false view in the highest things, if a fixed and unalterable revealed
doctrine, continually published anew through some infallible medium,
did not provide a remedy against error; otherwise, one never knew
whether he had not fallen into it afresh, and can never be freed from
the pain of choosing.

The Superior had always a positive belief to fall back upon, while the
Professorin was obliged to find some new basis and reason for every
question that came up, which made her appear unsettled and doubtful.
And this apparent indecision was increased by the feeling she had of
not being justified in contending against a faith so firm and so
beneficent in its influence. An unrest, like that of a spy, who, from
the highest patriotic motives, inspects an enemy's camp, characterized
her whole manner, and she blamed herself for having undertaken the
commission. But she was now at the post, and must defend her views.
Wishing to find some impregnable position, she represented to Manna
that her father wanted to organize a general plan of systematic
charity, and that it would be a noble vocation for her to take part in
it. The Superior waited for Manna to reply, and she now said:--

"My father's donations do not fall into the right hands; we can do
nothing but restore the property to him who alone has the right to
determine what use shall be made of it."

There was more in Manna's reply than appeared on the surface.

The Professorin remarked that every poor man was a messenger of mercy,
and every one who needed help made a demand for sacrifices; that it was
not enough to bestow gifts, but one must personally devote himself to
the distressed. The alms was not the important thing, but the pains
which one must take on the supplicant's account. How often a man, as he
goes along the street in winter, well wrapped up in his furs, bestows
an alms upon a poor, freezing beggar! For him to unbutton his coat, and
to look for something to give, is of more account than the gift itself,
at least to the giver.

Manna answered that women could not do such a work by themselves. The
Superior joined in, saying that she had advised decidedly against
Manna's taking the veil, for it was to be feared that she had no
true vocation for it. Then she added in a sharp tone to the
Professorin:--"We are wholly indifferent to the accusation of having
tried to get possession of the child's property; we do not despise the
wealth, we can do a great deal of good wi