and thus the two jealous rivals and enemies departed, and took leave, the one of periander, and the other of croriano, both their hopes alike founded on air; each, however, being of the same mind to restrain his impetuosity and dissimulate his anger, at least until auristella had declared which was to be the favoured one—each hoping it would be himself—since the offer of a kingdom and of a condition as high as that the duke could boast, might well be thought temptations enough to shake any previous intentions, for it is natural to love grandeur, and to aim at improving one's condition in life, more especially this is the case with women. but auristella took small heed of all this, as every thought of hers at that moment was centred in being properly instructed in all the truths that concerned her soul's salvation; for having been born in a country so far off, that in it the christian faith was not as clear and perfect as it should be, she held it necessary that hers should be purified in its true home.
she took care to instruct herself well upon every particular of the holy catholic faith, which she had only dimly understood in her own land. she found a sure means of explaining what she wanted by the confessional, where she made her full and entire confession, and was taught and satisfied about everything she desired to know, for these confessors explained to her in the best way they could all the principal and most needful mysteries of our holy religion. they began with the envy and pride of lucifer, and of his fall with the third part of the stars that fell with him into the abyss,—a fall which left vacant the heavenly seats, which these bad angels lost by their folly and sin. they explained the means god took to fill these empty seats, creating man, whose soul was made capable of the glory lost by these fallen angels. they discoursed upon the truths of the creation of man and of the world, and of the sacred and loving mystery of the incarnation, and with wondrous skill they sketched the deep mystery of the most holy trinity. they told how it was necessary that the second person of the three, who is the son, should make himself man, in order that he might, as man, redeem all mankind, and as god, might redeem as god, which hypostatic union alone could satisfy god for the infinite sin committed; and which the infinite deity could satisfy, and finite man could not by himself alone, and god by himself alone could not be appeased, but that the two together had the property of being infinite, and thus came redemption. they spoke of the death of christ, the labours and troubles of his life, from the hour of his beginning his work, to his death upon the cross. they exalted the strength and efficacy of the sacraments, and pointed to the second article of our duty, repentance, which alone can open the path to heaven, which sin has closed. they showed the saviour jesus christ, as the living god, seated on the right hand of the father, in full perfection in heaven, as he is on earth by transubstantiation in the sacrament, which holy presence no absence can divide or part, for one of god's greatest attributes is, that he is everywhere in essence, and in presence. they assured her of the infallible coming again of the lord to judge the world, and establish firmly his church, against which the gates or rather the forces of hell shall avail little. they told of the power of the supreme pontiff, god's vicegerent on earth, and who holds the keys of heaven. at last there remained nothing to be taught, or that was necessary for periander and auristella to understand. these lessons filled their hearts with joy, drew them out of themselves, and raised them almost to the heaven where their thoughts rested.
