retired
from active business.
Usually a merchant who thus purchased rank and
honors, and had nothing else than his money-bags to
recommend him, was apt to be snubbed, insulted, and
ignored at first by the samurai of hereditary rank,
who sneeringly spoke of him as a "money-lifted
samurai." In this case, however, Mr. Asai's repu-