Bruges.
I think it right to tell you I am going to send Mary away I have kept her as long as I possibly had the means but now I have not & I don’t think God expects me to do impossibilities. I cannot take blame to myself nor do I see that it is a charity in Mary’s case.
God has given her great grace she knows well betwixt right & wrong her other Sisters[1] can live at home & lead good & virtuous lives & why can’t she? because she is triste & does not like to work is no reason in my humble opinion for leaving the home where God has placed her. the others seem to be allowedp2to go to their duties & I am sure if Mary is really in earnest & chooses to be obedient & industrious at home her Mother won’t interfere with her liberty in this respect. It is all nonsense for Mary to tell you her Mother won’t take her back I simply don’t believe it she is bound to do so. You tell her she must return home till some thing turns up, but I don’t know any situation Mary would be fit for unless under some one who would drive her on to work she can if she will but she won’t, she is naturally indolent & dirty & Ip3cannot be always scolding & fault finding When I do then she crys but does not improve & I cannot afford to keep such a girl you must be kind enough to tell her she is to go away & quietly otherwise there will be an unpleasant scene, I am not well & it pains me to be obliged to give up what you think a work for God. but depend upon it I don’t give it up without serious thought & prayer & know what it costs me to differ from you & run the risk of perhaps offending both you & God. but as it is I find I am getting into debt & I had a letter from my motherp4saying she can do nothing more for me for the next nine months & I had calculated getting at least £ 10 from her this Winter So you see how I am embarassed