"In the seventh place, try, by the frequent thought of death," the Rhetor said, "to bring yourself to regard it not as a dreaded foe, but as a friend that frees the soul grown weary in the labors of virtue from this distressful life, and leads it to its place of recompense and peace.
" "Yes, that must be so," thought Pierre, when after these words the Rhetor went away, leaving him to solitary meditation.
" It must be so, but I am still so weak that I love my life, the meaning of which is only now gradually opening before me.
" But five of the other virtues which Pierre recalled, counting them on his fingers, he felt already in his soul: courage, generosity, morality, love of mankind, and especially obedience--which did not even seem to him a virtue, but a joy.
(He now felt so glad to be free from his own lawlessness and to submit his will to those who knew the indubitable truth.