ded. Grant me a peaceful resting-place in your
memory."

"Do you wish that, even now? Yes, that is the way with the children of
this world. Even the suicides demand a consecrated grave. You are dead,
and can have no grave in our holy ground. You stretch out your hand for
reconciliation, but of what sort? Your hand is not clasped."

A lay sister entered, bearing a request from Fraeulein Perini to be
admitted into the presence of the Superior and Manna.

She entered.

"Have you any thing to say?" asked the Superior, turning towards
Fraeulein Perini.

"Yes. Here stands Fraeulein Manna. I remind her before you, worthy
mother, of a sacred promise which Fraeulein Manna obtained from me."

"A promise? From you?

"Yes. You, Fraeulein Manna, extorted from me a promise to hold you fast
with all manner of punishments and of bonds, if the spirit of apostasy
should ever gain a foothold in your soul. Did you not. Manna?"

"I did."

"And now?" asked the Superior.

"Now I belong to myself no longer. I no longer call any thing my own:
no possession, not even myself. I cannot give in expiation what is not
mine."

The three women stood long in silence. Finally the Superior said,--

"Have you confessed to the Priest?"

"No."

The Superior had turned away, and spoke with averted face:--

"We force you not. We bind you not. We could; but we do not wish to.
Go, go! I will see your face no more! Go! Alas, what a hell you bear
within you! The trace of your footsteps here shall disappear. No, I
will hear nothing more. Go! Has she gone? Do not answer me. Dear
Perini, tell me--is she gone?"

"She is going," replied Fraeulein Perini.

"Where is my sister?" they suddenly heard Roland's loud voice saying.

The door was thrown violently open. Roland, quickly perceiving what had
been going on, cried,--

"You have humiliated yourself sufficiently: come with me." He seized
Manna by the hand, and left the convent with her.

When they were in the open air, Roland said he had been unable to
endure the suspense any longer. He had feared lest Manna would allow
herself to be maltreated, enduring unkindness as a penance.

"And that you must not do, even if you could bear it yourself, for
Eric's sake. You must not allow Eric's betrothed to be insulted and
abused."

How Manna's eyes shone as she gazed into Roland's glowing countenance!

"It is over," she said. "A whole world is swallowed up behind me. It is
well that it is over."