me;
and with the dear Gorings I've done my duty--for love, I've done it, far
more than money. All through I've done my duty, and I have loved God
and the people round me. I've never felt ill-will towards a living
creature; and when I come to search for my sins, dear--really and
truly--I tell you in confidence, _I can't find them_," cried Miggles
sadly. She lowered her chin, glancing sideways at Vanna as a shamed
child might do discovered in the perpetration of an infantile
peccadillo, and Vanna smiled a tender, humorous response.

"Can't you, Miggles? Not if you try very hard? I can't help you, I'm
afraid. My bad memory refuses to remind me of your crimes. It's a
serious state of affairs."

"It is, dear," agreed Miggles gravely. "I've been taking myself to
task, lying here upon this bed, and examining into the state of my soul.
I fed very grateful, and full of faith, and quite tranquil and happy at
the thought of passing away. I could not fed that, you know, if I had a
`conviction of sin,' like all the good people in books. It has always
put me so terribly out of the way when I have failed to please any one,
and they have been cold and stand-off in their manner. It does happen
like that sometimes, even with the best intentions... If I believed I
had grieved my dear Heavenly Father, how wretched I should be! But I
don't, dear, I don't. I am quite happy, quite at peace. The question
is, _Am I justified_? It would be rather a comfort to be a Catholic
sometimes--would it not, dear?--and confess to a dear, saintly old
priest. Not, of course, that I could subscribe to their creed I can
tell you that I've been quite upset in church sometimes when they intone
the Litany, and call themselves miserable sinners in such very
despondent tones. I did not feel myself a miserable sinner, and it was
no use pretending that I did. That made me wretched in another way, for
I thought I must be a Pharisee, which would be worst of all!"

"Dear Miggles, the Litany was written at the time of the Plague of
London, and was meant to be a sort of national penitential psalm. The
plague was believed to have been sent as a punishment for the sins of
the nation, and the priests marched in procession through the streets
intoning this cry for mercy. It was never intended to be used as a
regular part of the Church service in times of peace and prosperity; and
I think a good many people feel like you, who would not have the courage