They had
sometimes seen men converted, but they had never seen such an immediate
and such a complete conversion as this. He actually invited correction,
and reproof, and advice, and assistance, who had often struck at you with
his hands and his feet when you even hinted at such a thing to him. The
best upbringing, the best books, the best preaching, the best and most
obedient life, taken all together, had not done for other men what a
woman's smile and the touch of her hand had in a moment done for this
once so obstinate man. He would read anything now, and especially the
best books. He would hear and enjoy any preacher now, and especially the
best and most earnest in preaching. His old likes and dislikes,
prejudices and prepossessions, self-opinionativeness and
self-assertiveness all miraculously melted off him, and he became in a
day an open-minded, intelligent, good-mannered, devout-minded gentleman.
He who was once such a mule to everybody was now led about by a child in
a silken bridle. All old things had passed away, and all things had
become new.
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