moving about in the world in order to be released from it.

The Priest reassured her with the words:--

"You wish to take the veil; you have taken it already; it is drawn over
you, and over the world, though invisible to every body else. Things in
the world do not affect your real self at all; there is a veil between
you and the world, which will be wholly dropped only when death gives
us deliverance."

The Priest proceeded to exhort her to subject herself to what was the
hardest of all experiences to youth and ardent zeal,--she was not to
consider it as her vocation to change the opinions of others, but she
was to labor for her own perfection.

He went more cautiously to work than Pranken did; he avoided a direct
attack upon Eric, as this might awaken an interest in Manna towards
him. He even praised him; but it was done in that tone of condescension
and pity, which comes so natural to him who upholds a dogmatic faith.
He inculcated upon her the fact, that she would soon understand how
trifling an affair it would be to annihilate this liberal culture, as
it was termed,--that it was in its very nature exceedingly fragile.
This could be plainly seen from each one of these so-called liberally
cultivated people wanting to be something entirely different from his
neighbor. Each one of Roland's teachers, for instance, had a different
method, a different course of instruction, different principles, and a
different end in view.

When Manna asked why the Priest had not used his influence to keep Eric
from being received into the family, he replied that he was glad to
find her so zealous, but a person was obliged to let some things take
their course in this world; and besides, from the outset, all
resistance to her father would have been to no purpose, for Roland had
insisted upon having his own way. And notwithstanding Eric was a
complete heretic, he recognized the holy, to a certain extent, although
there was much pride mingled with this recognition.

He feared to make Eric of too much importance, and so he added, almost
with timidity, that these apparently mild and enthusiastic idealists
were just the most dangerous.

Then he went on to advise Manna to consider the world around as alien
to herself.

The interview seemed now to have become rather painful. The Priest
suddenly and abruptly said that it was time for Manna to return home,
as they would be expecting her there. She was not to conceal that she
had been wit