human
Your kind heart, daughter, has betrayed you into error. Before bringing this child here you should have consulted me. Much might have been saved for us all.
gpt
What would you have advised?
human
I should have strongly advised against letting the innocent suffer for the guilty!
gpt
Yes, but she had to have a home; care, the best possible.
human
To give that, daughter, is not in your power. In violating the most sacred emotions of life, in spurning the very safeguards of society, you put yourself outside the pale, as far as the child’s best good is concerned. Women should fully understand this before they take the fatal step. The price must be paid! If, by assuming your duty at this late day you could condone the past, I would help you, but I cannot advise keeping this girl here. For her truest good, she should be saved, where only such unfortunates can be saved.
gpt
And that is?
human
In the bosom of the church, daughter. Send the child to St. Michael’s; let them train her there for a life of devotion and service in a field where temptation, inherited weakness——
gpt
You laugh?
human
Forgive me, Father, but it struck me as being rather hard on the girl that, for a wrong she never committed, she should be condemned to—to exile; not even given a chance of her own.
gpt
You stole that from her, daughter!
human
I? Why, how could I? And is the Church able to accept whatever service, my—this young girl might give, while the world is unable to do so?
gpt
It can.
human
Father, she said calmly,
gpt
I am; your real and only friend.
human
You have shown me that a man cannot be a friend to a woman! He cannot give her justice.
gpt
You are not speaking to a man, daughter!
human
In that capacity alone did I regard you, Father Mantelle, and you have failed me. For the rest, I let no one stand between my conscience and my God! No. If I ask help again it will be from a woman; she at least can understand.
gpt
A woman is hardest upon women in such cases as yours, Mam’selle!
human
She will be the first who will turn against you.
gpt
And was it a woman who came to you, Father, with my—my trouble?
human
I see it was not. So the first and second who have turned against me have been men. Good day, Father, and —Mam’selle stopped at the door—