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258 Shiana paused, and you may say he was astonished.

"How is that now?" said he. "Or is it that you would think to persuade me that almsgiving is wrong?"

"Almsgiving is not wrong," said the Black Man. "But it was not almsgiving on your part to give money that was not yours to people who did not want it much—setting them praising you before the whole country—'Oh, dear me! What a good man Shiana is! What a wonderful amount of good he is doing!' And he twisted up his mouth in derision, in spite of the trouble and pain he was in.

"It was not for that I gave the money," said Shiana.

"How do I know that?" said the Black Man. "You got yourself highly praised at all events. And there was another spoiling in the business The money did a great deal more harm than good to some of them, even though they might have been badly in want of it. I have some of them now below, hard and fast, and they would not be there but for your giving them my money. If you had allowed them to die of hunger they would be up above now. You gave alms to them to vex me. Wait till we go down, and till you see them. It is then you will understand the benefit of your work, and who it is that you have vexed. Then you will see how thankful they are to you. They praised you when you gave them the money. You will get a different sort of praise from them when you go down by-and-by with me."

"I am sure," said Shiana, "that you would give them every help to make them use the money to their