, she was to conquer all temptations.

Manna asked hesitatingly, why the Priest had not taken upon himself the
wide-extending benevolent work, which the Professorin was now
commissioned by her father to carry on.

"Why?" exclaimed the Priest, with a flash in his usually quiet eye.
"We cannot take what is not given to us; they must learn that this
so-called benevolence, without the blessing of the Church, becomes
absolutely null, and I command you to have nothing to do with it, for
you cannot enter into such a fellowship."

Manna was much startled when the Priest told her that he did not
consider her fitted to take the veil, that it would be better for her
to be Pranken's wife.

The color mounted to Manna's face, and she moved her hands as if
warding off a blow; she opened her mouth, but could not utter a word.

"It is well," said the Priest, soothingly, "it is well if you can
conquer this too, but we do not call you, we do not beguile you; you
must come at your own call, and follow your own leading. People will
whisper to you. The parsons, for so they call us, have misled you with
most cunning wiles. You must remember, the sun shining down upon us
bears witness that I have urged you not to renounce the world entirely.
If you cannot do otherwise, if you feel an imperative call, then you
will be welcome to us; not otherwise, not even with all your wealth."

The Priest had arisen, and was walking up and down the room with hasty
strides, A long pause ensued; he stood at the window, looking out,
while Manna sat trembling on the sofa. The Priest turned towards her,
saying,--

"You see what esteem we feel for you, when we leave all to your own
strength, the strength of faith and of renunciation within you; hold
firmly to that, and let us speak freely and calmly to each other. Do
you not think this Herr Dournay a most attractive man? Speak to me as
openly and sincerely as you would to yourself."

"I don't yet know what to think. I am inclined to believe that there is
something in him which might make him a noble instrument of the Holy
Spirit."

"Ah! is that your feeling? Thank you for being so honest and
unreserved. That is the wonderful art of the tempter, that he can
assume the purest form; with a pretence of duty and the hope of
conversion he can so tempt the poor child of humanity, that it does not
notice that it has already fallen into evil. This then is the shape he
takes for you? I advise you, yes, I require i