"Your place of immediate origin?" I was asked.

I said, "Padua."

"Your present occupation?"

"Repentance," I said, and spoke the truth.

"Your means of support?"

"Grace," said I, and he stamped on the ground.

"You are trifling with me--I advise you to take care. Answer me
truthfully of what you repent."

This angered me. I told him shortly that, like everybody else in the
world of my way of thinking, I repented of sin.

He turned to his amanuensis. "Write down that the young man refuses to
give an account of himself," he said harshly; and then asked me what I
wanted of the hospital.

I said with heat, "My brother, I had required of it what I now see I am
not to expect, charity, namely, both of judgment and act. I am
afflicted, as you ought to have seen at once; I need your wisdom--but
need most your sympathy--" To my amazement he cut me short, as he had
done with the Jew, by the brief command, "Search him." I recoiled as
well as I could in my fainting and helpless condition.