"Easy, Papa — and happy," said Alice.
"You are looking better," said he. "We shall have you well
again among us yet."
There was some sorrow for him in Alice's smile, as she looked
up at him and answered, "Yes, Papa — in the land where the
inhabitant shall no more say, 'I am sick.' "
He kissed her hastily, and went out.
"I almost wish I was in your place, Alice," said Miss Sophia.
"I hope I may be half as happy when my time comes."
"What right have you to hope so, Sophia?" said Alice, rather
sadly.
"To be sure," said the other, after a pause, "you have been
ten times as good as I. I don't wonder you feel easy when you
look back and think how blameless your life has been."
"Sophia, Sophia!" said Alice — "you know it is not that. I
never did a good thing in all my life that was not mixed and
spoiled with evil. I never came up to the full measure of duty
in any matter."
"But surely," said Miss Sophia, "if one does the best one can,
it will be accepted?"
"It won't do to trust to that, Sophia. God's law requires
perfection; and nothing less than perfection will be received
as payment of its demand. If you owe a hundred dollars, and
your creditor will not hold you quit for anything less than
the whole sum, it is of no consequence whether you offer him
ten or twenty."
"Why, according to that," said Miss Sophia. "it makes no
difference what kind of life one leads.
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