the
pen, it is no longer the ink that flows, but spleen, and the pen
is transformed into a sword.

Before speaking or writing to the Superior it would be well to put
this question to ourselves: "Am I one of those proud spirits who
expose the faults of others in order to show off their own
pretended virtues? or jealous spirits who are offended at the
elevation of others? or vindictive spirits who like to give tit
for tat? or polite spirits who wish to appear important? or
ill-humoured, narrow-minded spirits, scandalized at trifles? or
credulous, inconsiderate spirits who believe and repeat
everything--the bad rather than the good? In fine, am I a
hypocrite who, clothing malice with the mantle of charity, and
hiding a cruel pleasure under the veil of compassion, weep with
the victim they intend to immolate, as though profoundly touched
by his misfortune, and seem to yield only to the imperative
demands of duty and zeal?"

XXVI

SEVENTH PRESERVATIVE

_Caution in doubtful cases_

ACT with the greatest reserve in doubtful cases where grave
suspicions, difficult to be cleared up, rest on a religious
superior or inferior, as the case may be.

The ears of the Superior are sacred, and it is unworthy
profanation to pour into them false or exaggerated reports. To
infect the Superior's ears is a greater crime than to poison the
drinking fountain or to steal a treasure, because the only
treasure of religious is the esteem of their Superior, and the
pure water which refreshes their souls is the encouraging and
benevolent words of the same Superior.

Some, by imprudence or under the influence of a highly coloured or
impressionable imagination which carries everything to extremes
(we would not say through malice), render themselves often guilty
of crying acts of injustice and ruin a religious. What is
uncertain they relate as certain, and what is mere conjecture they
take as the base of grave suspicions. Several facts which, taken
individually, constitute scarcely a fault, they group together,
and so make a mountain out of a few grains of sand. An act which,
seen in its entirety, would be worthy of praise, they mutilate in
such a fashion as to show it in an unfavourable light. Enemies of
the positive degree, they lavish with prodigality the words
_often, very much, exceedingly,_ etc. When they have only one or
two witnesses, they make use of the word _everybody_, thereby
leaving you under the impression that the rumou