“All right,” answered the wise Jesuit.
Two minutes later we were in her presence.
It is impossible to describe her dismay, when she saw me. She came near fainting. I feared she should not be able to utter a word.
I spoke to her very kindly, and ran to get a glass of cold water, which did her good.
When she recovered, I said to her, with a tone of mixed authority and kind firmness: “You are here in the presence of God and two of his priests. That great God will hear every word which will fall from your lips. You must speak the truth. You have denounced me to the bishop as guilty of some great iniquity. You are the cause of my being interdicted. You, alone, can repair the injury you have done me. That injury is very great; but it can be easily repaired by you. In the presence of that venerable priest, say whether or not, I am guilty of the crime you have brought to my charge!”
At these words, the unfortunate girl burst into tears. She hid her face in her handkerchief, and with a voice half-suffocated with sighs, she said:
“No sir! You are not guilty.”
I added: “Confess another thing. Is it not a fact that you had come to my confessional more with the intention of tempting me to sin, than to reconcile yourself to God?”
“Yes sir!” she added, “this was my wicked intention.
“Continue to tell the truth, and our great and merciful God will forgive you. Is it not to revenge yourself for my rebuking you, that you have brought the false accusations to the bishop in order that he might interdict me?”