Sister Agnes, or, The captive nun
page: 0Illustration (Illustration) [View Page 0Illustration (Illustration) ]"Th? day had ~ot 44wn~1, t1i~~e w~is ~ f~iInt rnc~nnhi~ht." ~, ] IIO~N~E~ c~; C 0. } page: 0 (TitlePage) [View Page 0 (TitlePage) ] SISTER AGNES; OR, T H1E O AP TJIYVE AUTHOR RIKER, BY A CLERGYMAN'S WID FT "THEf ORPHAN'S FEIEND," "THE WID( N UN. W'S FBIIEND," ETC. TOINEW YORK: THORN &CO., 129 FULTON STREET. 1854. page: 0[View Page 0] .TOIflT F. TROW, ?EnTTBB, 49 Ann-atreot~ CIRCU1W.S have uni bhe real c lefornaiti4 ~uccessfu ing of co terriblee ~ blie deco~ ond unsu Itisi bhey ente .-4hat th desire of~ begun, foi )f ]3ritisl The ~ Liave gre proof tha aot be~r gould gl~ TANG olded harac ~s the Lly dr~ iipass s thai r~ of: ~peoti irthe r a L5 littl iddin~ ob.tai * nunx ery h ted ti intl theli bdly ~ PEEFA CE. ~s which it is unnec to the writer f the ~er of that state of see] golden veil of romar wn; and have *akei [on for tkie vi tims ( which is syst matica i~orne, upon hu dreds 1g. desire of inducing som ison-of all prisons ti ~ work is sent forth; a impetus to the moven ring an efficient inspe eries. ~wling with which prk .e proposal to look jut iose dens there are si ~ht of day,-.-unhiapp~ xibrace the offer of lii ~ssary to detail, E~ollowing pages, asi~n ever whose ce has been too Led a strong feel- f a delusion so Ily praetisea' by of the youthful ~ to pause befor~ ie most hopeless rid in the f~iither Lent 119W happ*Iy ~tion and control sts and abbesses their densisa ~enes w1~h will ~ ~erty, and wo~d& I CFr. page: 4-5[View Page 4-5] 4 FPREFACEl. perchance tell tales to arouse the ire of this free coun~ try. Such tales have been told by some of the very few captives who have regained their liberty; but they have been drowned in the clamour of those who know that no legal means exist for verifying them, and whose i'eligion teaches that to lie for the honour of the Church is meritorious. But if the inmates of convents be happy, what possible harm can ~c~crue from letting the world see their happiness-from overwhelming with confusion those who~assert the contrary? If nuns desire above all things to remain in their paradises, why wall in and ba; anabolt, and lock, and ~guard those paradises more jealously ~than our gaols? If access be still denied, we~c~1nuot believe th~t there is no crime to hide; and we must persist in the attempt to have it ascertained, l~y ]~,w, whether frightful rumours be not true; Let ~ix En~1ishman ~be. r~portedto have done, deeds of vio- lence ir~ his own house, be it but to haye beaten a pauper servant, will the plea that his house is his csi~t1e; acroen him, from the visits of police, from the strong~rnR of.1a~?. Surely not. To bolt, and bar his residence, ~nd howl at the officers of justice, would be mg~.rded only as ~a proof and aggravation of his crime; anl so would ]~nglazid judge of conventual secrecy if inf&tuation had i~ot seized her. The ~narra1ives of escaped nuns, and converted priests, and ex-confe8sors are pretty widely known; bu~ unfortunately ~they, are but partially, believed, pa~t1y frQ~i ~their excess of horror, 'partly front the cla~nour of those~. whose interest it is that they should t12 ~1 m if m or re nE th th c w h es w gr ye fa th to .to disbehie~ re; the emselves oving, en e stated "The ( ny circi erefore ~w rder is professE disobey~ bel. Such cii ries-is heads 0 laws of There nonized C L5 canoni~ w all cri specially ~rth, whei andiseine: nts obey sehood d ~y so i~n religion. Themo man Cat ~he other red. doct will joining ;o be lurch LmstaT ho in a dis I; a r tha cumsi urd thos their s sca: octor~ ed fo ines 5 tra it c t of their eds o ious ~'ahity ~olics 4 PREFAC]~. They will not there~ rs of the Roman C~ e brought forward, deeds which, by so impossible. "permits what we cal ces; enjoins it und those circumstances d obedient son of this Ii ligion which he eitl is, he is either a I ances must frequently~ r committed then an houses act in fiagran lurch? ~cely a vice, save her~ do not find a pahlial his successful ende'~ night be rendered 1 tsmuted into a virtue Lii contribute to the h Ihe church. Do the sainted teachers in f1 which heretics disa rnd false-hearted as of ~Pr~testants, and stand in direct. oppo Lich may a loyal son of rre be quoted ~tholi~ Church emitting, ap- no of her sons, Murder under r some. He ~es not commit ~ly mother, er disbelieves hypocrite or a I r occur in nun- there, or do 1 opposition to ~sy, for which ive. Liguori yours to show wful. Lying if inestimable mour and ag- rulers of con~ coveringg with prove; or are o prefer trut~ he religion of lotion the one 'the Church" page: 6-7 (Table of Contents) [View Page 6-7 (Table of Contents) ] 6 PREFACE. be supposed to prefer-will it be the dogma of the heretic? ko labour and much inquiry have been expended upon this volume. Its consistency with facts will be denied. Wl~at is-denial worth from the disciples of Ligi~ori! / 0I 0] 0] 0] 0] 01 0i CII CI ~CI 01 011 CI CI CI CI CI CI CI CI CI CI lAP. 1.-I lAP. IL- IA?. III.- IA?. IV.- IA?. V.- LAP. VI.- LAP. VII.- LAP. VIII [A?. IX.- [A?. X.- [A?. XI.- [A?. XII.. [A?. XIII~ [A?. XIV. [A?. XV.. [A?. XVI [A?. XVI [A?. XVII [A?. XIX~ [A?. XX..- [A?. XXI. [A?. XXI CONTENTS. ~TROD OTION FIRST ORROW -EDUC TION -JESUI S ~) OMES IC CHANG ADE OISELLE'E L~?R0 BESS OF P] ACLE PEABAN( rUE FL GUT -IRELA -DES lB -A J SUIT'S EEl -AN RIVAL -ENT ANCE ON .A -OON~rENT LIFE ['-Cr' .--.-STRI -SISTE -THE ES ~TALE ~RVERSION IE ~LRCTIONS CONVENT LIFE IL AND RELIGIOUS LIJ3ERT' CONSPIRACY V~INGS AFTER SANCTITY ~LY LOVE AND MOTHERLY FINAL VOW UNWILLING NUN * . AS. * 20 * * 24 * 85. 49 * 55 * 68 * *1(7 * .~ 88 * 97 * * 114 * 121 * * 125 * 181 .01w * . 168 * 184 DISCIPLINE 192 * 206 * * 220 page: 8 (Table of Contents) -9[View Page 8 (Table of Contents) -9] CONTENTS. CHAP. XXHI.-RELIC WORSHIP CHAP, XXIY.-HERESY IN THE CONVENT . CHAP. XXV.-THE HERETIC EXAMINED CIrAP. XXYL-ESCAPE CHAP. XXYII.--OIa~RIoAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR A TRIAL BY JURY . . CHAP. XXYTW-AN IRISH TRIAL BY JURY CHAP. XXIX.-DEPORTATION XXX.-REASONS FOR DEPORTATION O KXXXLV.~TRAVEL ~XXII.-A LIVING SAINT XXX~.-A CONVENT AMONG THE APPENINES XXXI V".-A NEW CONFESSOR A?. XXXV.-SUFFERING, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL ChAP. XXXYI.-TEMPTATION--SUICIDE . CHAI~. XXXVIL-~A NEW VICTIM ChAP. XXXYHL-A DISCOVERY . . CHAP. XXXIX.-RE8CUE CONTEMPLATED ChAP. XL.-OATASTROPHE . .~ . CHAP. XLI.-A DISAPPOINTMENT APPENDIX . . A3)DHESS TO BRITISH PROTESTANT FEMALES i~age 228 233 241 248 261 267 281 291 296 310 316 326 336 346 358 862 370 375 890 397 I 409 I] iIJ t1 hi si S "With "Whexi "Andd "Or ~le / ~"Youa "Of aol little ~ndiug;'. t y; b~~Vt Jished br g ~ trelli eblue si bUds aid ~d ~iong~ ream has ISTERAGN: ~roods 0 ~0\oIcea~ ~wn the~ ~m1n'W~ lent ~te~ e~ bru e tree anch~ ya~ gr~s com( 2 CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION. "AI~oflg the dale. arhung, and ehaggedwith mo~7 ~h bandih~e gushin~waterap~ y ~ong~i cascade white-dashing ~gthen~ed vIsta thtb~tr~ Oraltbe3~eathth1eahade ~ the e~r1ies~ bi~ds .~f h~wood i&a1r4~dy ~ s overhead are still ba s shining in the sun4 between th0 Ztex'~ pear8. A wq~ded y knoI1~on the oth I tre i&tily~8tre~iZrklOt dancing and r~ck~ ~ TEONSQZ!. spring arm~ ~, glit, and C08 ~fWJ~ 8 S page: 10-11[View Page 10-11] ()SISTER AGNES. and sending out diamonds to stud the overhanging foliage ; and now it has found a quiet, lowly channel, where it ripples, clear as crystal, over white pebbles, and green and olive moss ; and its little wavelets are like .liquid gold when the sunbeam glances uponi thdims A child is standing with her eyes fixed upon the stream; its beauty has entered into her very soul, and s forgotten that there is aught in the world be- :very golden ripple, every changeful hue of idpebble is painting itself upon her heart, and apand passionate love of nature has taken pos-. session of her young spirit. A sudden burst of music from an overhanging bough has broken the spell of the waters ; and lookingup to espy the. tiny chorister, she sees him perched against the clear blue sky, with the trellis-work beneath him. How beautiful ! Her eye now wanders over the heavens, and they, in their turn have woven their charm around her. Her foot is upon a stone, her clasped hands are resting upon her knee, and her head is thrown back while she gazes reverently upon the sky. She is already an enthu- A little lower down the glen, near the arch of an old bridge, a lady is seated upon a grey stone, with a small basket in her hand. She rises and approaches the child, saying, ' Come, my love, we must gather our primnroses and return home.' ' Mamm a, m amma! did you ever see the sky so eautiful 4s it is to-day ' cried the little maiden. 'I to love spring above all the other sea ons;' Well, the rimroses ! ah ! there is a tuft slily peeping out from he root of that old tree among the moss. I will ga- her moss to dress them in, dear mamma, and then hey will never know that they have left their own eautiful bed.' And then she sung, "Now on mossy banks so green, "Starlike primroses are seen." Is it not sweet to sing to the water ?~ Tinkle, tinkle, inkle, theyr are singing too.' ' You ought to be a fairy, to live on he green sward eside the waters,' said Mrs. Percy4 smiling, ' with a rimrose cuip for your bower.' 'OCharm~2ing ! but the primrose would wither, and hen I should have no house. I wishb those golden tars woul: not wither ; that they would hide them- elves here all the year round.' ' Prim oses will wither, and so will you, dear hild,' 'But summer flowers will come, mamma, roseg nd harebells ; and winter will bring bright icicles, anging down from the fall; and green holly with red erries.' ' God's world is beautiful always, my love ; and Liose who are good have flowers in tpeir hearts all the ear round t b1 p t a c a l I t [[ page: 12-13[View Page 12-13] 12 SISTER AGNES, 'Are there flowers in Heaven? dearmamma.' 'Yes, flowers that never wither.' 'Delightful! And a blue sky and little streams?' 'A sky that is always bright, and a river of the water of life.' 'Then I should like to go to heaven.' Ah! poor child, she would go to Heaven for earth- ly skies, and streams, and flowers! So would many besides her. ~fhe primroses were gathered, and the wanderers returned homeward; but the child's mind was filled with heaven, such as she fancied it,-a paradise of blue skies, and dancing streams and little birds. She pictured too the form of a baby-brother there, with bright eyes, and flaxen hair and wings. She had been told that the child was now a cherub; and often she had wondered that her mother who had wept over his death, could not bear to hear her speak of his beauty and happiness. AS'he would always have been talking of him and of his fair home, feeling neither sorrow nor separation; living in an ideal world where he was present. She had sometimes dreamed of him, ud sometimes fancied a rustling among the trees as of viewless wings; and once she had awakened in the morning with the song of an angel ringing in her ears. Those wings and that song, she felt sure were her baby-brother's. * * * * * 4 12 INTRODUOTIOK. 13 It wa a splendid spring night; slight frost had ade the stars sparkle like diamonds in the deep blue ky; but he curtains were drawn, thE~ fire was stirred, nd the h rp, on which Mrs. Percy h~d been playing, as returned to its corner. Mary coaxingly begged for a pro~nised less on on he names of the stars. The window was thrown open; hey ste4ed out upon the balcony, ~nd the wish of he little ~irl was complied with. '1st at Heaven up among the stars? I should ike very, very much to go there,' cried she, clasping er hand eagerly, while she seemed to see her little brother I oking down upon her. 'Oh! Mary, Mary!' exclaimed l~{rs. Percy, with an expre sion of pain. K 'Ho! you star-gazers! do you can to cheat me f my ga~e at blindman's buff, wit~our astrology ? ou shall~ tell me my fortune by those stars,' cried Mr. ~ercy, darting out of the window, an4~I snatching up in ~is arms he youthful student, whom he bore laughing and strug ling into the drawing-.roon~, 'What say the planets? ou little gipsy.' 'The say that papa is a very ba~I man; and that I will cat h him at blindman's buff,' tittered the child;* all her co temptations put to flight l~y the sudden ir- ruptiono fun. I 'And that the gipsy will catch 4old, and get no- thing but water-gruel for a week. ]~idn't that come next?' page: 14-15[View Page 14-15] 14 SISTER~ AGN1~S. 'No! the big star said that papa should get wa- ter-gruel, and I grapes and tamarinds.' 'Well, saucy one, look for the stars now,' said Mr. P. tying a handkerchief over her eyes; 'That is the way to the moon, and here is Orion's wand in your hand. Come, you are walking into the sun, it will burn you, young astraiaomer~.' 'I have caught you, sir papa, ha! ha I' 'No, you have caught the Great Bear, ready to eat you; ho! ho!' Worrying, laughing, struggling and screaming, the game rose to a perfect uproar, till the appearance of tea acted as a sedative; and when the child retired for the night, stars and primroses were mingled in her dreams. The gentle sleep of childhood fell upon eyes that had looked only upon loveliness and mirth. CHAPTER II. FIRST SORROW. 1, "A mother's grave, amid the earth! "Arrayed in flowers of summer dye; "Is like the moon-cloud that comes f9rLh "To darken all the radiant sky; "For all the joys that life possest "Our ilrooping hearts to soothe and save, "Seem buried with the tender breast "That moulders in a mother's grave" Two yea s had passed away. Pri roses had come a second ime, and violets and wood anemones were also in t e glen; but they were ui~visited. There was no so nd of mirth in Avon louse; but people spoke low, and trod softly, as if fearf~il of awakening a sleepin~ infant. In a half-darkene~ bed-room hung with black, lay a lady very fair, stilt and silent, like a finely-chiselled marble statue. IBeside the bed kneeled l~er once happy husband, hi~ evening merrb ment gone for ever; and the dark v~sta of a lonely, desolate existence opened despairir~gly before him. There wa~ no light in his soul; all ~v1as black as mid- night; his eye was glassy, unmois4ned by a tear; page: 16-17[View Page 16-17] 17 16 SISTER AGNES. FIRST SORROW. and his fevered brow and clenched har~d told of the utter departure of joy and hope. H~ presented a strange contrast to the calm, passionless form upon which he gazed. I - Her harp was covered and put into its corner, never more to be played upon; and all the little articles of needle-work and drawing wJ~iich could re- mind him painfully of her, were carefully removed by a faithful old domestic. 'Why are the blinds all drawn d9wn~~ said Mary, chokingly, to herself. 'ill want light a~nd. air.' So with a feeling of suffocation, and a strange sense of misery, as of some intolerable load up~n her heart, she put her head behind the blind, and gazed upon the lawn and trees; and then she wi4ied to run- to fly-whither, she cared not, if it wer~ only away; to be any where but in that dim, desolate house. She heard a voice in the room, 'Miss Mary, the dressmaker wishes you a few minutes.' She looked round; a black dress was in the woman hand, she burst into tears, and wept long and passionately. The dressmaker was gone, and the house was still and silent again; and again the longing~ as of a pri- soner for escape, seized the child. She crept into the hall, looked around her, and seeing no one, gently opened the door and fled. With beating heart she ran until she had reached the glen; and then, faint with the violent exertion, and, the terror of' pursuit, she threw herself upon the grass besi~le the grey-stone where her mother used to sit, and wept herself to sleep. Two hours passed over, and still she slept; the sense of misery was lost in tlT~at sweet uncon- sciousness. The loud bark of a greyhound awakened her, and immediately her favourite Di bounded towards her, whined and licked her face, and barked again. She looked up, wondering where* she #as, and saw the old butler, John, approaching her, while her father followed at a little distance. John looked grave and angry at first; but perceiving the tVaces of tears on the countenance of the child, who jnow stood trem- bling at the remembrance of her flight, he said, 'lilt is as II thought, sir~ this is where my lady used to sit, and Miss Mary has been weeping here.' The old man's lip quivered, and tears rolled down his cheeks. Mr. IPercy spoke not, he sat dow~ upon the stone, and folding the child to his bosom his tears also, of 'K which the fountain had hitherto b~en locked, burst forth in a copious and refreshing to rent. At Mary's earnest request, she ~was taken to see her mother. Awe-stricken, she conid not speak, she could scarcely breathe. From the cold form before her, so still, so white, so solemn, life~ intelligence,' and love were gone; and in the heart df the child, filial affection gave way to dread. She dared not touch 2* 16 page: 18-19[View Page 18-19] 18 SISTER AGNES. the~corpse; and wondered when nurse kneeled down and kissed the clayeyy hand. Her dreams that night were frightful; she screamed in her sleep, and awakening, entreated to be taken to nurse's bed. Her father bitterly regretted the shock which had been given to her, and ordered her to be carefully kept in future from the room of woe. She never identified that solemn form with her mother; dreams of heaven visited her again, and there in the midst of flowers, and woods and sparkling waters, her~ fancy placed the beloved one, as a being of light, and joy, and beauty; ~~-a being, having no connection now with the for- saken clay. In an agony of grief, she saw the fune- ral procession~ move from the house; and yet, the de- parture of the body was rather a relief, for it was not her mother. Away, beyond the blue skies, that be- loved mother walked in* white with her baby brother; and though she wept now when she thought of heaven, it was not quite for sorrow. More sorrowful were her tears when she thought of her walks in spring, and of her merriment on winter evenings. So strong- ly was she possessed by a pleasant idea of her dear one visiting her as a ministering spirit, that on one occasion, she actually uttered aloud the words her heart had dictated to the unseen, whom she imagined to be present. Mr. Percy was not a religious man; he lacked the true source of consolation in his bereavement; 2 FIRST SORROW. 19 and it fell with almost intolerable weight upon a heart that had nothing to sustain it but I~uman pride and cold philosophy. He had loved his wife passionately; and with her death the sun of his existence had gone down. He never spoke of her even ~o his little girl; but in the twilight when formerly ~they romped to- gether, or when her mother used t? sing, he often took her on his knee, and while the f~re was unstirred, and the shadows were deep in the room, he rested his face upon her silken hair, and she thought that he wept. In daylight he moved about sad and silent, calling her some me to walk with him, but uttering scarcely a word as they went. The glen he utterly avoided. Thus the child became more and more contempla- tive, and a shadow of premature sadness settled upon her youthful features. She delighted to go alone to the shrubbery, or to entice nurse to the glen, where she marked every varying aspect of the changing sea~ sons with deep and passionate deli~ht. Kature be- came her idol; and while she wandered in the midst of its beauties, her imagination rove I in the fields of the unseen, and she held strange converse with. the loved and the lost. page: 20-21[View Page 20-21] CHAPTER III. EDUCATION. "Our most; important are our earliest years; "The mind, impressible andsoft, with ease "Imbibes and copies what she hears and sees, "And through life's labyrinth holds fast the clew, "That education gives her, false or true~" COWPMI. MRS. PERCY had superintended the education of her daughter, which was now for a time neglected, except by her French teacher, who still visited her twice a week. M. Bouquet was a favourite at Avon House, and sometimes Mr. Percy conversed with him for a little after Mary's lessons were over. Mons. B. ven~ tured one day to suggest that the time was now come when the careful cultivation of his pupil's mind had become a matter of deep importance; her talents he believed to be considerable, and her disposition so amiable, as to present the promise of a very superior character. 'My sister has been urging me,' said Mr. P., 'to send my daughter to be educated along with her children, but this is a sacrifice which I cannot make.' EDUCATION. 21 And this was a sacrifice which it would not at all have suited the plans of Monsieur, that Mr. Percy should make at present; though he looked forward with exultation to the time when, after his own ineth- od, she should be torn from her parent's heart, He therefore replied that it would be cruel in the extreme to deprive one so solitary of his only remaining corn- fort; and suggested that a judicious governess might carry on her instruction without depriving him of her society. Mr. P. started. He disliked governesses from unfortunate recollections of his own childhood, and he haughtily replied that he would not see a governess at his lonely table. Monsieur B. dropped the matter for the present, trusting that time would assist in effecting his pur- pose. Soon afterwards, during a visit from his sister, Mr. P. was again assailed by remonstrances on the subject of Mary's education. He firmly refused to part with her; but promised to consider of the pro- priety of engaging a governess. About this time Monsieur Bouquet mentioned to Mary that he was obliged to go to the continent for a week or two, and that, if agreeable to her father, her lessons would be carried on during his absence by a countrywoman of his own, who had resided some time in England with an aged father, whose death had left A page: 22-23[View Page 22-23] 22 SISTE1~ AGNES. her solitary and poor. 'My only fear, Miss Percy,' said Monsieur, 'is thai you will be so much ena- moured with your new teacher, as to dismiss me on my return. 'Non, non, Monsieur!' replied Mary, laughing, 'you know I like old friends better than new.' Mons. B. was six weeks from home, and he had proved a true prophet;, for so completely had his sub- stitute wound herself around the heart of her little pupil that the child wept at the announcement of her departure. 'Dearest papa)\ she entreated, 'do invite Made- moiselle Dupin to stay with us a little while; she is so very good, so very kind; she tells me such beau- tiful stories, and seems to love me so much; and she has no home, papa: she must seek one among stran- gers in the wide world, Her mother is dead, and her father is dead,' added the child, bursting into tears. Mr. Percy took her upon his kneewiped her tears, and after a pause inquired, 'Should you like to have this lady for your governess?' 'Oh! charming, charming! ' cried the child, spring- ing up and clapping her hands. 'Shall I go and ask her? Let me run, papa, she is not gone yet.' ~ Stop, my love,' said Mr. P., smiling; 'you know it will be necessary first to make many inquiries. So you must not excite expectations which may be disap- pointed.' 285 EDUCATION. 'In~juiries? papa. Oh! you know she is good and gentle: at least, I know; and Mons. Bouquet told me how kind she was to her sick father,' urged the little maiden. Mr. P. smiled again, and kissed the youthful leader. 'You must wait,' he said; 'you must not mention it to Mademoiselle; but I will take means to ascertain whether she is a7 proper person to be your governess.~ 'Kind, kind, dear papa; how happy I shall be!' And the sudden sunshine having dried the April shower of the child's tears, she skipped about the room and sang merrily, while her father summoned all his resolution to do what seemed to be for the welfare and happiness of h~s little daughter. K page: 24-25[View Page 24-25] ~l1 CHAPTER IV. 3EsUrTs- .."Colleeting all his serpent Tls" 'Bi ~Mdemoiselle;i of course you have succeeds ed,' said M tiis. Bouquet to his slilstitute ' for when did Sister Agatha fail in any spell she undertook to weye ? You have mesmerized the young heiress- she~ sees as you bid her, acts as you will, and folows you at the end of an invisible chain.' Padre. Carlo has seen miraculously what he never looked upon,' replied Mlle. Dupin.. 'Is the affair settled 7 Are y u installed gouver- nante-having surreptitiously sugplanted the bene- factor who introduced you?' inqui red M. B-. The business is not finished, 1ut I1 have no doubt of 'success ; and 'we shall find a post for the Poor padre even before he becomes confessor said Made-' mnoiselle. 25 ri'rIEUI1 - Do youth commence openly as true Catholic, or covertly as Protestant ?'* askedl M. B. "I rather think I must :submit to be Protestant for a stime. Mr. P~ercy-cares little about religion; but is hereditarily a Protestan, though. high-church, if any thiing, and therefore manageable ; but those aunts and1 cousins might be troublesome to an~ avowed Catholic, and the child herself has notions about re- ligion derived from her mother ; besides that, lier old nurse reads 'the Bible to her.' 'Tha~t woman inust be removed, said the padre, authorittitively. 'Nothing easier ; leave that to me; by anid iye it shall ie done,' said Mademoiselle. ' It is well;' remarked Monsieur, 'that e Jesuits- -have a lofty eInd in view-that a subjugated world is to be the reward of our labours. But for the'prs- pect uphn which the vista opens, our spirits would flagan4 our hearts sink in ourtortuous arnd dicu14 path'; and those stumbling-blocks which' the wrld calls hoe our and compassion, would often 'ayus in the dust. Qu ils the spirit of Padre Carlo before the taris of a chilI? asked Agatha somewhat co temptuously.. 'It is long lince' the spirit of Padre Carlo forgot to quail,' replied the Jesuit 'it has watched'en SSee Appendix A. page: 26-27[View Page 26-27] 26 SISTER AG~E~. JESUITS. 27 moved a man's tortures; and a child's tears will not Overcome it.' 'Small need will she have for tears,' replied the ,~ist~r, 'when the salvation of her soul is secured.', 'Well! I did but speak of the lofty view Which has steelec~ our. heartsagainst all weak and womanish 'feelings,' continued Monsieur.' "Womanish!' s.aid' A~tha, 'ha !" '~'Si~ter 'Agatha'has xiobly triiunphed4 over her 'wo- manish 'feelings,' said Oarlo. 'She 'is a true daughter o*' the 0hur~h, filly. 'equipped for 'her mission; the circlet of saintship is kindling for her'head, and' the ~naUf~2hei' g'4reat-.toe' will yet be enshrined in gQld, 'to restore 'the. dead to life, and to 'quell'the bandit' on 'the 'mountains.'~, 'I "~A.las~;' said~Agatha, 'maxiy a toil and many'~s ~t~ar' 'awaitKme, crc the circlet of saint~hip be mine. ea4~while~the work assigned4 me'now b the Ohurch 'i~v~y i~teh to my. taste-to bring over~this young heiress to :the true faith, and to~secure her fortune to the;Chureh, while she is safe and happy, in the peaceful cloister, far;from the snares which sur~ound Eer4?os~tion'in society.' ' ' ' ' '4 f~'fe, 'happy~,' and peaceful!' repeated' ~he adre to hin~Iel'f; 'the I cloister is.~safe,'happy~ and eace- full? iTa smiled hitt~dy ;for his 'sis~er'~iina 'rose before 'him, pale, desdlate, dying; and' yet that-i age fired him with a stern resolve4o ruin others a she ..had been ruined. Agatha's keen ,eye pierced hi~ very ~oul, though she seemed to look ayv'ay; f r each Jesuit is a spy upon the other. She saw th 1~ bitter~ smile, bqt' knew that the momentary pang w uld terminate in fierce and immovable determination ,in a spirit stretched and stni~ig. like a bow, for 't e. work' of the Ghurah, by tl~e tension of feelings -w ich needed to spring out. in iXEIpetUQUS. action, or ~o be suppressed and overbprn~ by deep ma4iinatiens. ~Body~ soul, and spirit had been given to ~the wotk of the Church by~each of these Jesnits~; but, although their original motives had been similar, they w~re now impelled by different principles. ~Reiigiou~ ~eal, created by. earnest belief, 'ha4~been' the~spri~ig o~ 4ie devotion of each. In Sister Agatha that seal j l~ad deepened and widened into a current of fan~1ticism which swept Aown every obstacle or Qverleaped. eV4ry~ barrier in i~s appointed course. Aci~te,~ politic, ins~.u~ uating, accomplished, ended with indQmitable energy and perseverance,' aspiring to the crow~of saintship, Rome foi~nd in. her an instrument fully4it~ed for ,its pui~poses~ The dominance of' the ':trize Qhurch' sb~ had, learned to set before her as the end and aim of her 'life, 4nd to regard .a~ pure and holy all the meazis ~by whicl4 that end' could be accomplished.. Skilled in the soph~isnis of the, doctors, 'dissi~nul~tion was4th he~r pic~u.~ .fraud; ~ruelty,' Spartan resolution; I~he seyeranc~ of all tender. affections, exalted :heroi~rn 1~~ page: 28-29[View Page 28-29] ~28 SIST1~R AGNR~. JESUITS. and spirituality. She lived, breathed, and ac' 'for Rome and 'Rome's glory; and imagined th she was heaping up a store of merit which sh' available in eternity. ~he had been employed in Protestant fain various capacities; even in t1~at of a lady's had always been ~roinpt~to report to ~iead-q alVth~t might beav~ilable to the caiZse of p had sometimes sown'dis~~ension and ra~icour ~h~iis societyty ';~ sometimes effected' conversi ~R&nd~ialways diligently, 'though 'vovertl * rno~ed~, the interests of the 'Jioly~ Catholic ~C A wle school intQ which she 'hi~{been~recei ~g&ves~1tad' b~e~h infected ith popery; two 'A~s6~l~ti6n&h~4 been dissolved with bitternesss * n~W s~ 'was wenfrusted, 'together with Padre ~itfrthe '~harg&of securing to Rome ~erso th~ ~rt nie of the amiable and motherly~ ~,hild~ ~'~b~coi~niitted to her charge. iI74ttl~ dream~ i~reaved father of the ruin wretohedn~s were t& enter his house with her. P~dteC~aflo ha4 entered the Society of Je ~a fit# youthful enthusiasm; had~'passed with J1i~~period' of probation, and had, ~eceived~ m~7 'honour and~ confidence. The careful scrutinyy of a~ter irnd ~apability to whieh every young br~t1 ~that'. society is ~uhjeeted; had ended in his 1 seh~ted fox ~the work of "proselytism 'in England ed but t thus uld be lies in maid; arters pery; 1 reli- ns to p, pp~~ Lurch.' ed as Bible ~;and Liarlo, n and ~bout d the which us in eclat 'ks of ch~- erin ejng ~ ~as a teacher of languages; but a consitI~rable time of preparation necessarily elapsed before he was sent forth upon his mission. His courseof discipline aud instruction had shaken his faith in the infallibity of Rome. Possessed ~f an acute and penetrating mind, and of an' impetuous,'a~dent temperament, from the syste~u of mental subjugation his spirit' seme~ times recoiled; and his moral sense rose occasionally in rebellion against the dogmas by which vice ~ sought to be transmuted into virtue, and '~the foulest crimes into deeds of merit. But these risings of natural feeling and con~ science were in a~ fair way~ of.'being put down hy confession and penance; aud every. tiling free and noble in the youthful devotee was, fast ~~yi~lding to slavery and debasement, when his sister, who h~d been inveigi d into a convent, 'found means to *scape~ and throw h~rself'at his feet. ~ Her xe3s&11 *hadf~v~u way before the horrors and inhumanijie~ of wbi~h some of, the, dens of Italy are the scene. Shiereiited a wild~ story of her' wroiigs, became iu~en~ibW, and wa~s torn from~him, whi1~ he wi~&~strictly 1brbidclei~ to follow or make the'slightest inquiry after' her, assured that the spiritual authorities would secure her' safety. - She was removed, he knew not'whither, while all the information' vouchsafed him was that she died penitent and absolved; and there was, sent to their relatives such accounts as to induce them to' pay largely 'for masses for the repose of her soul. ESUITS. page: 30-31[View Page 30-31] 30 SiSTER AGNES. JESUITS. 3I~ A i'earful tui~niit'ra~ged~ w~thuir him. 'He ad dis.. covered the ptaotkal' working of'the Romish s stein; dis'cp'Veredi' by dreadfuV'e~perienc~;. Its villa ~ wa$ un~'eil~d' to him-'; th~ litterr fal~hood of all its ciaim~ izp~r~7hk belief' and ob&dienoe ~stood 'naked' a tdlAs eye. "'From 'the'whirlp&oi he ' op~n del. RW' to' him wa~' a fable n eigion , faith a~- in okery. Thit' his' feet" were 'f~st in the uet~ of Ram ..-how' oduid: -he sca~p~? Every brother is -a spy up n the i~st4 it' wa~s~ needful for'- him' to dissemble,' nd 'to feign, the' same obedience~as formerly; F~ls con- f~s~ioxisiVet~ 'easilylri'irerited by- one trained in the ~1~dhf di~imulation; a 'kneeling at the eet of &~'4~stT, 'lies were~ unblushingly told at wlii h he' ile4':e&~~jituously~ in the solitude of hi cell. But *ha~t b~ "that? Falsehood is iio"more to t e in, Mel Thami t6Lhe Rom~nist. The hearV~t b iev~s tha here -is no 'ey& to meet 'sin, will -sin' i~s ~o rort.. tibly ak one Wh~'iook5L 'to a priest 'to forgive ii nay, ~flo~e. so, tot there iB rw penance 't~ endiiie for i .~ j '-Tb~e ~rery confessionss' ~fJesuits -are record ~ but ~ ~' ~ was his infi4dity confided ;. 'a d' so 'well had' he been trained' i~ Je~uitism that itW' 5 not sus~peoted Thit the question' arose as to his 'future life 'was 'he' to' vintinue the servant.of-th~' societylie desp sed "P - ' ' ''' ~- See -'Appendi~' B N In jio other way could he' find subsistence, exceptby going to a protestant country, and~renouncing: the yoke of Rome. ~But the tenets .1'rotestantism~' he equally 'disbelieved, although the ~orn1ity' of Protes~ tants lie saw to, be superior. He resolved-to-remain a Jesuit, and soon the power at which the order aimed became his ruling passion. 'Ambition lighted its' fires' in hi~ heart,' he beheld ~gran~d~ur"ha the' idea of subjugating, the world to 'his' order.'. T~ bind princes to Rome's chariot-wheels, to rule'* fie~oe' 4e- mocracies, to turn the riches of the World' mW. the channel of the' church, 'to subjugate reason, com. science,~. intellect, these were deeds-over which he rejoiced; though perhaps at times he feft impaiieztt of the slow and tortuous mode of operationto W~iieh he was condemned, and sighed for the rostrum br the battle-field. mit Jesuit 'discipline 'is ~erfeot. Umler it the inipetubus becomes patient, 'the wilful siibmis- sive, the eagle' leatus to creep as the serp&it.' If the means were base, the end 'was noble, and" Padre Oarlo became schooled in all the arts of deception. ~' His powers of argument and oratory- were consid- erable; 'and while as a teacher in 'a large toWn he was secretly undermining the faith of his pupils by day, at night he would. don' the 'fustian -jacket &id workman' cap, and ~together with a com~ankrn siud- larly attired, would proceed' to the corner wh~re work- ni~n lounge; when a mock argument would be started, 31 msuiTs. 30 page: 32-33[View Page 32-33] 32 SISTII~R AG~TI~5. his friend. ,attaoki~g his Romanism in a no lou OIkQUgh to dr~~tentionand h~ defending i with s muc1~ pwor o~s1to command the applause o the ii tener~. Thecontest always ter~ninated in the riump o1~ ,Ronii~h, id the defeat of Protestant doctri e; an the crQWd wrnild disperse, impressed with he el ieuice. and plausibility of'the one~ disputant and th ~nn~ssi and weakness~of the other. ' y suc m~ns,'~~ai& -lie, j is~ it that our order shall emerg from its long degradation, that we shalirule ast em pWes, V~&t Anierica shall drop her boast of ii erty a ~o~Ya~t~ *~nd ~haughty Britain ~be humbled in th di~st444he~ continent of Europe is ours Iready. A~nd h~~ipi*it1 i~4velIed in this dream :of deiri us joy ~; ]~~i~' 4he man were not yet smothered in th Jesuit h4Id~1 a thrill ~f 'cQmpassion would so ~time sh~tci~qss jiis breast for some innocent victim s wrongs -had cast a coveriug~of et el ove his~ h~rV; 'but they had, also in~icted~a~ woun whic o~e~s~on~lly thrilled , agonizingly to a touch ab ye th shield. ~The .~hild, whose 'ruin 'he was now comm noing, * h~di4wown some teu~ril~. 'of love aro~ind hi ; an tb.ou~h he sWerved from l~is pi~pose Mt a mom ut, ye t1i&t'p~posecost 'hima pang' or~ two. th4~ hexem~rked. ~o 4g~tha, 'that w en, you s~dy'~iss. P~rcy~s character, you 'will agree in the ~8tun8~te of it which I trans±nitted to Ferrara, and in JESUITS. A A 33 the means which I consider most likely to be success- ful in gaining her over to Rome.' 'I~ntirely,' replied the sister. 'Who poetry of her nature; her extreme sensibility and tenderness; the romance of her temperament, and the touch of sadness given by sorrow and solitude, will render it easy to euiamour her with a convent-life. As to her conver- sion from. Protestantism, the poetry of ~ur beautiful ritual, and' the lovely character of the Blessed Yirgin as a mother of the motherless, will, I am quite sure, captivate her young imagination.' 'These prints will afford you opportunity of giving useful lessons. Tell her I brought them from Gei~ioa for a friend, and have sent them for her to look over. While she admires the Madonna, recite to her Mrs. Hemans' Neapolitan Girl's Hymn to the Yirgin, and afterwards you can teach her to play and sing, any of the compositions of the best masters, in honour oflhe Mother of God.' 'You must give us your portfolio for some time, if II am to read lectures upon all those saints as well as upon the convent-scene,' said Agatha, smiling. 'You are too discreet to overload her,' replied the padre. 'Give her from me thi's little crucifix, as an ornarnent,-tell her she must not worship it as popish ladies do, although they find consolation in such wor- ship,-hut she may admire it as an exquisite work of art, especially the loveliness of the countenance.' 8 * page: 34-35[View Page 34-35] 34 2 SISTER AGYES. Poor -Mary ~as charmed by the prints, nd by 4j~he kindness of~Jonsieur Bouquet inbringir~gh~ r from the continent so Abeai1ltiful a souvenir as the er cifix. '1 love to look at that nun, Mademoisel e,' she said, 'what a 'calm) loving countenance she h s, just such as Ifancy an angel to possess.' You are' right, my love.; by seclusion fro a-vain world, and meditation and mortification; she a tamed angelic virtues.' "I thix& nuns would be very happy creat res, if they were allowed to walk in- the woods, and at'her primroses bnt I should not like to be a shut-u nun,' remarked Mary. 'You. will be a sister of mercy, perhaps, w en you become ~iie~' said Mademoiselle, smiling. 'Out; as they are allowed to go about.' ~After all,.I doibelieve that shut-up nuns ar much ho1~er and happier than we are,' said Mademo se;Ile. I OIIAPIELL V. DOMESTIC CHANGES. "Let us be keen, ~nd rather cut a little, "Than fall an&bruise to death." ~ Afecwn&ro for Ati~a~n&re. THE old nurse White had always slept in Mary's room, and had been in the h~bit of reading 'with her a few verses ~f the Bible before retiring to rest; after which, while undressing her young charge, ~he often repeated to her some of Wesley's hymns. White was a good woman, and strove -to impress religiQus feelings upon her beloved child; but, ]ike many Methodists of the lower order, she hadn't very definite ideas of Christian doctrine~ Yet she hadiuiit upon the true foundation7Jesus Christ, an4 had erect. ed thereon a superstructure of consistent Christian practice. It was important to remove. ]~ary from the care of one whose quick eye and loving 'heart might -detect and frustrate th. 'efforts for her perversion, ~nd ~s page: 36-37[View Page 36-37] 36 SISTER AGNES. first step, Mademoiselle proposed that the litti lady who was now growing too old for the nursery, ~hould be transferred to a room which communicate with that of the governess, and the door of which might be left open at night to prevent the feeling of sol~tude. Thus the child would be continually under he~ own eye; and although ,she couki not safely prohibit her evening scripture reading; yet she might select pas- sages for her, and offer upon them such remarks 'as s~iould neutralize their dangerous tendency. Mr. Percy, although agreeing with his governess as to the propriety of remoyin~ his daughter fr6rn so much communication with a mere servant, Would not permit White to be deprived altogether of the ciiarge she'haii long and faithfully performed. She 4s in- stalled as Miss Mary's maid-.~--taking care her Wai'drohe as formerly, and attending to dress 1~er in the morning, although Mademoiselle managed ~o ~u- peAntend personally her evening toilette, in orc~er to read with her before retiring to rest. 'I miss my evening talk with my dear lam ,~ re- marked White to the housekeeper; 'it was a weet tiiiie, the darling, when she used' to read, an say hy~riins with he&pretty~'voice; but Mademoisell does read, with 'her, and that is so far well.' 'You see,' replied the housekeeper,) she is t be a great lady, v~ery tich, and it seems to me the are afraid of you making her a Methodi~t.' DOMESTIC CHANGES. 'The Lord keep her from the follies of the va~n world!' ejaculated White. C Tut, tut,~woman,-a rich heiress must go to balls and tire opera and ~uch things.' White sighed and was silent. 'I'll wager you, said the housekeeper, 'that the first ball she goes to some great prince will take a fancy to her, like Ad Cinderella and her glass slipper. You *snd me ~ill both dance that day with our old limbs1 White.' White tried to smile, but she could not. 'WI~at shall it profit a man though he gain the whole woAd and lose his own soul,' rang. in her ears, - and s e went to her own room to weep and pray for her d r- ling. Notwithstanding the change effected, White as still with Mary more than it suited Mademoise le that she should be; her entire removal from e family was necessary. One or two small articles of jewellery were mi~s~ ing from Miss Mary's room; and suspiciQn of d~s- honesty fell, upon a new housemaid. Then the but er reported the mysterious disappearance of ~ piece or two of plate; and, finally, a portrait of Mrs. Per~~y, set with jewels, was abstracted from a cabinet in N~[r. Percy's room. Mr. P. had been unwilling to ha~ve any disturban ~e in the house, until the last theft ~ cured. That however, touched him in too ~tende~~ a page: 38-39[View Page 38-39] SISTER AGNE8. point; it could not be passed over; a search must be instituted. Mademoiselle concurred~in the probability. f the new housemaid being the guilty person, the oth r mestics having been long tried; ~yet she deter med that it' was impossible to dismiss her upon the mere suspicion of guilt ~ means must be taken to asc rtain it. As she alone was aware of the search ab ut to ~e made, ~he. insisted upon placing ~in Mr. P~rcy's hands the key of her ~wn room, ~nd remaining with Miss' Percy until the officer came. 'Your rOom, Mademoiselle!' said Mr. Percy, 'you do not Suppose that I would subject a lady to ~the indignity of a search V Although po~ses~ingthe .birth, the habits, and I trust, the~principles of a lady,' replied Mademoi~ elle, 'yet I am astrangerin your house, and if the ing articles be not found with any of the serv~n~s, my repositories must be subjected tG the same prc~cess a~ theirs, if it' were only to .proveTyour impartiality.' ' You are right,' said Mr. Percy, 'I esteem our sense of Propriety.' ~Yery painful was'such a proceeding to Mr. 'P roy' in\his' state of depression~.; yet his sense of jus ice, an~i hj8 grief and indignation at. the los~ of hi be- loved portrait, prompted him to take 'measures 'foi the discovery. ~f the guilty person. The officer arriVed,' the domestics were all urn- ~~1 DOMESTIC CHANGES. 9 moned, and their apartments locked up until so e preliminary search was, made. That having failed to discover any of the missing articles,~it was resolved to proceed by rotation, examining first those serva ts whose position in the household was the lowest, a~d proceeding upwards, until, if not found, they should .be sought even with the governess. This plan ~as the suggestion of Mademoiselle, 'who' remarked that thus the upper servants would probably be spa~ed the painful investigation. Nothing had been discovered; with the n w housemaid was found nothing to excite suspicion; he rest were equally faultless; White, the housekeep r, and Mademoiselle Dupin, alone remained. 'It is enough,' said Mr. Percy, 'I cannot ins It~ two old, tried servants and a lady.' White and the housekeeper requested that ~he search might proceed-the former spoke faintly; he had religious papers in her box ~which she 8hr nk from having unveiled. The officer noticed her h si- tation, and fixed his eyes upon her. 'In justice, sir, you must proceed now,' said' he governess. "Tis amazing, sir,' remarked the officer, 'k~ow often things are found with the very person you wo~ild least suspect.' It was then White's turn.. In the bottom of ~ large chest, which so far down had exhibited nothing page: 40-41[View Page 40-41] 40 8IST~R AGNES. susidolous, some papers were lying. She darted for- ward~..-' How is this?' she exclaimed, 'these pipers were in this ~drawer!' With a trembling ha9 and flushed cou~itenance, ~he- hastily drew open a ~mall drawer beneath; and there, to the astonishine~it of ally and the utter dismay of Mr. P. were the miniature and jewels. 'I told you, -sir, I knowed it,' cried i~he of~lcer, with an ironical grin, 'I knowed it from her ~ What more? my woman, make a clean breast, now the thing's begun.' The ether servants held their breath and looked at each other in astonishment. ~Phe unhappy wo~an clasped her hands, and looked wildly around; then throwing hersdf ~at Mr. Percy's feet,, she exclaii~ned, own master, you will notbeli~ve that I put t em th~re~'~~ gently put her aside, and sat d~wn nearly as j~al~ aS: she, ha' ng first placed the ture in his bos&m. I has not do it,, indeed I did not, some en my been here,' sobbed the woman, frantically. 'What they always say, sir,' remarked the officer. 'Anything but the silver now?' £ Nothing,'. said Mr. Percy,. 'you need lool~ no further.' - 'Yes, sir ;~". sai4 j~he~ house keeper, drawing herself DOMESTIC CHANCES. 41 - - - - k proudly up, 'we are all- under suspicion till the pla e be found.' At the foot of another and smaller box, belengi g to White, but which she seldom looked into, the spoo s and forks were discovered. 'I must take you into custody, madam,' said t e officer, rudely. Poor White fell fainting on the floo. 'The hypocrite!' exclaimed the hotisekeepe 'the base, villainous hypocrite, with her religion ~ that my lady~-bless her dear name, trusted so! You will look over 'my things too, sir, I insist you doe' 'No suspicion rests upon any one else,' said the officer. Mademoiselle and the rest of th7e servants we~e raising White, who looked pale and rigid, as if in death. 'Lay her on her own~'bed, and apply restorative~,' said Mr. Percy. 'And you, sir,' (to tlie oI~1cer) 'oox~ie with me; I shall not prosecute. Is it ~mpossibl&' continued he, as they retired, 'that the articles have been put there by some one else?' 'That thought would shield the proved guilty, and~ wrong the innocent,' said the officer 'but, sir, to dispel all doubts, there had better be a trial, truth will come out on it.' Mr. Percy shrank convulsively, 'In 'my' state' ~f spirits, I' could n0t consentto it,' he said. 3* page: 42-43[View Page 42-43] 42 SISTER AGNES. 'The woman?~ face was enough for me,' sa~d the man; 'but justice is justice for every one.' She did look strangely,' said Mr. Percy, ridging ~he bell. i-James, send Dawson here.' Dawson was the upper-housemaid, and sh~ was nterrQgated whether White was in the ha1~it of leaving, her boxes opens or of keeping'~ them locked. $he said that ~he had never seen the large b9~. un- locked, she believed White to have, been particularly careful about that; the smaller box, where the plate was found, and drawers, where she kept her uslin things~ were always open.' 'Then, sir,' observed the officer 'if nothing had been found in the lockup box, there would have been a doubt-.-t~ut t4~-4 settles the matter.' The swoon i~as long, but the unhappy *orn~,n at ~length. awoke to consciousness-a consciousne~sof woe. 'Where ~m I 'V she exclaimed4 '.Wha1~ has happ~n~d~-am I in gaol 'V ~' That's where you should be,' replied the house- keeper. 'Oh! my lady V my lady!' she cried, 'if you were here they dare not kill your poor old nurse~ 0 God, ti~ou art the stay of the innocent. Oh! forsake me not. Where i~ my master 'V she cried, fr~ntie~. ally, springing up and rushing to the door. - Mademoiselle prevented her egress. You are ill,' she said, soothingly; 'you must lie down.' I D01~ESTIC CHANGES. 'I will go to my master, and to Miss Mary1 L will see them;' said she, stamping her foot upon tl~e floor. 'You go to your bed, my lady, and hold your peace!' said the hou8ekeeper; who had entered the room a few minutes before. 'Why my ~mas~er won't send~you to gaol is more than I can see through.? 'Won't he send me to gaol 'V inquired poor White, suddenly becoming calm, and bursting into tears. 'No, spite of all the gentleman~ and we could say, my master wouldn't give you what you deserve, you ungrateful, hypocritical wretch!' '0 God,. thou art the stay of the innocent, a refuge in times of trouble!' sobbed the woman, throwing herself upotL the bed. Then, burying b1er face in the bed-clothes, she wept hysterically. 'No~ie of your Scripture !' said the housekeeper; 'I never saw any good come of saints-she that couldn't look at a dance in the hall! though she drid deceive both my ~lady and me,' said Mrs. Brown, turning to Mademoiselle. 'Well, good Mrs. Brow~, do not be~ too hard upon her; ~we ~are all liable to fall,' said Mademoiselle, in a soft tone. ' La ma'am, you are too good, I am only sorry I had not my places examined, to prove my integrii~y; aint you, ma'am 'V said Mrs. Brown. s ( page: 44-45[View Page 44-45] 44 SISTER iGNES~' DOMESTIC CHANGES. 'No. suspicion rests upon us, n&w that .t~ guilty party is discovered,. but if we should hear a whisper of doubt, we can open up all, you know,' replied Mademoiselle. 1*ittie imagined the. simple houseke~pe~ how 'Un- willing 'the governess would "have been "to have any examination of her private repositories. But she had. rendered it certain" that matters would. not be .p~iished 4o this extremity; she knew right well where the missing articles would be found, or she would uev~er h.ave hazarded a search. She had in her pos- ~~~ion documents which would not baar the light of d~yL.~~correspondei~ce with Ferrara, directions from the g~eral of the Jesuits-~.aualyses of character- notes .of the. ntost secret affairs of the family-a ~scheme of her operations, and a journal, on the ex~ posure of which any single-minded man or woman would 1~ave stood aghast. These might have escaped unread; but there were &lso s~k~eleton keys, popish symbols and books, a manual of Jesuit moralss, and other things which owo~d have rendered the exposure of mademoisellee Dupiti's secret repositories' far more astounding than if a1,l'thejewel~ in the hottse had been found in them. Yet ~Eademoiselle was a religious woman-a sin- 'cerely-earnestly religious woman. IBy all those Uiiugs she thought she was doing ~iod service, and %. 4~ some persons would. have called it intolerance to in~ terfere with the free exercise of her religion.. We are showing in what its "free exercise" consisted. Every tree is known by its fruits; and we displa~r the fruits of the sincere, the devoted MademoIs~ll~ iDupin's piety. The conveyance of the jewels and plate into the boxes of the nurse, and the contrivance of their being found where they were, could hardl~r have been accomplished save' by a conjurer or a Jesuit. The end was answered, White receive her dismi~- sal. Mr. Percy stedfastly refused to see her;' he sent her her wages for the time she had served hin~i, and an additional sum of money to ward off preseiit destitution until she could find employment. S~he received the wages-having earned~ them ~ but fold- ing up the .gift in a small packet, she returned with the following note. 'My HONOURED MASTER1 'Since you think me unworthy, I cannot receiVe your great kindness. The Lord will provide. II ha~e saved a small sum, and I put my trust in him. My honoured master, I am innocent and heart-broken. I could "'not' wrong so kind a iiiaster, nor the husband of my ,most dearly loved and lamented lady. I 'pray God to forgive all my enemies, and 'to 'biking 'my 44 4p page: 46-47[View Page 46-47] 46 SISTER AGNES. righteousness to light. 1 will ever pray for you and my own Miss Mary. - 'Your much aflhi~cted and "truly innocent nurse, MARY WHITE.' Mr. Percy was touched; he paced about the room uneasily, sat for some time in a thoughtful mood, and finally summoned Mademoiselle, who had, in truth, by this time gained much of his confidence. ' Is it not possible,' said he, 'th~t there has been ti~eaehery somewhere?* That note has the appear- ance of-~genuine feeling-if the woman be guilty she is :an accomplished hypocrite,-.--.only------methodists are said to be adepts in hypocrisy.' 'Ifear that is tootrue; ~have known some strange instances ~of their deceitfulness,' remarked Mademoi- selle, 'but if you doubt, why not have a judicial ex- amination.' Mr. Percy shrank as with sudden pain. "mi.. possible,'ma'am,' he exclaimed, "the scenes of yes- terday must not be. repeated. I cannot pass through another ~such ordeal. I fear there is no doubt of her guilt. MaJi~e alone cpuld induce any of the other servants to put the articles where they~ were found- malice wbich might: have failed in its . object by twenty chances~; then her manner was suspkious;. she was not like the other servants, anxious for the A .1 DOMESTIC ORANGES. 47 examination; and her nervous rushing forward cons tasted painfully with the calmness of the rest. He~ box too was locked; for another to have opened it, ~t would have been needful to possess false ~ AId Mademoiselle, I have been deceived-grossly d~ ceived; and but for your care of my 'precious child, she would have been constantly with the hypocrite ever since her mother's 4eath.' I There is always danger, sir,' replied Mademo~- selle, in young people being with even the best 6f servants. What has now happened, will, I trust, 'quicken me to greater and more affectionate vigilance in the care of my sweet young charge.' 'I thank you, Mademoisella.' Meanwhile Mary had crept up stairs to. her nurse's room. She tapt at the door, but receiving no answer, she stood a minute, and heard the voice Qf sobs mingled with these ejaculations. '0 God, thQil knowest my. innocence-bring it to light. But I 'a~n guilty in thy sight, a poor sinner. I deserve it a more than all! But Thou art merciful, plead my cause with those that rise up against me. Bless them. 0 bless my master and my dear young lady.' The sobbing ceased, and Mary with tears knocked again. 'My own child,' exclaimed the poor woma~i. 'My own child, are youcome to see me?' 'I could not let you go without saying goodbye, ~1 'K- page: 48-49[View Page 48-49] I 48~ SISTER AGI~TE5~ nurse,' - said the child, putting a sovereign into her hand. 'My own dearest,' sobbed' the nurse, 'you have comfo~t~& ~my old heart. But I cannot-take your gift, bless yrn.i for it.' 'it is my own, White, oh! d~ take it.' * '~No, Miss Mary; but a thousand thanks. And one gift I will ask, a lock of that fair hair I have so often drest-wil yo~~ give old nurse that?' 'Take it,' said the child, bursting into tears, and putting her he~d~hito nurses boy. 'You did not ilo it, I know,' whi4ered Mary. Mademoiselle. had the highest Catholic authority for this deed, "To injure another's reputation for any needful good is not sin," saith the Holy. Church.* * ~ee Appendix C. I 1 CHAPTER VI. MADEMOISELLE'S TALE. "Thought and affliction, passion; hell itselZ She turns to favor and to prettiness." HAMLIrr. IT 'was a winter afternoon. The shutters were not closed, nor the lights brought; but the blinds were drawn down, and the' fire stirred, and its cheerfulxrays glanced and flickered upon our young heroine and her governess, as' they sat together before it, throwing their shadows far into the room; brightening promi- nent objects with changeful gleam, and ' deepening into chiar.oscuro'all behind those objects~ 7afld every recess. The lights~and. shades would have gladdened the very soul of Rembrandt or Corregio. I{dt with the eye of an artist, 'but with that deep poetic feeling which was a part of her nature, Mary gave herself up to the enjoyment of the hour. There was nothing to mar its pleasure, for not~ merely the elegancie~of life, but all the elements that enter into that IEngii~h' idea, comfort, wer&th~re.' Mademoiselle 'lounged iii a high- page: 50-51[View Page 50-51] backed seat, cushioned with green, and' her pupil, with slow and measured time, moved backwards aud forw~r4s in a rocking-chair, or-balanced herself on its edge to look around her into the 'room. The child was happy, but not satisfied; there was a longing in her soul aft~r something higher and nobler than earth can give, but she knew not where to seek it.' 'Tell me, Mademoiselle,' she said; 'one of your dear de- lightful stories about the supernatural; and first say if you think that there really a'e angels here, up in the height towards the ceiling, or far in the ,depths of those recesses;' as the cherub heads and wings peep out in that sweet -picture' of Saint- what is her name P Mademoiselle replied, 'Millions of spiritual crea- tu~es walk the earth.' 'A tale. about them, then,' said her pupil. -' Shall we have time before Mr. Percy. come~ to dinner:?7 .aske.d Mademoiselle, looking at her watch. 'Dear, good, naughty papa!' said Mary, 'if he come before we~are done, I will kiss him away again. 'Ahi here is a short one,' said Mademoiselle, and without preface she tEus coimnenced: At the base of the Pyrenees, in a lowly valley of Spain stood the' castle of Don Alfonso Alcarras. His son Ferdinand was a.handsomehigh~spirited youth; none so graceful as he in the .festive hall, or so.~Iaunt- less in the chase of the ar; erect and com- manding, with slashed double and velvet cloak, he was the admired of all~beholders. .HTh daughter Isa- bella was, famed for elegance and beauty; she was soft and gentle in~ her manner, but the height of her marble forehead, and the depth of. soul in her~ large~ dark ey ,impressed you with the idea of a superior being. Wit a maid whom she loved, and trusted, she de-. lighted. o wander among the wooded glades, and. by the mou tain-~born streams of her. father's~ domain, or to join.. party of-noble guests in exploring the hills, and ga ing from their pine-'clad heights upon ~the bundle s prospect beneath. The peasant families blessed, er bountiful hand; she was as an angel of light to many a dwelling darkened by disease and poverty; and her alms went up to heaven as the sweet incense flung from a golden cen~er. The very bandit would.not have touched a h~ir of the head of the Donna Isabella, so greatly was she re'&\ered. Thus her earliest days were passed, and many a patrician youth sought the hall of Don Alfonso to kneel at the shrine of his lovely daughter. But Isabella's heart was fixed on heaven; 'no sha- dow of 4arthly love had. ever dimmed the sunshine of her, br4st; her thoughts were with the saints a~id blessed ones of old, and she ~sighed whexi she &a~t1~~ follies ~nd the miserie&of the world. The Uloly Vir- 50 SISTER AGNES. MADEMOISELLE' S TALE. 51 wild bo 51 50 page: 52-53[View Page 52-53] 52 SISTER ~AG~8. C gin was the object of her ~doration, in her secret soul she. had; ~rly vowed to' be the bride, of Heaven alone awl in her dreams she had seen a. seat prepared for her b~~i~e'the throne of the Mother of God, in a pal- 'ace radiant as the 'rainbow. .Jn 'her~ dark liafr she wore no jewels; a garland of white roses~ was its' only, ornament; no. necklace of pearls or diamonds glittered upon her bosom; 'but a tosarjy of pure gold, and 'a crucifix of exquisite work- ~na~ship. at once a~orp~ed her and denoted* her piety~ Rer br&her married a young, fair girl who brought Iiini~a splendid dowry; the' marriage fe~ti-vities were great, ~and the hand of Donna Isal ha was constantly 'sought in the dance., ' - But her heart was. not in the illuminated hail;. ~he would$ retire from it to drop a tear o'ver~the vani~ ty of 1~he' world, and. to muse sadly upon' the cares a~nd'sori#ow~of life which. awaited the young coi~ple ~rhei~ 'the ~I~t flush of their gladness wa~ past. 'For wh~t are fa~ihy ties,' .she.- said to herself; ' ~ but cords toAraw down'grief, till they be se#ered 'by the hand'. of death V 'Be. mine the pure aiid peaceful cloister. iWith the marriage party 'she was carried to court, and moved a1~ng'its s~1endors attracting' all hearts, ~ighed for by lovers. i~mumei~abie; but sighing only for seclusion &xid~ piety.' ' ""'Quo iiiorning When. the 4lay upon. the orange 52 4' 444 blosso light, air of night to be ingh si.re f rect h seem rustli ly. hg inwh eredi c~iest 'You 'I 'but x in the her,' sic; t kisse' celes L bella smile on th ~he s MADEMOISELLE'S ThLE. s, and the foiintal sparkled in the earlie~ the soft he was telling herbeads in morning~ the- garden, ere the revellers 'of the previous~ ad awakened from their slumber.' She longe4 speedily delivered from those vanities; but bel- r father's idol, she dared not tell him of her deh. ~r the cloister; so she prayed the Yirgin :to di~ ~r way. Immediately a new, ambrosial odour d to distil from the orange-trees; there was ig among the myrtles; then a gleam of unearth~ ht; and lastly, a figure stood before her,. veiled .te. Her heart leat high. 'The figure unco4 15 face,4 and-revealed the Madonna radiant witl~ Lal beauty, and 'smiling with love umitterabl~. ~seek 'deliverance from the world,' saW she. is true, most ~holy Mother,' replied 'Isabdl4 ~y father wills itiiot.' - -' ~teal' from the dance to-night; and come.hithe~ moonlight.; I will send the~b a deliverer; follow aid our blessed Lady, in a voice of richest mix- hen she vanished, and Isabella, falling pro~trat4, I the flowers that had not bent beneath th~ jal footstep. .ghts and 'music were' in the hall at night. '4s4. moved in a single dance with. one to whom he~ was as the sunshine of heaven, and who meax~ morrow t~demand her hand of her father.' The~i id from the hall to the garden where the moor~. page: 54-55[View Page 54-55] 54 $ISTE~ AGN'Es. beams. kissed the fountain nd the evergreen leaves; they glanced upon her silken dress and crown of roses,. and whitened still more her ma*ble forehead.' A veib ed'figur6sto~od"before her';-itx~ioved ;-~-she followed; it opened the massive gate,. and led her through the ailenp streets to grand pile of architecture. Another' g~te was op&ied, and she was iii'the atrns ofa loving Abhess. ''1'hi~ is your ~home, my ~Iaughter,' ehe~saia, 'rest here froixi the worl solemn d tifl yowbe i~it for heaven.' and triumpharLt strain, of music broke forth, and a procession of holy nuns appeared. They led her t~ the chapel% where lights innumerable glit~ tered before fhe Virgin's shrine. She received the habi~t~of a novice that night;~ peace settled tipon her soul; ~he lived holy ;~ died in ~the odour of 'sanctity, with angels hovering round her couch ; . they received her spirit and carried it to the bosom. of the Queeti of flea~ven~' 'Is it true?' inquired Mary~. 'No lights yet Have I kept dklner waiting P aaid Miz. Percy, \op ning ~he door.. Mary started ~ from a dream. By tales such as thisfwere her affec ions directed. The serpent Rome fasdn~tes before s e destroys her ~prey. WE, p courS Born ish cl cler obje~ Mr. at all he co spirit inth instr serva pray CHAPTER VII. PROGRESS OF PERVERSION. "I see ahan4 thou canst nob see, It beckons me aw&y; I hear a voice thou caust notlicer, It says, I must not stay." eed not follow our heroine through the devious by which she was gradually drawn over to it was the course usually puirsuedA The tar.. ~rgyman was a 'zealous Tract~rian, but being the rman of the EstalAislirnent, Mr. Percy did net to hi~ daughter following his footsteps. Thdee4 - percy hiniself, so far as lie cared about religio~i liked the' seiisuous worship of the new mode; ild understand it better than that which aal. Mademoiselle Dupin was highly religious, Puseyite sense of the word, and' she carefull icted, or rather led' her p'tipil, in~ all the nces which she herself practiced. We~k~dw~ rs, frequent communion, fastings, adoration~~f 'noifix, meditations on th. virtues ofniut~,&lm / ' . page: 56-57[View Page 56-57] 66 SISTER AGN]?J~. 67 PROGRESSS OF PI~RYERSION. and at length confession, flowed each other so natu- 'rally, that poor Mary had become a devout Papist before she was aware ofit; and it only needed a few lessons on infallilility and the missio~i of St. Peter, to' induce her secretly to assume the badge of allegi- ance to Rome. The whole course of her education had been bent towards this end. Everything calcu- lated to strengthen her mind or to exercise her rea- soning powers h~d been carefully expressed ; her unagitation had been fostered and fed with legends of.sMnts and angek, and pious recluses, and mediawal deeds; painting and music had been 'made to furnish her with saintly countenatic~s, miraculous apparitions, gorgeovs fe~tiva1s~ and the entrancing strains of ]?opiali worship; and ~her very love qf nature had ~ae~ enlisted U the ~ervi~e, by highl~-wroti~ht de ~cziptw~s ~f desert solitude and inagnfficent moun- ~sof'~T4bfr~*~, ~ Car~iel~ and I4ebauon, wl~ther oon~e~~or~. 'fled, and where ~nehorite~ dwelt. Ulistory t~o was perverted. The ~pre~s helena was held to' adoration; ~P~op~e and 'PopisE Emperors w~eJa~iaed, and their excesses veUed; the ~*ern~an, and 8~iss, and' British ~efoymers blackened; the cr~.ts~ades coloured. with' all the hues of romance, even to that ag4n~th~ Albigeiises; a~ veil drawn over the s~e~e of 5t. $~rtholoniew ~'t~e. bloody Mary rep- resented~ as an ~pri~ht ~id rnscientious though soi~ewha~t' stern. uphol4~ of the faith; El~baVh denoi unfor ungr~ of he: comp] Rome tiema Man Li vivid per~e We h passia it was nient longin realize marre of thef more would when let in nooks; not no~ She w~ ing ala blue v~ mated a tigress; the perfidious Stuarts gentle unates~ Cromwell a fiend; William and Mary teful and unnatural usurpers. And of the men own tiines,---the gentle, an4I amiable, an4 ac- ished, were those who adhered 1~o or connived at and the fierce, bigoted; intolerant, 'and ungen~ 17,1, were' the uncompromising assailants of the f Sin. ke all youthful enthusiasts, Mary had painted pictures of beauty and happiness-had sought tion in the creature, only to be disappointed. ~ve seen that from a child she had loved nature lately; that love she continued to cherish, but never fully satisfled~ Minglecl with the enjoy~ rhich she often really ta~te~4l.~ere was always a g, a craving of her spirit* after something un- d: want or regret, of one kind or another, ever I the perfection of her happiness; some memory past, or some dream of the'future, still appeared beautifull than the reality of' the present. She ore over the spring feeli~zgs of her. childhood, he gaged upon thp golden ripples of the str~am- he glen, and drew priinroses fromihe. mossy and then wonder why the same ~eeu~s lid inspire her with similar sensations of d~lig~t. uld remember starlight evenir~g, when, stand~. n~ upon the lawn, and looking up to the d~ep ult, a sound arose from its utmost v~rgo #s of 4 57 56 page: 58-59[View Page 58-59] 59 a distant wind, which, with strangeand solemn swell, came ~kwIy ~ until, it filled the immense area with the graaideur of it~ rushing, and she would sigh vainly for a repetition of'~the. sense of the sublime which had then entrancedher. She would anticipate for a week a viBit to the sea-sho~e, and gaze in fancy into its * emerald depths, ~~hile many7colourecl sea-weed and shells clothed the bottom; or to a region of mountain and:waterfell,'whare iher heart might be filled with the glories ofnati~re .;.~-but a Aull grey sky would rob the ocean of its ~ransparen~y, or clouds would'bide the hills; or. rain renderthe torret~ts inaccessible; or * if all nature smiled, some little care in her own breast would frown; oi~ if even happy and light-hearted, still she~waa ~i&t sati~~fied.' * Her affedions too were wairm, and, from living in comparative seclusion, she was the more ready t6 be- stow themi~pon a being whom her imagination might I ~elothe .with ideal excellencies A young relative *s~ent. a. few months with her when she was about fifteen, and. by her wit ~ud apparent ardour greatly ea.ptivated~ her. 'LUiey-commenced such a corre8pC~IL- dence ~a young ladies alone indulge in, 'and were to b~frien~4s totheir life's end. But circumstances arose t&~st mere than a doixbt upon the integrity and truthfuhie~s :ef 'h& e~dante, and especially.' upon the~;sin~erity'ether ptofes~ions of atta~hiiient to her- ~elft Whe dise&very inflicted a wound Which almost mar girh reck I sixte aged is w ~055( livin~ and perst of h4 accoiJ from tasie~ vivid conve whici ness C and s views deoid( decliu I3~ confid usted poor Mary with society; especially as she ~ed with scorn' the levity and ~. vanity of other ~among whom she had beei introdixced,and the [ess, unintellectual rattle of her male cousins. ii short by the time she had attained the age of en, ~he had attained also to the conclusion of the and inspired 'moiiarch-.~" Vanity of vanitie~, all nity." And having disca~'ded the Bible, and ssing no friend ito lead her 'to the fountain of water, the' thirst of her ~Pirit consumed her, he turned for relief to the broken cisteri~ of sii~ ition. his state of feeling did not escape the observation ~r' eagle-eyed governess, who turned it to the nt of Rome. She contrived'to~ have, sent her i;he Continent, a manuscript relation of the ex- of a singularly holy and happy nun, with a' description of the serenity ~nd' satiSfaction of ritual 'life; she confided to Mary Some doubts had arisen in her 'own mind, as to the l~wfi~V ~f continuing in the l'rotestaijt Church, while fb Rome alone ~provided fGr their spiritual Wants~; skilfully did she succeed in transferring her to the mind of her pupil, that together they. d upon renouncing the Protestant' faith, and ing theznseWes daughters of the "true Ohnrch." r the advice of Mademoiselle, their feelings were ~d to M. Bouquet, who at once declared himself * 58 SISTER AGNES. PROGRESS OF' R~RVERSIoN. 68. page: 60-61[View Page 60-61] 60 SISTER AGNES. PROGRESS' OF F~RYEIISION. 61 to~ be a priest of Rome, and beci~me their confes~sor~ told them he i~ad-prayed~ and laboured for their ~ny~t~ion, and that now the great~object of his I~fe wa~ a~coxnplished. Was not the victim o~ his artifice startled by the discovery? 'it m~y be asked. Not at all. She had, ore ~k'~a0 made, been well schooled in the "doctrine of'reser#e," amd h~d iesrned to appreciate a "pious * fra~rd;" and she was even quite prepared to practise one her~elt; izpou Ja~r eon~ding~ an4 a1~ectionate, and unsuapeetingparent~ She was exhorted tQ keep her eonvers~on secret for the present: tI1e reason of this will afterwards appeal'. Once she. would have shrunk with horror from deceiving her father ;- now she be- i~eve4 that the eud 8an~tifled the~n~ea~, and in fact sh~ had resigned~ her couiscience to her confessor.* II~r father only ku~wi~hat she wags astriot Tractarian, ra~the~, too re1~gio~s for his t~te,~an4' he wished1that ~r~n~ic consisted a Ait~le less. of ~h~nts an& an-, t*~em~, and kymn~ t~ tha Virgin. But They were ~U by the best~ ~~posers;~ a~d exqjui0it~ly performed: th~ CQ~ rt~tiQ~ r~co~,4e& him to them. A The 4iirze~ ~aniired wh~nit was proper'for~ her to be it~pdie~ed into tl~e wodd of fa~hi~n.. ,,She was now nearly ~igl~te ,*as elegoxtt i~x~d Mt~&ctive, i~otwitli~ standu~g't~ese~lusion ii~ wE14~hsheha&b~een l~rought *.See Appex~~ D up; and her father~had almost resolved upon going to town 'himself; and venturing~ upon'\ a winter, or ra- K ther a ~spri' g campaign for her sake.. The crisis other history ha arrived, and her skilful guardians were too agaci us to run. the risk of losing their prey. Ma emois lIe deeply lamented the approaching 'trial, path' icall set forth th~ dangers and'miserie~ 2ofAthe worl , and urged her to strive to dissuade her father from his p rpose for at least on'e ye~r.* Very~Wily' wer her d ailing, and' they succeeded. Mary in*~4 * ly decided, not upon opposing her father's wishes for the present -that would have been but' delay-but upon elopi g to a convent. And yet she was not con- scious that any human being24iad as~istoci in' forming her ihtexiti n. It w~a~ necessary to mention f~he ~mat- tet to:her onfessor. With consummate art he re~ ceived 'the intelligence as 'if with profound~astonish- ment; con ~elled her to be cautious; to weigh well her vocatic ; inquired if 'she could bear to part with the spend rs of the ~world, to incur' her fat anger -he did n~ t'say grief, that might have ~oft'ened~her heart-to 's ~end her days in seclusion ~a~'id 'humility and prayer ~While seeming to2dispuade,. he ~contriv~ ed still mc e'to disgust' h&with the world, and~ to enamoiir he of'conventizal life; aiid he c&nvludedby ~njoiziing'h r to spend an hour in the evening before 'Appendix E. page: 62-63[View Page 62-63] 62 SISTER AGNJ~8~ ?IT~OGitESS OF rERVEBSION. 63 her image of the Virgin, and to pray for some mirac- ul6us intimationof the Holy Mother's will. 'The step is sufficientt importance in your case to call, forth a miraclee,' said he: 'Without some such intimation I cannQt consent to your desire.~* 'And if the Virgin should~ not deign to notic& poor, nsgziifieant me; must I gii~e up all my long cherished ho~s,, father 'P she inquired, sorrowfizlly. ~' Doi~t fear on the score of your insignificance;' rep1~ied the; priest ;~ "assuredly the Virgin loves you, and if ~he would accept your offering, she will encour- age you to make it.' Mary's heart sank-if no miracle were vouchsafed, smu~strei~iaiu'in the $iddy, heartless worl~i. A friend dined with Mr. Percy that evening. Her Izourwa~ selected as the one 'preceding dinner; and her prayer w~ offered, as that of a papist seldon~ i~, from the hept. It tranquilized her-not as ~true pr~*yer t tbe true God tranquilliz~s~ indeed, but by a sin~p1e l~w of nature-by confiding her anxiety to one whom she iwliiwed to be~ able to~help her. ~he felt tolerably cheerful at dinner. Mu~io wash requested after~the gentlemen repaired to the drawing-room. Mary sang a hymn to The Vir- gin. it .~eeme& the: very outpouring of the sou~Lof au impasei~ed devotee. Mr. Courtenay, her father's * See App~xidix F, "*1 ~ue~t, ra~ tholi&~m if she usei coming a the negati the meant tised it w: concealme 'Insoc sometimes Mary ed i~p lovi: was still parted th her head her father thers!' Her e it recfuire But she d been toot~ over the p the room. the door a passion eyes, was joined her 'Your jed her upon it, Aeclaring that Roman Oa~ iad now become fashionable, and inquired I a crucifix, and cherished the idea of be- ~un. Mary blushed, but readily replied in ye; for she who would once have started at ess, if not the guilt of falsehood, now prac- .th perfect unconcern,; and even reckoned nt of her true sentiments a pious fraud. th," said Mr; 'Percy, 'she looks sad enough for a nun.' ~ut back her head from the piano, and look- igly into her father's face; filial affection Irong and ardent within her heart. He glossy ringlets from her forehead, pressed to his bosom, ~nd remarked, 'She loves too much to~ be a nun---nuns h~ve no fa- es fell, her lip quivered, her breast heaved; all her jesuitism to repress a burst of tears. id repress it, and as her voice would have 'emulous for a song7 she ran her fingers iano in a lively airtor two, ~and then quitted. Gaining her own apartment, she bolted I~rew herself upon the bed, and indulged 'in l~e fit of weeping, after which she bathed her ed her face with ean de Cologne, amid re.~ father and his friend. daughter is possessed of exquisite sensi- 62 66 page: 64-65[View Page 64-65] PROGRESS OF PE~LVERSION. 65 64 - SIST4~ AGNES.~ ability ' said Mr. Oourten~y, when left alone with her fih~r. 'S~ i~' :replied Mr. Percy, 'although, owing to my ~oww long depression, it has acquired a morbid tou~h. lien affectioA alone has rendered 'it possible former to eAst. The' very idea of leaving me almost ma4e her weep. Iou~ht not to have tinged her young mnd'with gloom;~ but I mean to repair the mischief nQw, even ulv the expense of niy own feelings. I shall ta1~e her to London after Cb~'istmas.' A'Yoii are right,' replied Mr. Courtenay; for the rnai of the wotid knows ~f no other cure for gloom than the world's g~iety. 'You are right; she will b~mticb~ admired.' Yet. if she were mine-I would di~couragethose popish h s: fai~aticism is so much ontheiiicnease, one cann t tell"what the end of such 'things may be.' .'~A~o"th~t,~my;dear sir,' replied iMr. Percy, /' I see J.itf~le'diffei~enee 'betw enProtestantism and Pope.. ~ ~exoeptin the r~ant c ceremoniess of The latter, w14~hyouiig persons of;ta to and' devotional' sentiment ~ Its beauty attt ots them; and the horror fe of It by our gr fathers ~ decidedly old- fas1~tioned ; oxnanC~t o1~es are viewed in the light qf the nret~enth vent y. ~ however, that. I slioul4 like to see' my da glitter: a Catholic ;~ I quite ob3eet to 'the &lat ~f ch~ ging. one's religion, and I h~ve no t ere ar ~Gei r Con "Oh! nan cain Mr. over sorn ly beaut infants popish fe gin s eec table. stances t to hear 0 are usual 'You replied all those ' Al[ 'It is ru that youn communi ten were home no I 'Why 'It is 'invented ave of Romish priests in general, although finished~ gentlemen among1 them' blemen of very.ba4inorals,:jE fear,' remarked tenay. my good friend, we must unies,' said Mr. Percy. )onrtenay was silent. 'He prints on a table. Mado ~iil heads of saints; pensive ith guardian angels; ~tivals, and views of mona ~siastioal architecture, wer ii. hisretun~ home, he xneut4 bis wife, adding, "fLwoul that sweet girl becoming Ly the preliminaries.' forget that she .ha~ m tract Ens. Courtenay; doubtlesss hings.' preparatory to Rome,' persist oured that Mr. ~B.. uses peons kne~1 to hiin ine~ ting with hi~ vestry. If.. ~go to confession, my hous nger.' ? love,' said Mrs. C. diabolical institution,' repli y wretchedmen for poisonii * 65 )t listen tosecta~- iroceeded to turn Lnas; exquisite~ ~nuns; sleeping culeus~ l~ge~4s; ~tenies, with PtP spread ovei~ i~he ~ue4 the ci~eiu~. not si~rpni~e me Catholic; su~l~ ~i~ta clergyman,? he enoou~age~ ~d her h~isbaud. oonfessi~~u~ az~4 s1ap&n~t ~jwife ordaug~W~ should be their ed her husband, ~g the mind with page: 66-67[View Page 66-67] 6 SISTERR AA NES- idesas Bin they never thought of; and is, moreover, a secret engine of power Over families; byWhich the priestpries into alltheir secets, and wieldss complete authority over them. N ~poleon's secret police was not. alf so efficient to him as the confessors are to Rome.' ~ i9 ee iugd'si ~'Ithought 'confeson were nvrdvlesi 'sever to do good,' rel a 1fefeito detect a mnur ditaggeoriit, therei foist yrapnygand then ' Yuou stbe the save of' segttoughts;fand doul digsesewithoaths eand with the secrecy. oft ps' In aet, duri ition Apfitens wer fessors he smalles~t t11h i est relative petdo heiesy; a d~iga them oto t ~same system prevail as far as pradticabIe 7 *See Appendir' ht ~e coi Lied Mr. C., 'never to sve der~; but whether actually iade the instrument of the ost abominable espionage. he' man who holds all your t not that a church which virtue, f can dispenise'also fessionsl if it suit her pur- ig the~ palmy period of the inqui- e obliged to disclose to their qpn- w rd or act on the part of even es, byj which they might be sus- ad. iendhey sere commranded to iat tenribles tribunal, onvpain of g destruction.' It was bp such ~hed torents of blood; and' the s at this day in' popish countries, I ' Then Mrs. C., ' To e archly. tSee Appendix a PROGRESS OF PERVERSiON. I may flee when I become aughing. straight to the nearest nun ive you a pretext for inspect 67l ~e Catholic,' said nery.' ~tion' she added, page: 68-69[View Page 68-69] OH~APTER VIII. MIRACLE. it H&XLWI. MARY'S slumbers tl~iat night were feverish and dis~ turned. - She had n~t at all considered the step she was about to take-4iaving been accustomed to act, notfrom the deductions of reason, but from emotion and impulse. Uer religionn was entirely emotional; and her gi~ide in thTi~ important matter was simply feeling, excited by the artifices of those whose aim it was to bring her ov.~r to their designs; Indeed so much had she been ~ccust~iued to indulge in flights of fancy, and ,folio impulses, that, had she set her- self fitirly. to reason the case, to~ examine her mo- - tives, to sift her p~~ple~, to judge of her duty,-she Woul( hav~ found it impossible to carry on thee pro- cess; her mind wiuld have exhausted its~lZ and she would h~v mind, half tua~ that day. Its lish auth as ~hat of of the chur lose the. pm -selves, lose of others. Thus, i~ liberation I the destin~ girl strove' a devotion up pictures halcyon en~ to be utter] long proce listened in seated hers laid her lie: walked thr~ bosom friei But anon h4 disconsolate her ~ruelt word 'iugr 69 A )flRAQLZ. fallen~into a~ dream..' It is 1 poetical, half indolent, not popery owes its triumphs. him is to crush reason, tha ~4, on the ~rui~s; aul4ierity od through the Bible; h~it b. thro~~gh tyram~ica~ plies er ~f reasoning ~ut the t also the power of d~teotin stead of spending a ~ew lie efore takii~g- a step ~hieh of *~er whols future life, o work. herself up j~to ~wh fran~e fo~ the sa~ri~ee, peac~an4lov 0f religious as, p yment, such ~h~n ~too destitute of reality. SI~ siens among the twilight imagination to thea ~olemn. elf l~efore a picture~ of th d upon. the l~p o t lovin ugh the cloisters with a yoi d; and her spirit leaped r father's image presented ii pining away, weep~uig Cc -and conscience ~hispei titude.' ~She strove to dro 1o this etateetT t the pr~se~t it ~&y ~stab~ not legitimate~, surped,; as that. ~I~hose who tth for them~ the falsehood irs in c~oQl de~ ~ tQ involvee ~he misguided ~.t -she, deied ~nd she called ~, ~ a state of~ Late, she tbuu4 depicted the ~shades-~she .jubilate-~-she Virgin-she Abb~ss, iiud ug sister, -her with extacy. seW-4emazed~ - r~ her, cursing ed the; stern a the sowi4 page: 70-71[View Page 70-71] 70 SIS?~~ AG'N~5~ - by ~he'~ soTh 4ei'm1' 'piety.' She~ recafled stories of yon~hfu1 nuns an4 pioiz~ anchorites who hadbroken titles f natur~; become transfbnned into 5aints, *and~ held intercourse with angels afterfoiling demons; a~d she repeated the text so often' presexled to her: "'He that loveth father or mother 'mere~ thah me, is riot ~ortliy of me." Strange, pitiable perversion of the word of God! Could she noVeompare it with the ~omniandmen1~,. "BJonour thy father and thy mother?" But to ascertain the true meaning of Scripture was no business of her~-'-she had but to receive it in the sense put upon it by the' church. Thus her mind iwas tossed, and she had no guide juthe tempest. 'She had long since ceased to study t~ie Bibl& But h~r confessor had painted out a 'way by which she might attein certainty. She recalled h~r hour' of devotPn'before the' Virgin, and she now fek sure of the giibiance of the. 'holy mother ;she ir~s~, and on her k~iees repeated a few ayes, and re~ ti~&t& bed satlsfie~1 an&assured. Alas! those ~who scorn the true guid~ are ~ften ~'left in' righteous retri~ ~ution ~ ;t1i~ '~ile~ &f a false one. She knew the tiiitbAn ~her~ ~hil ood-she had still the ~rneans of aso~,t~dning the t' th, but her heart went after error, a~d'to~the: of error~sl was left. 4.bo~hreaineinorn~ng sb~efell asleep, but was mkene& h~~wh~t~eemed. ~ kiss'upoz~ her, ~hee~, arid rniwediately~ a strai~ ~of'l6w, sw~&t ~usic~ was'po~red forth, appal awe and wc she inquire with a strai she conolud Soon words she heard d '4 '4 '4 'I 'I '5 '4 The mu~ the chamber dared to stir traced. ~: ~w~&o~ ently in her apt~rtmeht. Sh nder. 'Is this the a swert L; and as the mysterious st ige feeling of mixed so1e~ ~d it to proceed from ~ome c became audible, and~ with~ strictlyy the invitatk~n: "Come! Come! "Pensive or han, coin~ Far from wealth's deceit Far from pleasiiTh~s b1in~.j Far from dangers wild' tl~ Over earth's bewildering~ "Conie! Come! Wanderer of the weary Come tomy secluded ce1~ Come, and I will give Where the peaceful sister Where the sorrowful are "Come! Come! Sad no more, and mother A mother opes her arms Yirgin mother, swift to b Near my heai~t thy home Rome of cloudless happi "Come! Come! Co ic ceased, there was and then all; Was s or even to breathe I~his then,~ she said. away! ul homE ing ray, at roam way. ~resst, F, erest; s dwell, blest. less, o thee, Less; sI~all be ess. a alig] Lent. her to he 71t e listened with o my prayer?" rain continued, ~nity and fear, ~lestiai visitor. beating heart Lt rustling in She scarcely pirW was '0D~ ~seg 'is the page: 72-73[View Page 72-73] 72 sis~r~a. ~&~NW5. 78 ~us~wei~ to my prayer. Hdy~m~ther! I ~wiU come to mother of the mo1ih~rl~s! I will seek rest in thiua ~arms, ou~tl~y breast! My heart is empty, my epfrit is ofteu de~eIa~te, I have sighe4 for~ a mother's hwe,: and 'I bttve £und it. Thou wilt fill this aching void~ 'an4 I shall have peace. What i~ the world with all it~ splei~dQ1% when compared to celestial love? Holy Mother I I dedicate myself to thee; from this moment 'I am thiiie, b6dy, soul, and spirit.' What wa~ it that, a~ ~he d~h~d; whispered in her ear the word 'Father 'P Was it a' warning spirit, or was - it conscien~? Or was it~ the Thst striving of Him who in she 'was. now finally forsaking, in her blind and wilftil 'i40latryl ' ~'Th~t word did fall upon her mental ear, and it d rbedhei'~tr~sport. Could she leave -her parent MtteI~ly desolate, to seek happi. ne~~ f~r herself'? OQui~d4e r~b l~im of his only joy -him who had s~ia 'that she loved him 'too w~ll to .b~come a nun? +~d as she recalled his words, his o~untenance arpse befor~ her, as when h~ gazed down upon her with. aff~etiori like a mother's. 'She burst int~ tears, and2~we~t until her. pillow w~~s bathed; sh~' t*~ie&to t2I4~k, to Leoneider, to judge, but the effort was in vain. Exl~austed, at length she fell asleep, ~iwt~1~enea by th~ morning siulehine,- ~6ldei~ g~iid. She was "tranquilli~ed; 'and ti*~hft1~#~1f: 4wi 1~er .lbow,' she saw upoi~ the ~fb~ 'bed a 44iite rose of ~quisite beauty, its' stem 'b embroidere some time b paradise, as trembling' fi rose-anea formation, odour than excited fan knees befor The rose wa summoned, She relai desired her 'unless,' he to relate it, f flight.' To Mary moiselle info any doubt of c9nvent. '.~ assured 'me ( the Virgin et light, and in I could only over you wi on~ hand ho] t~ie' other si and inmoss, and ti~d by' [in gold With the w~rd ~' C ~fore she ventured-to touch she supposed it to be: ngers, she 'took it ; 'it felt 1 thly white moss~rose but. ore delicate in hu , mor. earthly rose ever w 5; a y deemed. She ca t her her beloved imag, and s carefully-conceale~, ere ud her father-~was ~Corgott ed the circumstance to her'( to conceal it 'even f~rom ~ rtfully remarked,' ~rou fin r overcoming her scruples r~ ( 8 astonishment, in t~ 'med her that she n~ the propriety of he L most remarkable dr r youi* vocation to' a ri mding by your bed, n isically' uttering' heavi distinguish 'that of" 'h a look of uz~p~ak ~ing~'aloft the saintly laid upon y&uf p1 ~e' 'aftc 'longe r pupi ~ am, ~ ligiou ~diant ~nly w ~ ome ~bk a or6~ ~ low ~ 'white~ ribbon ~me.' It *as this rose from t length, with ke aniearthly ore perfect in exquisite in least, so her elf upon 'her gave thanks. er in~id was n. confessor, ~ho ademoisefle it requisite lative toyour moon Made-' 'entertained 1' entering a esaid,"has life. I sa,* th celestial. rds, of'whi~h "; ~While with white rose, A MIRACL~. P page: 74-75[View Page 74-75] ~74 SI8T1~R AGNES. wbe~e ~ filled th~ chamber.. She drew. ~fre4i her h~isoixr a transparent veil, which she spread over you; and tlien ail~vanished like & morning mist wheu ,the~ stin rises.' Th~ sexitiu~eutal, unreasoning girl, did not perceive t~l~ i~.q&of all this; her colour went aud canie, yet ~i~e kqW~tl~e seerat;. she did not say that she had in poss~ssionthe rose which her governess had seen * i~her *eain. ~he incident pwerftilly a~Tected her. h~e been th~subject of a iniracuiQus interference Wa4 ~gkto ier~oveall hesitatkn. The only thing rem~inhig to~ be considered was when and how she ~ul4~i~1~e b~r escape. iww~s ~rr~nged withoi~t. urnek difficulty.. Her f~tl~er wa~ tQgofromhou~a for a week or two, a~id i4~ig Ei~' absence~he was' to leave Avon House undet the cars of Monsieur lB., alias Padre Carlo, her ~1~yi~gto the care of ~sd~moiselle~'note o~j~ 4~05er40d $~ent. *Th~wu~teuderand ~fl'ectionate, detailing her ~ ~ho~ o~astic life, giving her 4-. ~; ~U& ~nt~tiug sowa token of he~1fathers for* g$~e~ieai, if not Qf'hi~ acquiescence iu her se1f~devotion. 'gb~t ou which it 1* wa~s walered with tears, aud the ii~ w~s Wrifte~ wa~ one of ag~ny; thM the s~tri~gg1e were o~v! "she n~entally I, IVF&ther, it thy bosom Alas! did she e charm, she convent, arches an into her h living pres her idola~tr It neve b unchan o rry into a d the aff o rred to w man's fe~ in the inox tr ted.. P~ on thing it in which to Ere the ab lisheda he rt; the an commui he nature-- st ne, ~r lib ye durean~ th sun.hih ~IR~9L~. is a weary heart tha corn but welcome that est ~wi rhat was the rest she ream peat it to descend ii on h fancied, there must e in t ~omething in the w us an the. shadows which would ~rt., She almost ex eted t ~nee of the 'holy mo her,' 1.. occurred ~o her that he~ o edin those'pious sh des,- hem all the hopes a d fear etions of her human ~tiire er that' a num is a Woma lings burning within her bri e intensely, because ent u pery has bQrrowed in oh fro: needs to 1~orrow still the v bathe its devotees. convent can be happy, jmex parent's love~ must ~e blo deep longings of wo~an af ion and affection, must be ( her soul must he chilled, 4 e a tree in winter, it must 1 beauty; then, perhaps, itt ,as ice-crusted branches 75 t~ rest upon lbe!' dof'!i Whence soul? Some ~e very air of a Windows, the$ hreathe~-peace Ihid there the -the goddess of ~n heart would bhat she would i,, thg~z~ ~till, jv~h a' ast, and burn-. p and concem ater of Lethe, ory must be ted from the r sympathy, xpunged from onverteci into o script of its ay sparI4~4: parkieC But page: 76-77[View Page 76-77] 70' SISTER A~NE~. bitter, bitter the blasts, cold th~ frosts of hopeless despon~kney must b~, ere~ dea4 and shrivelled; ~nd e~ii~t~4 with '4~oi'thless glory-it 'shines in the cold glitt& ef ~saiiitship'1 True religion sanctifles the affections; it dues not ~tirpate them. ~' Popery never d&s the~ene; it usually fail~ to ck the other. The fair victim coulduot bid' fi~reweii to hei' father, ~as from home; hiat~she paid a last vi~it to his s'tid~~ ~Her mothe~!s portrait hung there; and 'the last book ~her!ather had been reading, lay'open 'upon tb~e' t~bie 'She bolted the doer, threi~ herself upon a sof~ai4 wept, until' the' shadows ~deepened in the i$h~ then went to her 'chambe~', and when, at a~liet h~our than usual,'~h~r rn~id wa~ ~u~m~uon~d, thegi4,reniarked that her eyes were red and swollen, although the perfume betrayed that they had been bti~th~d~~ith rose-water.? . She remembered~ai'letter in a~ifl~0W2fl hand which she had brought to hel~' mi5~ tress in 'the morning, ~nd~ eonstruoted~a rou~ance out of these materials. 51 b 112 '.9' lii LL HE me ices of' t hen Ma ~rated ~u There 'Come It was mysterious iow wher "Missi ~hat do ~lock is ii 'Miss e 'house; rary 0re ~re allibo * CUAPTI~R IX. A DISAPPEARANCE. "Lost! Lost! Lost? "-SCOTP. ~ilI you follow, gentlemen; I beseeck y( iiig light broke sweetly thr ie v~4ndow-shutter8, 'tvith ca amoiselle turned upo~i her i on rising. ~as a hurried tap at the do in, she answered; Miss Percy's maid, lookizi 'Mademoiselle,' she inq B Miss Percy ~is?" ~ercy!' saidMademoiseflej you mean ?-In bed I s 'ercy is not in bed, Made the shutters of the middle open, arid the window unf Ited last night;' ii folk~wi" 5nAxBPzA~RIL ~ugh' th& inter- im, soft ~g1ea~i*i, r. g puzzled an9& iired~ 'do you with a ~awn-~ Lppose. What aoiselle, nor in window'~f the ~teued. They page: 78-79[View Page 78-79] 78 SISTER AGNJ1~$. 'What o'clock is it?' repeated Mile. 'Nine o'clock, ma am.~ 'Is the, morning fine 'P 'Beautiful-but Miss Percy?' 'Wh5, if it is nine o'clock, and the morning fine, I suppose Miss Percy got up while -you were fast asleep,-drest without yotir~-and is gone to walk before breakfast.' 'She never does'~ so, Mademoiselle, except in the heightof summer, ai~d then she always rings for me.' '!Whfrfoolish girl; what wa~ to- run away with her ~i ~ you suppose she has eloped with the man in. the ~on? -Whe1~eN~as the housekeeper? where ~ the~ serv~auts? A - pretty lacy set to allow their 1~-dy to. b~ up~before~ them.' 'They were late, m~.'am, having ~at~ up telling g~ost steries- in the hail. - The cook heard something ihAEe house in the night, and the sound was so ~ike a tho~t~a~t she dared not~tir. - - It seems they all fell t~st sleepingn the -mor~iing.' .' - 'Oh! then, you t1iin~k4~ was a ghost that ran away with Miss Percy. Send all the nieu to Tars- tanis after them.' N 'I don't think it would be of much use gQing to Tartary &ft~ ~them; but I have my own thoughts,' ~&~the gj4, -io~i~g - myste~ioi~s and ~pea~iug low; ~is~ P~rey~ot~a 1~ttar 5esterd~ morning. , I did not know the hand. There -, h~'. been: i~iet1~ing the * -I V a b g gi t1~ in 0 P4 'ar *1 vi hc h latter wi ight she stened a ad when ith cryin 'Girl;' ~d, and 1 L~iosts,' the at do yo 'Why, rl, hesita 'Par in w that w e sort oC agining ye been: 'What ly Dau~ roy's. ca;~ 'My p1 then, alo s return( d a~kiA ile you ions for Off fle~ sokeepe e return A. DISAI'PEARANOE. h her these thtee or four was long locked up in ;' the door and heard whis [went to~ undress her, her cii are a fool!' cried Mile. beginning to dress with e sobs and~ whispers-spe timean?' ~ny thought isz.~~aIvelopem ingly. a foil that is too much,' en Miss Percy comes in, maid ~heI~as got-listenin 'okedness. What is the leading ' ou gaveime yom~s6lf; MM ter. The story W85 50 Si n succeeds,' said Mademoi~ d to Rose-' Go and see d, and if not, step over to ~ she is there. I should ore asleep, she took 'a ba~ he 'old woman's breakfast.' Rose. She rapidly made Mademoiselle's directions * d from Widow Gray's. wil 79 a1ys; and -last bhe study. E ers and sobs; ~cewas swollen starling out ~of ~ergy. 'Fimt k out at once, at,' replied the laid Mlle. ; " I E swill tell her ~ at doors and a~st itovel -you moiseile-The ilar to Miss ole to herself f Miss Percy idow~ Gr&y's, ot wonder it; ket with xiro- known to the *;but'by~aud- h the iiitelli- I page: 80-81[View Page 80-81] ~-8O sisIxR AGNES. gencethat IiO~ Miss Percy 'had been there that morn- ing. Madenois~leby this time was seated ~t break- fist ~. she now~be~an to ~seem a little alarmed, sum- nkone4.the ouseke~ep~er, and ~ascertaixiing that it was ten o'cloqk-~~4n hour beyond her pupil's usual break- t~time4~sire&~ne~fthe rnen~servants to be sent to the glen. ) Tli~V~s~fiss Percy's favourite resort,' she' observed ;~ 'it ~s ~quite ~'p sible~tha1 she may have wandered th~th~r and forgotten. the hour. She will 'he axmoyed if~Tnss be made about her; but we must really 'seek her.' Ftom thegle~~re was'noinlelligence, and when the man retuu~e~ Miss Percy~wa~ stilt absent. Con- jeetures ~raii. 14g iti he b~al1; bu1~ Mis~Peroy was n~ ~hI ;~ no geutl ho~yisited'at Avon House could be selected as litwing appeared t~o interest her' more ~t~ai~other, s6ias to, justify~ Rose's idea of an' elope- ~ Old Jeh~ decided that tl'~ young iady~ must ~e 'gone out'~for an early walk~ on, the bright morn- iz~g,, ~a ii&greatly'$eared that some evil had happen- - ~& to her ;4o this eo~je~tur~eUose added the new pne of her'hwving' beeni~arried o~' by armed banditti ~or Iri~hreapers.' 'The reaping-time is over,' .said old Jgn, "or I would have feared 'the Irjsh, for ~,,Miss Mary always weai~ ~er w~t~h, ax~d that golden ~ross thing ;~ but ether f~U~& might pass :~ and the old roan ~ ~ Ii' te1i~y6wwh~tj' slid the coachman,' I will take iJ~ in Sc 1w sh th 1n~ th~ yoi in tar ;he road he glen 1 he gai~de ,nd the p ireetion~, as happen 'You herself; eznayh to the b 'Send an. ~j; nd to B 'Take nditti; 'And y young e is wait e will ha re potte 'Yes; 'I'll go said Ro t settles ng forei~ ed, and Oh! 0 it;' I a: .5 A DISAPEAxANO~. ;o the village; William ~o 'the farm. You; Joh~,\ and tell Hobbs and Jac antation. The rest of yo for I am persuaded ied.' ~ii~t now,' said old John, 'Miss i'he grass was wet withfrqs we slipped off the bank ii~ at.' ]iobbs to the lake first, thei2l, 1 mount, I "think, and if iti ton village after me.' pistols and sword in oas~ lso a poignard,' iA R ere's & sandwi ,' added th lady must be faint. Tell ng. I'll keep tiFe egg-pa~v ye. eggs in three minute. I shrin~i~ on The table?' f Mademoiselle has not ~nd see, what dress Miss Pc ~e, suddenly. 'If the iVh~ti Ihe matter with me. Sh~ ~ n count' 'by~ moonlight, w~e hey are gone to his ca~qe aye, that was afraid she kn&*~.' 4 81 LII run up from ~ad better go to son to search it 1g6 in different some mischief 'ercy often rows K this mortiing;' trying to 'get 'said the'coa~h- re are news, on ~~meet~ the housekeeper. her 'the dio&o.: oiling, so tl~a± Henry; are n all up.' cy has ~l6~ed l~ is gone, m~t some we were all dem6ise1~o page: 82-83[View Page 82-83] 82 - 5ISTI~R AGNF~.,' :i '1n~ that case she willihaye caught aTartar, or the ~I~a$arW~1l have caught her,' said Henry. ~' ~ 4~tJ~eg you will be done with your unfeeling jokes, sir?. ~i~I the housekeeper, 'and go, l6ok after 'the breakfast tah~e. To think of 'its being eleven o'clock, an4 that dear 'yoiin'g lady having, had no food,-she that always breakfasts at nine! She might have told me the ~eeret, and'hav~ got some cold game and sa~d~ wishes with her.' 'Aye, and well the secret would have been kept,? said Eenry~ .'Mrs. Brown! Mrs. Brown! Miss 1?ercy's jewel- case is gOn9 I all the 4monds and pearls and rubies!, Oh! 'oh! 9h! and her writing-desk; and she has nothing on but herridi 4iahit and old garden-bon- net, ~nd ~ bia~k~ silk go'~'! It does pass my corn- prehension! "crjed Rose, as fast as the words. would ~p~4ter.. ' 'JThat do you say ? 'vociferated Ma4enioiselle, who, entered' the hall M the minute, gestici~la~ting w'~th ~ti~uly~ French energy, 'P&r ~na f~i-wJz~t do you -say 3"'.' ~~he~usekeepeivfoi4ed her-arms across her breast with a sudden start, planted-one foot: forward, .and. t~red ~in ~peechiess 'astonishment. It passes iycon~prehension;' repeated Rose 'a 0leat case ~kp~neD~t.~ 'Miss Percy, mtyp~ipil, eloped;' pried ]~ta4emoiselle I I I t I '.No, if] has brok~ precious. This., ed, 'I ha before br( ~nd they with him ~fter her, Courtena bhem1.' I'll~ 'Yes ikes; tl~ 'Tak The ~ iay's, whi oon, alti ~eighboui ~hat had emove si 1ny thing ~ottlct ha~ OidJ4 Learrng of ton was ( am; the rhile the' 82 A DI5APPF~ARANc~E. saw' it 'I ~wouId tiot beliEtv4 ~n into her room, and carr~e ut of it.' wa1s too absurd to be belie~ ~e it now! Miss Percy h~s akfast; Mr. Oourtenayo t~ have met. lie has persu~ so while we are rw~ninga she~is quietly masticatin~ i ~. As to the jewels, Rode 0 to 'the house and inqui4,' and go by the wood;: th~t en if any thing. skou2d hatv4 loaded pistols,' said Ros~ a rood was the longest ro.~d ))XLMadelnoiselle did~,not wi ough. as M:r. Percy's fr~ei she fek that he mustle ha~p~ned, at & perio~l suff ispidon of coilusi6n fromi. I effei~~ive' could be. done ~ e suffici~nt1y distanced he~ ~hn Proceeded to l4ie gar l( 'Miss Percy's disap~iearaAc4 ztreiue. John searched ti woodman was despatthed 'ti ~ard~ne~, a~nd a boy .weiit 83 it. '-Somebody i~'off all that- was d; but she 'acid~ gone out to walk a does the same, [edlier to' return LI ~ver the world iuI~ne with Mrs. ha~ 'overIc~oked cried Henry. is the road-she befallen her_" uthoritatively.' to Mr. Gourte.. ~h to 'a~pprt8e:too Ld and ne~&rest made aware of ciently early to Lerseif Before ~w~Tha~ fugUive pursuers6 ner's, ~where; on ~, the consfrx~na.. ke shriihbery in the pl~ut&tion, the 1ak~. The page: 84-85[View Page 84-85] 84 SISTER AGNE~. boat was untouched, not a footstep~ppeared~upon the grass, from 'which the glittering fiost had-tiot yet evaporated ; 'yet aboat-hook was plunged again and &gain into the wate~and 'getting into the boat,' they examined the lake In vain. The coachman galloped straight to 'Ry~on, but oould g~in no intelligence; ~he thaii proceeded to the uearestpost-town, and' rode up to the principal inns '~Wed4in'g haste, surely,'. said the groom, with a loW bow, ',What's now, Mr. coaches ?' 'flad you any travellers here last night'?' said the coachman. ~he groom graphically described~the various par- ties who had sl6pt in. the house; among them was ~. foreignn prince,7 with moustaches, and diamond rings, who had 'left at three in the morning with 'a prime pair of horses.' 4The' groom was 'lauding his 'gentle- rnaD1y~conduct' and hatid~ome p~iy, when the landlord, &pproachi~g, interrupted t1ie~ conversation, wftb'-. 'Goo& rn~rning, sir, 'pIIwell at A~n~ ftouse Miss Perey, M~A~ercy, M~de ' lie P ~A11 ~eli,~saidthe~coa~hman, impatiently. 'Jim, what more about ~this ~forei~n~ count'?" 'Oh! he~was a pretty gentleman,' cried initiehost, 'worth looking at.~-.~nohle-~.a'welI-filled' ~~rs~-ohfy he dr~.iik ~w~thing-'~-wonld~; yoti credit~ it ~sir~ 'my I'm i~i l~a~te,'ii~tei~rupted' hecoaohxnan, with ~neh I t V ti fi vehemen Finish. 'A fr 'Frie rnd when 'On t 'If M you can he honor 'For t his count 'Myd 'The1 rith the h rehend 4 ~ie count. 'So he ith the a~ e'8a14'j ie fbre1~r~ .llerton ith.' 'They Le landlor 'Aya; ee when 84 A DISAPPEARANCE. *e that the landlord at Vhere on earth did he Lend of Mr. Percy's P aske( id or foe! I want to know ~ Aller~on,' said Jim, yawni * Batty~won't dismount,' 8: go to the stable, Jim, an~. e love of goodness, let m~ !' said the coachman. ar fellow,'-began the land ostillion that took him, i~ orses'!' cried Jim, who noi~ at something important w~ is, said mine host; then r of one about to make r. Batty wi~l~ies-~.-~Y ~w, cried Mr. Batty, 'wha count?' why I put him up at the Q 'him and the young bride 'li ung bride ! exclaimedd the d. and a beauty too, if I c6uJ i~ fetched her.' 85 -' Jim, I ~ay, mine host. here he went, g. id the landlord, leave me to do know the ~nd of lord. a co~xiin' back began to coin- connected with dressing him' oration, "Bob,' you did.~ with een's Head at run'd away coachina; and ha' seen' her ti page: 86-87[View Page 86-87] 86 SISTJ~R AGN The co~chman's hoart- beat like a gi did he get her?' he inquired.. 'Just where th~ road. to Ryton-ine Avon House' 'Describe her!' 'Why, I wa~ 'half asleep, but I see'4 she'- went into- the %~ue i's -llead..--t~d-] riding habit, ~t~aW hat, and -blue veil.' 'Andy6tt-iet my horses statid, sir, wi a conAn'? ' shouted the Ian llor-d~ 'go, sir; I drove them up and dow ' Get on, you rascal! '-cried the coac became-of them 'fla~&br~a aft, pad,-and went out know,' replied Bio1~i.; -' Then- saddle me your very best ho - - A he~room v~nis1i~d. - - - -.' ])& come in, sir, till- he be ready,' ~ 'Th~thim1r you,' said Ntr. Batty, di 'Mazy! bring a glas~ of brandy,' ~ lord. - '1~ow, my dear air, here is some tai~y-~some visitor niniway~ with frern I am impenetrable seeresy, sir, and. niy xnilyiielsmeio ~sk -Mis~ Percy Madem~ise1Ie? Oh! these Fr~n~hwo never ~ui.:of theia!' - A~i4 mine host having- discovered all. ' My-ad~i is, ~ r rl's -'Where ~ts- that from 1~o run aw~ ~fter.' Mary it, and pa r~iounted Toby,' sai then called ~t~d how M fdlow of a I l~ud~ Mr.Ba * vant obtain upon, his in Percy. W He traced I * after Amer All his exe al light upo until he rec his expense A~v6n Eons I her dress as ~nd thin-a iiTht they were ri in my sleep;' Luxian, 'What -that's all I rse-quick as aid mine host. ~mouutiDg. aid the land- singular mys- Avon House. interest in-The ~afl safe, sir! inen~-you ar~ looked sure of i~-if-slk ohose A DL~APPEARANc~E. y-let her stayL-she isi~'t broughtt the brandy-Mr) I ed about till the horse a~ri ind galloped& oft cTheI I ci The landlord, looking ~ a council of the ~women, to adernoiselle had run- off {w: foreigner ; and the comment tty rode to Allerton, there 1 ed such a d~seription of ti no doubt of the young I ho her companion was, he e hem to Liverpool.--heard of ican vessels, but there the rtions failed to throw the sin ri the mystery. He had to~ eived a supply of money ftc ~; and with a ~ad~ heart I 87 worth lookiiag ~atty swallowed ved.~ He then ellow will kill fter him. He whom he rela- th a worthless s were long and he faithful ser- to pair, as left Ldy~b~ing Miss ~uid7noVdivirie. their -inqUiries scent was lest. ailest ad4itiozi.. )~wuhiis watch m home to ~ay e re~urne4 to page: 88-89[View Page 88-89] THE FLIGWr. OHArThR X. THE FLIGHT. - "At eve my lonelybreastr "Seeks Ia vain for perfect re8t, 11Langulsbes for true co~1teht." xaKJNaXE W~ u~ust now 'return to our heroine, ho passed a sleepless. night ~ morning at length came , four o'clock 'of~tu autumn morning. Mary's jewels aid her writ- ing~4esk, wWh the money she had in li r possession, w~z'e ~all the goods ~he was directed to, ke withy her, 'indeed ~ll that could be rernov~dwitho V fear of de- tecti9n. She, was 'dressed in her ridi g-habit; but to prevent recognition, her hat' with it8 plut~ie ~of feather~,s was replaced by a close bonnet nd thick blue veil. The day "had not dawned, but ther4 moonli~bt. ~Eary shed no tear, as ~he the ezeitement of preparation had bewik she felt t~othing but the strong beating wh~se pulsations threatened to choke '1 was a faint .ef't her room.; ered her, and of her heart, er, while her limbs could scarcely sustain her weight. The:articles were carried down stairs by MademQis lie, who had reluctantly consentedto 4dd the adve~i ure, and had promised to use all arguments to rec~n e her father to the step, and to induce him to visit li r in the con- vent, when the place of her flight shoul be known. Her father, however, was not to be' in do aware of Mademoiselle's assistance: the latter w s 'to find~ the letter for Mr. Percy, and to-tr~nsmit i to him un- opened. Ere he should receive it the f gitive would' be safe. A~ double purpose was to be served by allowing Miss Percy to suppose that her fathe should be made acquaintedd with her true situation ~; but Ma- demoiselle .'coolly' desti~oy~d her letter,' d left him in ignorance. 'Her 'forttrne of forty thous ud pounds,' being independent of Mr. Percy,-could b secured te 'thea church' without his consent. The window~ of the library reached, o the floor, and. opened' into a shrubbery; the faste ings of one of them were st~aithily withdrawn, and~ adre Car1~ stood before it disguised ~ a~ Italian% th a mous- tache and cloak. lie assisted the t~e l4ing girl from the window, andthey fled to a prfra e door, the bolt of which they undicL Mademois~l 'shut the window, but left it unfastene,~. The Jesuit had engaged~ a carriage ~t' he nearest post town; ~had stopped 'it at the jui~c ion of two 5* ,ii~ 89 page: 90-91[View Page 90-91] 90 ~IBTEB AGNES. roads, one:of which led to. the village of Ryton, the Qther to Avon ~House. But the hig hedge and a bend of the road- coruealed the dfr ction he took, ~lien he- 'desired the driver to: wait until a friend ~hould join 1dm from the -village. The man wa~ sleepy, and did not watch him; and w en he returnee with a lady, the light was not suffice t to reveal hei form. '1~Iow drive on; according to you your reward,' .said;the Italian, when t in the carriage. "A Gretna (3men job; it shan't me,' thought the man, as, grinDing, seat, while a golden guinea gleamed bef~re~ him.2 With a flourish and cra they Aarted forward at thel:iighest s fresh f*om' rest. With liffioulty Mary had gaine and, -the effort over; she sank back' tears. Her~ ideas were confused, sh why she'wept, althougir in.. reality B weep for.. Sh& had left the' 'home o: for ever, totf~lkw a phan1~om. But ti still a reality- to her,: arid -with 'its beckoned her for~ard~ - Padre Carlo spoke little; he k heart' too well to obtrude' eongylatio 'was now 'in his power. 'But the fe~ speed shall b ey were seate be spoiled fo e mounted hi in imagmatio ~k of the whip peed of horse I the ca~riage~ o~nd ~burst inti scarcely kn~ e had much t( her childhood e phantom' wa: airy finger i ~w thehumai 'His yWtiu words he dii TI{E FLI alT. 91 ~ utter were well fitted to pres~rve'the delusion. 'The Abbess longs for -your arrival; 'she beadyy loves you deeply,' he said softly,' taking her hand. 'The Virgin accepts our sacrifice; she will Wipe' away thos&na~ tural tears.' When the firat~-emotion had smbsided, he led her into conversation upon the early history of the Church, and related som~e new anecdotes of primitive recluses, garnished with extasies and revelations and angelic' appearances. There was little danger 'of pursuit, seeing that Mir. Percy 'was from home; but.. they took' the precaution of nQt ordering a fre8h car- riage at the inn where they stopped ~to breakfast. After discharging their bill there, they walked' to another, carrying with them the few articles they h~d brought away as best they could.. ~Uhey 'were quickly on the road again, and at ' last reached the railway- station, and took places for Liverpool. Having ar~ rived at the terminus, Padre Carlo mad special -'in- quiries after American vessels, and obtained the 'address of the agents, after having obtr 4ed 'himself upon the notice of the officials, to mislead ny qne wh& might trace them thus far. "This dane, he slipped off his moustac e; his corn- p*tnion exchanged her blue 'veil for one of black'; they proceeded to the quay, and er~ibarked in a steamer just about to sail for Cork. ~6 separate berths were to be had. The crowded, lill page: 92-93[View Page 92-93] 9~2 sisT~ AGN~. lp4j~s' cabin was ,the~ only. retreat for ne, who would fain~ ha~:hid her'~face to :weep. But s e was obliged to; a~41ir~' o~oious. kindi~ess and rud faniiliarity; 'at~l.~e~igth, wearied and ~ad and oo~fused, sh~ felt a~s1eep. She slept long,' but awoke with a start.' A feeling of wonder at her 4tuatirni ~ucce~ded, and'theu a ~ens~ of miseryahnost of despair, r shed over her.. She hastened upon deck; the t, dawning, ai4 the land lay like ~a~cloud upon the horizon. Beyond that clo~id nestled the pe ceful home to which he~ hope& turned: a few hours ould take her to. it. ~44l was ~till save~ the he~.vy p urging of tii~ engine, the z~usE of the v~essei th~oiigh the .wa.ter, and the movements of the helmsman9 O3~ouehiug in the fore pa4 of tEe ship, a few wretched Irish lay asleep, tbe vi'ctime, as they believed themsel es, and as she ha4 been taught to believe them,, o english h mis- govern~nent; but, in reality, the viot me of a false religion and tyrannical priesthood.,. Ho~ different~ froi~t these~ grovelling beings,' she s id to herself~ 'tlw. gentle, bright-eyed~ sisters of th cowvent, pol~ jahed andsintellectnal, yet' siniple i~nd neophisticated, with the warmth of the Irish heart,, but chastened a~4. subdued by Balutary dis~ipllne;! AhI this poox heart~of mine ~~need~ discipline. II w has it beex~ wrung by the . etancaQf' its earthly ties! how fai is it from the spiiituality4biltk whoj roinids ~aintl~ cell in the desert, mocked the solia. tions of 'ever 4 ~E FLIGHT. a dying 4ster ~for an interview~! Well1 the time may' co~ne, w1~en such sublimity shall ke mine. Nuns and ange~ ~ have no special loves; their affectionss embrace i~like all the world; therefore they have no sorrows~no cords to cut' Yet wit~ ~. pang she re~- membored her father's ~ords~ 'Nuns have no.fathei's.' 'No~' she 'replied, with .a strong effort, 'No; there~ fore they have no grief, therefore they &re like angels.' roor girl! God could have created thee an angel, if that ha4 keen wisest ~znd best.fox~ thee. He made thee a, w4man, a daughter; thou impeachest Hi~ wisdom, H~s benevolence: the impeachment shall not go unpunished. 'Kneeling behind the companion, Mary repeated her morni~ig prayei4s; then folding her cloak close about her, she chose a sheltered seat, opened the 'Garden of~ the Soul,' read listlessly, and finally fell asleep aga n.' She was awakened by the noi~eof passengers~ and seamen~ upon deck, and found, heatedd beside her; a mild-looking ~Quake~ess, holding in. her hand the bc~ok which had dropped fron~ her~own. a 'What is this, friend?' the Qu~keres~inqiiired in soft voice, turning upon Miss Pi~rcy her large, loving, blue eyes; 'What is this that thou hast beside thee, even in thy 'sleep P 'My. boc~k of devotions,' replied Mary .blushi~g. Wou1d'~t thou not 'like a surer guide?' asked the page: 94-95[View Page 94-95] 94' SISTER AGI~ES. Quakeress, so gent1~y that the implied censure 'coul set~rcely offend. 'I consider r it perfectly sure,' replied Mary. '~Tf God should hand thee, one from heaven, woul not that be safer?' pursued the young w~man. 'M'ary was silent;' and the 'Friend' proceeded: C Guide kath 'been seut' to thee from heaven, a Guide, a' Comforter, a Companion. Be not offended; I s~aw thee sorrowful, and my heart yearned over thee. woull give thee cons6lation.' She took the ,passive hand that rested near her own, and gazed so earnestly, so lovingly, upon the sad 5untent~'nce, thi~.t the desolate heart was touched, and tears rushed forth irresistibly. 'Wilt' thQu take this from me ~?' she 'pleaded, putting upon her knee a very small' Bible. 'Wilt thou take it and read it? It tells thee ~f a, Man of Sorrows, who knoweth how to' comfort the afflicted." At this moment Padre Carlo st6od beside them. Mary started; he was unwelcome, for the soft voice atix1'~ffeotionate maimer of the pure simple creature beside" iier; had.' won herpliable heart, and 'she had nea'iiy promised to read the gift, which had also awak- ened a,' recollection' of childhood. That' recollection hadi'stiz'red'~ c}a~rd,~tich as is touched: in the exile's bosom~by the music of his f~th~rland, 'Wha.t is 'This elegant llt~le tome 'V inquired tihe V I k THE ~FLIGflT. ' padre, a1s' ~he held out~ his hand for the book which Mary h~d taken.' 'A very kind gift from a very 'kind stranger,' said she, blushing scarlet as she 'handed it to him. He bowed haughtily to the Quakeress, as he said -~-' The donor is kind indeed to a perfect stranger.' Then offering his arm to Mary, he led~ her away to walk on the deck. The young woniaii gazed Wist- fuUy after them; she saw that 'her 'effort was neu- tralized. As they promenaded, Mary ventured to observe- "She is very pretty and very sympathizing';' but without blaring to allude to the book, which Padre Carlo ha~ pit in his pocket. 'With consummate art he replie~l- 'She owes much of h~r attractiveness to her almost niln'like habit and manner. Her sect is more' free ,than manythers from the vices and yanities of the world. In the midst of~heir errors they have preserved some good ideas fr~in the primitive times.' 'II lon to be among the gentle ~sisters,' said Mary, 'I shall fi d consolation in their love. 'You need consolation, my child,? returned t1i~e padre, 'af er the noble sacrifice you have made. Y~u will find uch among the sister, but more in tl~e' ~heart of t e "Mother ~of God." Look on this counte.. nance; I sometimes think it instinct with life.' He dr w from his breast an exquisite miniature of page: 96-97[View Page 96-97] 96 sIy~,4G~3~S. aMa4onna, hahited ~almost as a nun. Mary ga~ upon it. Her natural enthusiasm w~s kindled 'F~the~,'~she Baid, 'she smiles! I saw her lips move Lovely countenance.' 'Keep it, my ohild: keeP it instead of that heretic book. A living heart is better than dead writing, said the deceiver. And the girl wa~ deceived. She accepted th~ ideal picture; the embodiment 0 a fancy, instead ot words which are 'Spirit and hf '-which reveal th~ vety h~art.of God.. I~i 4 MIn~oN. Bv~ozr. h' was di~ring a glorious sunset that the traveller arrived in ~the harbour of. Cork. The rocky promoii. stories, whi9h guard its entrance b3~ their forti~lc~tion~, had their ~unimits and prQjeotiI~g crags bathed ii~ sunlight, 1i~hile their ~seaward. fa~es were dark .an4 threatening. The strait between was of a blneish silvery t~nt~ and the wide ~xp~nse of water into which it openedlay sleeping, likea lake ofp~r44isein the reflected refulgence of the crimson udgolden clouds; the sails of the nearer vessels on 't~ b6soni fluttered in the light breeze, white as sno4; and those more distant wer& tinged with the hues ~f the heavens. As. Mai~'y looked out upon. the noble scene, her, Bpirit8 grew lighter, and she gave ~ierself ~P to i~h~ impre~siozi ~f its beauty. "These are thy glorlons works, parent of good, "Almighty; thine this unlver~aIfrsm~ "Thus wondrous fair." "AII save the spirit of man Is divine." CHAPTER XL IRELAND. page: 98-99[View Page 98-99] 98 SISTER AGPES. IRELAND. 99 'Ali!' she said," as we approach the lands of ti true faith, the very aspect of nature becomes mo lovely. Ireland, Italy, Spain, all se~m designed f~ paradise.' The padre smiled inwardly; he knew somethix of at least the moral and mental state of those par dises, hut he answered, 'It is true; and when En lish misgovernment ai~d bigotry shall cease, Irela~ will be the glory of all lands.' 'How, exquisite 'is the contrast,' ~continued Ma 'between these ro~1~y: islands, with *their wild4ooki towers,, and those tWa hills with their autumn 'folia What lovely cottages and villas are nestling amo the trees I Ah I there is. a ruin-a monastery sur -a, charming retreat indeed !' '~Y~es, once,' said the padre~: 'still charming, uot' quite a~' retreat now.' ~41io;' replied Mary, 'too ~iany people 'live e6vei~d its charms, it w6uld' not be 8 secbisicn no therefore I sttppose it is deserted. Is the con~en .-~in a 5it1i~tiQii ~f~ecj~ial' beauty 'P '~t qIiite,~ replied~ the padi~'e. 'Your object a time is concealment, you know. It' was necess to8deet one on' this ground rather tkan a tha naturfl~i 'be~u1~y~ flight1' replied Mary, 'quite right;; uly I 'When the mind is absorbed in dev~tio ,' said e Li- d padre, 'it little needs external delights. Tell me, did nature ever .sati.s~f~, your heart ~' "f 'I think r~ot-never 8atisJieq~-but often delight-' ed,' said Mary. 'The delight.was imperfecif it did not'8at~fy,' observed, the priest.' 'As a immortal being you * could not ie content with it. Y9u are in quesi now of satisfaction, and for this y ii are delight.' giving up some You are paradoxical, fath r,' said Mary. 'It is a paradox which you can well understand,' the padre pursued; 'but in fact you are going to~ new and higher style of beauty-the quiet wall~, amid graceful columns; the lofty, fretted roef'; 'the dirn,;r'eligious light, 'stealing throi~gh the many tint'e~I windows; the-long 'procession,' ~he' swelling ~ the 'still small voic'e of prayer, the atmosphere of holiness, of serenity, 'of' piirity-is~ this Zenough?~ 'Enough;' replied the voluntary prisoner for iife~ ]3ut still she gazed aroutid her with de1ighl~. 'We seem 'laiidlocked,' she sai~l; ' Where 'is tE~ outletof this lake?' ' 'Near that line of silver,' wa~ 'the reply. "So that is the famous Covet!' said' Mary. 'I do not wander that invalids frequent 'it. Iiidepend~. eritly, of the air, its very aspect is en9u~gh to' send the blood healthfully through the' heartt~' ' ' Y. 'e. 1y~ 'it L5~ V. of :or ry of Liii ~he page: 100-101[View Page 100-101] IRELAND~. 10 100 SISTER A~4~{ES. At that moment some one approaching' ti si~stic girl, repeated those' lines &f Beattie- "Oh! how can~st thou renounce the boundless stol "Of charms which natwre'to her votary~ yields; ~The wi~rblin'gw9odlafld~'tl~ resoiiuding shore, "Tha pomp o~' groves, the garniture of fields~ "Altth~t the gexii~i i~ay of morning gild; '''"And~Jl t1i~t eclnes to the '~on~ of ev'eu; ~tha~t'tl~ moun1~iu's ~he1tering bosom shields "And' all ~he dread miignificence of heaven; "Oh! how can't thou renounce, and hope to be f Ma.~'yk listened with a. sad smile, turnix p$est~ she said, in a low voice~--' I reuounc ha' f~giv~?' 'The sacrifice is a noble one,' replied i 4ra.wing her a.way. 'It will ~not only be hat~ ~ewarde~d by such an increase of holy a.n4 ~f .hea~v~4y. bliss hereafter, as ~shall s' all thougj~t~of this low earth. Uem~mbe~ quisite ~rea~tion must '~be burned up, ~,nd thi arisb~g fro& the sight ~f it is but physical ~f~er 'allt~4h~ 'love Qf i~nre- is ~ut ~n ~ea some' '~f the exiles of 'the Lybian desert 'heroism you delight to hear,' had doubde~i rMion of~nature as keen as yours; and ~ 'goo4~ &f their souTh, they dwelt a.~nong b~ ~d':lrnrni~g san~. '~You seek the mprt the flesh in:all'i~s ~s,'. Th~lus~Of the' of them.' ~e enthi 8 rgi'ven ~ gtot ~, shall he pad forgiv joy he y'allow ',' this_ ~ please ~njoym 'thly k of wh et,. for ~ren ro Lfic&tioi eye is Mary was too little acquainted l with the ~Tew Tes-. tament to reriiember' how deeply the blessed Savioi~r loved those beauties, of 'flower a41 field,. bfxnountaiii ~nd valley, whieli he had created: 'how he drew his choicest illustrations of j spiritual truth frorn nae~irtii loveliness; but something~ witl~in her' whispered, 'Why did God make the world s~ beautiful?'. Yet the whisper was silenced; 'she did ,n9t attempt io answer it herself, and she did neSt venture to put it to the priest. 'So* skilfully had he iiite~woven trut~i with faThehood, that she could n&t i~nravel the so~hi~- t~ry. On they went, until a qukt or~ms'oiv iilone dee* rated the west; the tni4 and ~'e~ tern' h~aven~ Wer~3 of a delicate 'blue, 'and the moonbe~ms becamee cleared' as the sunl~ighv faded, 'The river' Lee wa~ now silver; the objects on the banks became more more shadowy, and 'in soxnethin* 'betweexr t'wiiigl4' and znoonlight they reached( the qna& ~&f Cork, *h~ bustle Qf whkh "pre8ented a'~trdng r~trast to 'th~ quiet of the river. Pointers, coachmen; ~nd~' a~l t1I~ eteeteras of a. landing~place ero~w~Ied around 'them; and although the beggars were ziot so 1iumeroI~s, o~ rather innumerable, as in daylight , stjll a: troop as~ sailed them. From the n~id~t of a clatter 'of Jris~ tongues, suohi sei~te~ces~were distingui~ia.ble'~e th~ following, 'For~ the 'luV of the Yargin, a iIanny~t~, & poor cripple, 'that has tasted nothing this blessed~ 'I I ~Lp ~nt ~e. )se 111- he ~ks "of ~ne Ii -101 00 page: 102-103[View Page 102-103] ~102 SISTER A~NES. *day tt~nA it's night~ th~t's~ coming ~idout ~a pillo~ 'put1ii~ o~iki head gpon' 'Lave a peMy fo &w~di we~an, ~wid. sis~ starv~1ii collider.' 'Oh.! hansol x~g~ leddy, for the my ov all th&sain s, lave jennyfo~r an ould wiildy, a~4 the boyth t w~s t light 4 her eye' a~d the bre~d' ov her mou li is ly in the ~a~lt~y.' ~i*iave ~iiQ. c~pp~rL said Mary, 's~rrowf 1y. 'Then~it's silver you're goin' to give e, axid aweet yeiing ~ha~id~ome 'faice will never ow hi wid ~~int,? ~he replied. 'You cannot see the young lady's' fa1ce,' sai fellowpassenger, laughing. 'I bear her swate v~ic~,' was the res on~e,' voi~ of theliansonie leddy I saw in my rame, p~lied~out ~the silver Bixpence for the ble sin~ of ould widdy.~ ' Iary&couid not but, laugh, and she t q1~ out purae~ ~heu ti young man ier~upt~ her ~kingjthe beggar' if ~he reafly had the impud t%) task si~per~ee2" I And~it"s yerih9nour'~ nobility that ill giv one yer8elf!" replied the old woman. ~' Uere'~ & ~hiilinkg then, ~iind, you we me pence, sai4 the y~ung ~nan. * '. 'Long 'life to xyer honor !. may yer h nor Ii Lpay ye,~ crl0d tlie~wom~n; 'biessing~ n yer IRE LAND. Jo Ly~ a n he ck 108' face. Your leddyship 'ill surely do the same,' she added, turning to Miss Percy. 'No;'~said' Mary, "returning her' purse 'to, 1i~r' pocket. 'One shilling is enough at a time.' 'May the faver and 'the small-pox jblacken ye~t' a; cried the woina~n, suddenly clanging. into -.& yirag~ 'May the~ bla~k-~ But here Padre CarlQ'tur~ed t~ hand subject o~ the maledintion into a the ' whither the shrill tone of the woman followed her. ' 'What a strange, clever race !' said Mary, stiii laughing. 'That woman is a perfect actress.' 5 for English uWikgovernment, the fiue~t~p~a~- antry in the world ' said the padre, ecliQing the a0~ oustomed cant' 'But England ha~ degraded Ire'l~d into a nation of beggars.' Softly, good father, what has degraded the ~ea .. antry of Spain,, Naples, Austria ~ ~The ohara~ters 9f all are much alike. 1' They drove to an hotel, and next morning J~&~ Bouquet took leave of his victim, delivering her ov~r to. the care of two priests, who-met, them, in order to conduct Miss Percy to the convent. She parted with her tutor with regret, &nd'~ob~ tamed 'a promise that, he would visit her, and hrh~g intelligence of her father. Sh~ felt very 'desoJ7a~e after the departure of the last 'being she 'kuew~ esteemect Henceforth she was t~ be among" str~- ~he the~ her dth ~nce me s~1xa. till 9111e page: 104-105[View Page 104-105] 104 SIST)iIR AGNES. gets; she ~s entering~ upon a new e~dste tried, unknown condition. ~8oInewhatsimila~r is the feeling of a y when she leaves th~ happy home of 'i4r and ~a11 its familiori'aces: for a foreign 14n h~3soheby her side whose love will mak~ all, whose companionship she deems wi4 her than that of father and mother and ~ sister; 'and eafly friends; the po6r'.reclus in s~ii'it, ~he had parted with all she lovc heart'sank within her. ~he tW~ priests were very different in ~ * abd seemingly also in character. One wa * dark and reserved, with a thoughtful air, that made her shrink. "The other was 'sh full of broad Irish hum~1fr, which, in s sadness, provoked a frequent laugh. Th~ drive was longer than she had for ~a time it was through a rich and lov~ studded with villas, churches and haink tli~y p~ceeded the ~scenery became kss" and' she gi'ew Weary and sad; ~eVen the s~ mei~'y priest fail~4 to arouse her, Tb & vi~J1age, where a ~few good houses ~st outskirts; bat within the squalor' and truly Irish. Children nearly naked i~o1 gr&iuid; heaps of refus~ almos&hjd the ~ 1~* hovels, at which ragged and dirty w an ung bi childh but amend~ be mor brother was a d, and appear ~s tall, I and an )rt and pits of ~n~icipa ~Iy coin ts; 'bii nteres~ flies 01 ey ent od on 111th ted c~r~of ~iTi~ti ~ un- 4e f4or to ~nd one her ice, eye fat, her ed; try, as the ~red the iere iAie the ~ood 104 6 ~g~ssi~ii~g with arms ~hnb~ or k~tding ~ta1~ire& huuiai~ v~e~t&hedness'~which she had ev&b~h~eld~ At length they ~ari4ve4 at Th~ ~te~nt. M~#~'s heart~ beat~ high *h~n its ~assi#e~ Th~i appeareii; but .~ii' re~ehirig it~afe~ling of 6v@' ~:her heart, ' She $d pictured .a ~othie pi~ gi~a~d an& ibiposhg, enibowered among trees~, aAd she beheld ~ large4 glo~ixiy ~diflce, with great '4 studded door, small grated~-wind~w&; bolted, barre~1, and~ seei~iingly formed i~I "exchide the very light ~f heaven. It stdod on.' ~ bai~e spot, at a little distance li~om the village; a:nd formed a. strange contrast ~o the halls of England t&which' she' had been accu~ tomed. Th~t she" had renounced the ponips of the world. .They stopped at tlie gate, and the bell w~s rung:' its deep, hollow~ tones startled her, for sl~e was excited4 The ~summoris was' answered 'by a po~ teress, dressed 'in tli&'habit of ~the 'order; her salloW, cadaverous oeuntenan~e~ was surrounded b~y the4hh~k folds of her white 'linen hood; her person was velopedin.a coarse serge gown, with 'a hempeii girdi, from which hung a rosary; and' iii her' hand sl~e carried a large 'key She silently opened the'gat~, and when the' carriage had; passed into the ~ou4 . ''- closed it again The 'court was a gloomy square, surrounded 'by dark~ *tiil0; black' doors md grated windows. The page: 106-107[View Page 106-107] centre door, opposite the gate, opened, and the La Superior stepped out. She was tall and sallow, w white -hood, serge gown, rosary 'and crucifix ; features were fine, but stern and melancholy. Sta ing erect, she stretched out both hands to Miss Per then kissed her forehead, and pronounced a bene4 tion. She led her into a small room where a fru repast 'was spread, and bade her be seated. hushed solemnity of all around, awed and plea her, although the place was plain even to meanne and she felt a little disappointed by the want of h fretted'roofs and stained windows, which, someho other she had pictured even in the domicile of a 1 Abbess. She ate but little, and was shown to own: apartment, which she found small and dim, tolerably comfortable;' and she gladly threw her hausted frame upon the little cottage-bed w occupied one corner, for sofa or easy chair there ~ none. Two cane-bottomed chairs, a small rot table, with a crucifix upon it, and her bed, were chief furniture of the room; and a transient de sion stole over her as she contrasted it with her elegant chamber in her father's house. Shex her eyes, however, upon the crucifix, and strove meditate ; but her thoughts flitted to and fro in fusion, until they were dissipated by the ringin the convent-bell, when a sister entered 'to inqui' e s he was sufficiently refreshed to attend vespers. 1y th ~er ~al he ed ghi or dy ter ~ut .ch ras nd he es- wn :ed to of if She accompanied her through the narrow corridor, to the door which opened into' the cloisters, where they joined the procession of the nuns moving slowly along the aisles in their dark robes. The architec- ture was not remarkably striking, hut the solemn gloom pleased her ; it accorded with her ideas of religion, which was truly a religion of the senses. The chapel was small, but fine ; the tapers on the altar, the officiating priest,' the dark kneeling figures of the sisters, the high vaulted roof; filled with the swell of music, wrought up her mind to a high pitch of what she considered devotion. She was overcome and wept. The service over, the Mother Superior offered her her arm, and conducted her to her own private room, where they had tea alone. She spoke soothingly to her victim; assured her of the deep interest sihe took in her; promised her peace and holiness beyond her most sanguine expectations, and crossing her hands on her breast and looking upwards, exclaimed, ' Oh ! the life of a nun is indeed a holy, happy life.' Miss Percy looked upon her with reverence and something like affection. 'Reverend Mother,' she .said, 'it cost me a pang to leave those I loved ; to leave them so desolate; but the vanities of the world were hateful to me ; I sighed, for purity and spiritu- ality. I will pray for the consolation of my father, U EL V 106 SSTER 4NES.IR12LAND. 107 106 page: 108-109[View Page 108-109] 108 8IST1~U A~NES. 109 f&hoo~wetsion to the"fru~ fhith~' iThr .lip quiver~ and~het voi~e~faikd. * 'My eh~1d~add~d the Superioir, 'wo wil~1 j~oin ~o yers to touts, and ere long a novena Bhall be a pointed for thi~purpo~e.' 'Alit mother, that is indeed too ~good' ~xolaim thepoor enth~isiast; ~' I. am ~m~t~unworth~ daught of the church, and ~fteu. wonder that the, Vir~ should have. deigi~e4t& choos~ me. and bring me ix it~ pale. The 8teps 4 iziy oon'version, avid of ~ coR4ng hither, haveindee4:h~en Mngular.' 'Doubt not, my child,' th~ mother rejoix~ed; ' from your very birili the Virgin has bad her ~ upon you. I am sure she loved ~you. in y4r cradl aud wheu your heart~was d~sola±ed by youi~' mothe: l~5,8hpWiOa you, and resolved, to supply1 that Ic by her own niaternal heart. M~ry wept. ~' And yet it was bitter,' sh said,' leave her fat1ier~' 'NThrk,' observed the Superior; thea dr.ranta whieli arises from early divesting:the heart teartb a~tachments. We un~st 0ooner or la~ez~ with .1 th~ objects ~of our regard: when we do it v luntari we acquire ixierit; and~ then ~we reap adv ntage geltiztg the struggle o ~rer while strength r mains the~enc&iiiter;. we ~neet the foe. fti~e to fa e, inat~ ofb&struck44w~with o& back tamed. ll~v~ d 3- 11 ~It '5 fought and :conquered, 'tbe~ rest~of &ur life is' trai~quil, without need to fear coming evil.' The deceiver knew that the boasted tranquilli1~y was that of a starving' man, #ho is aware ha ~an'g~t no food. 'But 'you rnu~t go to rest,'she proceeded, 'for you are weary and sad. Will you rise to our early devo- tions, or do you require & longer sleep after your fa- tigues ? '~ - 'My best rest Will be found in devotion, niothei~.' 'Then c~me, I will take yow to your room. morrow we shall talk of the future. You shall finid all that you require prepared for you. May the saints watch over you, "Benedicite I "' She, was wearied, s6lemnized, tran~uillized; and after performing h~r devotions, gladly threw her~lf upon her bed7 and, notwithstanding its Jaardness, slept. The convent w~s~iie of the "olausura "-atriotly secluded. Those of this class 'are usually- occupied by young women if ~fortune; they are t1i~ i~ore' wealthy. convents, whose~ inmates do n to support them by educating '~the. yo~ig;an&th' ereit is politic to place those' who are in danger ofe~a~gin~ their resolutionto take the veil, for the have i~ot that coxnmunic&tion with the outer ~world which' is affo~4 to nns who '~eoeive pupils. On~a within the ~ of st~cl~i ~ content, 'a~:girl ii cut ~ff fr~maU~h~p~of esoape-.--unless indeed, as in the case of Miss Talbot, Ly LU Ld Lg IU$LAND. 108 page: 110-111[View Page 110-111] t1i LJ-~J the power 'of 'a Lor4~ Chancellor of 'Bngla~d can brought to bear upon it. ~. ]~ut if a young woman confined thete wiUiout the knowledge of h~rfrien she is consigned 4for ever~ ~to de~p~ir; t~ie glool ~erets of her prison can never transpire until I '4~of judgment." And Miss'T~.lbot's is a~ rare ei of escape~, for in ninety-nine cases out of a hundr means 'will be ~found~to baffle the strictest inquiry of friends and relatives, and even of g~vernm itself; so long ~s rig'ht'of search is denied. K * ~At .fhre in the morning the convent~ell rai * th~ -sisters arose, ai~dfat six, ~as on~the~ previous e xiiug,~ one of them wentij to &ttend Miss "P~rcy to chapel. A' dim~'light streamed in through tl~e pai windows, which ~warmed 'the cold grey wit old same ~oolo~ir; w.hi~e the statues and pictures, and flue orebitecture of the ~ohapeL ~re~Ai~1os&d' dzt~tly'j~it ~ith a hazy epi~hdor. iMfatius bea~tifufly"chanted; au4 'but that recent ~orrew~ depres~d4 hex4, (~ar~ had 'always a 'but,) she w have been in ~anrezt~.sy1of' '&eVotion.' A~4ii was, ~ ~softened' .nd' el§e~vated" by something which mi~tQok for piety9 " ' M~4 b kfasted' aloxie, t~ give h~r time, .ni~ier '~aidt6reoruit frorn"~h~r fa~tigne~. ' 'At~ pest seven. tbe~ ~as uka~ in' the choir, aftei~ w [5, Lie se es nt Ire.. ~he bed ciot e~'e ~ad uld ~ie ~Ee a~lf- i~Cll IRELAND. 111 she was summoned to meet'the Lady Superior in her own room. She was received with much 'apparent interest and affection, was questioned as to 'her' reception of the Catholic faith, and' her desire to embrace a conventual life. 'I fear,' said the mother, 'that you may not have weighed sufficiently the important step you wish to take, and I would have you wait a. little before cOrn.. menacing the noviciate, eve,~ at the risk if your ~fr their's discovering yourret reat, and forcing you from it. If spared ~ixntil you are of age, you would in tha case be free to act for yourself.' 'What I ~Iread above all things, I~everend Mother; replied Mary, 'is to be forced back into the world, after having effected my escape-aft~r having[endifr ed the painiof separation from my father. In' fa~t after my clandestine flight, I should be , a~haiied Lt appear again in society, even though myfath~r~ wer reconciled to me.' 'You desire the mortification of the'flesli~sai&th 4, ~ mother,' 'I am not sure that in the world ~'oii ni~h n~t attain this object more surely than in our peaceful walls; amidst the scorti that fal'ls"updn one who ~m' braces the Oa'tholk~ faith; the frowns of' friends; th temptations with which society is filled; tbe cox~tini~w 'struggle in fact, which you w6tild hai~e ii~ niaititW ~.gainst the world, the flash, and thedevil, y6u xii~Ii page: 112-113[View Page 112-113] il.2' SISTbR AQ~TE8. win a~ hi~1i~r grown of saintehip, than in the' pur calm, lovin~ seclusion of a conventwhere tern~tation ?~ut~~2t~ a~d them1nd~ so~rs unopposed to the su lin~e hei~l~ts of heavenly contemplation.' '~Eother,1 said N~ary, 'your arguments have ~ 'effect upor~ my mind the very reverse of that whi yowinteud'; they incline ~ne mote and more to be nun., lam a poor tweak girl.; what 'if a~nidst ti te~ptatio1# to ~which~ you refer? I should be, ii streug~heued, but ~verc9n~e? ~ou teIl~ me 'of pla9e of safety,'~nd yet coiwse1 me to choose Xdange: 'It couri~el you to ~hoose danger only for the gloi of surmounting it,' replied the mother. "For myse~ you see 'I prefer the~ calm, the repose within, to ti heroism of' encountering tiLe st&rni without.. But you ~e~l1y 'will it so, my child, it may be tha~t a retb~ r~Jigious. life is .your voeotio~i.' Here your vows w~ be ea~ily;.keptL' . ' ' 'I have been ~ceustQmed, r~verepd mother, to' co si&ex ~ life of celibacy and mortification, 'of hig1~ me4~'th~ one ~f worWly~ enjoyment.' '$uily, my child, you. have thought coi'rectly. would ~ot dis~uad~e you from ~ life of celibacy a~ ~or~o~ion,'bi~t that may be maintained outside t! walls 'of.a convent.'' ''Amid.~t th~ taunts and solieitatioxis of~hends, a~ th~ fa~cin~tione of pleasum ~-~oh! mo~~he~', what V conflict! How. sure I shou~ild be to fall? No; gi 1~ n e ~t. a y r I- I UURELAND. 1i4 tue the peacef~il cloister; the sae seclusion.~ Mothe~,, I entreat you, urge me no more. 'I wiWnot, xny child. I yield; I am at length convinced that the holy estate is your vooption. Tk~e bishop will, I have no doubt, be satisfied as to the pro~ pretty of permitting you immediately to commence your noviciate; even without cQntin1~ing long as a postulirnt; after that yo~x may write to your faVher. For a few days you had' better. live as a boarder here, and not join the sisters in their regular duties go to the chapel to the services,. w~dk in the Qloisterse~.. amine the paintings and statues, a~id read what you please in' the' library.' The library contained nothing butlegends of saints and similar popish productions6 6* 'I I' page: 114-115[View Page 114-115] 4 CHADTEI~ XII. DESAI1~. ~o~nt the world a a~ranger~fl~r t1~y, sake.' he prt~a ~o~iud1s de~p~st; Otline znost curet "'Moziget alifoes, tbat~ friend .hoiild be tke1rorot~" 2~~o G ntSemee~ of Verona. Mit. ar~4 .Mrs. Courtenay, alarmed by the inquiry after Miss Percy, proceeded to Avon House, wh they were so overwhelmed by improbable c~njectu tEat they could scarcely fona any of their 9wn. the earnest solicitation~ of MademoIselle, Mrs. C. mained with her, while Mr. C; informed 'the rural lice of 'the circumstagces~ and rode over to the vill~ and the ~post.town, whither the co~ichmau b~4 g befbie him. Here he learned What that faitWW vant had done, a~id having full confldencE~ in him,' turned with the intelligence. To the servants,~ h ever~ he. only mentioned that Miss Percy had b hear&of;/ and he hoped soon to hove full intelligex Ite then wrote to Mr. Percy, requesting his immedi I ne er- 1W- ~en ~,e. ~'te DESPAIR. ii'~ return, as something' unpleasant had~ occurred 'in household; and nest morning sent to the' proviu~i 1 puper an advertisexn~nt wbich he hoped' might elici~ some information. 'I cannot at' all comprehend this count with hi~ moustache,' sai& Mrs. Courtenay. 'Mi~ Percy i~ the very last girl of nay acqnaintance whom I ~w9ul~i 'have 'suspected of a clandestine marriage, dwhez~ she could have seen such '& person' is & iiiystery. think the count'8 lady cannot be she, I fear she ha~ 'been robbed and murdered.". 'I~o,' said Mr.' Ocairtenay, 'iti~ evident she the house intentionally, taking her jeWels. with 1~. But had4t' not 'been for~ the count, I ~heuId have;s~ pected a nunnery. She was. all bi1t~a p~tpist, and he~ fortuiie~ would be a famous. prize. .1 tim not ~p~it~ sure about'Mademoisellei at least she ought zi4* t~ have ttiught her all those popish' songs and ehaii4, and allowed 'the drawing-room table to be filled ~wi4i sueh papistical trash'.' 'Oh.! love,' replied Mrs. C.,~' y~nr thi~ik of 'nothing now but popery and nunneries.' ~' 'Popery is at present the ~greatfhe &f families~ ~nd of the country,' said ~Mr~ 0. ' ' 'Miss Percy loves nature too much .to shut her~e~f up in ~'a nunnery,'~observed 'Mrs. C.. ~" Of tb:e tw~ suppooitwns, to 'run away with ~om~~ronia~ntie' ~o1~ eigner is" the more probable.-hut~4 don't kno* wh~t to think.' page: 116-117[View Page 116-117] SISTZI~ M~N~8. 'iknow that whatever 'has become of her, her £ their's heart will, be l~rQken,' said, Mr. C. .~ Of cruelty I ~should' nave have suspected Miss Perci V3ut you remember I told you of that s~Vrange sce~ when I dined at Avon blouse; 'depend upon it, pope i~ ~.t the bottom of ~all this in one way or other? 'On. receipt of his friend's ~etter,. Mr. rerey imm diately set off~for. Avon House, supposing 'some m con4uet among the domestics, inten4ing however halt at Oakhani on his iway~ according to 'Mr. ()ourl nay's request, for explanation~. 'The -shi Chrori~eie, sir, to-day's paper,' ci~ied a boy% as~ I stopped a few moment on the borders of hi~ o~ cQw~ty. To. beguile ui~pleasant thoughts Mr. Per purchased one, b~u~t it was not' long before his 'e; lighted on , the foll~wing-"' Advertisement"~-~" L4 l~er jiozue, n~ear Ryton, ea~ly'7oxi the morni g of ~V 24th, ~ young, lady, aged eighteen, 'tall and thin, wi 4ark ~hair and large~ dark eyes; she is supposed have been drest in 'a riding habit, straw~bonnet, a: blue veil, and to have been. aceompaniedby a foreign in a moustache and blz~e~cloak?' The paper. dropped. fr~zri his hand. The deser tion fearfully agreed with that of his daughter ; a y~t~ ..* ~wa0 i4~ssible ~ his ,own irn~dest, retire dntif~alioving child, inyhom ids very ~xst0nc~ v~ boi~nd i*p, whose ~xi&tence seerne4 bound u~, iw hi -A for~eigne~, w~t~ a a~he b-no ~clv pem DE$P.4rn 1.I~ visited at Avon Hous except' old Qount Potow~l4, who had a little shrill-vo*ed wife ;-no ~ the think was impossible~~&yet it h~auntedi'him ;-~ soinethin unpleasant" had occurred.. How slowly they travefle to-day! ~What could be the reason .of their lack f speed. T His watch too was going slow. He had a almost irresistible desire to leave the carriage, ~n t~ run, bound over~ the roads Rea2om kept'him upo hi~ seat, but ~it was difllcuft'to feet, while sitting tlier, that he was getting on at all,~-4hathe could not ha~ got on fasteron, his own feet.' Excited and' feverish ,. he at length arrived at ()akham, where he:was ceived with such a 'tender air of commiseration as prepared him to hear the worst. Tie 'did hear it; with' what feelings our r~adets m&y imagine. Morti~ fiction, anger, grief, despair succeeded each other. Though late, he insisted~ i~pon' proceeding t~ Av House, whither Mr. and Mrs. Oourtenay accompanied 'He spent half the night in examining the so + vants, but without eliciting the. smallest' light. t He been in the habit of coining once a ~we~k read French and German with Miss told that about the time of 'Mr. Percy's leaving hQhii~ he had gone to the continent.foz' a few~weekL ''had he been at home,?. said ~Mademoiue1l~, page: 118-119[View Page 118-119] 118 sts J~E~ '~A~NES. 'we should have had another able assistant in 0 search1' 'Alas!'-said,"Mr~ Percy, 'the infatuated gi bli~se1xer ti*aa welt' Next uiorning Mr. Percy and hisfriend M A)ourtenay ~-followed the; track of the coachman Liverpool, ~nd se~~ in motion every engine that con 4 be devised for the discovery of the lost one, but I vain. A pIa~n was arr~ange 1 for obtaining intelligent from all the AmeriQan steamers as they returned, the passengers 'they~ had carried but; and advertise menta were sent to Am'eriean newspapers. T "'I~imes," f~r niany week~, among its riumereus s annoumcements'bore 'the following~ "If M. ~. who left her home clandestinely ofl t ~d4of the 24th .-~--~-; '#11 return, or write to h de~olate f~the~ ~he is n~sured of hts forgiveness." It" was' al~[ in vain. ~o record of his daught I ever reached the ear or the eye of Mr. Percy. I? ai year he ~ch~tj~hed hope at interVals, but seldo spoket~ ~ny one; hi~iaealth declined; and at len afl4at~a* ~f ~lysi~ reduced him to the conditi' ota ~t~pizs bld~rna~z. ;i~wa~d~4~rs. Pe~eys brother, and. i i*y~ w~i~e ~hnos$i the~only~ per~on~ he woi4 & ~ ii~se1le,~n6t quite uusu~e~t~d, lefl~ wh~: her servi~ie& were ±io~ huger ~e~j4i~d, to~f~*er41i ~ '~the ehurcb~' in an6th& pIMe ;~ ~id ~ K z I I 9 1t9 Bouquet, who in a week huid returned tb be thio~vn into the greatest distress by the; ~flig1it of his pii~il, removed to a large xnttnufactnring town tocarry~ on operations there; after which he was removed t~ a higher sphere. Mr. Percy's estate Was strictly entailed 'in he male line; it was to pass to his nephew, the~efo1~e~'n~ efforts were made for his conversion to Remani~m, otherwise the paralytic i~ian would in all ~robabil~ty have had some- ecclesiastical consolation in his trials; as it was, he was left to bear them as best he might. Fretful and discontented, no one could. please Nm. He would order his daughter to be sent for, bitterly chiding her undutifulness in remaining s~ long fr~om hiin,~ then the~remembrance of the truth would hi~rst upon his mind, and he would weep like an infaiit; again he would draw himself erect, an~ utter upon her some fearful . malediction. Another stroke de. proved him of articulatien~ and many a weary day he lay helpless, attended carefully 'by the 'faithful old housekeeper, who, ever and anon broke ~t'orth, some- times in apology for her young mistress, som~time~iu indignation against her. The old nurse White, was sheltered. by who, with the instinct of Christian love, fully her innocence of the charges made against her. $~ Methodist minister who~i she attended; being about to proceed to America, offered to take her with him. e o t page: 120-121[View Page 120-121] 12Q TE~t~ ~sb rentedd a:sitnMiozi, and by he~ exenipla. ry~ ~ozi4~iet~ fi&llyju~tified' the co±ifi~1ence posedd in her~ ~vas neve~ ax* Az~ongi~er ,fell~W4ervints se operated; but a day. ~ coming 'wh4 all secrets shall be revealed h-when the righteousness of the people' of G&1 alipli be fulLy manifested ~to an assembled world. 4 , 4. CHAPTER Xifl. 1' A JESUIT'S REFLECTIONS. "0 JupIter! bow weary ar~nij spirits! "I care notToi' my s$rlts itmy legs were not weary." M~ot*ZiTceiL IMMEDIATELY after. consi~uing hia pt~pil' t~ ~her, ne~ guardian, Padre Carlo~ &ias M. Bouquet, turned hi~ face homeward. He attempted to be s~tiafied wit1~ the work he had accomplished; and in whieb, ~o44~n~ as there was any thing to do, any difficulty~ tosurL mount, any feeling of adventure to brighten it, bQ ~ha~ been really interested. It was now overt and i~x. spite 0f himself he felt veryflc* ,Jesuit4~del wa.s, conscience gave him a sting or two~ and eve~ selfinterest begaii somewhat ruddy to. call him to count. 'Ihave given xny~elf soul anl body to h~pocris~ said lie, mentally, ~ what have IL gained? I a laboning4.da~ud~njgh~ ftr~thi~ desp ~lu1r0h, what is niy~ei*ard?. I am accumulating wea1t1~,au - e x page: 122-123[View Page 122-123] 122 SISTER AGNES. A JESUiT'S REFLECTIONS. 123 may not touch a mite of it-sworn to poverty, forsootl~! I am building up power, and am rewarded by chains aryd slav~ry-vowed to obedience! 'My order is enriched and glorified, truly, but what is that to me, so long as I have personal con- sciousness, and not brahminical absorption into the great essence of the church? What am I benefitted by all I am doing? Like the bee, I am but toiling for others; and when my honey is made, if it suit them, I shall ~be destroyed. This is the fate of Rome's obe- dient sons! Fools! to heap up treasures which we may never touch,---to build a chariot, at the wheels of which we shall be dragged. It is well enough for those who fancy they have souls to be saved, and that such deeds will save them; but for me, and for hun- dreds like me who know better-.--who know that the grave is our endless home-why should we deny our- selves andtoil night and day? "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die!" 'Rome, I could almost cast thee off, turn heretic, and revenge myself upon thy despotism, by exposing and crushing it! Nay, this would not improve the case; it would not aggrandize me; it would only gra- ~ify the adversaries I have sworn to quelL 'But stay. Have I really achieved nothing for myself? I have. I have gained a victory; there is delight in that. I have Aaccompli~hed my purpose- satisfied n~y will---what more could Jove have done? My will is myself, or what am I-vanity, appetite, fame? For these all the world labour\; but my vanity, my appetite, my fame, are something I possess; they are not myself: nay, they are things which may be my masters, while my will is a part of my essence, an emanation of my very being.' * * * Here the father lost himself in a labyrinth of me- taphysics. After some time he proceeded. 'It seems to be an immutable law of nature that atoms can effect nothing separately; they must exist and act in masses. In a universe of unconnected par- ticles, no one particle could possess any thing except its own existence. In an army of self-governed, self- acting soldiers, no one would achieve a victory--all would be defeated. Each atom shares the good of it~ mass; each soldier reaps the glory of his army. I must e content to lose my individuality; 'tis hard, but it is fate! The church allows license enough to its pr ests in pleasure, if not in profit: few delights save hat of liberty are withheld from us. et why am I, with this burning soul within me, kept y the tyrant laboring in obscurity? I will de- mand a higher mission-to the salons of Paris--to the court of princes; life I mu.9t, I will enjoy. Let those who ave souls, labour for theirgood; mine it shall be to li~e while I live,-.--or Rome, I abjure thee! KPool ! might not I have wooed this heiress for myself, instead of for the church? Ah! Padre Carlo; 4 page: 124-125[View Page 124-125] l~tithou h~gy~e' ~ucqeed~4? Oouldst ~thou have NT~. let Q~V~ ~vj me'wiIZ. ~n1y. *hatin whkh m~ill ~b~11 trin~ph. A world, subjugated ~to o~d0~ ~h~en4 I ha~re set before~me. . It is a ~g1od- ~ua au4;~nd it ~b~1l be aeoou~pli~hed. ?iwlre Q&~Ie~- thy will s~iaU triuniph!' ONEd eveniu~ There conipai sisters are on fine Th~ enterta mouth are.' 'Ma do,; no whose .4' OHAPTFJL XIV. / AN 4RRTVAL. "Speak you this In pi!alse, Master? '"In thy oondlgn praise. "IWIllpraVeaue0Iwithth088~11QpYaiS0." Lote'a Labor Loa~~ ~y Mary received ~n invitation ~& spend the ~ in the room of the Mother Superior. $ister ~ brought her the message. "There i~ ~to be ~ she said, 'a grand II&d~ 'somebody, her Lfld a 'niece, who is tob&pIa'ced hei'e~rhile tbeyj, ~e couth~ent. YOU and I~ being~ ~arti~ti1aily jes, tire to be of tli~ party, to help mother t~ in them. You will please to ~ut~o~ui~pretty Lnt&a smile, that they may see Eovr h&ppy you ~'y involuntarily smiled. ~' There, daAi~i',,that'il w give 'me a kiss.' t~y put 'her arms round the neck of t~e nun, knidness ever .s$nce' ~her arriv~d ~ad weu her P page: 126-127[View Page 126-127] 128 SISTJ~ AG1{JI~S. heart,. an& kissed her; she .was repaid by a. hearty squ~e~ebtit could not comprehend the half-quizzical, half-s~d expression of h~r countenanoe~ She found tIre room of the iuother a little ornamented by flowers and nick~nacks, ~nd eulivened by a cheerfulilre ; tlie 109k of comfort raised her spirits. £ Allow me to introduce this young lady to your - Ladyship' said the S4eziior, skifully avoiding the mention ~f~h~r ~ea1 name~ 'Miss Agnes has not yet professed;~thou~h . she~ wishes to do so soon. Your niece will lixi4 a companion in her. Sister Theresa,' 'she added, presenting 1b~ pun. We n~ust here ebserve, that the real name ~f a~ nun 15 ii~ual1y unknoWn in a convent. Miss Percy was ~to~ receive, ,on her profesBiori, .~.tha~t of ser ~ ar~d ~heAwaa. now called ~i~s ~Agnes~' The yqu~g J~4yi who w~s tQ be a boarder, had. not, of ~ n~t ~pre~ent. - ~iy~ly (~0~iyCi atjon~ ~soon prevailed& i~'tbe little ~ ',~Now te]Jwe the truth,' ~sai4 ~4y ~. to the ~ X)oi~tyou yqirn~g Iadies ofteu wish to~ run ~ and. go~ 1~o baUd aid pla~rs, ai~d g~t married V smiled' crossed her b~nds~ iipor~ h~r breast, ~nd l~Io, no, ~niy. lady, I assure you, *e so love oureo4~th~t g you were to~ set the doors open in th~ middle of~ the night, we. should all r~i~ and 'W~xr~ye~i would, ~r fear ~f rolbers? said her la( the mi nic; 0 fora b '54 said ti ta my el orange ou ~ou ill bi~ id of eate~ ould ully-. uch 'Don't SiE her. ha 'We a nothing cv~ 42 AY ~UUIYAJ4 127 Lyshi~p.. 'Itt.if o~throw them opa~iu ~d1e of the day~, ~t~d g~ye ~ t' in the evanin&~.with dress~es an4 carriages all, how you would all juznpP ~. * we shouId-~out of youi' ladyship~s ~vay I~Ai~U~iE.,. ~WJ~JEJ..~J. - ly S. laughed. 'We~l, now, supp(~s0 I bring.. lest son, and dj~monds, &id whit&v~fls~ andt flQwers, and bid him bring then p~ettiest of of"this prison of ybur~ to ~his own Hall~there a strife! ~ es~ my lady, and ~o ~t1~ere wilL be how t~, g~t your ladyship, and his lordship, wi~h the ~t possible speed. We don't o~re for d~awe~id~ ; p done with our white veils, orange 1k~erwwe aot despise, they would strew the floor hea~iti.~, have they any other use V sherinpiired1 with, implicity. ou . are a strange girl, i~xdeed,' said Lady ~J you know that brides wear orangeioivers?' ter Theresa swldenly became graya, crossed ads again pver her breast, and looked i~ward. re the b4des of. heaven,' she sai~~, 'web know ~ o~ earthly bridals.' ~n you are happy V inquired I4ady$9 sppy, most happy,' xepWed. t~e nun~ ~hy,' s~id Lady S., 'I am almost s~fraid to leave I..' page: 128-129[View Page 128-129] ~zi~on~y~u, Iest~ she should be enticed iy ~ Ee~i~e ~ nun' to beso ~ers ted, I assure y~ig ~sid ~t1~e ~t~ri~rR I am very jealous of stii~ i e~ein~used ~1tb y9iixi~ persons.' 'Jon s~re ightrnadaim,'. said lady S. ~ Y~uig pers~s otrght ~ot to beigJ1u.~9ced Insuch matters.' '?ee~,t,' tem~rk~1 th& ii~o12her, ' in so far as to bA~ldbadcfz~bnz takiitg ~o'w~ until they fully ap- j~~te the nature~' 'With, auch ~eutiments,' said Lady B; 'I fed ~ tilat §~y~ ~iiece is sale Witli you; hippy, I am sure, 2 she *iUle. - '1~OV1iIUg shall be wanting on my part to secure both 1~er sa$~ty a~d her happiness,' said the ~other ~ ~Of th~t~' I ~an assure yoizr lady8hip,' added s$~ater ~I~h~resa. ~ Our dearest mother is adored by all, of us, d~e~hall lore Miss S. ex~eedingly.. I will t$1 s$e '~4 eakin low, and yo~z ~ ~cret,' sa', spg ~iilyto Miss 8. ~It is my firm belief that then we get ~ 9ur, ~no~her ~oe~ to 1~er room to ~ry. mother, d9n't y~i 'P she iuqnired 4~ ~1DL~AI ii0sing ~ she 2 * See Appendix t AN ARRIVA L.12 isei *do n~ well "1 vent A remai pe~rs seem relap~ angel expre~ ment, 'F said ~hI mereF ebullil to an~ plexit2 Tb next u the re anted. comf~r She di or for 4 if strangers passed the night in the convent; )rning, they examined the chapel, the cloisters, ectory, and a cell or two ~whic1i were unten- ~ You did not suppose a nun's cell to so ~bLe a place, I dare say,' observed the mother. not add that those were kept for exhibition, ~sitors, not for the siSters. Fr vild Jri~h girl-too wild to be a nun. I feai~' I t tame her as I ought. The fact is, I like too ~o make my girls happy~' could ah~ost wish to ~be an inmate of your eon- ysaIf'~sai~d Lady S. s' sister Theresa and Agnes retired, the latter ked, 'Hon amiable the Mother Siiperior ap- to be-how~she allows you to fondle her! You o hove her much!'* ud it is love her I do-do I?' ~aid Theresa; ng into broad Irish. 'Och! but shes an ould And the nun screwed up her face into an sion so comical, that in spite of her astoxiish~ gnes could not fbrbear laughing. e discreet, or it's penance ye'11 get, darling; ' heresa. ' Laughing's a sin, do ye know 1' nes~ was puzzled. Had sister Theresa been acting in the parlour, or was this but another on of her wild Irish blood? She ~as unshie ~ er the question-it caused her ~oi~e ~er~ page: 130-131[View Page 130-131] 130 SI~TE1~ AGNE$. ~Miss S.. wept,~s sheL parted wit~h her aunts.. She ~w~,u14 rather~ htw~ been left in a fashionable boarcb ing~school, thoughh too f~x advanced for tht~t. ~he W~s a cojisidera~b~e heiress, however, was engaged to a young man in Thdia, and a convent was considered ~afe~t j4aca for her. The wunts~were to be a year and. a half, ~n 'the continent, after which they a~4 herlover' were tQ1'etuTn, and she was to be ma& ried~ She was provided with a small library, was to have liberty of seeing her friends, and receiving female visitors; only the convent was to be her hom& She was pleaded, however, with wh~t she saw of the Mother Supe#ior~ the nun, and Miss Agnes, and tho~g~t that she might contrive to 1~etolerahlyh~appy, especially a8,her aunts had promised to write her a ~journaL e~ ;their~t9ur, a~d letters, from India would ~f~eu arr~iye. ~11e had a passion foy ~it~si~ ~l fancy- work, both. of wich she hoped to pursue i~ eomiec- tion with the:nuns. The or~ ry~religiou~ servicess she was to attend as she pleased. ITW of publi place by so that were casioi with high- 'of fib' geous namE~ pecte~ OJIAPTER XV. ENTRANCE ON A CONVENT-LI~, - "Lasolate agni 5peranza~ voi oh' entrate." ~s not thought desirable -that the commencement ary s noviciate shoi4d be attended by a great ~ spectacle; for akhough far from her ~iative it was yet possible that she might be recognized me chance visit&; the intimations, theref6r~, young lady was 'about to assume the white veil, limited to the immediate vicinity. et there was much pomp displayed on the oc- The entrance to the chapel was ~trewe4 flowers; mass celebrated at the ~side, dtar was decorated with wre ~ers, and before it was ~ tyappare1ed~ stem Agnes..-as the destined brjde ~ to be I~had passed a sleepIe~sjii~t I bliss had alternated. with. ren eznb~r es of page: 132-133[View Page 132-133] I 132 SISTER AGNES. home; tears of hope had mingled with tears of re- ~gret; heaven had struggled with earth; but like a boat whi9h had entered a current, she passively pro- ceeded. They dressed her in white, arrayed her with all her jewels, and threw over her shoulders her rich ringlets. She entered the chapel leaning on the arm of' the Mother Superior, and knelt 'at the side-altar, bending her head, ~h~e'her hair like a veil' concealed her features. The Mother then conducted her' to the bishop, and'kjieeled with her before him. Questions respect~ ing her desire ef a religious life were asked by him; she replied in a low musical voice, according to' the prescribed forw,~and they then arose, and were seated at his right hand-the bride in her white robe, her glittering jewel[s, a~~d crown of roses; the Superioress in her linen hood, her black dress, and rosary; while ~he bi~h~p - sate in lordly state, to complete the im- posin~ trio. The 'confessor next advanced, and delivered an ~ddress to the youthfull candidate, on the' vanities. &nd- dangers and sins of the w6dd, and -the 'blessed- ness of a oo~ive~itual life. Safety ~nd purity, you might have i'~iferred from his discourse, were to be found only in the cloister; the holiest of earthly' ties Were i~r~i1s; the fairest of earthly j~s were im- ~ ;lj~i~ oi~t~i~e~-thewails but' a~o~k~ry. ~ The moniez~t~uu~que~tien was~ then asked by th. bish the' led I the I and I inne~ the c musi andi chan' light sides grati agair off a minu pear~ upon her c L forth, spring had s candl takin~ nQ re] / ENTRANCE ON A CO~YENT-LIFE. 13 )p; the candidate; signified her desire to leave vorld; and then he arose, and with stately step 15 victim down the aisle, and out of the chapel; threshold was passed, the prison-house entered, 3he bade farewell to liberty for ever. a. a little while -a curtain was raised, and the 'chapel of the ituns disclosed, separated from ther by a grating. There was a sound of distant ~, low and sweet; it swelled, and became louder bearer, and There appeared a procession of nuns, ;ing as they moved slowly forward, and bearing ~d candles. They ranged themselves ahng the of the chapel; the fresh novice approached the 'g, before which she kneeled, and the bishop * exchanged a few words with her; he then cizt lock of her hair, and the curtain fell for a f0w des. Jt was raised again, and the novke 'ap- d in 4e white veil, with the crown of virginity her h~ad, a tear in her eye, and a ftu8h upon leek. )udly and a ded, a "ring ~ood n ~; th~ witi-, , i~tivej Is ~nd triumphantly then ai~ anthem pealed short service was s~id; holy water '~as' a benediction pronounced. ~he latter part of the ce~emony. the nuns otionless as statues, each with her lighted ~y now.. filed off in retiring procession, them their youthful captive. -~ She had present, and therefore the~' pa4h~g -scene e page: 134-135[View Page 134-135] SISrTE1~ AGNES. was not enacted. The organ burst forth in a solemn swell of harixiony, the spectators arose and walked away, and the, nuns proceeded 'to~ the refectory, where a ~feast~was spread in h~nour of the occasion; fruit, cakes, and even Wine, were intermingled with flowers, and all hearts were lighter than usual, save that of the one who had expected this day to be the com- mencement of her happiness. When she retired toher cell her heart was unchang- ~ed; it still throbbed with anxiety,~ and ~sank in de~ pression.' The 'magical ceremony had not, as she imagined, transformed her nature, or hushed her spirit into peace, and elevated it to holiness. Every feeling was the same as. before ~ ~' and' she marvelled and was disappAnted. Her father filled her dreams that night~ ~She' was seeking him in Avon House, amidst coitfilsion' ~n~xpressible, and she learned that he was d~ad. ~' She awoke weeping, and remembered that she wa~ a novice; that she was to be a tarn, and that 'nuns have no fathers.' ~IexV~m~rning, the bishop having remained, she went' to confession, 'and he told her that the peace and spirituality ~ ought, would xiotbe obtained without determined conflict ~with her earthly affections. 'I thought. I should hav~e found it~here at'on~e, my lord,' ~she. ~'emarkedJ ni~y child,' replied tEe~bi~hop, 'this 1i8 only a ~pl~c~ ~h~re the~ ~confli4 may be mere str0unously maii~ ~inth life's Agn Byf and fath orni insp( her I savoi to b meni novi( C isnol in th and I from ter p attac Medi love T the q quire tamed o ~wod end ei ~s, anc .ghtin~ Lfter V 'hat n r, but n was ction etter irs too * the b to ea~ Es it *~ e. Re th~ wortlj Psali he ble earthly )llUti& ~ment~ tate u ~ould he de uiver rnent' ENTRANCE ON A C0NVENT-Lfl~'E. 135 and the victory more easily achieved than ci. The blessed St. Anthony had to his counters with demons, and St. Cecilia, St. all the saints, grew strong by fighting. comes courage, by courage comes victory, ~ctory comes peace.' rning Mary was permitted to write to her was told that no letter from either itovice allowed to leave the convent Without the f the Mother Superior. Upon carrying this lady, she was told, £ My child, this much of carnal affection. She who aspires ide of heaven must moderate her attach- 'thly friends.' rrong to love a father?' asked the' young Lt loveth father or 'mother more than Christ y~of Him,' replied the mother. 'The bride ;er is exhoi~ted to forget her father's ho~ise; ~sed anchorite Paul had so weaned himself y' love, that he deemed thetouch of his sis. i. Moderate some of those expressions of my ~hild, and moderate-also your feelings. Lion the love of the 'Virgin, when forbidden ~ntrude into ~your heart.' p heaving of the heart of the novice and f her pale lips, told how~ terrible the re- ~ as; but she summoned resolution 'to meet page: 136-137[View Page 136-137] 1.36 SISTER AGNES. it, ~x4 quietly ptoeeeded to re-write her letter, and to smother in her breast he pure flame of filial love. The ob&dience was foll wed by a feeling of: sadf~ess an&desolation, such as e had not before experienced. The~-mothen~pproved of the colder epistle. The ~nit-~. ing of it had been a di cipline, and was intended a~ such; but this was its ly use; it was never .to meet the eye of the s0rrowin' father to whom it was ad- dressed.. Small intent n had the hawks to part with their preyj ~n~all intent oii had the lady suponior that th~ Habeas O&rpns Act should ever force her to relin~ quish, the richly~endowe heiress. 'How soon-may I ex . ect a rQply'?' inqtiined Mary timidly. * 'In a; week, perhaps' .replied the mother, as she retired with' the letter to her own room, where she cot~lly-destroyed the doc~imerit in which -was- centered the sole r ifiaininghope of a- young and loving heart, - '-Were your thought~ d~xning the night much em- ~l9yed ~iipon -the probable reception of your, letter?' asked Mary'8 - confessor, when tha week had eb~psed. '-Ala~ - father, they we~e! 'was the reply~ * 'Did the idea intrude during matins?' -~ 'Igtieve to say that it did.' - 'And when the porter's bell announced strangers, The - ~oviee burst int~ an agony of tears. - 'I s~e ~tn~y ehild4 ~ee it;' said Father O'Hoota~n. 'Yor canni twen duniii more~ becor sobbi C.. discij of c~ of an this 1 you ~ C] king~ said arise, vere. tim. TI comp~ nibbox T] Mothi 'I K r hear t acce 1yAve g who ~ias !~ ie won rig gin ~ou m line a Im c gelic )W WO vade i ~o, fa ~ ~he'di he fati I au It m~ 'hen 5 ie hol nied man ~r~ee d I, ~r, sai enha~p 7* ~1TRANOE ON A. A~ONVENT-LIFE. 137 is still full of the world. The Virgin pt of an alienated heart. You must reeit-~ s and ten Paternosters, and for -e rery one ~' your mind wanders, you must say two father, is -there hope Ebr-me? *%Jan I ever hy' to -be t~he Bride of Heaven V asked the Ly, my child,' replied the confessor. 'By d faith you -may attain the sublime heights ritemplation- ;-the celestial- lAessedness ~ommunion, untroubled by thoughts of id. But the discipline is hard would 2' ;her,' she paid determinedly, but cho~- cipline you require is of t en.- 'It is thence that yoi ~un for you a high destiny uy be that you shall attain are not the me~ns, father~ father, the tall dark pniesi er to the convent, departed ~r murder successfWlyconc ys beyond the week passed [Mary,' there's no letter tl~e Virgin has so ordered ~ie affections,' r temptations if you perse- ~o sainthOod.' 'said the vie- wh& -had ac- to -absolve a ~aled. - - - - 'Revereud re~t.~' - t, to test your- page: 138-139[View Page 138-139] -i I, "185 SI~T~R AGN~8. faith a~nd~ohodieirce,' r lied the lady superior; 'your 'father may J~e frouihor~ie." 'May be,' she admitted, 'but his letters are always fbiwarded =to him. AAother week will surely bring a reply.' 'You must cOD5ider~ my child, the possibility of his not deigningrto reply att all,' said the superior~ ~Oh, Mother!' cIie# the poor girl,'burying her face in ~her robe, and. sobbh~g violently.' 'This will not. 'dQ,' ~aid the mother1 with more of sternness than before. ~ Those tears must be stopped. * Goto:t~ie 'kitchen, 'a1nd assist in the preparation of * dinner." Or 'stay; to prepare -the refectory will do. Let it be properly ~weit, and the furniture 'dusted, and the table covered 1~efore the meal is ready.~ 'The daughter of I wry ,went to her menial task. The~.superior had judg d' rightly-it stopped the tor- rents of :~er tears; ag the occupation 'partly disen- gaged; her mind from ppressive thoughts, while. it p~vEd a disciplinein o edience and self-control. But th~ ~a.d gui 'pondered s r&ugely upon so unthought-of a method of manufactu ing sair~ts ~s sweeping rooms 'and dusting-furnitur6. She 'had. dreamed :of romantic acts ~fworti~cation, ef elevating vigils~ of-she kuew noi what transcendent achievements; ~nd now to be reduee&to thelevel of~ e. of' her father's'~housemaids puzzled her. H~weve as her mind was really much calmed 1 ~esa, he' supposed it to be the right one. mortificati 'The cony Melan quality of Ii it of all th that fiend wonder th~ of h~Ay lo~ too well fa put ~hem i to keep a~ sanctifying The love every un~~ enly desire the mind f of earth. through tb balance of into their~ unto C~esa God the ti tiireof thi her ~i4cI~im of gospel I with she s Mary~' NTRANOE O~ A AJ0~TVENT~.LIFE. 'do 'a thing I like, woul4 n or self-denial at all,' ~he ii nt rules are wise, doubtles holy, insufficient means of r art! tostzipitbareasad pure affections of humanity ~ so often enter the empt: i1t low sensuality so often e; rudely torn away.' It is ~he.r and mother, and broth a the place of 'God ; but it empty heart pure. Very process of the true gospel f God introduced into th rthy affection . The soull s, 'has no room for those whi eding on spiritual food see] By the power of the Spi: enlightenment of the' W the affections is restored, roper places, the renewed ~: 'the things whieh are Ca ings which are God's. - It: law of God which Rome~ votaries, and it is an equal] holiness with which she clw: ~eks to dazzle a gazing and ~as more cheerful at dinner 139~ I be ~no act of Lw~Lrdiy argued6 reducing spirit- esertto denude y. No wonder dwelling; no ~akes the place possible to love ~r an4 sister, to is not~possible differetit is the ~fJ7esus Christ. a heart expels lied with~ heav- ch are~earthly; ~s not the husks 'it 'of Truth,- rd of God, the all: things fail featuree rend~r~ sar's, and u~tb is' a viie~ e&~'ic~ ives to tei~At~kt .y vile mA~* ~ and ~W1i~ ignoi'~ntt~6ffd~ page: 140-141[View Page 140-141] .1 140 818? R AGNES. 'To rew~dyo~r obe jence,' said the mother, when the silent ,ui~al jwas fi ished,. 'you may ~dress the shrine of'- our wit flowers for the approaching fe~tivel.' 'Thank you, ~eares mother,' replied Mary, her eyes sparkling. '1 1 ye to look upon--to touch flowers 'To idolize th~m P asked the superior smiling. "I will try tQ+epres idolatry,' she replied. Alas~ 'poor gi 1!' th4 vary act-that of dressing with flowers the s rifle ~f*the saint, was one of~idola~ try. The 'p~6r gi Ps pa sionate love of'flowers might degenerate intc~ s ch,. e en though God formed those exquisite product of hi skill and tenderness to show foi~th his own gloy: b to adore'asaint' is to rob Him of his glory altog thor, and to transfer it to a creature. Such a~ hypo. rite is Rome. A, moxxth of i~iope oferred had passed, and the heart of the novk~e was sick. Her father,' she con- oluded,~had ~banis~ied h r from his affections,~ or her light had broken his he rt~; and he was dead. What if lie were, dead, ~e had ed without a daughter's love tQ~OQthe his las~ agones! Was not she g~iilty of flhi~1~' disobedienceT.-.-~f . i~piety? Had~ she, a right to fo~sake a1 parent's hom~, to 4e~ve desolate a parent's heart? Was sh~ot ~ Sach thoughts h~~w~te4Iier. nigh~ ax~ day \She became haggard,'~ and could not eat the ~oarse fare of the convent was loathsome vered; a. mentally promised confess, ai thought i~ though by affection. Onen~ mother su' straying a 'I hay down, 'you .jMyl voice, clas' breast. 'Is im 'No lc 'None read. Yo owns you.' Thenc The sii The whole ~NTRANOE ON A COiNVENT~LTFE. to her. Her nights were eaden weight was upon her ~sked if this were the blis n a convent. This idea it ~ A. it brought down a per ell to relieve her mind fr the certainty of separation f morning she was sent for to' erior. As she entered, th letter. Her heart beat vio ~ news for you,' said the in will faint.' father! 'said Mary, in a s Ang her hands, and pressin~ playable,' said the lady. tter for me, mother?' and mine is too hard-he~ ~i must never think of hinu vice f period tale ~ ~ll senseless to the gr ess of course had re ~as a pure fiction. 141 restless and fe- spirits~ and she she had been ~as necessary to ance. It was )m anxiety, al- ~om her father's ;he room of the a1t lady was de- Leritly.' c4her; 'but sit ~arcely audible' them upon her rted-for~yo~ to nore~ He dis- ~und., eived no letter;. page: 142-143[View Page 142-143] 'c4r ER XVI. C~ONVE T LIFE. oistered cells, '~4.fl~ maus1on~ eleutingas the grav~, "But vol4 of quiet.' AKE~SIDE. ITinay~ be ivell to dive a general sketch of the mode 6flifein 1h~i~onVe~xt of . It was. very different from that which our hero~ e had imagined, and utterly astonished her. The nur~s, she had been told by the superioress~ were all w6n~en of rank and fortune, ex- ~pt~tivo or three i~bo pe~'f6rmed the out~.dobr work. At ive ~ the I~iorn~n~ they~ro~e, aiid at $ix went to matins; at sev~n, a very fnigal breakfast was served, and at hal~ Th~ vhe~ ~et ~boii 1~ionsehold ~d~i'~k~ ~these Z~4ies performing, xk &ordhiaiy serv~ants& 4past~even th~y~attended mass. Hiring this time, a ner, absolute sileDee was imp~sed. At twel sembledin the refectory f~& dinner; the sitters *i~anged themselves on each a long~ ntir~ow table, covered with a coarse cloth, whe beer were and one re lives ofh spectral ~a gowns, an iler nient classical fa -a perfect of~the tigi have almos Afew.~ alternated gowns, yes those who hereafter. dience~' q ~meet the chair of sta at her feet, received co was then g next twent~ severely, tri vow of obe 'The liii washed chi to prev~nt~ C0~VENT LIK1~. e broth, coarse bread, veget placed. Three ~sisters wai i4 aloud marveiou~ legen ly recluse~. The nuns h pearauce, with their ugly were, to Mary's surprise, a. I picti~ire of a nun 'was dr shion, had an aquiline nose, monument of Grecian ar women who surrounded desired the veil as a cove prayers, and a few attempt with washing, scrubbing, era, silent tea, and loung had penances to ~erform,~ At half-past nine, the bell he whole 9ommUn ty were t ady superior, who seated e; and each sister hi suec recounted her deeds of th ands for t1ie~day follow yen to each sister to pract -four hours, which virtue w d, to test.the adherence of ience. s then ~retir~ed to thei± cells~~ mbers, with narrow beds,~i 11 clirnger of frixuriou~ rest; 143 bles, and weak ed on. the reSt, s of saints, or I a forbidding, )Od~ and serge )solutely dirty. ~sed in a very ~nd 'lips apart ;.' For some ier, she, would i~g. at meditation, mt~king serge xig; except to ~fwhieh more rang for "6be- ten gathered to herself i~' her ssion, kneeling past day, and ~g. A virtue se difring the s ofteu lYrett~ the nuu to her ~srnall, white- ffloieiitly hi~r& asniidl table, 4 page: 144-145[View Page 144-145] 144 - 818TTh AGNES. CONVENT LIFE. 14& a stool, a ci~uciiix, a scourge, a skull, and an image of the Virgin9 We have ~aid that the mode of life utterly as~ ten.ielied tl~e new inn~ate;. but there was no help for it,7 the ~.die was~ cast; sh~ had left her h~~e; her fa.tlier was implacably offended; she was absolutely imprisoned, But indeed ~he did not, even yet, wish 1~o escape; although unhappy, she thought that the fault~ lay with herself. She had indulged in what she now, considered carnal visions of processions, music, ecstacies, contemplation, vigils, spiritual con~ verse, holy communings; and. her eyes were opened, as she supposed, ~o see that such things would have been .,but self~graVifr~ation, instead of meritorious mQrtiiicat~on. She therefore determinedd to dismiss them from h~r mind, and address herself to the- work ~ s&nc~iflcatior~ by real.. self-denial-by doing the very t g~,w~4ch w~re i~6st distasteful to her. Yet n4ure sometimes reb~eilecV One evening the reverend mother informed 1~ier that as to-morrQw wa~ washing-day~ she would be expeet9d t~ri8e at~half-paBt three, and go to the wa~h- n&house-atfour. '~Tb~e washing-house! reverend mother,' she ex- claimed, in surprise. 'i~'e8; ~ replied the superior. 'You will take your't~ru~ 'Is t~ ~Unen waahe& by the nuns-b~y ladies?' she involuntarily cried. Et 144 Lhe lady; 'a' nienial office I adly, 'I once attained by superioress.; without bodily f the will, a Were. I t9 f roses, and eaven, would 'That is humble nun for the good 'Revere imagined th mental disci 'You im 'but where mortification lesson of s desire you t meditatethe that subdue 'True,? r struck her t might perk than 1o labo doctrine rev herent evil of mortifyin into her mm Lady Superi between mor inflicting up needless de lay in obedie di~obedien~e Rome has in sponded the poor girl; bu at to meditate on the glori ps attract her affection t. at a washing-tub. Yet vedT~in the Church of Ro E' matter, and the consequ the flesh, had been so care ., that she assented to the s ~r. She did not perceive t ifying what was sinful in 1 )n its' lawful desires of [aL Nor did she pei~ceive 1 the thought ~s of. heaven eitherr, more the Gnostic ie, of the in- ~nt necessity iilly instilled of the ~ flesh, i~nd enjoyment , a at' holiness ice to God's revealed will ~ther than in to the instincts which he ha perfection thi8 mark of Ai s implanted. LtiChristj the bny corrupt Ileshly propensity?' part of their duty,' said .5 ready t& perform the moss of her soul!' .d mother,' said the novice, Lt sanctification was to b~ ~line. gained rightly,' replied the rould be mental discipline ~ ? Is not this a discipline lf-denial and obedience? go and gather a bouquet while on the gardens of b 14& page: 146-147[View Page 146-147] 14~ SISTER AGNES. CONVENT LIFE. 147 incu1~ation of 'voluntary humility.' Braliminism rivals her in it. 'I fear, mother,' said the novice, ;' that I shMl perform my task badly; I do not know how to wash.' 'Sister. Theresa will be your teacher,' was the reply. The virhte given that evening f~r the novice to practise was self-denial. 'Ri~, Madam Laziness, and is it asleep you are! and the $oc1~ has struck the blessed half-past three two WhQle minutes ago,' tried Sister Theresa, ~.s with a lamp in her hand, she entered the cell of the novice. ~flien lifting the ~c~urge which ray at The foot of the lied, ~sheplay$ully inflicted a stripe or two upon the yawijing giri~ .' It's a frosty morning, darling, ' she saidjso ~you wil please to come in half an hour to* V~ *~shii~g~hou~e to warm your finger in comfort. aide soap-suds.' -' Really~, Theresa, it is very strange,' s~4d Sister Agnes, as she was now called. 'i~1o grumbling,' said the, nun, shaking the ~ go,' itis ~th~ in6st. charming thing in the world ~n"4 gold Winter day, is tulY of good warm water. I w~ider~ by the Virgin, why they don't make us Wash r~ joe; Ws a penance that would 'b~! rather Dennis t&dis~e about a saint so~i'~6dy~ who IFired in th~ buhiiii~Afriean desert, who pliiiiged upto his neck * every morni prayers.' 'How novice. 'Don't y ask how a done. Tha they carried did queer th 'Is not Agnes9 'Profane make you e: off; you'll C( the door. Sister ~A and proceed Sister Ther clothes in th 'Oh!it'i He e's your en d the si gu ting hab so,' she said, bin again. she added, I: The novi too delicate .g in a pond covered with i~e to sa~ his .d the ice get there?' inquired the u know, darling, ' said Ther thing was done, if a pries would be heresy downr, it from purgatory every ings', these old saints.' that a little profane?' to laugh when they tell C pire!' cried the nun. me in half 'an hour,' she gnes. performed her priva d to the washing~house, wb esa and another nun arr midst of steam from the 1 gold your nose is, and ~ arm tub, darlin', and~here ter, plunging into the wat laments. 'You do ~so, and rubbing on soap, and plun~ 'Lady-like work, it is for ughing. e set boldly to her wash, t ~a, 'we never says itwas ght. Maybe ~rning; 'they ~sked. Sister y~u things to ~ut II must be dded, closing te devotions, ore she fou~id nging dirty oiler. our fingers! s your work,' r some Ais.. so,~and hite hands,' ough father, 147 page: 148-149[View Page 148-149] 'iYp to the elbows!' cried Theresa; 'the things won't be clean unless you plunge them to the bottom of the tub. ~2'et bracelets like mine,' she added, di'aw- ing up her own arm covered with soap-suds. 'Dia- monds and pearls bigger than the ~Qgeen's, and holy WaterCit~ is J~elow, having washed the clothes of a holy and reverend mother.' So saying, she xruide the sign of the cross, and sprinkled the face of the floVice in a fashion that nii~.de her start back, laughing. 'Sister Theresa,' said the other nun, in a cross voice;, 'I wish we were not ~t1QWCd to speak on washing-days~; you always w~t~ time with nonsense~ and bring penance upon us. I don't wan~t semi~prostration again, for laughing at work.' A ho, beauty,' said sister Theresa, 'it spoiled your figure, yo't~ could not wall~. straight for 'a week; arid ~ai~harD~nnis did not look at~you.' 'What i~ semi~prostration 'I' inquired Agnes. 'This,' replied Theres~ suddenly throwing her- self upoi~ her hands and knees, and daubing 'the floor with soap~bubhle8. 'This,'b~ef~e the image of the n~ for a quarter, half, or a whole 'hour.' et a very har4 penance I should think,' said Si~ta~ Agnes. $ister Theresa sprang up to. ~her tub. 'Before y~whavebeeti a quarter of ui~ hoi~r' in that'~position,' she said, 'your back begins 'to ache; in half au 'hour .t 8 it i ~he ho an yo Ia are we to ros it? trac lau~ thai the ent clot: corj sam thai vlot till 11~ SISTJ~R AGNES. 149 g; your arms wi~h~ to fall full to bursting. If you Dearly rnad---bac'k, limbs, y head, ar~ in perfect tortu almost faint. Don't risk 7 ~breaki d seems r you ar especial rise you Ivi~e you "Whyd 'It's ~; said T e not a p it in an ~-water, Wonde The latt rdinary, hing,~ alt a scoff, manner I do con style of es are!' The holi oreal p~: ts here a in some es, whic hey drol they give such V asked A Lovice you are called, and eresa. 'Don't you see tha enhance, it would 'not be' a p aisy chair in a flower-gar ~ ould be the ~en~nce for yo ful good it would do to you ~ r wo~rd was pronounced in hat Sister Agnes could sc ~iough now, as sometimes b rather profane, was disti ~fthenun! fess,' she said, 'that I exp~ life here-how shockingly ~er a woman's soul is, the ~ t;' observed the nun. all at all. The' reverend truly sancti1~ed convents,' alone they wear, are ne' away in rags; and by th~ 149 off, an&jrour continue 'an ar~ns wrists1 'e; and"when ~hat penance; ~nes. a novice you if a penance ~nan&e~ it's en and weep' ~-would not r soul.'' ~. toue so ex- reely forbear {ore, she felt guishable in ted a~differ- dirty these dirtier is her e are' nfl~ other says the woollen er ch~zig~d t time they page: 150-151[View Page 150-151] i50 SISTER A~NES. ~a proper state. for. the mortification of the '4 truly holy. nuu~,' s&id the eross-yQiced sister ' ~s .tp~ mindful of her 80u1 to thinl~ ,of bodily 409~fQrt.~ 'She had need;' replied Theresa, satirically. 'I dee~are,' rajoii~ed sister Monica, 'you. scoff like ~ jheretio.. I woii4er what the reverend mother mea~ by piV~ing you. forward as~ she does; others p~tforiu t~4P~4uties better, ~nd conduct themselves witWwQ~ep~opriety.' pe~ia11y y~heu f&ther Dennis is present,' said There~a~ 8is~ta~ Moni~ reddened.. 'it was yourself who te~1U0n8efl84Y to him at his last vi~it, and prevent. e&hisspe~king to. another human being, though ~ere~~ oI~rs he wanted t~ speak to,' said she, tossing 1~r head. '~Or who w~uted to speak to i&i0~,' retorted The~ r~sa, l~uglxirg~ is his only comfort in this world~ to talk to ~aidMonica~ I ~ T~O noiee ~ ~tsrted, pai~se4 in her i'ubbing,. and ~Q9~ed gp, froi~i ,liei tuh in bewildered as~nisl~ment. ~4 8h~ 2he~d arig-'-- she in a convent, or * ~P~ig nQy~lre~4wg chpol girls?. ~Ee became * See Appendix 3. resa4. upy sister .A. i her pat sue dis or 500 the blo as be, bro 'bui will h&n Agi wou * won nun the. the 151 at and d urbed by he cross because call to 1) Ere long ~d upon hey proc and. you' 'Yes~ in glit the It alway it's not be satisf s will b The so~ es, 'and *A glass d have an, besid sworn V etter,' s~ Do you ovice.. Ithirkk COMMENT LIFE. jected, an'& her reflections either the merry jests of si tones of sister Monic~. weary of their. unusual ox ~eakfast Was truly a relief. thQy returned to their labo our hand,' said ~sister~ Ther ed~ed. 'It's a little sore tli working like penanee,~ eed; rubbing that coar kin off my hand;' replied ~ does that to a new help,' s the torture we'll put you ad with your day's w~rk, I harder next time.' p makes it smart very I am tired, and rather fain of~whiskey, and a. stout b2 ad, if you had been ~ es horns on~ your hands; rnortify the flesh, the soo id sister Theresa, bitterly. hink I may go and lie di ou may go and try,. atiea~ es retired. tG her, cell, ti et,. and wept. Her spirit ~ were 0ea~rcely 3tar Theresa, ~er arms, too, roise, so That ~rs~' There's ~sato Agnes, Lt same must Tiff has the, novice9 aid Theresa; The another think. Your much,' said eakfast ~you red washer~ but being a er it faints wn P asked t,' said Th~. i ew heraeU'~ as wounded,. page: 152-153[View Page 152-153] she was niiserable. They di4 not di8turb' her, so she lay until tlie* dintxer'bell ~'ang: No one noticed her, sh~ ate her meal ~in siienc~,' but she either did not hear or did i~6t understand the marvellous legend of S~t. Fran~is de Salis, which'was read aloud. She almost wept 'asat night, she' gave to the reverend mother her account of the day; but the lad~r spoke soothingly to her, and she was comforted, anct tried to resolve to be~r her ti'ials with' more fortitudes I~Text day'1~he assisted in drying and folding the clothes, 'and' at this wQrk 'too the restraint of silence was removed. SiSter 1~Eonica was not' there, an~l Theresa chattered in peace.' 'I'll tell you' a good jo2ke,' she said, '~Sister,. Monica is in love with father Dennis.' ~' A;iiun 'in love 1', exclaimed the novice in aston- ishment., "Trueit 'is,' replied Theresa; maybee she thinks that as'oul&tuth~r ttirned heretic t6"marry a nuri, so he'll' help her to escape, and break his vows for 'her. At all events she is wildly in love, 'though it began only' in flirtation" and vanity, 'and' 'cksir~ o~ admira- tib~i~;' ~n4 'wishing the' honour 'of his breaking his heart because she is a nun, and he can't get her. So~by trying 'to make him fall 'in love 'with ~e~,'she fefl in' love with him.' 'I ai~i shocked ! "exeWmed sister Agnes; 'flirta~. tioxi ha coii~ent t On. excellency' of a nunnery I to be, the absence of all temptationn to ha ~van an she itin ad the else -n con wit posi that aim Den corn thor shufi atten home senc to a Now with suppose 'Andis' I don't k is, and h boulders a ired, tjio temptati to amus ) balls, n ent we d in the bl ively for sister NI 'st to blo'~~ ais 'looks '5 to visit Watch M ost cons~ e 'next hi tions. C he left and s1 istor, so she hone or; for 152 SI$TER AGNES. C0NV~NT LIFE. 153 b a womawyou are,' said si~ ~ow that a woman's a won~ ~s a foolish, vain little heart ~ray in the grave; a heart tht igh it be but byafatoldpr n is double here, for we us but the visits of these pic-nics, no milliners' sh not evens act plays, as w ssed walls of dear St. lack of something better to onica and 'sister Mary de s, in determining which of ost at, and speaks most nica, it is amusing toobser icuous seat when the fatl~ in a procession, and then no morning when he was book for her ediflcation~dv e took care to ~whisper the loudly, that all the rosti tly supposes him to be d~ hat began in vanity has o: ~ See Appendix K. $2 153 tel' Theresa, an wherever bin her, till a~t likes to be Lest? Why, ave nothing ame priests; )pS; in' this ~ used to do -'~..'s~ It is think about, Salis come them father to, when he e her choose er is there, boast of his going from ring his ab.. utelligence ght hear. ing iniove d~d in be- page: 154-155[View Page 154-155] I ~4 SISTER AGNES. CONVENT LIFE.~ 155 lief; and if she could get prussic acid, depend upon it she'd take it some day and fall dead at his feet; just that he.. n3~ight weep pout his little red eyes, and pine eway his fat face, till it's nothing but a death's head 'at all, at all.' Shocked as she was, sister Agnes could not but laugh, as she exclaimed, 'Theresa, you. are the oddest girl, end this is the strangest~ nunnery-' '~You ever saw;' interrupted Theresa, finishing the ~eutence for her. 'How many convents have you been in darling , 'P 'This is the first, I confess.' 'But not the first for ~ne; and I can tell you that none. of them can make any thing but a woman out of a woman, or a girl ~ut of a girl. Even though the glorious St. ratrick shoiil~i drive us with the frogs into the jogs, the very croaking we'd take for a note of admi~Jation, and pop our pretty faees ab9ve the mud to be looked at. And niore than that, wherever a lot of women get together, they will quarrel, and gossip, end talk scandal, unlesslike an old seint father O'Worau speaks about, they get their hearts ~cut out,~ ~nd ~Vhe drop ~f black blood wrung o~ut ~of them; that d~~~of black blood swill have the. mastery of them till they die, in spite of penances, and rosaries, and vigils, ;ax~wliatyou please.' '.&ceerding~to your opinion, tlie.n;'~58i&Si~te.r Ag- i~e5, 'nothing but purgatory will u~anctify us.' C U ti lJi a w in ra he in th 'Or tI~ ngel: did 'iViaho SWell, 'here are Ill give a iake her Sister. bhe end 0: Lld5t of thi rery whei 'You'll )ns,' Thei m to pas~ 1 he n~ai Lth a nun, I thini for she .i 'Dry er at by. waj Agnes j silence, a btle had d r Irish h nd,' shes 'Theres~ ~se. absur( 'For fun e wringing out of the black ro Saint-what was her na met, I think,' said the nod that might do; but purg old gentlemen there, you ki bloom to Monica's yellow [oubly fascinating.' A~gnes groaned. 'Is this thi all I have suffered, to be s despicable folly; and to fi Liave your turn with the hol; esa, rattled on. 'It's fine his tiitie. with young girTh ~s. He'll not be like Luth turn heretic, and marry hi this gown is dry,' said siste ~as sick at heart. ougli to give rheumatism to of penance,' said sister TI ~rocee~ed with her work foi rid Theresa's quick eye per4 stressed the novice. In t ~art she ran up and kisses lid, 'A saint you'll be, at i,' said Agnes, 'tell me~ Litie~ V repliedid Theresa, 'I joke~ bloodwhich the me ?' ~e.. atory wouldn't. ow, and the~fire i~ce, which will ~n,' she thought, [hrown into the rid sk z~eigning r father's atte.n,~ ~1nusement for But di at is ~r, to run away r Agnes, faint. ~hose. who wish Leresa. ~'a few minutes ~eived that her e warmth of her, 'Never ny rate.' 0 you join in d banter with WW 00 t i F page: 156-157[View Page 156-157] v m 156 SISTER AGNES. the old man, and make Monica jealous; and as soon as he i~ goue I laugh and mimic him, and maybe get penance for my p&ihs.' '~ister~,' eried the Lady Superior, suddenly appear- big, 'th~r~ is too muck speaking this morning. You. will be silent for the rest of the day, except that Sister Theresa, in as few words as possible, may ~give any direction about .the work which is absolutely necessa~ ry. Sister. Mary shall keep watch. One needless word ~hal1 be punished by'. a day in your cell upon bread and water.' Never was Sister Agnes more thankful than for this restriction.' Although the warmth and kindness of the~ nun had won her heart,~ she was weary of all this fo~1y; and bitter, most bitter was -the disappoint- merit it gave her. To' pursue her work in silence was an immense relief. 1/ b ru~i eveni ~ll rang v to the coi f4int screai ]~ather De: l~d5~ went t the carriag arms a str whose crieE instant deal along a nar: resa was su ili0trtlctions dArTER XYIL ~IVIL AND RELIGIOUS LIBE "0 night and shades, "low are ye joined with hell hi trip "Against the unarmed weakness of o "Plead "Expedience as a warrant for thedeed. rig was dark and sLormy, w~ violently, and next minute a LrI;, and up to one of the ri proceeded from it, and th mis inquired for the Sup ~ the, door, Father Dennis e, and Father O'Ilooran giggling girl about ~fteen however, were silenced b~ h if she dared to resist. ~ ow passage to a distant cel Dnloried to attend her, roe from th~ holy fathers, as tc R~TY. o knot; LO virgin I "-MILTON. K~.oowPzu. en the porter's carriage drove ide-door~. A n the voice of ioress. That umped out, of' Iifi~ec1 into his years of age, the threat of he was. taken L Sister The-. ewing ~imd~y the tr~atmexi~t page: 158-159[View Page 158-159] 158 SISTER AGNES. she was to receive. Theresa; by-the4~ye, observed her vow of obedience very much as it suited her fancy. When she entered the cell the girl threw herself upon hpr knees.. 'It's pity ye'll have in ye re h~art, my lady,' she exclaimed: 'tell me if I'm to be~ mur- dhered entirely 'V 'Murdered, avourn~en! No; well-lodged and fed you'll be, and safe from all harm,, and nothing but the heresy taken out o' ye; so keep yourself aisy, machree!' 'But is'tthe prison they've put me ~n?' asked the girl. No, never a prison, but the blessed they're all angels,' replied the nun. "The cdnveiit! and as' bad as a priso said ~t1ie ~rl, her look of terror changii 4 ~re~skn." 'Arid mymother, my poor' they'vee kilt her ~v~id de big~ stick.' 'It{o,'avourneen! t~iey Wouldn't tal .of h~r-quite,' said ~the nun; 'she'll *ell ~gain when. she repe~its. Sit "d4 4o~'t cry ~ and I'll' be back with your I an.1~e~~/ she add~d, as she left the eel b~iiiud 'her. iBtit~tEe'girI did cry; she thi~ew-h 1~' p~y~d, 'not to the Virgin i butt~ God through Jesus Christ, for s fer for Hi her Savio fervently beaten by attending When her suppe CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS LI~ERTY. 159 sake; for protection and ir in that strange place; fbr her poor mother~ who h~ the priests for reading the ~ a Protestant meeting. Sister Theresa returned,' si i', and quietly prepared to ~ was desir~d. 'Thatis a good girleen,' said TI not frightened now2 'No,' she replied, 'for 1k hat] never leave' thee, nor forsake thee."' 'Who said that, maohree ~? ~ aske~i ~lie presence of ~nd she prayed A been cruelly brord of God, and ~e was calm, ate ;6 to bed as she eresa, 'you are s.aid, "I will the nun. "Jesi.~s Christ, my own Saviouij',' answered the onvent, where is, that same,' g to one of de-. iddy mother! e the life out e sound and wn no'W, and i~pper in half and locked it rself uponh~r or the:' saints, rength to suf girl. 'And Him?' how said H~ that to yoi~i-did you see 'He spoke it in his blessed worc it again ii~ my heart by His Spirit, it's thrue,~ she said. 'Well~ machree~ but ye'd better~ ii here, d'ye see,' said the nun kindly. 'Och~ but it's not heresy to ap His died i~or me, and gives me stren name; and if He. protects me, cannot harm me.' 'Very well,' 8aid Sister Theresa, ished; ~ hut go to bed now, and here' ~and lie spoke and so I know ot speak heresy ~ke about. Him ~th to suffer for he' whole World somewhat aston~ a blessed eru- 159 ! page: 160-161[View Page 160-161] 160 SISTER. AGNES. -CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS ~th1~ERTY. 161 cifix to set before ye when you say youi Ave first, and the Paternoster aft~r, yc up, there,. when ye say the Aye,' she a to a daub of a Madonna, which hung~ 'No,' replied the girl~, resolutely;' ten, "Thou shalt not make unto the image, or any likeness of anything t heaven above, or in the earth beneath not bow down to them, nor serve th 'I Lord~thy God am a jealous God."' The irun put her hand over the gir tell you7 she said, 'if you will tall~ h( protect y9u-your life's not safe.' 'There's one there who can purtect girl, rising and pointing upwards; 'an b1e~sed will that I die for His sake- died for me.' ~. Sister ~Theresa was, for once, awe sublimity in the voice, and manner, an~ of the young untutored girl. 'Wh~ heresy?' she said to herself, 'she's mc than any in the cQnvent, and I'll save So she saw the ~hild to bed, locked the needed to the refectory. Father Dennis and Father O'Hoor~ Miss S. had been invited to join the a~ud. th~ rule of si1enc~ had beev 'rela: prayers-.the know. Look Vied, pointing ~pon the wall. for~ it is writ- ~ any graven hat is in the Thou shalt ~m; for I the l's motith: 'I resy I cannot me,' said the d if it be His -Amen! Ike [~ There was in the words t care I for re like a saint her if I can.' door, and pro~ ~n were there; party at tea, ~ed in honour of the priests, so there was an anir when Sister Theresa appeared. 'Have you put the young hereti my daughter?' asked Father Denni 'To be sure; it's famous torture there in the dark, not knowing butl off to-morrow morning,' replied the n 'But perhaps,' said Father O'llc console herself by thinking that in tl~ Dennis the first '-glancing at the will~stonish the, world by~ carrying 'ii across the sea to get it stuck on agai2 Father Dennis laughed. 'The, reverend father, St. Dennis walk lightly over the sea when he is Sister Theresa. 'The broader the surface," said F~ 'the less liable a body is to sink; so would have the best chance of any ol his smile relaxed, and he added, '1 daughters, that this case was a ~u blessed miracle,~ for the conversion and confirmation. of the faithful. ~ truly a glorious saint, a fit subject foi tial meditation.' 'Maybe,' said Father Dennis, 'it ing for the sisters to hear' of the glor the holy ehuroh in the case of the y 8* ated chattering to the torture, laughing. o be locked up e~ head will be n. oran, 'she may 't case, like St. at priest-' she under her arm 7 the 'second, will martyred,' said flier O'Hooran, Father Deniiis u's.' But here orget not, my iracle, a most of unbelievers, t. Dennis was your reVeren- ould be edify- ous triumph of ung heretic in. F 160 page: 162-163[View Page 162-163] 162 BISThR AGNES. CIVIL AND RELIGIOTJS LItBERTY. 163 their keeping, and the tribe of super~ that infest this poor persecuted village had the in4~udence to set up one inission~schoo~s -confound them! blessed nose8; ~atid~ what with stir-al work, and what with the devil's help, - they make to convert the poor craythm 'Well, Paddy Q'Flannigan gave ti meet in, ill luck to him! and we 'curse ahhar; and the decent people that church took their childer' from the s up attendingg Satan's meetinghouse fo weeks, but some ten or a dozen that souls for stir~about, hung on; and wh clemency of the blessed Virgin, no e took courage, and back the deluded c~ ~ind the i~iass was forsaken, and the dui the bibles that we thought were in th shew their heretic faces; so iv we had it would have been as bad as Luther entirely. 'Then we got~a crowd ov thruehe night; wid cudgels wud have comfort to see; an' they shouted, "The ehuro and "Down wid the devils," and " and jumpers They have ~ their heretic der our own out and lace- it's aisy work L'5~ as they call ~iem a rOom to I him from the respected the hool, and gave r three 'or four had sold their~ n, through the vii came, they ~aythui~s went, ~s g9t low, and~ fire, 'began to t't put it down, nd John Knox ~rted boys to- d your 'hearts i~ in danger," 11 luck to the~ * We owe an apology to our readers for this vulgarity. Father Dennis is ~botte the a'rerage of a Maynooth prie~t. soupers;" and Paddy O'Fiannigar for lie was feared for himself and t * shut the door, Iie congregation. But the boys battered in the d or, and oh! the yelling. When they saw me, the r lawful priest, and Father O'llooran-them tha are not made apostates entirely-~-they cowered own, an' I bade the boys seize themand give them little wholesome discipline, but not to 1~ake the brea li out o' them, the church is merciful. Then Pa dy O'Flannigan stood up to spake,-the bould be gar, to~ me the parish 'priest,-he would have sp ken to me and Father O'llooran, but the boys set up a howl, such as it was glorious to hear; and they howled 'for ten minutes or more. 'And when the discipline was done, and I had broken my silver-mounted whip over Biddy Doherty's. back, and given the widdy Keegan 'to the hands ov the tormentors, and saz~d her dochter, Phemy Kee- gan, that had been made a monitor or teacher among thenl,-th&L I tould the boys to let them go, and they might run to save their lives if they~ liked. But every Catholic boy was to run after them to their own homes by way ov convoy, ye see, arid give them a few cuffs by the way, hot to bate the life out o' them; j.ecai.~se, as I said before, the Ohurch is mer- ciful! 'Well, Pherny Keegan remained in my hands by the hair cv her head, crying, because her mother had 168 I page: 164-165[View Page 164-165] 1434 SiSTER AGNES. got the discipline that was good far her; and I called Father Q'Hooran to see what would be done to ~keep her from taehing hice.work and heresy in my parish;1 so we bro~ght~ her off to your care ~ only, don't be too tender over the young she-wolf; for all her. sheep's clothing:. See, ye~ bate the heresy out ov her, and don't let her out 1~o devour the lambs again. I'll have no wolves among n~y sheep.' 'I thought we were your sheep, father,' said Sister Theresa, ' andyet you have put her here to devour us.' 'Ill look to you if you let her out to devour,' said the)pri9st. ~Mayhe she'U eat me' said gie nun. 'She'll have a wide mouth then,' remarked the father. 'she has that, as Saint Red Ridinghood said,' re- tart~d thenun. Sis~er'Aghes sat listening to all this wi~th a mix- ture of' wonder and. shame. Sh~ was shocked at the y~o1ence of the priest, whow she had previously con- ~idered vulg&r, but, good-natured. The dignilled Other O'Hooran seemed to have p~rt4ipated in the outrage. Sh~ f~egau to thixik that if.th~ Church were in~d1ibie, her priests were certaii4y not ~o; and ~he hoped that such~ doings were not sanctioned by. authority.' She ventured timidly. to ask Father Q~oran, whether such a mode of settling heresy 'were riglzt. $ CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY~ 165 'Undoubtedly, my daughter,' replied the priest, 'our ordination vow binds us to persecute all heretics. Whatever may rid the ~~orld of their pestiferou~ breath i~ an acceptable' service.' 'lEather Spencer, whom I sometimes met, used t0 say that persecution was foreign to the genius of the holy Catholic faith,' said Sister Agnes. 'Father Spencer's mission was pacific, to bring in opponents,' said the priest. 'Reserve was~ requisite in his case; to have avowed the truth ~mo~ig unbe~ livers would have been to cast pearls before swine. They would have trampled them under their feet and turned again to rend him. Being now secure within the bosom of the church, there is no danger in initiate. irig 7,ou into its blessed doctrines. You may enter the secret recesses, the penetralia of its mysteries hidden from scoffers.' 'I~ut why-were things taught me which I have to unlearn?' asked Agnes. 'Why is the young leaf wrapped up in a covering during winter, which when the ji4ces' of spring swell it, must burst and faU off? Answer me that, and you will see by analogy why the young convert needs protectic~n. Many things in nature are done that have to be ~~one.', 'Tr~e, father,' said the sister, rather puzzled than convinc4l. Her moraL nature, her respect for truth page: 166-167[View Page 166-167] SI3TflR AGN]~S. was not quite quenched'yet, 'though ~he had learned to practis~ ~deception herself. Miss S. rather enjoyed~the evening; he~' love society overcame her horror of vulgarity. She join heartily in the conversation, which was animated- *thou~h' some of the nuns sat stupidly silent. * Father O'Ilooran? related a story of a young hei ess who, weary of the vanities ~f the world, 'of i tr~aohery and hollowness, sought refuge in a convene He described the, peace that settled upon her soul~ the rapture of ~her devotion-the spirituality of h * mind-the beatific visions with which she was favour4 -her death in the odour of sanctity-the strains celestial music that floated around her corpse, and ti radiance which played 6ver her features. And th~ h&relate& how, after death, she appeared to a you~ ful bridq, disclosing a pitfall under her feet! dept~ of dis4j~ointment and lighted love, and' bj~ter negle which' awaited her; hQw she urged her to flee to convent, but the spelbbound bride refused; and h one year after, the bright young creature, be4~ome skeleton with 'woe-cast herself off a rock - into t sea ~&iss .S~ listened attentively. Her spirits sa and she withdrew.' The~father saw that 1~e had ma ~', sniieixnptession.~ $i~ter Agnes ~smiled sadly,' almost derisively. * To account 'for the difference between father I f I 5m d n 1'- L5 a a Le a- CIVIL AND R~LIGIOLTs LIBERTY. 167 ~Iaynooth priest, nis an O'Hooran, we may mention that the former was a educated in all thevulgarity, and tyranny, and disloyalty, and ignorance-if we may speak of education in ignorance-.-which the suicidal policy of Britain eipends so much annually to maintain. Yet he was naturally good-humoured, * and pc~ssessed the love pf fun characteristic of his nation and these. qualities prevented his humanity from sinking so low as i~ the case with some of the Jrish priesthood. Fa her O'llooran had keen educated in a conti~ mental college, where gentleme~i and literary men -are to be found; he had thus acquired a degree of polish unknown in. Maynooth, the low ruflianisin of whose ons he despised, not 'because it was ruffia 'sin, but because it' was vulgarity. But beneath these different surfaces, both possessed the morals of their mother Rome. Fraud, tyranny, falsehood, sensuality, fitted ~em for the work to which she called them. But up~n these things, with all the "deceivableness of nur ghteousness," the' infallible church be~tows widely different titles. We protestants giirebnhappy names o the qualities which distinguish he~ saints. page: 168-169[View Page 168-169] / CHAPTER XVIIL A CONSPIRACY. ' Ito'e no ewaggerer, bostes8; a tame creature. "You may stroke him as gently as a puppy-greyhound." K Ti~ Lady Superior sat pensively at a little table i' the~ widow which commanded a view of the couri ya~a, laani~g her head upon her hand. The porter~ bell ra~ng. il~e great gate was unbarred and unlocked an at ~ with stately step, ~alked, up ~ the centre of the~ court to the principal door. Tl~ superiore~ ~p~e to meet him, and~ when he was sea ed beside ~her, 'F~tber,' she said, '1 want couns with re~pe~t to Mis~ S~ am afraid of her slippir through our i~ngers., It w~~s an. wuwise promise th~ she should have liberty to visit her friends; she taki advantage of it rather too freely.' 'If t~he profuse be foun4 to be unwise1 my chil iV way be brokenn' said the Father. 'Along with promise there is usually some intention or eonditi4 ) 1 t 5 A C0NSFIR~.CY. 169 in the r9nd of the promise, 4hich intention or .con~ edition if it be unfulfilled-renders the promise null. As a~ood daughter of the church, you doubtless attache~ to your promise the condition. (mentally) that the thir~g promised should tur~ri out beneficial to us. I may put it in other words: If it be for her good, and the good of the church, sh~ shall have liberty to visit her friends. Now, shoul~i it be proved, that to visit hei~ friends be neither for ~her good nor the good I. of the c1~urch, then~ the promise annexed, to the con- dition ought not to be fulfilled. The condition is principa~-the promise is but accessory. 'Th~re wojild be danger ~f scandal, father, in breaking this promise,' said the lady.. 'Th~t rnust~be avoided,' said~the priest. C Scandal is a real evil, the fear of it a valid reason for keeping your pro~nise, even at soxneri&k; but what is the true state of 1?he case V 'Mie~ S.,' replied the lady, 'has an engagement to sPencl} a week with those cousins of hers;, there is to be a ball, a~id the poor child'~ liead'wiilbe turned,' she said, sighing, and lifting u~* her eyes. . 'She will never imbibe a relish for the re igiou~ life.' Poop little worldly thing, remarked the father. 'Pity if ~he has to enter it without a relish.' 'Do ~tou mean that she must be couipelled, if she does not willingly take the ? 'inquired the Su- perior~ t page: 170-171[View Page 170-171] 170 SISTER AGNES. A C0NSPZRACy. 171 'Undoubtedly,' replied the priest, 'when it is f the good o~' her soul and of the' church: it would 1 false charity to defer to her wishes. By-and-bye-~- forced now-she naay be willing afterwards.' T blessed Saint Liguori tells of Sister Mary Bonave tura, who entered the Convent of the Torre ID Speech against her will; 'but after a life of tepidi and dissipation, she went, during the lirst meditati4 of the spiritual exercises, and threw herself at t feet of" Father Lancizio of the Society of Jesus, a~ coutageously said to him, "Father, .1 want' to be 8aint, and a great saint, and to be oneiminediately 'Is the compulsion to be used now, or shall allow her to pay this visit 'P asked the Sup nor. "We. must copy expert anglers7' re lied t father, "and give her 'the length of the li e, lest break ':~efbre she is drawn in; this visit odd r ,be prevented without troublesome inquiries,, and su ~ tiiggitig at the line 'as t6 break, it, 'perh s. I sides, there would be scandal in Aetaining 'r'-uow~ £ But what if she* should never 're~urnt'' 'Itave you any reason to~fe~ such a fe ult 'P * the' No, not 'Iparticularly. I ~do' not thin she smtdlest suspicion of our intentions,' said t superior, 'but she told Sister Monica that he woi never be a * ' 'flaw~h~' associated much with' the Bis ers?' quired the priest. 7 ~;,L if Le 1- n a I it ~Js ie Id 'Noi so as to be well acquainted with our~habits,' replied the Superior. 'Siste~r Theresa, who is ~o lively, is often with her in he~ own room, and so is Sister Agnes-; she is so refined.' 'Sister Theresa is very amusingg,' replied 'the father; 'but I am not quite sure~ of her sincerity. Sister Agnes is too melancholy; but after all they are the best you could have selected.' 'Well, about the ball,' said the reverend mother.i' 'Of course she must go; but let it~ be' th~ la~t. She can catch cold at it; do you understand me 'I' asked the priesL 'Perfectly,' replied the lady. 'Letters to or from India?' asked the father. 'None. since the letter,' replied the Superior, who smiled as she added-' The -imitatioji of her writing was really admirable. The poor youth will suppose his beloved most safely kept for him.' 'Send for me the instant, one arrives from him~1 said the priest. 'You have the draft of what he will write to her.' 'Ready for immediate use, as soon as we~ get his hand to copy,' said the 'Superior; 'but really the envelope,-they get so characteristically soiled in coming from India,-and. the post-marks will be 'Oh! leave allthat to me,' said the ghostly father. 170 171 page: 172-173[View Page 172-173] 172 SI8T~R ~ e, The envelope may~ do again, and if not, 'i'90r little. dear!' sighed the Superior, break her~ little foolish heort!' 'The. orderof piety,' said the priest, 'pu terest ofthe church before that of private in and infinitely befoi'e their feelings. A mother ~has need of Spartan or , saintly c ern~bIe her to triumph ove~' the writhing o ~inan' nature under the sacrifices the c 'Those sacrifices will be amply compe the world to come,' said the mother. '$urely~ nq daughter, if made~'willing tk~e case oL Sister Agnes,' said the Lather, tb~t ~f a :worldly.. girl like N'Iiss S., who is c peUe44~ them; she has no merit in th( The cl{~rch ~must serve itself of her as ~the] 0pp~e44he IF~g~ptians, an4 leave her to. her ~na.y please the Yirgin~ to induce her after turn necessity into virtue, and become willi '~t help it. ~ut that must not be obje~ 'Like Sister Mary Bonaventiira,' said period. 'And hundreds besides,~ replied the. prie~ know. ~iut. Liguori, in his"'" Nun Sanctified frequent mention of such cases. It is a mo~ * A CONSPIRACY. 173 ~ve shill 'she whl s~the i ividual revere urage E' corru uroh d i :d sated in y, as 'but nly co~ matte .sraelit Late. wards rig whi our fix n n rub. it n the Sli- it. 'Yi ,"mak t bless u d service in which you are engaged, my' daughter: doubly blessed, first, you nobly enrich your convent; then you compel a thoughtless girl from a life of dissipatioti and vanity, into one of holy discipline, in which she may become a saint.' 'Then her catching cold, father,' said the Sn- perioress, 'is to prevent her from going abroad again. 'Just so, my daughter; you must impress upon her mind that it results from the exposure of this visit; see that she writes this account to herfriends, and if any of them come to see4ier, they must ~not be allowed. She herself must sen~I a message declining to see them. She must then be ordered to keep one room, at an. equal temperature all winter. You will tell them that this is quite necessary; and in~ deed it is Aeeessary for our purposes, if n~t for 'her health; so that in~ making this statement you 'only use the mo~t~ holy amphibology or equivocation re- commended by liguori, when he says, "To swear," -observe, even ' to swear,-' with equivocati6u or amphibology, when there is a good reason; and equivocation without an oath is lawful-is not wrong -is no harm'; for where there is'a right to hide the truth; and it is done without a iie,\no irreverence is done -the oath.' ~ Yes, father, and if lawful to swear, much more lawful to equivocate without an oath.' page: 174-175[View Page 174-175] '74 8I~TER AGNES. A CON~PIRACY. 175 'Ju~t s my~daughter,~ replied the. fatl 5~ODt~aiI9W;the aunts to take fright. and coi let :tli~m. be ;t&ld of the precautions, but as~ there is no danger.' 'i'think.they are too mu~h engrossed witi gaieties to return, unless they supposed hex said ing,' th~ Superior. 'Allis promising-plans are well laid,' s~ O'flo~raii, rising. 'Benedicite The saixit angels ~prosper~you.' 'Amen]' replied the Superior. 'You had better say three Rail Mi~rys f~r success,' 8a~d the priest, looking back. Miss S. accordingly paid her visif to he: w&it to4he. bail, and-felt some disinclinatioi~ tQ0r~1~4~U1~$. Every atten1~ion, ~he said, h~r by~ the another Sfiperior; and' the two s~ whom~he chie~y' associated, were- most kii~ tiva; and~she had music to her heart's cont~ thing could be finer than to listen to the walking. in~ the cloisters; her own small ro 1ted up with her own things in the be po~s ~ sli~rt, nothing was wanting to make he~ ~it liberty ~x4.society. .~~usin, F yo~ are 'Liberty, dear]' under no restraint-y a nun. As to society, we shall always be gI you when you tire; I shall send for y&u er,. 0i ae hou ure th4 Parisi to be id'Fatl and h ly 1' 2, m y-. er ly wery cous4s, to rett was p: sters w dly att ent ~ ~oir, w]~ m was ble tas satisf reman u are d to h~ whene~ rn id 0- le it- ed ed LOt ye there is to be any. thing charming in the wary of din. ners or balls' 'Thank yQu, dearest,' replied Miss S.,, ' that is something to look forward to. I am sure lam so fond of pleasure, I'll not be a nun' 'Suppose you should turn nun, and break po9r Charles's heart, how romantic that would be!' retort~. ed the cousin. - 'Horror of horrors,! I should break my own flr8t,' replied Miss S.. '.Oh! such frights as they ar&I, Bald heads-not a bit of er their poor foreheads' a dirty white cloth wrapped round their faces; as if William had twisted his towel about the housemaid's head, after drying the glasses upon it'; a black wool~ len gown, almost dirty and almost ragged; then there are pug-noses, and yellow skins, and ~4ar l~ones, and cross countenances; only two or' 't~iree. -of theiu you cou~d'ever imagine to have been ladies. I wish my heart may not really breakbefore the we~ry'r~onths get over. I declare I would have extend~'d my visit to a fortnight, had it not been that thi India rrniils are due the day after to-morrow, and all my letters are to be sent to the convent.' 'Oh! do stop!' cried her cousin, 'and write to the post-office to forward them here.', 'No, dear, that' would lose a post at least. I am dying for letteis,-even more than for your society,' she added playfully. 74 175 page: 176-177[View Page 176-177] *1 176 ~ir~a~ AGNES. I 'TheA tak4i this for' your' hnpudet~ee,' re lied t e merry girl, pinoliing h~r cheek. Here's'pe arnie you;i~ad~m '~n~ I Papa! 'papa!' she crie , ~as h r ?f~her ~ room; 'here's a young dy w o wishes a novel made oflier. history.' $he i' tends~ o ~ tlieveil i~ order to~kill poor Oharles.' ~t'i1 ~i~wer for it ~1~e iyori't take it,' said t e Major, 'if ever she weai~s it, it will be put pon li r pe~force.' ~' 'Miu4, ehe'~ au heire~, kpapa,7 said N~s ai~ght They may entraplier; such things, they soy, a e aone. 'That is ~ue' of the ~ealumnie~ against ou churc ,' replied the major.' t~he priests and'the su erior f th&coi.went of - at least, are 'too disinter sted a~ of f~d8e play. I don~t bell ye th i~rauade.'" '1~eyiiaV~fleY9r done ~o yet,' 'rep~i~dM ss ~. I ain~ ~t 'liberty even'to attend vespez's and 'mat na or xi t I pkase. ~"i~h~t's what you w~iil4 not be in the 'ho seofo 'Pr&te~ti~t' recto said h~i' cousin. Ev~e y 'tli~ h~rnse 'must attend 'prayers night ~nd ornin th4y say.' 'KLa'! how tiresome I ~ axclaim~d 'Miss S.' Mi~S.rat~rrie4 to jMe coirrent. It w s twen niil~ oil; ~hd noiMlroad~et' p1~e~sed he self # ~ the idea of being sent %r whenever~ there as to A CONSPIRACY. 177 any extraordinary gaie4~y in Cailaghanliouse; but, to do' her justice, her thoughts dwelt still zn6re uponher expected letter, from India. She was affectionately received by the Mother Su- perior and sister Agnes; a bright fire was burning in her room; her nic-nacks were in beautiful order'; 'a nosegay of lauristinas, and arbutus, and monthly roses, was upon the table, and in fact, her despised "home looked better than she expected to find it. She re- quested a fire in her bed-room; but during the nights she awoke shiver completely' chilled; she would hav~e asserted her window to be wide open; ~nd her door also, had she not seen that the former was fasb ened when she had been standing at it looking ~at the new moon, and wondering if Charles' eyes were fixed upon it too. She thought the temperature had 'sud- denly changed, and that she had caught cold, wrapped the bed-clothes tight about her, ~and finally fell asleep again. In the morning ~he felt symptoms of cold, and pulled her bell to order breakfast in bed; but the wire wa~ broken, and' she could not ring it.~ She threw on her dressing-gown, an~l ran along 'the corri- dor to the room of the Superior, but the windows and doors of all the cells were opei~, the Araft was tern-2 ble, and not a human 'being answered to her t~all. She dressed herself in anger, and felt sh3kiigly' chilled when her toilette was done~-shiv~i4ng' all 9 L page: 178-179[View Page 178-179] '178 SISTER AGNES. A C0NSP2LRAOY. 179 over. S~he descended, in no pleasant humo4 sitting-room. She thought there was a co~1 against her, for there was air enough in th~ to turn a windmill. 119r own fire 'burned however~ and she crouch~ d before it, ringiri~ impatiently for breakfast. She felt deci well, and sent for the reverend mother, w her story with concern, and expressed her c that she had caught cold after dancing, othe could not have experienced the sensation ing injthe night, ,and reminded her that the windows were always opened after the si their sleeping apartments. She had gruel for dinner, brought by the the mother herself, but felt squeamish although it was flavoured with the fine raspb gar nx~le by the nuns. Then she was fever impatience with which she waited for thp PO was much later than usual-unaccountably At length a bell rang, and sh& rushed on court. It was not the postman, but father who had, however, the convent-bag in his h 'The poor post is behind his time,' said ti 'so as I was coming this way, I relieved h duty of~ turning up the lane.' 'Letters for me, father?' inquired Miss beating heart. "'Ic~nnot tell till the bag i~ opened,' ~a 158 r, to h ispira lobbi Lrightl ~ rath ~dly u io hea )flyiCti wise S F shiv oors a ters I hands after rry v ~d byt ~t, whi Late. into t ~rid. fath( ~~oft] S., with, id father r 5 r ci e d J h O'llooran. 'The reverend mother always does that herself? 'Here she comes. Oh! madam, do look quickly! Any for me?' cried Mi&s S. The Superioress held up ~ foreign letter. 'Against th~ rules to give it you before I have read it,' she said, smiling. 'Ah! but lam not under rule,' cried Miss S., as she ran ofl~' to her own room with her treasure, feel- ing neither drafts nor the damp evening air, ~or any thing else in the world, than the letter sh~ held in her hand. She sat down to read it, but as she proceeded, her colour faded, her heart beat violently, she became sick, and it fell from her hand. So ~ch~ng- ed was the style of her lover, 80 cool, so forinal,' she sat a while \ bewildered, and then burst into tears. She looked at the diamond ring upon her finger, and recalled his manner when at parting lie gave it to her, saying, 'i~ese stones are n~t more imperish- able than my affection for you.' Again she read the letter, and again its strange coldness struck a sensa- tion of faintness to her heart. She thought of 'the mighty Waters that r~Aled between them, of the Iengt of time required for a communication to cross the and she owned that before her ~request forexplan'~ tion could reach him, hi~ hand might be given t~ another. 'He has met some ~ne gayer 'and mor~ lovely thap: 1,' she said tQ herself ;' 'and perhaps even 179 page: 180-181[View Page 180-181] 180 SISTER AGNES: A CONSPII~AOY. 11.81 now~ in a gorgeous eastern hail, he ha~ elaime another bride.' $he wept agonizingly, and a fire - of res ntmen was kindled in her bosom. Her first impulse was t rix4i to her~eousin~, and i~onfide her misery; but fe male pride soon negative this. No one shod know that she had been slighted; the pangs ouidb, hid in her own breast. A change might co e ove her lover, andif not, she Would revenge hei~s if-sb would~ mvry some one ~higher than he, r-sh wouil take the veil, and leaVe her riches to. he con vent ! By~and~by~ ~i~ter Ague~ came to inquire for he cold. She had hastily dried her tears, and ow me ohanically answered the question put to her. Afte a' little' desdtory talk, 0he s~iddenly i quired 'Agxies, Aid you. ever love?' ~ N~t~'as yo~&de,'-replied'the novice, sr~iili g-bu -and iier~ h~r lip quivered; and -her voice itered I loved my father, and I almost adored my othei9 me~ory2 Why did you kave~your home 'P inquiry d-Mis S. 'I am siwe you were brought up in refine society.-~among all the elegancies of life. Wha coiii4 induce you to come. to ~hi~ horrid place U '~ I loiiu4 the~wotld ~h~il~ an& unsatisfac ory; I si~h~d'~r h~1ir~ess~ anil devotion, for the ~se vice of .th~ ~kth~r ~t -O~ed; 'and for the companinn hip o~ 4 a* - pure, simple beings. I wanted to be a saint,' said Agnes. 'But you have not found those tl4ngs here, I ~m sure; and saints are such horrid melancholy things, -how could you want to be one P 'Holiness is happiness,' said the novice. 'I h~ve too much corruption to subdue, to be satisfied yet2 'Well, I don't understand about saints,' said Miss~ S., 'but I am sure you are' far more like one, t1~an people who change their feelings towards those who love them, and break their hearts.' Here Miss ~. threw h~r arms round the neck Qf the nov~oe, ard burst into a passionate flood of tears. Sister Agnes could not e9mprehend her; but l~er' words 9allsed a terrible 'pang -t& shoot through' her own heart. She thought of her father's wouud~d love but the' pang was a bitter one; she. felt r~ot that soft grief which melts; nor that gushing sorrow which breaks forth into tears. It was a hard, f~4.' ing, crushing woe that had settled upon her, ax~4 locked np the tender emotions. ~ Will prayer and penance bring back lost love P '~skedMissS,, 'I don't know,' replied Agnes. C' 'I must see a priest," said Miss. S. T~ do you co~ifess ?~ is it to mer~'y. lRathQr ~en~iis~' ., -~ - N ,?repEedthe~nod ']~'ather O'~oi~ j~i~ confe~sor.' -, 1. 5 page: 182-183[View Page 182-183] 182 ~SISTER AGNES. 'Well, he is not vulgar like Father Dennis, bu~ his eye frightens me, and he is so terribly austere yet he is a gentleman. Father Dennis is not. Waft it for that you chose him?' said Miss S. 'Oh! never mind my reasons, choose for ~ourself~ replied Sister Agnes. 'Father O'llooran is the mor dignified, but Father Dennis, I dare say, will be th more indulgent.' 'And will understand such matters as mine best, said Miss S.; 'but no, gravity is the thing whe one is in distress. Will you, dear, request th reverend mother to send for Father O'llooran imme diately.' 'Immediately, dear?' asked Agnes in surprise. 'Yes, immediately; my heart ~s breaking, and must confess.' Sister Agnes did as she was requested, and t her surprise the Superior made no objection, bu instantly dispatched a messenger for Fathe O'llooran. The secret was duly confided to his ear, and re ceived with becoming concern. 'There is consider able cruelty, my daughter,' he said, 'in treating yoi~ so. I do fear all is not right with him. For th sake of your own peace, you had better withdraw~ your thoughts as much as possible from one who~ seems to have so little appreciation of your value. It is ever so with earthly love, my daughter; the f A CONSPIRACY. 183 being upon whom it is bestowed, values it little, or provc~ unworthy of it. Whatever may be the issue, it is well that he shows his neglect before the matter is irremediable. You may thus be saved the pang which hundreds feel, of being slighted after mar- riage.' 'Is that a common case, father ~'inquired Miss S. 'I must not betray the secrets of the confession- al,' said the father, 'but I may say that all young women ought to mark the first appearai~ice of coolness on the part of those to whom they entrust their hap- piness. I believe that nineteen out of twenty mar- ried persons wish themselves loosed again.' 'Then, father,' said Miss. S., 'you do think the letter cool'?' 'Distressingly so,' replied the father. 'What shall I do?' inquired the poor girl. 'If after his treatment, you think him worth the trouble,' said the confessor, 'you may say ten ayes and perform five stations every day on bare knees, from the chapel-door to the image of the Virgin. It may be she will reconcile him to you, if for the good of your soul.' 'Endure such humiliation for a man who neglects me!' cried Miss S. 'INo, father, if he cares not for me, I care not for him.' 'Becoming spirit, my daughter,' said the priest. page: 184-185[View Page 184-185] CHAPTER XIX. ~TRI~ING5 AFTER SA~CT1TY. "Isi~e)~ wbich folloWed after $ghteonsness, liath not attMned nto the Ia r1gbteous~ess. Wherefore? Because they ought tt not by f th, but as i w~reby th~ works of th~ 1aw."-~oi~igis ix. 81. 4 ~ wa1s attached to the convert, th coars work of which was done by the poor sisters ho ha brought no dowq. The other nuns wroug~ atth lighter part# of.tho cullivation. To~ some ~f them a~4~ e c$~aUy ~ sister Agnes, this ~was a eightt U otj~er~r~gar4ed it a~ a cruel task, fo~ ii~dole ce was ox~e ~ tl~eir cbr eris1~i~s. Yeg~tahles an flowers grew iu~ri~ntly, and tI~e commoner kinds f fruit; tWe \~ne~ ~orts , ~were nQt~ a~Io~ed,. although Auring summer fruit with bread formed a frequent me 1. No re~t~ition, was. pIaced~upon. the cul Tation ~ owers; ~ ~~te4 t~ &4orn. jJ~ie ehapeI~ ~at fe tivals; i~n4 hi the rich and bahny'air of t1~e~outh 4' ~l~nd ma~y4~ea~iVtiI va4ties ~i~ri~ tion. Mary anticipated much pleasure in ending STRlVfl~GS AFT1~R SANCTITY. 186 them in summer, and in making wreaths and bouquets for the alta1~. Thixing winter; these had been formed of the rich evergreens, the lauru~tinus with its sno~ry blossoms, the arbutus with* its~ erim~ou fruit, th~ ppb ished holly rich with coral berz'~1es, and in &ixne ~h~k tered nook, a delicate china4ose, or a ~few spri~ig flowers that had blossomed too soon, were fouu4 to vary the adornment. But spring wa~ come-early spring, a~d she dairy longed for the garden, Where she s~~wed~ 4e seeds annuals she loved, awl trimmed th~ ear1i~st flower~' But she could not run out ~when she pleased; Tli& si&iers were so many niaehines~, all their motions we~e controlled; 'restraint,' obedience,' these werewatcl~.' words of the convent. A nun must have nowiU~ she acts b~ut by thewill of her: superiors; in~ fact sheis sca~rcely allowed t~ think; her very thoughts are eontrolM by her eonfessor; so perfect is the tyrai~n~ of Rorue~. * Usually novices are kep~4uring th~ y~&i~fip~ b~itiori ,onsiderably apa~t~ froiu'the nuns, &t ~lea~tii~ cases whera they need to have concealed frQ~i the. mode ~f life in 4lie ~on~e~t~-th4. is, wE~n the~y -I require tobe deceived. ~u~i~thecas~ Qfo~r there was-no su9h n~cessi~y; ~ha ~Was a ~e~ure pra cut off fror~ cQ1~ipX1~no&tiW3 with1the\ outer. wod4;b&yzI yo4the~ po~wer~ ~ friend or i~el~tiv~. 4She was~ a~ once ~dmit~ed among the'rest, at once initiat4 intc~ 9* 4 page: 186-187[View Page 186-187] E * 186 8I~TER AGNES. the mode of life: it mattered not whether ~he like oivdisliked 4it, she could not help hemelf. Still s' was trea1tedwith rather more consideration than thos ~ho h~d taken the veil. 2 Onthis~ day she had finished her allotted tas and~ strolled out into the garden. An ine4ressibl soft breeze caine over the lofty spiked wills, an sighed through~ the inclosure, kissing her pate chee The touch lik~ that of some magic wand, awoke ~host~ of shimb~3ring recollections; it was like th breeze that used to pass down the glen, before th leaves were nufolded, when the prmroses were pee ing from their mossy nooks, the breeze she shoul never feel again. Het'~hfldhood, her mother, her father passed b fore the eyes of her mind,-~-with the home she ha left for ever. Her father-in what state mightsh ~icture~1iim;if he still lived,-if her flight had no killed him? Oh! that ~Jiad written her one wor ifiv4ia& 4been. but~*4a~er! ~For what had she le h~rihoiiie? For7m~ny an airy vision that had van iahetl in niist~ Net one idea had been realized ~ were all she hac gaii~d~: :Had she 'notbeen cruelly deceived-or wai i$~jze~ t~wn fi~ulti that she na~ no holier, iio more ~elf tl6t~w~reftil a h~rdthat41iose~strange, irrepres~ibF longings a*~er somethhi~ unreaii~ed still haun~d her I 9 STRIVINGS AFTER SANCTITY. ~87 What was the end she had in view? To be a stunt -to be fre& from sin, to utter no murmur, to lhwe self subdued, to lose herself in extatic eontemplat~on, to rise by a royal road of suffering to a throng in heaven, to an immortal crown. Was she one ~hit nearer this consummation than when she entered the monastery? Alas! no. She had more disquiet de, more rebellion of the will, was more frequently tenipt~ ed to evil passions, could indulge less in spiri4ial visions,-was altogether much farther movedd fVom saintship than when dwelling quietly in her fa4i4#'s house, and dreaming among woods and fields, and ~by the side of pleasant streams. But again: she thought that in her early di'ea~s she had n~istaket~the nature of stsJIitt~l~il~ imagining her mind to be full ~f Juitt ideas, iti~a~ been filled only with image~ of iiatural beauty. saints had always been fair ereatti~es, r~4iant glory, reclining among fi~ rapt iii elytsiinm t the saints she heard of now h~d~dis~ur~ dir~a~rr & their persons, tortured their ~e~b,~eu e~ con~~s~ with demons, trampled upon their affections, 1i~ e stem, unlovely, morose, filthy; her' ~ ~~I1 ~ fr~rni the picture, the delicacy of her *~m~nh&~ ~. shrank fi'om the idea.' 1' ' Then 8h~ bega~ to question wi~Whersetf ~vh~t~4 ~ should gain by becoming a saint~ * A i~dl~ht~ cr~ in heaven, a ready passage thither undet~~ page: 188 (Illustration) [View Page 188 (Illustration) ] 188 SISTER AGNES. gatory. Well; that was worth suffering for now; therefore she would persevere, she would set before her this end to inspirit her fiuiling heart, to quicken hexi lingering footsteps. But such a load of earthiness and sin hung around her-how was she to get rid it ~ Only by suffering-by voluntary suffering. L should be done. She had given up 'all her worldly happiness, and it would be folly to lose both that and eternal life; therefore a saint she would be, a saint according to the true, orthodox idea, revolting as that might be to all her natural feelings. 'I must have discipline, father,' she said to her, confessor, '1 am still so worldly, have so much regret for the past, so much recoiling from the present.' 'Recite the psalm Miserere,' he said, 'and be- tween each verse receive four lashes from the hands of two of the sisters; then pass half-an-hour pros- trate before the Virgin, in meditation upon her merits. Jf there are any of the sisters who you think have a grudge at you, select them to ~give you the discipline.' Sisters Monica and An~elica were selected, the penitent kneeled down, her shoulders were bared; the women, each with a scourge in her hand, took their places beside her; she chanted the first verse, and then sharp and heavily the strokes fell. The psalm numbers twenty verses in the Vulgate, so that eighty stripes were inflicted; ~he habit was then "Tho penitent kneeled down, bei boulders were bared." I. page: -189[View Page -189] * This is no exaggerated picture of convent penance. STRIVING AFT1~R SANCTiTY. 18~ drawn over the excoriated shoulders, and the victim 9rawled to the image of the Virgin, where she lay prostrate haIf~an~hour.* Imagine the effort of rising, with the dress here and there adhering to the wound- ed flesh, and the exhaustion which had been induced; and wonder not that as she lay, her meditation was a mQckery; that holy thoughts an~1 blessed feelings refused to come, and that all her heroism was re~ I quisite to repress visible impatience and audible cries of pain. Was she holier that night than before'? Alas! no. But she almost thought she had a conflict with a demon. This was a privilege of saintship. Sister Agnes was next directed to fast for a week, taking only once a day a little water and bread sprinkled with ashes; and twice each day to proceed round the cloisters on naked knees; then retire to her cell, and spend the remaining hours in meditation on the sufferings of Christ in unison with her own. No one will be surprised that she fainted several times while performing the stations, and no Protest.' ant will wonder that her own sufferings occupied her mind more than those of the Saviour. This she deeply deplored. The spiritual exercises of Loyola were next resorted to. Physical weakness had now induced mental languor, for she was enfeebled by page: 190-191[View Page 190-191] 190 SISTER AGNES. STRIVINGS AFTER SANCTITY. 191 fasting and pain; she could not control her thought Eagerly she commenced the first sacred subject, an~ yet with all the tangible assistance which knowledge of human nature, and ignorance of God's grace ha~ suggested, she could not continue. In ten minute~ there was a vacuum in her mind, or it was listlessl~r roaming among images of the past, or occupied with some petty detail of daily life. She wept, she faste she disciplined herself; she could force the body t~ obey, but that ize~tless, roving, uncontrollable thin the mind-what cords could bind it-what suffering~ could subdue it? Day after day, it seemed to be~ come more rebellious. Often she lost the thread o~ her subject, and had to return after an interval of~ vacuity; and oftener still, no emotion was excited~ by the thrilling theme upon which she tried to meditate. Well does the true Christian know the bitterness of such a conflict; but in his case, it is maintained in a strength beyond his own, and he is made more than a conqueror through Him who loved him. * Poor sister Agnes knew of no such Almighty helper. She struggled with corruption alone. She almost resolved to give up the contest, for despair seized her, ~s the enmity oii~er natural heart to divine things unfolded itself. She should never be a saint; then let her be a daughter again. She was only a novice; she need not become a nun. She would return toher forsaken home. But, ah! would she be received? Her father did not deign to notice her now; she could not hold up her head in society; and her soul would be irrecoverab4,' lost. Her destiny was fixed-fixed in this breathing tomb for life! Such thoughts tormented her. I. page: 192-193[View Page 192-193] CHAPTER 'XX. SISTERLY LOVE AND MOTHERLY DISCIPLE "You have a noble and a true conceit Of godlike amity." MERCHANT OF ENCE WE have, as yet, introduced our readers t& only two of' the. nuns of this convent-sister Moni~a ar~4~ sister ~tt~h~resa. Sorrie of the others had~ really so little to ~ istingiiish them, that it is not worth while to describe them.~ Sister Mary de Sale8 was rather young and rather fair, and had it' no~t b~eeu for. hei"dress,, might have been considered pretty; but even she had the elay&y conIDlexioll which want of fresh air and exer~ ; cise, and mental occupation, induces upon the lightest blonde. She was always 'trifling,' usually languid, but semeti~es passionate, especially when biek&in~ wW~ sister Monica, who~ Jiadpleasure in tea~ing~her.' $is~r Marie was dark..eyed a$ pensive; she wigl4 be a1~ou41t'weuty4wo. A 'deep melancholy seem~d't~ enve14p~ her, but ~he was the most liablele of alLthe * SISTERLY LOVE AND MOTHERLY DISCIPLINE. 193 nuns, ever ready to assist. the iAhers, and t& perform such ittle good offices as the habits of the convent allow d. But she went about her daily tasks~ wheth r secular or religious, quite mechanically, ana took ittle advantage of the, permission to ~pe~k~ which was accorded at certain hours, and on certa occasi ns. If here was one feature of character which chiefly prevai ed in the establishment, we may term ~ sullen-~ ness. The inmates had nothing to~ make them think, little t make them feel, scarcely anything to~ arouse~ them om their machine-like state, but the visits of the pri sts, and an occasional festival, when;the church was to e adorned for, ~display, and the ~hoir~ to prae~ tise, V ewise for display. The monotQn~s , pray, the eq ally monotonous chanting, the~ vn1ga~ ho~sa~- work, erformea in silence, (the washii~g~d~y. was a charini g exception,) the silent. meals, the. s9ulItesFs obedian e, were chiefly varied by petty quarrels, ~ow~ jealousi s, small acts of' revenge, and heavy penances. Wh 11 a new sister was admitted, it WaS nsi~l~r her~ for while to fret at her chains, to wince ~t her work, a d perhaps to weep over her, uiiser~y;j but in process of time she sank into a moving statue like ,the rest-w th~ut mind1 without gill, without emotion, save of, he niean9st nature,; or she. pined. ~way y4~h, a blighti i~r heart srnd a aI~i~9~ her~eye, tiWah~tio spot aro e 'on her cheel~, ~nd at hollow cough, dex*ted page: 194-195[View Page 194-195] 104 SISTER A(fNESS SIST the di~ease'which, ere long, carried her to the tomb; or reason fled its outraged habitation,'~nd' idiocy or madness reigned in its stead. I Yet sometimes the monotony was broken by a strong burst of passion called forth by an incident, at which a school-girl might smile, to be followed by the infliction of as mucV~ pain as ignorance of the true nature of sin' and the one sufficient atonement, sup- posed might cancel the crime. Sister Angelica.-.the name seemed to have been given in mockery-and sister Constantia were each n~b~ut forty~: the one -tall, lean, and yellow, with large features and sunken eyes; the other, sharp, short, pug- noBed, prominent~eyed and shrill-voiced. Although -person~d ~roperty was forbidden,' yet some little in- fringemepts ~f' the rule were tolerated, and 'sister Con. stae ha4e~ught a linn~t in tE& garden, had with some inge~uityc~nstructed a cageforit, and Ia'vished ujon it idl'the a~aetiou 'thatstill existed in her seared and #~1~ered heart ~ but the jealousy 'with which- she iard6duit ~~-the ,casion. of irnany quarrels with ~ other ~nuns; for sfre. evidently had not enough of b~iman kindness left within her to serve both for her ~~frd and her ~ister5. ~%X a littk corner of the garden she had formed a bed 'bf grounds~l and plaintain T~r her pet, and these w.r~gu~rd~dL as cateful1y~s if they had been ~the fixie~t exotics.' ' I ~ ~aid his. ter A. I won nasty whole willb nor ju to mol '0 'Old solvent. greak- to give ture 0 mercieL Old ma is all si if Pm -I 'U' 'gelica; if i1 Ita but wh~ your ci Well' fo would 12 spirit.' * We using pro ~RLY LOVE AND MOtt'HERL~ DISCIPtINE, 19~ Lgelica, 'that bird of yours is a~ perfect pest. er the mother allows you to- have that bed~ of reeds: there they are shedding their seed, the ;arden will 'be covered, and our weary backs broken With weeding. There's neither -law tice here, or one old maid would not be allowed st a whole househc~id.' d maid, upon my wor~1!' cried Constance. 3aid, indeed t By the Virgin! but you're in- Which is the oldest, F wonder; wi~g your ose, and bony hands, and not a bit of' -a heart to any living thing! The poor innocent crea- a bird, it's starve it would for your tender * I abominate such selfish, unfeeling ways! id, indeed ! Well 'is it for you that your hair aved off, or grey it would be ;-white as snow, ot mistaken.' * on-my-word! madam!? cried 'sister An- 'If my hair had been grey-which it's not-. been grey, sorrow will turn the hair 'grey, t makes wrinkles like yours, pray? Look at in, and your forehead, and your- pug~n~se. you that you are in a blessed convent, or they. urn you for a witch, and your bird for an evil a long nose and dAn nearly meeting, and ~ omit ~iany of the expressions of- the num'. The habit of ane expletives prevails in* too many monasteries. page: 196-197[View Page 196-197] 196 SISTER AGNES. 'y~l~ow, lean. face that a witch has; aid the dickens W witeh Was ever more like one than yo~r precious self,' soreax~ed sister Oon~tanee. ,' 1~Xy in.nooent bird~ an evil spirit V . If you were not worse than Saul of Ta~rsus,4he music .of itwould drive' Vhe evil spirit out of ye,. But you're worse than Saul, and. the witch of Endor too, that murdered him.' harper and ~harpar grew the contention, keener ~id~keener.became the wits of the sisters, retort upon retort 'r&ttled;off, the origizial subject was forgotten~in torren~ts~, of personal abuse; the ~~one screamed, the other croa~ke4 'with pass4~n4 ur~ti1 the noise attracted tl~e Mothar' Superior.' 'Wha~t is ~ll this?' she in- ~u~edsi~ddady opening' the door;. behixid which she iia4 l~ri listening. 'You are sinning with your t~n~tes,. your tongues shall be puni8hed-KEaoh of you s~haIl lick the sign of the cross upon the floor of the refectory.' ' The vir~g es were~in. a moment quieted. ' One' scowl at ea9h other w~is given, ar4d they went' their Ways with, hea y hearts, ~ their cells, as they were bidden, tjll 4in er. At table it was announced t& the sisterhoo& that 1~14e j~en~nce w have mentioned was to be performed by sisters An eEca and Consta~ice; and the' others wr~~ i~eq~uir'~d ~o~a g@hemselves, ~t Khalf past t~o, oneach side of~,the refectory, 'to witness its perform~ &uee. When tiie~r had'4&n~ so, the culprit nun~ were 0 81ST ELY LOVE AND MOTBERLY DISCIPLINE. 197 l~d in, ach having on a tall, white paper cap,' 'on the front o which a great tongue of red 'cloth W~s pinned. their' c line and its punishment were then stated by the Superioress; and they were ordered to commence their w rk, the one~ at the Gne.~ end, the other at the reverse of the hail, and at opposite sides, that the arms of the cross might 'not interfere with each other. The Ii res. were to exfexid the whole length of the hdl-fl y feet-The floor was of 'i~ood, upon which it was required to ~leave a distinct trace 'with7 the tongue. The attitude in which the feat was pertonii~d' may be imagined; we cannot describe it'; the contin-' ua;nce i it was a penance of itself~ 'The tongues of~the poor creatures were applied to the 11 or. We have wondered to see a dc~g lick~ without iring, his master's hand or his own velvet paws, ev n when his' head was in a position of com- fort; bu imagine in a human being, the lowering of the head" the dissension of the jaws; .the motion of the tong along the ground! For a little while the saliva fib s, and the trs~ck is easily~ made; but soon the mois ure is expended, the member becomes hot, its 8urfa e dry. On, on must the operation go; scarcely he centr~' of the floor has been reached; the half f the shaft and the arms of the cross re- main yet to be done. The nun pauses a miinite or two to ~e t ~her weary zieek, to close her aching jaws, ana to dr * 'in he~r burning tongue. . But it seems as page: 198-199[View Page 198-199] 198 SISTER AGNES. if draWn int& r~' furnace. No longer delay, she must pi'ocee4 ~ and n~w the skin breaks, bit after bit is peeled off; sore after. sore. is formed. , The track is ~i~he4, in blo~d, and in agony almost insuil'erable; but finished it. ~miist be, even though, the victim ~h~4d' fain~t~ , ~, She. does not faint, however; sh~~is in gr~ter. d~ii~ger of apoplexy.~. She .cannot ask for waterbu~t it is;broiight t~herwhen her task is done, and ~sh&ca~i s~ar&ely, swallow it; the muscles almost refuse to perform their office, and the cold water ~seems~ ,to scald the raw~ fle~h~ Days and nights of s~i~4ng ensl~e;; to take food is 'torture; there is little disposition now to speak. Eer. neck and back also ache, and the whole frame 'has a stretched, un- easy. feeling. The, sisters have truly suffered for their Bins of t~e~ t9~kgue3 .1but has the, torture cancelled, their g~ii1t:; ~has it allayed their burning animosity; has itbr9ught peace tQ~ brood dove-like ov~r .theii~ stormy liea.rts ?~ 4las~! 4n~. Their sin is not' atoned for, ,thelr eviJ pas4ons 'are not stilled. Satan has but tormented. their ~before their tiine.~ He triumphs in * thejr sufferings, which gratify his malice, and keep them~ back from that '~ blood whicii"cleanseth from all sin. ~ach of 1~hes4, miserable ,.wo~en regarded the QUWr. as ~er* ~o er~t9r,' an 44e& of revenge passed thrrn~gh her mii~d, awl w~confr~sed. The . thought 4 SIS RLY LOVE AND MOTHERLY DISCIPLINE. 19~ was robed by tha priest, examined, dwelt upon, ~sifted, until, like many a sin at the confessional, it~ a~sum d a tangible shape, and, acquired .an iminove- able I dging-place in the in~agination of the absolved. peuit~ t. V ry different is confession when made to the Searc er of hearts. The spirit feels that an omnis- cient ye is Ji~ed upon The inmost (lopths of its secret consciousness. No questioning i~ needed to bring efore Him the true slate of the ~penitent; no exami ation suggestive of one thought of sin is r&~ cpiired to ascertain the iniquity really thex~e.. :What exists. s laid bare and deplored; but what 4oes not" exist s not called into being. Then as to the reined , Gd gives the precious blood of his own Son t atone f6r the guilt, the strength of his Al- might Spirit to conquer the corruption;' the priest gives few lashes a little of the woithlessL blood ,of the si ner himself as atonement, and the fihite strengt , which is perfect weakness, aided by vigils, and fa ts, and fortifications wherewith to .flg~Iit against the powers of evil. . We shall give a specimen of t~he suggestions of, the co fessional. 'Father,~ 'said sister Angelica, 'after offering so much, in consequence of sister Qonsta ce'snasty bird, I had a, thought of revenge.', 'B venge!' said the priest~ 'upon the bird, or upon t e sister herBeif?' I- -4, page: 200-201[View Page 200-201] 200 SISTER AG1~ES. SIS~PERLY LOVE AND MOTHERLY DISCIPLINE. 201 I a'i~i not quite sure, father, it was an idea, flot adefiuiit~ purpose.' 'I3ut you 'kiiow the jd~!a ni'ust be defined, in order to ascertain' its nature and 'the degree of its ~infu1- ness~. What was the precise thought in your mind?' "~iniply, father, to inflict some pain in return for my penance~' '~ur Iseilance was in consequence of the sin of your own toiigu~.' 'Tttte, father; butif she 'had not had that nasty bird,'I should iiot' have been provoked.' A Then, the precise idea was that her having the bird, iwbich~ The hu~d in contravention of her vow of ''V p&~rty, w~s the cause of your sin, and that your wa~ the cause of your penance; therefore sister was the cause of'your sufferings; and ~&u~ wished to inifict upon her ~some compensatory so, father,' replied sister Angelica, in w~em5nd her li*id now assumed ~ ~and determined shape. 'I~ow tell me, n~y daughter, was it upon the bird, or ~ij~on the ~ister"that you intended t6 retaliate?' '~ do n9t 'e*~otly know.' a little, .probe your £ You nWst be tthk oWuheatt, and rep~y1~ 'I tLihk' iti*~s upon b~tli, 'father,' replied the nun, looking at the image of her idea as it~ grew clear as th b~rd.' was caus there jury. intent ~rand clearer. 'Probably it was upon the bird ~ cause, and upon her as having brought in the rhen it is true,' said- the father, 'that the bird h~ cause of your sin; but was not the wilful * It was put in that position against it~ will; ore revenge against it would add injury to in- If the bird, therefore, was the object of your ion, that intention was genially 'sinful, in' & low degre , requiring ten ayes for three days' to atone for it. ut if against sister C6nstance, father 'I' ' here is then more to be said on your behalf my d ughter. It was' in contravention'ot he* v-ow of pover ,that she possessed the bird, which occasioned' your ult; therefore it may be said toi5e because of her f uilt that you sinned; consequently she is i.u some egree responsible fbi' your sin and itst punish- merit. But it would be difficult to punish her iii' a, regular way in a community of women Where I6gic'is so litt e understood therefore, my daughter, it is compe ent for you to take some satisfaction with ~ro1r own h nd, provided it be moderate,~ within the limit~ of the ifence.' ~' '1 d not think of anything in particular, fatb~r,, what utdbe moderate satisfaction? 14ay Ikill t~io 'bird?' * See Appendix L. 10 200 page: 202-203[View Page 202-203] *2Q2~ SISTFJL AGNES~ LOVE AND MOTHE1~LY DISCIPLINE. 203 'The saints~ forbid! my daughter; and the bird ae innocent ~as a. babe; that would be unjust to it, though just to her.' 'Opening the cage and allowing the cat to kill it, father? You once told me of the~ difference between doing a thing, and permitting it to be done.'. * 'Uight;-aecording to Liguori, and other learned doctors,' sai1 the co~xfessor, 'even to tempt the doing of 8 deed by another may be lawful, while it is unlaw- fiil t~ do it. oneself Thit can you get rid of the bird in no otE~r way?' 'I can set, it, at liberty, father,' '~Ble~s you, my daughter! a very tender-hearted mod~f action. The poor bird will regain its free- dom:; the cause~of your sin will be removed.' Sister Angelica felt a malignant satisfaction; though it would have been greater had she been per- mitted~o destroy th~ bird.. $Ee g1oat9~. in imagina- tiori over ~jie distress of Constance, whom she now ?egar4edas a deadly,, foe. She pictured (Yon~tance lamienti~g over her bird; and blessed Saint Liguori it so ea who m~d~ ~yfor one to gratify all one's ~4me watchedL her The morning was ed~ud stormywhen she ~as left &lon~ with the ob- j~ct4f1ier malignity. Shetook the c~ge to 1~1ie win- * ~ ~&ppeztdix K derl*. retu~ the I~( ber4 tem~1 sligh calle door ayes peat ture Cons S and ly de besid falleu~ to th~ wood~ who death, bird, j kick Sister 'DI ously, K sti r 292, PBRL open 4 aed )om. the ;ing pena I the )pen; For he] I the~ he dri ance. Lie wa~ ~onica Tourin ~ her, from: spot; ~n stoc pave 01 Shi laced poll Moni d you as shi he de ~i it; and the linnet flew out; but the ten- d bird was dismayed at th~ storm,~and its shelter. The cat was lying asleep in Her eye glanced upon it, and she remoza- distinction between doing a. thing and another to do it; she would have but a ace. She placed the linnet in 'the cage, at, and~ sets it down before her with the and then hurried to the chapel to say the ~ intention; but as she mechanically re- she almost laughed ~t the mental pin,.. w of the consternation and anger of sister safe in the chapel when sisters Constance entered the room where puss was leisure~. ~ the remains of the linnet, thecage lying just where it might be supposed to have ~ts nail. Sister Constance~screani~d, flew and perceiving what was done, seized a and hurled it at the head of the poor cat, e piteous mew, and then. lay gasping in gathered up the~ feathers of her beloved hem in her bosom, bestowed a vehement he expiring cat, and ~at down to weep. a ran for the Mother SupeTdor~ dare to kill my cat?' she inquired furi~ entered the room. erved it for killing my bird,' replied the page: 204-205[View Page 204-205] 204 SISTEL~ AGN~8. nun, sobbing'; '~ndsister Angelica deserves the same fQr giving it t~ her.' 'Who told you tha1~ sister Angelica gave it to her 'V inquired the Superior. 'I know she did, out of hatred to me,' said Coin. staiice, j' and if there's law or~ justice in the monastery, she'Il~ be imprisoned.' ." Take this for speaking to me so,' cried the, Supe~ riot, bestowing upon the nun a tremendous box on the ear; 'but nobod~r shall say'that I'm partial; where' She wa~ feund in the chapel, upon her knees, brougJit~ in, a~id interrogated. A 1lo~w could I do it when I was in the chapel?' she. asked... 'Di& you~no1~ give the bird to the cat?' inquired the auperioress. ~Uh~'nun boldly replied "~ Not' Her confessor had longi~goinstrueted her in the noble arts of 'equivo. c1~tiQn,' 'amphi1~ology,' 'reservation,' &e., and she thouglWwithin herself; I did not ~give i~he bird to the e&t.~-~Lgave t~he cage in whiclithe bird wash 'Will you swearthat you did not give the bird to the cat? 'askea sister Constance. 'I will swear,' replied, the nun~ 'But wkat will you s~w~a~?' inquired the mother, herself an adept in eq~ivo~atiQn. 'I will 'swearthat did not give the bird to the cat,' replied Angelica.~ 204 SISTER Y LOVE AND MOTHERLY DISCIPLINE. 205 Doy ii know who did it,' was the next query. I do ot,' was the unblushing reply. 'Frobably the oath taken it; it is her nature.' ~ister angelica had the authority of the most learn- ed doctors for those lies. 'Even whenyou are legiti- niatdy an juridically interrogated, you are under no obligation to give evidence (to speak truth) if you hav~ what you know under natural secrecy.' * But the Super oress knew all this too, and as usual, she relied upo neither assertioiinor oath; in fact, in the convent al was uncertainty; no one believed another, for each one knew that all the rest had the same rules for disguise ng truth that she herself practise& So they lived mutual, universal distrust. This a air became so grave that the 'priests were called in to settle it; penance upon penaneewas award- ed; and it was the commencement of a feud as deaik ly as those of old between rival chieftains, in which each act o indignity was followed l~y revenge, and that again* y reprisals in interminable succession. -v * St. Thomas. page: 206-207[View Page 206-207] 4 dIIAPTEI~ / XXI. TI{Ej FI1~AL VoW. * "Is t~Isthe ~at1 "To s~i1d a wa~ "AreaUtbenan "I kuoW not wl Trn3i year of her novic * tune2 for 'our heroine t bitterly disappointed i tL~ne0 thought of dedlix ~hni~; but th~ie seei destiny geared sop~ she was impelled by a oress, the. priests, and a thing quite in the there could be no ~dot to choose, she felt aI~ event; the time was her. ~' She h thing; ho what was afraid to to take th to an exis terrible; spiritual est of all giois life cable par ered plac more terr edthatb less appe oner with would be fate witho Indee less, inca den her t was gaitii submissio 'Itwasno was the s were fled. Soriiet 'vived wit 0t5&LCtity? Isthis .markh the road ~o bliss? comforts dead? sweets of friendshij~fled? "-Cowrzn. y~, except to get the Iand."-X. Jom~. [ate' having expired, itwas 'now take the veil. She' had been 1 conv~utual life, and had sQme- ing th~ fatal'~tep, at least 'for ied no evasion "for' her. Her. rfectly taken for granted, that sort of fatalism. The' Superi- even the sisters spoke' of it as ~our~e of nature, about which bt; and while nominally free solutoly shttt up to thisr one ven fixed without cob~ulting THE FINAL VOW. 207 d utterly renounced her ow w then could she so exercise thus~ presented to~ her? S ir~cee4 and to retreat.~ 0 ~ irrevocable vows, to bin ;ence~ so dreary as that of )1i the other, to incur the irectors-in whose eyes she ~runes' waS tli~t of retreat -to return to a heartless wo: nt, to scoffing or indignant f 'in society-the latter tbi ~le than the former. Theb Its and'bars and high wall0 dages to a nunnery; she fe scarcely the vestige of hop lest, ~he Thought, to sub it attempt at opposition. she Was~ fast becoming Ian able of using that will whi exercise; the habit of so ig upon her;'~that of pen vto arrogant superiors and the obedience of childlik LbmissioTfof despair. Ho xnes the desire of saintshi iii her, and then she would will as a sinful elt as to refuse was equally th~ oxie hand, herself for life he convent, was ~nathema of her knew the ~great- g from a reIi~ ends, 'to a low~ gs were even ~Were riot use- a pris. o cf escape. It it to inevitable ~uid and poWer.. 11 it Was'forb~d- Mess obedience ive unresisting inexoralile fate. ~ confidencee, it e and' joy alike ~was faintly i~e~ resort to ~vigils,~ 20'r page: 208-209[View Page 208-209] 208 8I$TER AGNES. THE FINAL VOW. 209' ~nd penances and in rtifivations; ~u at such times ~he'fan~ie~i that per ~ps the final: step might bring s~u~ethi~ig like peace She woul4 kneel before the donnan, who had e r been the~~o4dess of~her idol- atry, i~d feebly ~np re her to ~b~:& light and joy juto hei' sadheart; a d then tear~ would fIow~ and she would, gage. upon the placi& coi~ntenance of her idQl, till a~e~1ir~g aim ~t 8weet in its sadness glided into her Vosorn~ Tb n she would resign herself to ~i~e 8oothi~1,g mu enee £ music, or ~of the solemn shade o%~ the c~~s; bwt t ese pleasures were but tran- ~ :~';eonii ht. upon a deep unfathomable ~IQQ~§~ 4e-e ea spiritual guides perceived her ~ie g, b t it caused them no uneasiness er. Her conscience and will ne~ '~der their enthe control, and, wEat was ~i1J in~ro to th' purp se, her person was perf~otly securet~' The j ilers ar~d little whether their ward w~re happy- or iser ble, except as. tfrat rendered tli~ir' oharg~ eas or cult. The day was filed the day of-as they~ blasphe- o~is1y termed i her eapousal8 to Christ. How dif fei~iit were her eeliu s in 1ookin~ forward to it now from what they a4 be u wJ~en, free a h~ppy-oh, s1~e had little kn wn ~. en how happy !-~he longed. io' c1a~p the pha torn c oth~d in golden mist. But shewas passive ~ ion' was fast lea'vi~gk he~ as power and will Ii d le . A leaden wej~h1~ .~ressed 'I.. constantly upon her heart, and that eart had now almost cea 'ed to struggle under it. ' 'he novice re- signed her elf to 1~e made a nun In the evening of the previous. d y, the bishop having co e to the convent, she met h in alone, to be inquired of concerning her purpose, Ii r life and- eon- science. S e had once 'been modest; e-now~started not at ques ions which we dare not ev n Her ye tents, veil, and jewels. w e then placed on the epis le side of the altar, and so emnly blessed by the bis op, and ~her bridesmaids ted. There as a bustle in the conve -an almos joyous bustle, and the to speak e en during the ordinary Flowers an evergreens were brought 'and bouquets w re composed; tapers were were earn to the robing-room; alt rs,'~ 0, statue ~wer decorated, and when the c apel wo~s ~o~r- d ~ued, fruit, flowers, cakes a d ~ototi6~' were sp in the refectory, and there as practising in the choi Oh! to be busy a ut s mething that interests u ,. what pleasure is i this It w~s'sel dom enjoyed by the ngns, and s they ere the uiore excited 'to- my. They fitted f om p1 ~e to place; now gather gin groups fbr cons Itatio ,now dispers- ing each to her separate work; nd an n, it must be. confessed, s ~arply contending about a ~puted point of taste,' or ' ny upbraiding each ot er. 209' page: 210-211[View Page 210-211] 210 &S~ER AGNES. THE FINAL VOW. 211 Sister Agn~s until it' w~ tim~ to d sell to be made as fin~ e~ robed, as if' moo] been previously instri v~c~assur qui~ed to 'act, ud he~ rnoduia~ed actit " ,ho glito pantomime; the words victim, being~in udib] ordan soun tmd~a*~k again 4and t at~i'ed priests .e4cial centers to and fro,' ~ ascenled. A special c ilect. autiphon was. oh~nted- "Ye wi~evir~gius, hold the bridegroom him.". The novice Ii carried in her ha ~ed ~like 'a 'ghost among them, ess her; then she resigned her- o~s the altar or the pulpit,.-.to ery, in bridal attire. She had oted in the' part she was re- graceful figure and sweetly- d her teachers'that she ~ou1d the spectators it would be but of such terrible import to the the doors were thrown open, the noble and the plebeian, the ist.-in one promiscuous rush,. itself was gained, heads were 'enced, and many kneeled on soft music seemed to hush * It swelled to magnificence, en mass was said, gorgeously- g, 'white-robed, boys flinging hile a cloud of frankincense next repeated, and this ake' ready your lamps'; be- ometh! go ye forth to meet a' large wax taper, which she ~aoconip&nied' ~her brides. maid, ady kneeled. Theco Reverend that you present vi Christ, the ice, 'in wlr kneeled. 'Thent be worthy~ affirmative, 'Thet helping, w( secrete ai~ the Son of He the: She' a And, risin~ entrance ol ed more loi A peal answered,' and rising~ where she in a tone si 'O~me1 the Lord!' noed' 'o the foot of the bis &p, where beth nfess r then approached, a d said, "Right ~ athe , the Holy Catholic C utch demands o~ich afe to hallow' and' onsecrate this gin, nd espouse her to ur Lord Jesus Son f the Most High G .' The noyw te ~r be, and crowned wi h flowers, still e hi' hop asked,' 'Dost"th u know her to I w ch question being a swered in the he s kl to those 8tanding~'~6'~ ~' rd od and our Savro hAst elect this virgin to bl~s"s, con- esp use her to our Lord 4e~&'Christ 'he lYtost High God.' 'chanted 'Come!' swered in chant, 'And ow I follow!' she advanced~witfr~her a tendant to the the choir, and kneeling ou side, was call- dly by the bishop, 'Come! f the organ first' responded , and then 4k. 4~nd ~iow I follow with my hole hearti' gain, proceeded to the cent e of the choir, needed. Then the bishop e third tjme, y. daughter, I will teach ou the i~a~ of * 4' 210 211 page: 212-213[View Page 212-213] 8IS~PE~ AGNJ~S. A low d~ea y ~w. 11 of the organ followed, and, rising, ~ ~ And ~ow folio with my whole heart; I fear thee, I seek~thy~face: 0 LQrd, coi~found me . not~ but do unto n~e. acceding o thy loving-kindness, and ~ae- cQr~bi~g. to thy t~nder. etcy3' And so ch~ii~ti~g, ey entered the private chapel of the urns) whi~h wads separated from the other by a, grating, behind ~hich hung a curtain; the curtain was rai~eej, ~nd ~he nu .s were. seen ranged in rows. In the mi4~t of ~heui, feeling before the bishopwas e&~ovice who chanted- me p, 0 'Lord, according to thy nity ave dominion over me.' siip~i4or tE bisho en aised her up, and placed her before the who interrogated her publicly con cainjng her proposed ow of virginity, and on, receiv- rng~ 7a~n~nc~ of er ,purpose to persevere,, she 1~ee1ed' a~ain, 1~efore him, when, taking her hands between his own,~ he sa d.- Dost thou p~ou~is 8he an~were~l, 'I lie ~espQnded, 'T ~Theshrillv~4ces. o ~g;t~eb~oysa4dedt. s~el1ed forth a t~iumpI Y~i~9~atori' ~waz'a~ tired ~ few pa~e4nd the grating the assemb in her whit flowers, bes they seenie When steadily sh countenance a few mela the superior and crown her should aside, for t ringlets' we the barba2ro ant peal o tration. S bowed her I spectacle. stripped, de The pri lying to the upon the g embroidere her,' and ti formed the breathing tomb. ever to 'keep thy~yirginity P roimse.' anks be to God I' 'the nuns joined in thanksgiy.. ~ eir ~tes~i~. 4~iu1; the organ an~ peal; ~he litany and ~he bante~;. w.h~e th~bi~op re~ hen stationed himself c1os~ to ~12 N. 213 THE FINAL VOW. Th& novice slowly walk~ nuns in the background, robe, und sparkling je~e1s L the priestess and the sac he in~sic had died away, ~ advanced to meet, the wore the pale±iess of deat icholy notes and blessed 'ess stepped forward, and f ~fl versT. Her dark glos rs; 1~er jewels were take Lie use of the convent. 'e cut oil' and strewed o~ th us spAliation proceeded, an th~ organ seemed to cele e folded her hands~ upon Ia ead i~ike a humiliated. capt Symbolical was her appea nuded heart~* est led her from whence .eent~'e of the chapel, wher ound; and lifting up a blt~ wit1~ golden crosses, he e nuns sang a dirge. T ervic~ of the burial of the orpse~ soon to b~ consign. back amidst hereshe stood and crown of hin,' and dark, [floe. lowly a~d an- Lilshop. Her He chanted er; an4'then i~k off har.veil ~y h~ir.' fell on 1 Off ~i& laid ~~~utiful t1wrtri~umph- ateits perpe- r breast, and ye gr4l3ing. a rance, -of her. her hair was * she kneeled ok velvet p&l1 hrew. it 'ov~ei~ en was per-' de&d ov~r:th~ d to a living page: 214-215[View Page 214-215] 214 SISTER AGNES. The pa11 was the Quickly bddal clothed with tiLe fat ag*dn; she wa~ 8tan bide the superior,' w voice- 'The bride ~f Chr She then c~uante and all secular ~dorn of our'Lord Jes~xsCh~ 1~e~ponse9 Who believe~ in whom I h~ 'My he~t hath-ut my ~rk(to th~ King M~uch ~f the servlc4 but the bishop c~ntinu ~Y Come, my bolove past~tb~e. turtle is sin, give ~ good smeiL' ~ 'I espouse tiiee to Supreme Father3, who fore receivee tho~i the 11oiy Ghost, so that t Ood, and if tho~u ser~ 'everliistingly. Iii nomi Sancti. Amen~' * Papist peL~v * removed, 'and the curtain fell. Iress was taken off; she 'was Ll veil; the curtain was raised cling in her transformatioti be- o proclaimed in a clear musical ,'The kingdom of this world ag I h~xve despised for the love ii I have loved, in whom I have ye delighted.' ered a good word; I speak of 7* 'is, we believe, untranslatable; to be wedded;. the winter is g, and the flourishing vines Jesus Christ, the Son of the keep t1~e undefiled. There- ring of faith, the seal of tb9 on be called the' Spouse of o him faithfully, be~ 'crowned e Patri~, et Filn, et Spiritus Still 'lILm at who~e b 'WitiL Jesus Chri his spouse. Nextf cient part After t "Behol After give a fragi 'God.. you when '~ piety, that repayment shall come, bur~% but d those whom this world; the eternal merit to h~ Lamb, and to receive ever in the The bei trembling ~ diof 5h salm. THE FINAL VOW. C feeling, she sang: ~spou~ed. to Him whom an ~aut~ ~the sun and' moon do us o#i~ ring ha~h. he'weddc a, 'and hath adoriii6d me ~ iowe4l the ceremony 'of cr f the marriage service. us, rising, she chanted the what I longed for I nowe hich ~uceeeded benediction ent. mal~e you strong when eak, relieve and govern y tL~aV when the tremend of th~ just, and 'retriliuti aven~iiag fire may find in y vine goodness what to er a religious I~ has airca so' w~aen about to ascend ng, and the palaces on ye protection with those rng the new song without c he rew~d after labour, a egiori of the living.' edictipus ended, the bisluop 1 still keeling -before him 215 ;els serve, and marvel.' I me, mj Lord Lth a crown as wuing, an an- ~ntiphon. ijoy,' etc. ; of which we dl, strengthen ~ur mind with ius day of the ~n of the bad' u nothing to wn; ~s'being y cleansed 'in he tribunal of aigh, yow may rho folloW the easing'; there .d.~ remain ~for sat down, the ~ and heathen page: 216-217[View Page 216-217] 216 SIS~RR AGNES. pronounced that fearf4 curse, so potent to deter the sincere p~pi~t f~om tE~ imaginary sin described. 'I~y the puthority ~f Almighty God, and his holy Apostles Peter and Paul, we sole~xinly forbid, under pain of anathema, that any one 4raw:away this pre- sent virgin or holy nu , from the Divine service, to which s)ie has devote herself ~inder~ t1~e banner of chastity; or'that ~uy~o e~piirloin' her goods, or hix~der her possessi~ig them unmolested; but,, if any one shall, dare to attempt ouch. a thing,, let him be ac- cur$ed at boin~ a~id bi~oad; accursed ,in the city, and in the field; acc sed in waking and sleeping; a~urse4igeatin~nd ranking; ac~urs~d in walking ~d~itti~g; cured b his flesh and his bones~ and, fre2sol~f his fo t to the crowI~ of: his hea~l, let o~s~u~duess. bixki have zi Let come upon him ithe ina~ 19dic;bW1~ie~i, JyiM s in th~ law, the Lord hath ~4~9u~he ~ns~of~i4q ~'ty. 'Let his name be b'iQtted outf~on~t th~ho*~of~ V e living, ai4 not be written ~Iy1tJ~L the .igl~teous.~~ L ,t' hi&~ portion and~ inherit~nce thO~i~n~tha~ratri ,de, #th ~a1~haxi and Abiram, ~44tt~nias and ~ap hira~ with Simonthe sorcerer, '~4 wi~1~ J das th~ tr tor; and with those who have 0~dtQO~. Dep rt fr~ us; we9~sire not the know- Ied~e (if thy way~. L~ t him peri4~ in th~ daij of ~me~t, a4~et~ 4~voy~4im, with and come to am~ndmen. Fiat! Fiat!' ha~ to real enti bisi 'Ta seci imu fore con' dee] and tori lovi: crat 'C ''in and desj the thei prei ~ IHE FINAL VOW. She then ,se~ited a lighted candle o the. brev ary delivered to her, and Lie faculty of beginning the cano4c] ling the ifice i~ the church. a~t of a I, she was led out of the i atice of t e. nao~iastery, where kneeP op, he p eseded her to the Supe e tare h w th~u keeps~ this virgin ted to Qd, tl~at thou again present aculate; thou slialt render acco t the tribu al of her husband, the Ju mmediat ly the hallelujah chorus b organ, nd the unite& voices~ of p bQy8. T e lofty roof seemed to sh ut of ha rnony~. he doom was sealed. The-sun of a g girl h d se1~ fr.e.ver She had to an ~imp~s~ibility, the hopele ~ iting et rnal ~ife;" but the vista * lasphem opened upon the dark p ir and d ath. ii~ bisho and the priests remained ady Su erior, while the nuns r~a selves u~ the r~feetory to celebrate ti ew daiitert~~t~iacoiivent. ml e Agi~es i*s 4~oue4 to the pi ~ nce of t 1~lLt revei~end and re~ p the bishop, ~s ordained L hours, and iapel to the ~ before the ior, saying, who is eon~ her to him for her be- ~e that is to ~'st from the iests, nung, ke with the young and been eonse~ ~s task of f hypocrisy mountain of o dine with ly enjoyed e accession he evening our, to~ the erend ge~ 217 page: 218-219[View Page 218-219] 218 s BTE~ AGNES. tiemen and ~dy, en the bishop thus addressed her: ~' 'My daughter, y~the blessed act you have this day had grace give you to perform, you have re~ ~*iced4~e world i all its forms and possessions. Y~u have 'spurned y ur carnal goods as snares of' the s64 that you may e enriched with the divine trea- sure' of pover1~y; i~ imitation of your spouse Jesus %ihrist, "whi, thoug - he was rich~ yet became poor.~' ~I~Mse ot~ri~ai goods belong now to his most holy church; Eut th laws of' thi~ heretic and infidel laud might deprive ur mother Qf that which Christ *n*~rred ii~oti her it is meet therefore thit with your own h~ud yaw ndow her with thos9 her rightful so that the saorilegkus shall have no power to spoil. Si this docume~4~Py daughter.' -~ Thi~ auho~it~ti e comxxu~nd ~ not to be dia. putdt, ~he advance& , buf as she took the pen, ob~ 'ser~ied: '-JI~i~ht revereud~ father, being much under age, I ~fear -that my will' iiw~y n&t lie binding in law.' 'Trouble uot y~self' o~bout tha1~ ~iny daughter, ~bn44y 'do your oivu ~du~ aiid God and 'the church wiflaceept your mt tt~on.~ She siSue~1 the p ~l~ig it, and deatth, befor~ to I tel] whi doc for~ hei he conve~ that th ch shoiih ument ~ed which resident ~HE FINAL VOW. that period, her £80,000 at, f'9r who cou]A pierce its se fir~gers were mouldered be ~epresented' as' havin, yeste~day,"-that those should intimate to astoni , her purpose and ih~rhapj were secured seclusion to ~ 'the dust ~ signed the letterss were shed friends ~iness. I 219 page: 220-221[View Page 220-221] CH APTER XXII. AN UNWILLING NUN. "*at"t thoueana emand,? "My liberty.' "NTature's dying ech~o lingers, "O'er affection's broken strings." TEMI'B. M. P. AIRn. THE case of Miss S. required tactics different from thiat of sister Agnes ; it was l~ess difficult to secure the former than the latter ; for the relatives of Miss S. b~ing' Romanists, were under the control of priests-. Major O'Oallaghan and~his daughter wished to see Miss S. in her sickness, which was duly reported to them, as cold caught by a chill after dancing ; but were told that she had been ordered to be kept perM feotly quiet., Their director* went on a visit to father o'Nooran, and on his reuna the young lady was recovyerionor tbiee nmonths Rom *The drect~ e Romianist, and has an ottiee$pr knows so w assume the faithless love tion of'her no the orid asi t length her that, enax life, che had d at Ga liaghan medi tely wei view ; but wa of h r relati purpose. AN UTNWILLINdG NUN. 22 ll how to use, she was ; habit {of a novice in revenge ";an~ was assured that at viiat4, she would be as free fno such step had been tabi her r natives received intell oured of the happiness oTf cided upon taking the veil. ous~ were astounded. TI f to the convent-and demand civilly told that she decline ewh o might attempt to IC ( 'It was ag inst my desire,' said the Sn Miss S. asg e d the habit of a novice wi and bonsultin with her friends ; but he determined, a d it would have been a bre on mny part v olently to turn her aside ventual life, w ich I believe to be the safe piest for as young woman. You must be a never tried to influence her towards it.' 'Iam aware, said the major ; ' she herselfon her las visit ; but her miind wondrfully c Iiethat time' 'd cn~~~ied Det of death TrSuaded to i upon her he termina- to return to mn. gencefrorm conventual The family e major im- alani inter- Ilto see any Iistureb her- erior, 'that houtseeing mind was ~ch of duty oma bons ~t and hia. ware that I old mne so uthave sir,ake tld re leve me of 4 221 page: 222-223[View Page 222-223] 222 SISTE1~ A4~BS. 'Well, sir, I will tr'y to persuade Miss S. to gran1~ it,' replied 'the Superior, leaving ~he room. The, lady went for a little to, her own cell, and then xeturned~ 'Miss S quite declines an interview,? she said. 'It would be painful to her, and could not alter' her decision.' The major took his leave, baffled by the coolness and politeness of the Lady Superior. He had felt angry, but hertuanner effectually checked any demon~ station ofhis feeling; he saw that h~ had stone and ic.e to deal with; in fact there was something about, the lady which paraiy~e4 him. He wen1~ to his director, and there received a horn- il~y upon the sinfulness c~f endeavouring to turn aside a young person from the religious life;~ and was warned, on peril of his salvation, not to attempt it. Moreover, he was assured that the matter must have beenif her ~wu spontaneous choke; fo~ the Reyerrnid Mother was even to~ ~rupulous abouPreceiving~cces- sion~ to the number of her inmates; he knew that it had required m~ny tears and entreaties on the part of Miss S~ to overcome~ her delicacy. The major fumed, but submitted; he cared little f~r religion, but did not like t~vW~wo~ ~azarding his ~aWatiou The girl rQust~i~ ~ ~ t~ugEt, ~bso~- lnte1yd~stitnte ofcoiwofr~ 4 beg, wh~t beha- viour w~ it to herl$ hit~y~ dl0honour- able! He must w4 ptoA ~ Could Charles I 4~, possibly corn phe~ No; be delayed. ~Phe.girls that they wo the great ball p~an~, and sa 'I protest must be that I harpies of the 'My dear himself up, an natural feelin~ those who olg scientious, str~ the Mother St ran. Surely some heretic! 'I own I a ~Phat is a are of the bod~ '6annot ~ relative ~' 'I believe'. AN uNWILLING NUN. home in time to prevent ie could not, unless her prof ritied, laughed,' cried, storm dd see their cou~n, and ca at the castle; and finally "I ~won't be a nun, "No! Iwon'tbeanun, "I'm so fond of pleasure that "I'll never be a nun." it is abominable, ' said th he poor child's money has convent.' sir,' exclaimed the direct looking grave. 'You mu to betray you into the sin t to be honoured. More u ight4orward persons do nol peri~r, and fathers Dennis ou have been getting a 1 easily provoked.' in~ sir, when the objects of of tha Wly Church..' U .p'r~?c~Ve nie aii nterve~ he ..cata~tro.~ ssion should d; de~,lared 'ry her off to eat upon the major, 'it emptiedd the r, drawing t not allow, of reviling right, con- exist, than. nd O'Hoo- sson from your anger with my could, but it would be wors~ than use- page: 224-225[View Page 224-225] 2~4 SII~1~ AGNES. - ks~ ; ~suredly it would not chirnge her mind, and it wouidAi~tress 1)0th you and her.' 'I want to question her as to her free choice.' 'has not she written to you?' Ye&; but letter might be influenced.' 'Major O'Callaghan,' said the director, with dig- nity; ' I will not permit this. To impugn the honour of the church is ~tiost irreverent, most sinful. Three * days upon bread and water will be required to blot out the guilt of this conversations I etakeinyhonour, sir, upon the perfect integrity of all concerned. Let me hear no more of this, or I shall pronounce you to be no true son of the church1' The ~ldier succumbed l5efore the priest Aunts a~nd cousins called at the conv~erit, but in vain. Entreatie~ and reproaches were~ alike met by 'I force nothing upoiimy daughters, not even the visits~ of their friends,' ~aid the~ st~itue4ike euperi.. oresS. 'They admit or repel as they please.' * * * *. * * * 'Rev, Mother,- I in~ist~ upon ~a carriage bei~ or dere&f&me~. If xnyrelaVive~ ~dl1 iieith~r write to me iio,~ visitme, t wiW~6 to i~quh~e theitieaning of sh15ehio~tir,' cx h1~dKIflsM 8 one nion~ing. Go whitlier~ xayiEil&~ ' T~ I~h~ i~t1iis very &1y.' 4 \~0U~ ar~Xie~ ~4i*s ~ t~poa ctl~ She Was, son~r fir hf ever. No a ~he. have wit her; she ,we~ bars of her w of her uttei' £ A 'docuin guided to sigi Church. Long she stupor. Sisti $i~ter Tlkeres be~an to revF a f~blaj~xanii 'If you~, put off that u Ah! thay NtXI -~.4i~ brought he gat1ie~ed t14 'I AN. W1LLI~0~ NU~NP ~N 11 ~li~rWaksZw N( tk~ sxe~ ~ and~ rnu~t takeN the. ~ ~ N. ~oiXt, coN ntiA~M~~ ~;~g~Iio4 OJ*~01~teIyj adow, only b sin~k down u eb1ex~s, ~anct flhi3lly~ tell 6 ~~t/ was 'bionglw h&r~ ~Nh~ it, ~nd her fe~tunb b& N Ve& in 4elirlum,~~dth~ ,and~ inidar th~is' ~areiIi 4 e~onwa~a ~OIi~ e r~a4ly~ toe, ~ny l~4e~ 115 N 7Whe~ ~ s & x 225i~ N -, tIi~e~ / K ~' k~~t ~ 4A~ 1~eNkat for ~dons e&,AI sr~s~~zed tor~ ~ ih~ sexi~e jiaii& w~ ~iy ~1t~i ~y ~ s~8 4 aid, .t~es, L. page: 226-227[View Page 226-227] 226 SISTER AGNES. AN UNWILLING NUN. 227 has-he seen my wreath of lotus flowers and orange blossoms? ha! New; beautiful! What a ~obe! aerial musljn from the looms of Delhi! Smooth my hair, Agnes. Where is my hair? Where are my ringlets? Am 211 a niin?-did they shave my head? Ah! but Charles saved me! '-singing, "Brave his heart and strong his arm "For the lady of his love." '~Singing from Palestine, hither I come, * "Lady love, lady love, wehiome me home." So ran on poor Miss S. until exhausted she fell back upon her pillow. Sister Agnes wept... The captive kicked up-' Tears, Agnes, tears! Tears are not for the bridesmaid, they are for the bride-tears of joy.' Then she murmured-' It is an Indian pal- ace-my home-the fountain sparkles-I go to the gorgeous Eas. Charles !. ,Charles! 111 dreamed you were dead! t~hey said unfaithful-that .letter-no; you did not write it-they wanted me to be a nun, but- "Iwon'tbeanun, "No! 'Hush! dear, you must be qu~et; sleep, or you will be paJe when Charles comes,' ~said sister Agnes ~Qftly, pattiugher cheek. 'Yes, I will sleep; I will not be pale: poor Charles, that would distress him.' 1 -L 4 She did her sleep her eyes an After m den, leaning 'Iamw the time wil here? Do to Callagha tomorrow. best. It is me flowers ange blossom for two quite gone. allowed to w pleased, exce A let~r her betrothe~ was takeij-~ never see hin at the fickle: priests and a gay girl with 227 sleep, poor child, for she w~s weary; but s disturbed, and she startcA oft en opened [closed them again. my weeks, she could creep ~ut to~the gar- upon her two nurses. ~ak-the wind is cold-tak~ me to India; soon come. When will th[e carriage be pen that great ugly gate, ~nd let me go a House: Charles will leaid off the ball Bring my India shawl, d~a~r; I like it bhe colour the princesses w~ar. Gather -a sweet bouquet-lotus flowers and or- is.' Thus she feebly chatt~red. or three years she lived her intellect The other nuns pitied her, and she was Luder about the house and garden as she pt when strangers were exj~ected. purporting to be from herself was sent to ~informing him that the irrevocable step hat she had become a nu~, and wo~ild ~m ore. He wept first, and then stormed ess of woman, and the m~noeuvres of bossess, and finally married in revenge a Indian habits, and lived mo~t unhappily; page: 228-229[View Page 228-229] RELIC WORSItIP. 229 OIIAPTBR XXIII. RELIt WORSHIP. "I the Lord thy God am jealous God."-..Second (IQmrnancZment. "They received not the love of the truth. . . . For this cause God shall send them Strong delusion, that they may believe a lle."-2 Thess. Ii. 10,11. THE nuns were seated at breakfast in the refectory; not a voice was heard, for they ate ~n silence. Their scanty meal was only begun, when ~the superior com- manded them to pause. 'My daughters,' she said, 'a gre~t privilege awaits you to-day. A holy man from a distant land is cx- peeteci to arrive soon after noon wits a most precious relic, which he will exhibit to you; ~t is a fragment of the sword which, on the d~y of her Son's crucifixion, pierced the heart of the blessed Yirgin: as it is written, "Yea, a sword shall pierce thine own soul al~o." You must adorn the chapel ~for its reception; e~pecially4he high altar on which it will be laid. Y~u will be permitted to kis's the shrine in which it is encased, and for this act you will receive an indul- gence of foukteen days. As each sister advances to adore the r~lic, she will invoke the holy Moth~er; and if any o~ you specially desire to be dedicated to h~r JIeavenl~r Majesty, she may use the orm prepared for the purp~se. Now, my daughters, as a sign of yo~r appreciation of this honour, stay y ur carnal ap- petites, leav9 off this meal, and by absti ence prepare your souls foi~ the Divine food to be giv n you. You may perf'orn~ a "Te Deum" after you ave received the blessed privilege.' The hungry nuns arose from table and one of them collected the remains of the' cal which, if finished, would have been quite insuffic ent for their healthful sustenance. Considerable in nt attached to this abstinence; and several of their number con- sidered it well repaid by the wonderful sight which awaited theml 'Sisters Agnes and Monica will r pair to the kitchen to prepare a suitable collation for the holy ~ continuOd the superior; 'Sister heroes will adorn the refectory; and the rest of y u will ~o to the garden to gather flowers; will prepare the candles, and decorate the chapel for the ~ceremony.' Achillofdisappointmentfellupon~heheartof sister Agnes. She loved to gather floweits and adorn the chapel, she hated cookery, and disliked her assis- tant in the work. The superior knew 11 this, and it was the very reason of her order. B small acts 4 page: 230-231[View Page 230-231] 23~ SISTER AGNES. I~ELIO WORSHIP. 231 of similar tyranny she was able4~fei~ibitter the ii' of any of he tow e happened feel unki y.. She called it "te~iching them o dience and self-denial." Agnes strove to be happy in her ~work by thb ing of the great enjoyment she hope~1 to have in s vying the relic, and in dedicatir~g herself to blessed Virgin more formally than before; I Monica was cross and contradictioi~s, and sometir~ contrived to spoil an* elegant devi e which she Ii executed, and she was hot, and 1~ungry, and fai and altogether depressed ere her work was acco polished. At twelve the nuns formed into procession to ceive their venerated visitor, whom~ they met in ~ cloisters and accompanied to the c~iapel, which '~ tastefully decorated, almost as tastefully as if sis~ Agnes her~e1f had presided over th~ flowers.' The holy man was short and thick, with pierce though small black eyes. Tie carried a small box an oikskin cover, which, when the ni~ns had retired the cloisters again, he removed, p1aced~the box up the high altar, and stood beside it. Fathers Deni and O'llooran had entered with liim; the ford said mass at the side-altar, and when he had finish~ the latter said in a loud voice, 'Ven~te!' Chanting, the nuns approached ~wo and two, a~ then halted, while the organ pealed forth a triumph in to uS er A Cs to k-. he ut Cs ad 281 ant strain, and a 'cloud of incense aro~ couple then ~drew close to the altar,~ said, '0 Refuge of sinners! 0 Morn Divine Mercy! 0 Gate of heaven! 0 Most pure! 0 Most benignant Vi~ lleaven! I adore thy celestial Majest~ me a sight of this most holy relic in mercy, and transfuse through it virtue The keeper of the treasure then he the golden box, and afterwards, remove hibited a small bit of broken rusty iro adored it in these words, '0 most affecting! 0 most glorious fragment! passion of Mary! We bless thee; w we adore thee!' They than arose and other two went through the same c With beating heart sister Agnes a companies by another sister, who had her to dedicate herself to the 'Most Bl They repeated this form, 'Most holy Vi of God! Mary! I, although most u your servant, moved notwithstanding derful mercy, and by the desire to serv~ you this day, in the presence of you~ guardian angel, of all the heavenly cour priests and sisters, for my peculiar La~ and Mother, and I firmly purpose, with to serve you. e. The first ~nd kneeling, ing stf~r! 0 o Most holy! 'gin, Queen of r. Vouchsafe thine infinite tnto my soul!' d to their lips ~g the lid, ex- n. The nuns LOl~! 0 most relic of the o thank thee;. aid departed, ceremony. poachede, ac- resolved with ~ssed Virgin.' rgin! Mother worthy to be ~y your won- e you, choose Son, of my and of these ly, Advocate, rour aid, ever page: 232-233[View Page 232-233] 232 SISTER AGNES. 'I humbly beseech you, therefore, most merciti Mother, to receive me into the nunAer of your shippers, as your perpetual servant; favour me in actions, and obtain for me grace, tl~at I may who1~ so comport myself in all my thoughts, words, ail works, that imay never offend your~ Son Jesus. R member me, and forsake me not now and in the hoi o( death; and vouchsafe me to be edified by the sig~ of~i~ most blessed relic of your sut~'erings!' When all in succession had seen and adored, ti sisters retired to the choir, and th~ Te Deum w~ sung. They w* then allowed a sligl4 repast, but tl~ devout among them had feasted theii~ souls. Alas! on what husks had they f~d, while despi ing Him who is the Bread of Life! y y d r Lt K ii I CHAPTER XXIV. HERESY IN THE CONVENT. "The Cross, "There, and there only is the power to s~ve." Cowran. WE have mentiofied sister Marie as a remarkably ami- able, though pensive girl; along with sister Tiieresa, she had charge of the young prisoner, Phemie Keegan. The strong piety of the child made a deep impression upon the mind of' the nun, and she treasured up in her heart many expressions which fell from her ward. The Spirit of God carried them with saving power to her heart. She had had early exercises of mind some- what similar to those of Luther, although less intense; she had been convinced of sin, and had fled to the usual popish arts to quiet her conscience,---to atone for her guilt. But the more she labored, the more unhappy she became; all her efforts after sanctity issued only in stronger and more fearful convictions of guilt. So far, there was a siniilarit~r between her 11* 7- / page: 234-235[View Page 234-235] 234 SISTER AGN ES. case and that of sister Agnes; but tjaere was one ir~ portent difference, it consisted in perception of ti intrinsic evil of sin, and of its desert. Sister Mar~ felt herself to be condemned by th& righteous law God-she labored under the apprehension of wrath, for the breach of that; law ;-Sister Agn~ merely grdancd under her inability to reach a stand~ of perfection which she had set up for herself; tl~ one sighed to escape judgment, the other to attai merit; the one was convinced of the law as a tram gressor, the other was downcast because of weal~nes; It is much to feel the want of s1rengt~; but strength cannot be reached tillpardon be attai~ied-andpardo sister Agnes sought not at all, sister M~arie sought I long, but in a way in which it. never ~an be found. But the grace and wisdom of Go~ are wonderful He made the wrath of man to praise him; and whe by that wrath a simple peasant-girl ~as imprisoned he rendered her the means of conveying to her force abode, the( light and glory of the gospel. Sister Marie soon perceived that Phemie had four~ that which she had so long sought in vain, peace wit~ God; and timidly and warily she str~ve to elicit froi~ her the means by which she had attained it, und~ terred by the dread of heresy. Phemie had the spin of the apostles of old; she had been forbidden, unde pain of all i~hat was dreadful, to breathe 'heresy' t one of the l~ly sisterhood, and they were commanded .5 d e 1 I I 1 HERESY IN THE CONVENT. 235 by their obedience, to divulge any attempt she might make to pervert them; but she feared not man when duty to God lay before her, and she courageously un- folded to sister Marie, the simple plan of salvation by Jesus Christ, made known in the Gospel. The nun sought no proof of the superior claim of that doctrine upon her faith; she felt its adaptation to her spiritual wants; she saw that what fasts and vigils, and prayers and tortures, could not do, Christ had done; she accepted him as her Saviour, with simple7 child-like confidence, and the burden of her soul fell off at the foot of the cross. Fain would she have spent hour after hour with her instructress, who repeated to her as time permitted, portions of the word of God; but this could not be. To excite the jealousy of her Supe- rior, would have been to cut herself off entirely from intercourse with her young friend, and to s~ibject both of them to the greatest, danger. But she had an efficient teacher. The iloly Ghost can enlighten the soul thr ugh the most imperfect medium; and He convey saving truth to the mind of the nun, as it fell in so aps and short sentences from the lips of his suffering child. Marie soon grasped. all that was requisite for salvation and jcLy, and became a humble believer a heretic if you will. Very sweet were the light and peace which entered her soul after its long darkness and conflict; she truly rejoiced in God through Jesus Christ her Lord page: 236-237[View Page 236-237] that joy strengthened her Lot a fiery trial which wa to try her. Her youthful instructress had sought onl to convey to her mind the truths of the Gospel; bu these necessarily overthrew some of the errors o Rome. The doctrine of justification by Christ alon of course shook to its foundations that of the men of 'saintsandof penances, and of good works; th doctrine of One Mediator, struck at the root of adora tion of the Virgin; and forgiveness of sins by Go himself, rendered useless absolution~ by a priest. Marie's change of feeling, therefore, ~ould not long remain unknown; but meanwhile her faith rough in her some of the graces which are ~ts fruits. She became still more amiable than before; and sister Agnes in particular, who had always 'loved her, now clung to her more closely. She ventured one day to say to her,' Sister Mari~, I begin to despair of ever becoming a saint. You~ cannot think what evil feelings spring up in my heart. You are so meek, and gentle, and calm, and amiable,~ that I think you must have attained to much sanctity. Tell me what penances and m6rtifications you secretly practise; help me, Marie, if you can.' 'I practise no secret fortifications at all,' replied Marie. 'None!' exclaimed Agnes, in surprise. 'None; h~ve found One who bore all the penal- ty of my sine ~&,,me.' 236 SISTER AGNES. HERESY IN THE CONVENT. 237 'What great saint was that?' 'Jesus Christ, the holy Son of God!' 'Oh! of course, but then ;-' 'Listen, dear, while we are alone, and I will tell you all. I Ion g strove to work out a righteousness of my own. God showed me thati had an evil heart, "deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." I sought to atone for my sin and t~ purify my heart, but the more I wrought, the more I felt I deserVed K the wrath of God, because all I could do was, so im- perfect, so vile. In my childhood I knew portions of the Scriptures, and now God sent one with power to my soul. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and all thy soul, and all thy strength;" and again, "If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema, maranatha." A horror of great darkness fell upon me; I became conscious of a fearful sin I had never seen before-the absence of love to God and Christ; and while I tried to love I felt I hated. Then I was anathema, maranatha. 'I had thought of God as a very dreadful being, to be app~tsed only by her whom we call his mother-. it seem d impossible to love him-and if I loved him fiot I was accursed. I was in great agony. I went to y confessor, and he exhorted me to meditation, J~ flagellations, to fasting, to vigils; but the gloom Ir ~ continued. T was weary of life. 'It pleased God to send me light through one of 286 237 page: 238-239[View Page 238-239] 238 SISTER AGNES. HERESY IN THE CONVENT. 239 his dear servants. She told me of Christ's love me, of his bearing my 'A sweet conversation, sisters, apparently,' cri the lady Superior, suddenly appearing, 'you wi please to inform me what is the subject.' 'We were speaking,' replied sister Agnes, 'i our sins, of the difficulty of resisting them, and of ti penances which ~vere ordered sister Marie for h( great sin of not loving God.' 'Sister Marie had better think a little more the sin of neglecting the 11 lot her of God,' retort~ - the Superior, 'she is the Qate of Heaven, the Que~ of Angels, the Sinner's Refuge; and sister Marid prayers, I begin to fear, are all pater-nosters witho~ aires. I forbid you to speak together again.~ Agnes was astonished, and still more so when tE reverend mother commanded Marie to retire to hE cell, where she was to have nothing but bread and w~ ter for three days. She forbade sister Agnes t mention the subject of their conversation to the re& and remarked, 'There is too much reason to believe that that girl is touched with heresy.' 'She 1' exclaimed Agnes, 'who i~so gentle an obedient.' 'Little know you of obedience,' said th~ Superio snappishly, 'if you consider sister Marie obedient she deserves to be made an example, a warning to th community. Come to my room? ) 238 1 0 d 1 £ e d n 5 it e Sister Agnes followed the lady, and then was de- sired to lace her boots. As she stooped to obey, and commenced the lacing of' one boot, the Superior placed her other foot upon the head of the nun, who attempted to look up in mingled astonishment and in- dignation; but her head was firmly pressed down, and she was commanded to be still. 'I make a footstool ofyour head,' said the Superior, 'to test your obedience, and your humility. It is good for you. You will please not to stir till IL re- move my foot? Lower your head.' The poor girl repressed by a sudden effort, her rising anger; resting upon her knees and hands, with her face nearly touching the ground, she remained until the blood suffused her brow, her head palpitated, and she 5~sped for breath. The Superior at length released her, satisfied with her "obedic~nce." She felt insulted, but she tried to acquiesce in the scale of her merits-a scale light enough, she knew. She never saw Marie again; the nun was heard of no more; no one in the convent seemed to know what had 1~ecome of her. Agnes felt that she had lost a friend, and her heart was withered mo~e and more. She strove to dismiss from her mind the words which the Superior had stigmatised as heresy but a portion of them stuck fh~st, like an arrow in her conscience ;-they were the same which had wrought conviction in Mai4e, '~ If any man love not the Lord I 239 page: 240-241[View Page 240-241] 240 SISTER AGNES. Jesi.is Christ, let him be anathema, xnaranhtha." SI felt that the curse applied to herself; and hencefori she strove to work up her heart to the love of Chris Alas! the Saviour must be known before he can I loved, and sister Agnes knew him not. It was tru she looked upon pictures and symbols of his passion, an besought the Virgin to show to her her Son. But was in vain. The Holy Spirit *alone can infu~ this blessed grace; and to Him she applied no Qold and wandering still were her a mo~ quenched her affections; but a new perception, a ne~ conviction had sprung up within her, and he~icefort' she was more .dissatisfied, more unhappy thai~i ever. A terrible suspicion, too, haunted her a~ to th fate of the being who, of all in the convent, l~ad mos interested her. It was vague indeed, but ~ufllcien to add much to her mental disquiet. The rollerr was insoluble, and she tried to forget it; but ~ier sus picion was. strengthened by the questions pu~ to her self in the confessional respecting her conversation with 'sister Marie. T 0 I 1; b r CHAPTER XXV. I 4 THE HERETIC EXAMINED. "The sense of mercy kindles into praise. "lIe that finds One drop of heaven's sweet mercy in his cup, "Can dig, beg, rot, and perish, well content." CowPER. WE must now conduct our readers to a subterranean apartment, damp and chill, where the Lady Superior and the two priests, wrapt in their warmest envelopes, were seated at a small table,' on which were a cruci~ fix, a missal, and a lamp; and before which, pale and faint with abstinence, and sh~ering with cold, but resolute and courageous in spirit, stood sister Marie. She had been accused of heresy; and she stood there to give an account of her faith,-a simple, untu~ tored maiden, unskilled in controversy, unacquainted with the Scriptures, except in the few passages which had guided her into the way of salvation through the working of the Spirit of Truth. 240 page: 242-243[View Page 242-243] 242 SISTER AGNES. 'Yoii have ceased to venerate the most h gin,' said Pather Dennis. 'I venerate' her 'as a holy w&man,'and as flier of mr Lord,' replied the nun, 'but God' I "Thou shalt have no other' gods but me," forbidden me to worship a graven image.' 'But the church has commanded her to ly Vi4| the m I:ias sai( and h~ be ado~ ed.' ' 'I must obey 'God ratlier than. man, wa~ tijie r spouse. 'God has' corn his church to~be ol The nun was&'silerat ;~.'she felt that God have ~~njoined 9b'edi~nc~ "to any conttadiotic own word ; but she kiow not what to answer 'oyou~4eny'~he merit, of alms and pra 'i7jell~ve that all good works. ought to, be~'e~od~ loves holiness; but I know t1 n~y~r perforx~i~~ny' which o~re"goo& enoi~gh lii$'fayor _ long ~tri~& ~to dQ.s~ but I could ~~',Jieresy !'~'~aid a1~her, OHoora~ "Do you expect to go, to heaven through' it~9fthe~a4~ts?' asked father, Deunis~ 'Through the merits of my ~o~d~-and J~su~ Christ alone,' she, repli~ed~ 'elasping~h ~qki~ig upward.; '~1~bore. my ~p~nnisbu ~o~e hereBy'! Eorrid 'Eeieayj Theu you '/ keyed.' ould n ii of h: ~ers be' don~ ~ I bo me~ ,he' me: Savio~t r ~ant;l1 leny t THE HERETIC EXAMINEDD . 248 merits of all the' blessed saints~ who laid up stores of grace for poor sinners !2 'There is in Christ all I need-.-all. grace, all sal- vation, all glory. I will seek it in none else.' 'A damnable heretic.! But you surely seek the intercessions of the' saints, if not their merits;' said father O'H2oorau.. 'There is. one God, and one Mediator between God and mera, the man 'Christ Jesus. He does all for me.' 'What say you to infallibility?' askedfatherDen- nis~ 'God is, infallible,, and. his word is infallible.' 'But to Peter ~wa~ given the keys of heaven.' 'Perhaps. so; but he will open the gate ~on1y as Christ bids him.' 'The holy Mothei~ softens her Sen, when. Ihe is stern.' 'Can lie who bled and died' for me be stern'? oh! no; he is tall love, all mercy, all oom~passion1 I, know 'his love; I feel it in my heart. ii~ ~a~me i~ Love;' his nature is Love. I want none but Him. J1~ Christ were sterii, what tempted him to be,~r~c~fled~' j~t-was love that took 'him 'to the cross.' Do you believe in Purgatory?'. Why should 'I, when Jesus did, all? l~e paid all my debt; he left nothing for me to' suffer.' page: 244-245[View Page 244-245] 244 StST~ A~ES. 'Are~youso pure that'yeu need no fire to youl' '2{o, I am not pure; I am a vilesinrier 1 the work of the Holy Spirit to~ sanctify~ If .~ n&t do it~I am sure the devil~ cannot.' L~ I~nt if you di~ before you.are sanotified ~ 'I shall fare as the thief did to whom Je~ "To-day shalt thou be with me 'in paradise.' ~'D~Ne~ heresy again ! It wer9 a goo send 1~hee to purgatory forthwith to cure ft.' '~' Ityou kill me, Jesus will take ~y soul everlasting arrms. "Though I walk through ley of theshadow ~of dearth I will fear no evil will be 4Ah' iiie.' 'Wh8f say ~'yda of transubstantiation? sad, "This is my body." 'AAI that Christ said must be true.' 'W'hat say you of confession V ~Te~re less ~about 'confessiofr to a prie~8t k~ne&fo' coiifess to Gods but' I do not k' ~Th~h~s fo~bidde~At.' A' Ab~4olutioii ?~~' "blo iiot~iieed it'from irn~n'Wher~ God has ed me; aid the priest often mistakes 'in pro it. I have received absoluti6ri from man: w ha&ri6V'f~r~i~en me. J~ut I think it '~oiild 4 herirz4' 'Do you believe in tbe 'mass?' '1 ~' ~~' ~L' cleans( ut it i: e can us said deed t4 into hi: the val "for h4 Ghris since iow tha' 'absol~ ouncin'~ en Goc men~ THE HERRTIO EXAMINED.. 245 'I do not believe that Christ has been offered more than once. lie was "once offered to l~ear the sins of many ;"' and, "The worshippers otzc~ purged need no more offering for sin~" He is~ ascended into heaven~ and "there, sitteth for ever at the right hand of God." "He needeth not daily be offered for sin;" because his one sacrifice was perfect.' 'Will. you a4or~ ~the sacrament?' 'I will not.' 'What! not adore Ohrist's~ body!'. 'I adore Christ my God; not a waeer.' 'Then you do deny transubstantiation.' 'I do not 'know: I do not understand.' 'How dare you then pronounce upon such sacred mysteries V 'I know the love of Jesus: 'I know his perfect salvation: I know that he has done all things for me; that he hath saved me by his -b1oo4~. hath changed my heart by his Spirit; that he will receive me to his glory. This' is all I desire to .kiiow. 'This s given me safety and happine8s- such as 'I never felt before, and joy whioW 1Dust~be somethir~ like heaven' 'By all the saints! a heretic worthy of dying by fire, and living in fire for ever!' 'Jesus died forme. I refuse not1 to die f9r him. It w~iild be sweet so to prove my love to ~him. page: 246-247[View Page 246-247] 24~ - 8x~a~ AGI~UCs. ~ Ph~ae~urged4eal~h of ia h~reth~ is not- I * ty~dom that co#rn~rit.';~ * I~ w&nt ~~t~rit1iit ih~t ofOhri~t"' '~4~ f~i "~Tfrou eha1VWoi~hip the Lord I 'I1~ave no ohJe~tion? Will you a~bjure your errors?' 'I do not w~lft~ retain xerrr, I only wis tam Christ,- iny sole hop& 'If~youpersiet~iu heresy you will be 4~ 'I wilikding :tQ Christ alone, and n~t separate me from his love.' 'lie loves none who despise his moth~r~ 'Go& forbid that I should despise her ;~ b 'not' wor~2hip her' J*eI1;~wa ?~ll give :yont tIn~ee ~a~ys to if you. ~rn~t1nu* ~n obrstinate h~ietio,~w~m This ~o~iug convertihad IittW knowle ~W~Eat~ABhOr had was ~avit~g~.: ~kie had mu ~tro~g*~ith,' and grace was given her to be ~4~tb~tAark dainp cell she had the preseuc Saviour. * 40~ l~av~th~ sequeli of her story ~o- im~ * eDlight~&by~t1LeQwkd~eofBome'a a She feared not blidse ~ho can kill the body, he ma~ by O~O( Ii to r Lned!' ing Ca Litiwi repeni ist ~sen [ge, b~u ~k Ic~v4 ~onstan1 a~~f he ]IUItiOD ~utcai~ L a, TITE HERETIC EXAMINEJY. 247 not kill the soul. Whether she died by violence, or wasted~ away in hunger axicl thirst and cold, we reveal not. We know who ha~ promised, "As thy day, so sh~dl t1~y strength.be." S I s page: 248-249[View Page 248-249] CHArTER XXVI. * E5CAP~. "I will kiss thy royal finger siul take my leave." Love's 14 c A '~ci~Tio~ had leen commenced again Dennis for disturbing the Protest~t ineetin viUage of~-~---, and. two or three indict 4 ~au1tiwere laid against him,~ The ILomani set t4~ work, and. right hard' they labored to a~ver/4et iii their favour. ~The witn'e~ses w lf ~u~mQn~d i~ ~the prosecution ~w~re thr9a~t: jdai& duly instructed in' s~fl the 4i~o ~~i~iVAQA~tQtB wi~h. Te8pe~t t~:' a~nphibo1Q roe~tiOn~ 'res~rve~ ~nd cqnfhuiatiou of thes The prie8ts thought they h~d th th~fr o*x~' hands. Q~i the. night before it was~ to 'take place f~t~~~priest from a~stan~e, ~ai& tAc~4~ ~ey~ ~ u~1zaIvw~nt to th Them2. ~ eu4 oJM1eaVOl~rea to algue ~t&r Loet~ 1 fathe~ in th ~UtS fo. ts wer proct1~ ~io wer ned, ca eries C yequ~ thing trial ~ the 't~ v14t I ~tetri1 } I ) K;). 12 ( *1 w ESCAPE. 249 her out of her heresy; 'but in vain. Th~ ~ir1 had received strength from on high, and ~wisdom A~o eou~ found the priests of Rome. Deprived of het Bible, she yet was able from memory to refute by scripture all the arguments of her assailants; and the na~t~eeg of her replies provoked a ~mile from the English priest who this evening; accompanied theixL She asserted, that if there were a Pope at all; there must have been two frorh the beginning, for St. Pa~it once said distinctly, "So ordain I in all 41t& churches." And when no mention was made of P&tei'1~eh~g at Rome, Paul was managing the affairs of the~hureh there, and in 'all his letters never or~ce~ alluded to Peter. 'You, a woman!' said the English priest,' 'and don't worship the Virgin! Is not it an hor~our to have one ofynir 'own ~ex Queen of heaven?' 'Arrali! but that's' a reason why I should not worship her,' said 'the girl; 'for don't T kno'w'how ill she would~ rule. 'Our owu Queen Victoria, Go~blee~ her! cannot rule Gretl~t Britain without men to help her,~aiid~ how could a woman 'iiileiih ~heaven,~ pi~y?~ And i1~ she's up there all de way, how can sh~ 1i~z' me pray to her, amf4 'hundreds 'and ' thoan&~niore? .-why the noise of our tongues would dhrivel a man~vupid, y&ur' riveren~e.' * 'How can God hear, then'?' asked the t,'~i~' pantly. page: 250-251[View Page 250-251] 'God is everywhere,' said the girl, solem' r~werentiy4oo~king up and around her. Th9re was a pause, even with the priests. £ You have sacrilegiously denied the holy of tran~ukstantiation,' said the English priest '1 have,' said the girl, 'and I do!' 'Then you deny scripture, and the words o himself.' 'How?' 'Qi4fe plainto any hut a heretic. He sail is my lody,"-you say this is not his body. I to contradict Christ.' 'i~o you remember where it is said, "Thi is Mount Sinai in Arabia?" asked the girl. ITo. be sure,' replied the pri~st. '$o4hen, according to yoixr interpretation~ mountain was Abraham's-servant-maid in the ~r4ri4i4~ th~ stirabout, and boiling the prati i~hemi~ Keegan.* 'By all the ~aints, but you are a con~rm ti~ I ~ criel th~ priest, bouncing out of the ~ yoi~r own priests do right, they will have you w~ h4~ur.' 'T1~ cannot without my Saviour's leave,' girl calmly 'Leave or no leave,' said father O'Uoor~ s1~o~U-J2~e 4Qne for to..xnorrow.' 2~() SISTER AGNES. ]~SCAPE. 251 * The real answer of a poor convert to a pries~ 250 4y and loctrinc ['Chrisi I, "Thi~ 'je! fie IJaga: the bi~ kitchen es,' 5&14 ~d here ~ll.. 'I scourge said til ~n, 'yO 2 1 'It is in flis hand,' repeated tb.e gir4. The priests went off to the parlour and soon we ~e eng~tged in conversation with the Superioress on t e approaching trial. 'It is well that girl is out of the wayj' saidfat4r Dennis; 'Confound her! she would swear i~ny~hin~, and atand to it, and tell the truth in 8pite of all obli- gations to the contrary.' Sister Theresa was busied with some work in h~r own cell. ~he had heard the priests cursing 1?hem~e Keegan; and half in mischief, half in ~ompassion, slj~e set her wits to work t~ di them. 'They a e safe at their gossip for best part of an hour,' she ~ to herself. 'Look to your prisoner, holy father~ She entered the cell where Phemie ~w~s quietly pursuing her task. ~Her cell w~s not2kep~J~ck~d now, she was found so quiet and obedient; ;~d did not attempt to talk tQ the sister~ wh~n she niQt theni in the passages. 'Listen, child,' said the nun, shutting the.doo~. ~Should you like to get out of this place?' 'And is it you tit can ask me when ye ~ me crying for my mother and my home, wid ~ h~th~t 'ud break, if the love of Christ didu~t hold it t~o~eLher. Yes ; if H~ will, it's what I would like intirelyaid the girl. 'Then, make haste, and ~ quiet,' s~i~ ~ister Ther~a. ESCAPE. page: 252-253[View Page 252-253] 252 $ISTER AG-NESS 'An'is it liberty t~bey mane to give me? -cried tarting, her eyes flashing, and her whole countenance sparkling. 'Didn't I tell the they couldAo nothingg widout His permission ? 1 's He put it into their 'hearts, and blessedbe his holy ame I' and she elapsed her hands in e~tasy. 'J~ustx be qui~t;' said~ the nun. 'D'ye see it's in no heart but mine to let ye out; and don't ye o and t011 who did it, or they'll kill me; but if ye be d street, outside the~gate ~ell:be in ten minutes, and t en run ~run, as- if the Queen and all her soldiers ere at yotu' ~he~l~ to catch you.' J~4 IVut how?' tasked the girl, ~ho ,now b gauto tremble. 'Don't y~u shake there like an aspen leaf, or yer le~& will fiuil IV[aclhree; hold still and w it one ye, ninu.' ~So~aying, The ni~n left the cell, and the irl fell on 'her knees. Theres.a re-entered with'tl~e h~ t and ckak-ofFatheriDenfli8 in her hand. ~~Put th ~e on,' she said. 'Och t och !~' eried- the gui; laughing no ~'and i~'t~ ~ prlV ~ to ~ ?, -me ~ jitiest! But they'll kn~wPtn noVFa-ther Dennis; by the hat.'- 'I~6~:they Won't. There's a small one in t e par~ lor-ye'll pass for him-the night's pitch da kaiid .th~-iap'sbreke. ~l6uch the~hat so~.4noek at the porters -door, then -tui~n your back; and when fr get 253 out-run-fly, ~iot~till the gate's shut though, unle they find ye out. Don't sa~y a word, mind. Do wli ye like with the hat and cloak. Where will ye go this dark night?' 'Och! straight to dear Mr. M'Murphy's; he's th~ man to take me in.' 'Well, then, haste!' So saying, the nun put th~ cloak and hat properly upon the girl, and laughedL. 'Don't you be saying mass to~n~orrow,' she added. 'Go withme~' said the girl, clinging4o here 'Get another cloak, and escape too. Yarra, yarra ! do!' 'No, child,' replied Theresa, despondingly; 'there'~ no 1~r. M'Murpliy to take me in-~quick, or they1'1 oa~ch you.' * 'He will takes-,' the girl was beginning. 'Out with ye! I've oiled the bolt of the front door; draw it quietly.' ulated help n, and tache her to love thee!' ejac- Phemie, looking upwards, then gliding swiftly along the passage, she drew the bolt; it creaked, atid a servant nuni looked out. The ~pa~age w~ dimly lighted-she saw only the priest, cloak, and hat. 'I'll open for your Riverence,' she said; but before 1she could reach the door, his Riverence was off, passing rapidly to the porter's lodge. How the heart under the clo~tk. beat~ as the knocker was lifted! The girl ~aised her eyes toheaven, and the nuexpressed player was heard.~ The portoress opened the door with a ESCAPE. page: 254-255[View Page 254-255] 254 SiSTER AGNES. ESCAPE. 2~5 g~ia~ip in her hand; but as she lifted the ~keys, a deii ~st blew out the light. 'This wa~,if ye pt~se; fath~,' she said. 'I'll ~1iot stop yer ri~erence to gpt another light. Shame that the gat&la4p's~not gi~nded yet,. ~jj? gintleirien. havin' to go out in the dark, or the lamp blown out.' She 6pen.ed.the gate, and the figure silent passed throu~h. 'The dickens is in the holy father, an' iver a benedicite this blessed night-ould surly sid~ s .1 the planners is left ~ye entirely! Ha~ the rive4nd it:io~~ ther sent ye off ~u~pe~rless? See iv I don't keep ye standitig there the next time when the stori4 bates, till the red nose is white on ye!' cried the ~roman. So saying, she flounced into the lodge, and ba ed to th~ door. T1~ conference in the parlor being en~ed, the priests rose to depa~t. The Snperioress~ hayi~4g rung thelbell,, desired their .~uter gar ents to be thought. $i~tei~ ~1'hetesa cried in two cloaks and two i1ats. ' i~id yout references put them alt in one place 'P sh~ iuqu1red~ I ~ All together in the lobby,' replied Father Denni& I' No more than these were in the l&bhy,' said the mm;' waybe the holy~ father was confes~iug some one in Eeroefl, ~nd left his there.' 'I've given noabsohitien to-tdght, child,? said the 254 father, lauglAng; 'I'll go and seek my own things. ~ have you stolen*them~ maehree?'' 'I'm not saint enough to wear your eyerence~s cloak,' said sister The~resa; 'maybe S . Benedi9t c-ame down and made a mistake.' 'Erom their mortified appearance,' said Father O'llooran, with a grim smile. Now i~ather Dennis was a true Irish cleri&d dandy; fat and grea~sy-1ooking, with broad cheek~, large mouth, and small eyes. His unbrushed clothes were made of the finest possible cloth, tinted with. dust and daubs. How much this cloak had cost I am quite unable to tell; but its clasp was of massive gold, and) its lining of the richest silk, torn here and there, while the mire through which he had riddeii had not been brushed off it for a month; it used to wear gradually off when the~weather was dry. 'The cloak seems to have vanished,' said theLady Superior, when the lobby had been searched vain. 'Oh!' cried Theresa, 'by the Virgin! this wil~ be it; they have fun up stairs---someone is dressing~ up ; 'if your reverence will come and see we'll find i~ on some sweet sister.' The priest Th~ughed, and followed the nun, as sh~ led the way up stairs; but she ran so fast, that th~ stout friar had fairly lost h~s breath before he was ~, half way up~ the ~staircase~ He had to stand painting to recover. ESCAPE. page: 256-257[View Page 256-257] SISTER AGNI~S~ 'Thg your pardon, father,' said Theresa; 'I'm so 1 t with fasting I never touch the ground at all, at all.' The nuns were quite grave ;~ no cloak was among them; and they all turned out to search, but in vain~ 'A light seemed to flash upon O'llo~rau, and he suddenly inquired, 'Are your daughters all 'safe, kreverend mother? Can any one have fled in dis- guise?' The bell was rung, all ,,the nuns assembled; no one was missing. Miss S. and. the heretic girl were thew sought.; the latter was net to be found; and the servant nun now mentioned a priest having let him- self' out at the front-door.: Father O'iooran darted to the lodge, ~and inquired if the ~uter gate had been opened since he came in. 'Only for his rever9n~ce,? replied the .~woman. 'Whose reverence?' . inquired the ~r~est, fiercely. 'The; sko4 father that went out in .the hull's, and said niver a benedicite to a poor, sinner that opened for him,' said 'she. 'It was a girl in priest's clothes; how dared you let her out?' thundered' Father O'llo0ran, sei~i1ng the porteress hy ~tli~ shoulder,' and~shaking her. The woman shrank~back. ~ An' ~ your rivereiice,' she said, ~ how wa~ any~ livin' woman to ~think that there was a ~irIeen under a holy priest's. cloak, when Satan himself puffed out the lamp, that I couldn't see; and for tinder respect to his riverence, I did not keep him in the cowid till I lighted itV 'You'll 4ceep a, different gate to-morrow,' cried the priest. 'Aid now,' said Father Dennis,' his' sense of' the ludicrous' softening his anger, 'now that the girleen's off with"my habiliments, ihow am I to get' home in th~ cold and the rain, barrin' the scandal of their being t found upon a woman ?"' 'Turn it to charity, father,' said the account of sister Theresa, 'the whole paAsh will hear of yoiu~' benevolence to-morrow, and praise your~ alms, to the honour and glory of the holy 'Catholic Ohu~ch.' 'And who will get another cloak for mb?' aske4 the priest: 'How am Ito get homo?' 'Since we never go out, we have nothing where-~ with to supply thi&want,' said tb~'Superioress, looking puzzled. 'The night is dark,' 'said sister Theresa.. 'If the holy father should go home in some of our garments, no one will see. The reverend mother 'has warm' hoods; and a shawl or two may be found in the convent.' With some difficulty and much laughter, the holj father was arrayed in hood and shawl, and took hi~ departure 'along with . his brethren. Three young fellows, half-tipsy, were going merrily home in the 12* A E SGAPE. A2.3 page: 258-259[View Page 258-259] 25~ SISTER AGNES. flSCAPE. 259 same direction4 As they approached the village, the gleam of a4lanip fell upon the. hood.' 'Och'! and by troth! what's this?' shouted one; 'a runaway nun-saze her!' No sooner said . than done; six brawny arms were forthwith around Father Dannis, who struggled violently. 'By the Y~argin! but she'\ hasn't fasted at all at all,' cried one; 'she's as fat as Father Dennis.' 'Let go! you scoundrels!' cried father O'llooran, seizing one by the collar, and draggir~g him o11 The man ~vigorously used hi~ ftsts, and then a regular wrestling ensued; the English priest stood aloof, and father Dennis, rather~roughly handled, shouted, 'Irs never a nun I am, but your own priest, ye graceless gorsoons! Let me go, and ill luck to you!' The fellows sprang off, and making very low bows, one of them exclaimed, 'Bedad, ye'r riverence, it's niver ~ mother's son would ha' thought ov ,ye takin' the veil!' 'I ax ye r pardon,' said the 1~er; 'but the honor an' glory o' the holy Church wash so strong in me, that I couldn't let a blessed nun escape widout bringing her back.' By this time father O'llooran had finished his conflict, having got his handsome eyes a little black- ened, to render him the more interesting atAhe trial on the morrow. Some explanations ensued, and really for once the priest~ ~considered it p~Aitic to tell the I truth, and nothing but the truth; although the whole truth-that is, how Phemie Xee~aii got into the' con~ vent-they did not consider it r&piisite to relate. Groat was the astonishment of father Dennis to find his cloak at home before him. Poor Phemie's conscience would not allow her to deprive the father of his goods; 'that would be stealing ' she said; so when about half-way from the nunnery, she took it ofi; folded it up, and, before going to Mr. MoMurphy's, she knocked ~at the priest's door and silently handed in the parcel, to the great astonishment of 'the poor housekeeper, who concluded that her master had been murdered, and forthwith raised a commotion :in t~ie village. The people were proceeding with lights to search for their priest, when the trio* appeared;. father O'llooran and the Englishman properly arrayed, aiid father Dennis 'in' a' nun's hood and shawl. Many, loud and varied were the exclamations of astonis~i- ment and commiseration, and not a little was the suppressed laughter which his appearance excited. With the ready wit of an Irishman, skilled in' equiv- ocation,' he told them he had been robbed of his gar- ments, and father O'Hooran added the conjecture, that the robber had been so plagued with evil spirits as to be obliged to disgorge his .booty. 'Sacrilege is a fearful crime,' said he; 'and to rob page: 260-261[View Page 260-261] 260 SISTER AGNES. h&Iy priest is sa~riIege of the deepest dye. Three groans for phe'thief, and let him be anathema!' Groa~is; hisses, and yell~-snch as Irish rapists alone can uttei', followed this amiable exhortation. I I CHAPTER XXVII. t~LERICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR A TRIAL BY JUR~t. "Detection, her taper shall quench to a spark."-GoLDBMrrH. 'AH! Miok Donelly, and wasn't it the cow that grew sick and died when the gosso~n was following the soupers, and goin' to sell his soul entirely? The blessed St. Pathrick wouldn't permit the sin 'without givin' ye notice of the consequences. Well, when we get out ov this danger, by the help ov yer evidence, maybe the cow may come back to ye from the dead. Not by way of payment, ye understand, that would be perjury; but; to show that the Ohnrch-glor~be to her !-is a grateful Churdi to her obedient boy~. You know the w~y the riot happened; we havin' re~ freshed yer memory~ in the things which had escaped it.' Yes, yer riverence,? said Mick, pulling a lock ~f his shaggy hair, and performing an inde~oribable JnQvement, intended for a bow. page: 262-263[View Page 262-263] 262 SISTER AGNES. CLERICAL INSThUOTIONS. 26a. 'Then, Mick, go over the evidence, that we may be assured of yer mailing to tell the truth, and the whole truth, a~~d nothing' but the truthh' Mick rehearsed his part to admiration, and was duly cautioned to put in nothing else, lest he should tell what was not the truth. 'For how,' said the priest, 'can an ignorant boy like you discern the truth from falsehood, except by the help ov our wisdom.' 'Thrue for you, yer reverence,' said Mick-' an~ about the cow~~ 'lv ye do right, see iv the blessed saints do not send her aliye by miracle; though maybe not quite like her former self, twice as fat she'll be, havin' got all the sickness off her.' The hair ~was again pulled, the exquisitely grace~ ful bob. repeated , aud Mick departed, rejoicing in the prQspect of having a cow again. 'A~ow for afew lies, and they for the glory of the holy mother church!' he said to himself. 'Paddy O'Keefe, ye rascal out ~of purgatory.! do ye no'~w rernimber, all about it; or has the whiskey taken away your sinse~ entirely? Was it yer parish priest, or~ the heretic jumper that used the shillelah!' 'it wae the jumper, yer. reverence.' 'low was it done?. Spake the words as ye mane to spa.ke.~them 'before his honor.' * Yaddy. obeyed; he spoke the words, giving a ver- sion of the story to the full contentment of the heart of his reverence. 'Now all ye have told. is the blessed truth; will ye.swearto it?' 'Sure I will, yer reverence.'. 'Well, iv ye tell any other story thin than that blessed truth ye have rehearsed to me, look to the sick bed, and the absolution; and '-here he fixed 14s small dark twinkling eye on the now trembling sin- ner, and lowered his voice-'remember the gap in~ the hedge-and the shot~Land the, blood-and the corpse!' 'Och, yer reverence! but it's remember I do; and yer riverence gave me absolution entirely.' 'For another~ world, Mick; but not for the court ov justice, or the gallows, ye dog.' 'Sure yer riverence does not mane to peach on me!' By St. Dominick, no! if ye behave yerself dis- creetly in this matter; but iv any ov the heretics make ye tell another, word ~than this blessed truth, yer life's not worth that,' said t1~te priest, snapping' his fingers. 'St. .Pathrick help me!' ejaculated the man. 'To tell the truth as I have brought it. to yer re- membrance, do ye mane 1' 'hitirely, yer riverence.' 'Aye-; Mary, x~achree! it's a1 good girleen ye are, now that ye have left ,,the. )I~mpers' school. What 1 page: 264-265[View Page 264-265] was it, again, they promised ye, an' ye would~ go. to their heretic matings, and tell lies of the priests; and bring into disrepute the holy Catholic church?' 'It was, ye'r riverence, as much lace-work and knitting and good pay, as would keep my widdy mo- tker; and ~tWo mails a-day for myself, and a warm cloak.' Thin, when you had told the lies,, and forsaken the chapel, and put your soul in danger, did ye get it all?' 'No; ye~r reverence.' 'Was it that brought ye back, like a stray lamb, to the fold of ye'r own blessed church?' 'That, an' ye'r riverence promising me twice as much.' "Mind what ye'r saying, machree! What I pro- mised'ye has nothing to do with the matter~at all, at all. liAs not about me fhey~ need evidence, it's about the soupers, ye understand. To say aAything about my promises will spoil ye'r character, machree, and damage ye'r widdy mother.' 'Very well, ye'r riverence.' 'Ther'e's a boy that likes you, Mary, niachree! he'll' be at the trial to see how discreet ye are. &y nothing to set him again ye.' Mary held down her head, blushed scarlet, and wondere1~Wthe' priest knew everything. While ~fatiior Dennis thus practiced upon the wit- 284 '4 '1 nessc -th( other This requi adapi T point~ ed C~ ofaju the pi rious wher~ respe cornn~ prono crime this c thing~ must prove ~0 ~er tyof cute I guilt, 264 SISTER AGNES. CLERICAL INSTnUOTION~. 2~5 s, father O'llooran busied himself with the jury ~se of them who were his clients; the rest, from parishes, were managed, each by his own priest. class being a little higher in the social scale, red to be rather differently dealt with. Rome s herself to all grades of society~ liese men required to be enlightened on various Qf morality, as these are laid down by renown-. tholic doctors, especially St. Ligubri ;-the duty ror, to consider first the honour of the church ;- measure of' faith to be kept with heretics ~ wer of the church to dispense with oaths, &c. ~-uilty,' said the reverend father, 'may have va- meanings ;-it may mean guilty of the things of a man is accused, or it may mean guilty in ~t of crime. When a ~man is proved to have itted the actions ascribed to him, he may yet be inced "not guilty," if those things be not in the eye of the church. If the evidence, in ~se, should prove that the priests did not do the charged upon them, then of course the verdict 3e" not guilty," but if the contrary seem to be I by successful malice, still you have it in you~' to return us not guilty ;-meaning not guil- zny crime; seeing that it is our duty to perse- eretics and glorify the church; and instead of it is merit so to do.' * * See Liguori, iv. 161. page: 266-267[View Page 266-267] The father theii proceeded to inflame the minds of the .juryn~n against the supers who'~ had brought so mitch dissension and trouble into tb~e quiet villa~g6. Erig1is]~ jurymen, proud and independetit, need not startle at this. T4e~,i are free ;-they hav~ no lord~ over their consciences. The sons of poo~ IreTh4nd; aye, and her daugEters too, are boutid hand and foot by tyz'annkal priests; they are slaves in body and eca4, in judgment and ~conscience, in speech and -in action; The man who depends upon a priest for his salvati6fi, must be the slave of the priest; to dis- obey him is to risk everlasting fire. 266 SISTER AGNES. ONt cation charg vario and e~ commi the e~ highest * round K\~ LZ~ pI~testE "9~uPi Protest COWPEE. .6 day of triar the court was crowded to suffo- * Father Dennis and one of his flock stood ~d with inciting riot, and with assau1tin~ s individuals ; father O'Hooran with abetting couraging the same. They had been fully tted for trial, and liberated on bail; and now excitement of the parish ~vas w6und up to the t possible pitch, and the country for miles was stirred. e fanatic CC Catholic boys," wrought up to by the exhortations and denunciations of the looked forward to a sigiial revenge upon the rs and jumpers;" and the humble band of aixts, who had a clear case to present, hoped 4) CHAPTER XXVIII. AN IRISH TRIAL flY JURY. "Lawless force from confidence will grow~" "When lawless mobs insult the court "That man shalt be my toast, ~ "If breaking windows be the sport "Who bravely breaks the most41' page: 268-269[View Page 268-269] SXSTER AGNES. for a decision which would in future protect them in the ~free 'exercise of their religious, and the enjoy- ~~nent of their civil rights. They supposed 'that, as Britons they had a right to 'change their religion upon conviction, so long as that which they embraced did not impair the exercise of their duties as men and subjects of the state. Toleration, they under- stood to be the law 'of the land;' and why a few fanatic priests shou1~d overturn that law, they~ could nQt comprehend. In fact this day's trial was to prove whether the 'statutes of this realm, or those of Rome, were to be paramount in this portion of the domains 'of Queen Victoria. The priests, f' ly justified by the dQgmas of their church in using 11 kii~ds of means, supposed that they had secured abundant' evidence in their favour; about its truthful ness they troubled not themselves. ILiguorif had 'quite settled that matter f9~' them. The evidence r the prosecution was clearly laid. Patric1~, O'2Flannig n, sworn, deposed' that he had be- come ~a convert f 'o~i Romanism to the Protestant faith, t'hat the P otestant "school was "held ~in his house, and that th re were also meetings for worship 'pn $abbath evening s ~~that on the evening of Sabbath the' of -~---- h~ had heard'a. report of an. intended rio4~ and dispersior~ of the congregation 'by the Roma~i Cav1Ip1~Lc8; 'an4ka ~ox~sequence, when all were assena- bled, the doors were shut. But during prayer by U, 268 AN IRISH TRIAL BY JURY. 26V~ the ev. James Sullivan, there was a noise as of a numb r of men surrounding the house, then a knock at th door. Witness inquired who was thei~e, when the v ice of Father Dennis demanded admittance. Witn s's said that' if the Father were alone,' he would admit him; but he Would not, open his door to a rioton mob. The priest' persisted, and on being steady y refused, 'was he'ard'to shout, "Do your duty, boys." Whereupon shoWers of large stones burst throu h the windows, the door was brQken open, and Fathe s Dennis and O'Hooran, and a number of men armed with sticks, stones, and life-preservers, rushed in. T e priests commanded the c6ngregation to dis- perse; Father Dennis using very abusive language, sweari g, and saying that he was the parish priest, and w ld allow no~ heretic meetings~ in his jurisdic~ tion. witness tQld him that the Rector was over the parish y law, and that but for the toleration 'of the British government, the Roman Catholics would not be eve allowed; when there commenced a most hor- rible s outing and howling--and the priest beat the individ al named in the indictment first with his whip, a d when that was broken, with a stout stick; that th 'widow Keegan was so beaten as~ to be unable to stand, and her daughter Phemie" was dragged out of the house by the hair, after which she dis appeared, and was not again~ seen, until. last night w en she suddenly arrived at his house, and' page: 270-271[View Page 270-271] ~tated herself have been forcibly carried off, and placed iw~eonfine~nent in the convent oft-, whence she Iliad e~capedi 4t this stagd Father 9'flooranwas seen whisper' ing to his so1ici~or, by. whom a messenger was dee- patched with ~a 1~tter to the ~convent. The cross~eZan~ination elicited a few particulars relative to the mission, the time it had been in exist- encet; the number and faultless character of the con- vertsai~d The p~rs~cutions they had to~ endure. WituesB believed the opposition of the priests to arise from the diminution of their fees aiA their in- fiuer~ee e~nseque~it upon the conversions. A Mission School, he stated to have been formed, with a female taacb&r; girls were taught reading and ~writing, plain sewing and knitting, lace-~work and embroidery. . The laCe~ ~ud ~mbroicJery were purchased by a mercantile hoiis~Kin 1~1ngl~u&; and thus many of ~the~gWls earned a ~subsistence, s~anty indeed, but stilL a 0ubsistence. The I~ible was read daily in. the school, and Protest- aut eateehisins used. No indncem~1its were held out to scholars to attend, further than the benefits flowing from i~~struetjou4rndalYility to earn their own living. The few. clothes which soui'e of the most needy girls lu~d received, were absolutely requisite for even d~eency; 4~hey ?~ere ~c~zst-off clothes sent by friends of tli~ ~ie~i~n, They were supplied, during the dearth, 270 with now ever P in th house asto nesse~ Fathe mitte up; s where heres~ school had a~ tiQfl, 8: Hadi Was priest~ but h4 state been 4 chief terrific u~uall' joice one meal of stirabout in th~ day; but this was discontinued. ther, witnesses corroborated this testimo~iy in particular. hemie Keegan was then called.-Was ~a monitor mission-school. Was in Patrick, OFlann~gan~s on the evening of Sabbath, and gave testimony he riot and assault, similar to the other wit- * Was dragged out of the ho use by her hair by r Dennis, who was cursing awfully; andcom- to the care of two men, who detained her, in for about half-an-hour. .Then a carriage drove o was forced in, and taken to the convent she was told she must remainuntil ~sheabjured and promised to teach no more in Protestant She was on the whole pretty well, treated; much food as at l~ome. Jn answer to a ques- ated that to be two meals of stirabout per da o work hard, but. was .accustomed to t ~ometimeg beaten after an argument with the who frequently visited and. threatened her; r chief distress arose from ignoran~~e of the f her infirm and widowed mother, who had really beaten by Father Dennis, and whose support she had been. &metime& she felt by the threats of the priests; but was able to trust i~n ~od without fear, aud - to re- suffering for Christ. She escaped under A N IRISH TRiAL BY JUI~Y. 270 5i8:TER~ AGNI~S. 271 271 page: 272-273[View Page 272-273] ~2 i~ 2 SISTER AGNES. cover' of night, by putting on the hat and cloak of Father Dennis. She "was closely cross-questioned, and excited some ltiughter h~ her. description of- 'her disguise, of slipping through the house-door, apd escaping detec- tion~by the blowing out of the lamp of the portefess; but a murmur c~f' admiration arose, when s~ simply stated her conscientious scruples about depriving the priest of his cloak; and her determination to brave The danger of' carrying it to his house rather than 'be-ax thief.' She very dexterously parried~ some questions as~ tow'hether she had any assistance in escaping; and hei testimony left. a most favourable impression, on the minds of the audience. The widow 'K~egan was next called; ~nd her ap- pear~noe excited general' sympathy. With Irish eIoq~i~n~e~she described her distress at' the disappear- anc& of her daughter, the fruitless search that had been .'ma~de for her, and the 'conclusion come to, that she had been murdered and concealed.' She had not y~t revered, 'sh~' said, from the effects' of Father inis'~ 'ch~stisement; and' 'she would have been starVed' during 'her daughter's absence, but for the charity of th& re~t6r's lady, who had heard of her eas~e, a~nd of' som~ other Protestants and. 'friends of the is~i~. She atid her dai~ghtei had been cursed fi~em the ~1tar, therefore' ne" Roman Catholic would AN IRISH TRIAL BY JURY. 273 hold communication with her. This c1o~ed the case for # e prosA~cution. witnesses for the defence were then called. Fa.. thers Dennis and O'Jlooran were first . examined. Their statement of the case was this: Had been much annoyed by the agents of the nssioi~-sehool bribing away the children of their flock, b4odd; and clothe , and. 'money, and instilling\ into their minds conte pt of their religion and of their parents. S~v# ral of he ~more ignorant and vicious of the parishion- ers ha been induced to attend. the Protes~tant' meet.. ings, d to abjure the Roman Catholic 'faith, chiefly through bribery. The morality of the parish was much -i paired. The Protestants had frequently in- vited discussion on the articles of faith; and on the evening of the riot the two priests, accompanied by a few e bers of their flock, went to the place of meet~ ing t accept the challenge. They found the doors bolted, n , on knocking, were assailed by a storm of abus . But at length they were admitted, when, upon a templ~ing to speak, they were silenced by hooting and howling, and finally sticks were resorted to, to d ive them out. In self-defence they used their own, bu not ui~til their lives were in danger. As to Phe ie Keegan, she had in terror' fled to the monaste y, and requested to be admitted. But the Reveren M6ther herself would be called upo~n to r~ply to er testimony. 18 page: 274-275[View Page 274-275] ~1 274 SISTER AGNES. T~he ~other Superior of the' convent was , then brought into court. She stated that Phernie Keegan had arrived early in. the mQrning of. the -v---, and solicited ~admissiorL into the convent; 'that she ~was hungry. ~nd~ eold, and was fed and warmed. That she begge4 'to~ be taken as an inmate, with the view of~ .renoun4~ing~ Protesjantisrn, of 1he. errors of which sha professed, to be convinced.;' but after being kindly treated for some tinie, she was found to be hopelessly * depr~w9& ai~d intractaiAe, and ~w&s consequently ex- pelled from the' co~went, from which she found means to abstract several valuable . articles along with the ci~oak;of Father Dennis. The danger~of detection, arising from. the possession of. the latter article, had, ~t was presumed) ~.nduced her to return 'it. Cross- qnestioued-The'other tiless were a gold crucifix and ~a few- slinflar, valuables: Si4er NEonica~ was then-examined.-Is a nun in the ~pnvent of~.-~-; remember~ the 'night' when eniieXeegan wa~ broughtt in,' halfdead with cold awd' ~hiinger. ' . Qucs~ion.. 'jWhat'time of~nightcwas she brought in.?' Answ~r £ Five o'-cloek in 'the morning.' * I.Q. -Why4id ~QU say night?' Q ~' Wh~ brougltt her i,?' * A." Father Dennis -and Father 'O'Hooran' (ASen- sation in court.) K'' AN IRIS~I TRIAL BY JURY. 275 Why did she go to the convent P ~or fear of being torn to pieces by the Pro~ Because she wished to renounce heresy~' Did she renounce heresy in the. convent'?' ~he pretended to do SO.' NoW, tell me again who brought her 'to the he came of her own accord.' 'id not you sa~ Fathers Dennis and ~r ought her ?~' ' ' was a mistake.' nationion) hat character did sh~ bear in the oon~. Q.'i 'A.' te tants A.' Co yent? A.' 0' ooran A. 'I yen ?' Q.'I pos&ble t( safe that I * 'V 'TA whil she her ed?' * '1 found?' extremely bad.' what respect?' e was a noted liar and thief; it was 'im- believe a word-she said, ~aiid nothing was~ y in her~power.' hat did shedo witlithe articles she stole?' Id them in her cell.' neath her bed. Many. things were lost as in the house, an4 never found~again.' w do you know that she hid articles under 'ause they were found there/ hQught you said they 'never could" be ] 0 page: 276-277[View Page 276-277] 216t &BTER ~~ii~rx~s A 'So~ii~ bf~ the t)~iugs were foiu~d, and some ~ ~Did she c&rry away any thing, when she caped~!' A,'Oh yes! ma2ly things.' A 'A carved ivory rCsary and crucifix.' Q~ ' Was the crucifix gold?' ~ Was~not'~acgoZd crucifix lost?' A$~oking~p~ied-~ No, it was ivory.' (&n.. Q. flo~ did she carry them' away '1' A. 'Folded in Father Denniss~ckak.' Q.'Howdoyouknow?' AK 'I suppose so.' nationion) Q.~ 'Do you swear sh~ carried oft' these things 'P Ai'Ido2 turned is? '~-~The witness ~ud~1enly pale, ajid ~wa~ silent. flow ~did ~he escape A. ~' InFather t~ennis'e hat a~4 cloak.' Q.i' Did y~u see her, then?? A. ~No, it was repo ted in the ~onvent.' (Hisses i~s court, a~d cout~ter c eers.). Q. ~ ~as not she e peeled from the convent?' A4'Ye~, *br 1~*A haviour.' Q. 'Why theu (lid oii say: she escaped?' ~1 AN IRI$~4 TRIAL BY JURY. 277 A. ' t was a t~ke.~ Furt er questioning elicited fi.~rther~ontradictione, an the tness was dismissed with. an admonition to sp ak tr th, especially whenonoath. Mick Conolly called Had' small piece of, potato ground, and a; cow la t year; when his son went to the Mission schooL T e boy as promised plenty ~f work, food, and a sut of n clothes, if he would renounce his faith,;, an was early persuaded, when the cow fell sic~k and die , and seeing it to be a jud~meut, the boy left the scl~ool. eing desirous of hearing the discussion be~ tw~en -th priests~and ~Mr. Sullivan,, lie went to the, do~r on unday evening. He then repeated th~ sa4e stor as the priests; but on being cross..ques' toned, in olved himself in so mahy contradictions, as to dr , down also an admonition against f~ise sw~aring. next appeared. His squalid, ruffian- like count nance, (lrcw many suspicious eyes. Like the brine witness, his first evidence. wa~ clear and correct ;~ ut cross-questioning proved its hollowness, and upon havitig' the'~ contradictions pointed out to him~ his I ok of savage defiance caused a general shudder. He was evide~itly a person of the worst cia acter. othi g further of importance transpired. The othe witn ss~,es were evidently unworthy of credit. page: 278-279[View Page 278-279] ) V I' / / 278 SISrTE* We need not allude to t ~itli~r side;' except tG ~~tat ~as sobiewhat bifla.mmato ta~its. The learned Judg out the distinctness of' th tion; 'and 'the i~ans~aren fbi" the defeuc~; and call against the defendants; w tb~ crimes for which they The ji~ryr@ire~ ti~tned~ v~rdiet of "Not' '~A fook of speechless equrt and' then ~ 'de~fe lwer~pistsiningled wi ''9 idigna~uun. / ~vwrn~0~ ~5muug5,8~n( among thie priests ~; and~ ~ ment Pciared in the trim jur~.,* 1~hat'ni~ht the house '~ ~et on&fire in f~ur placess ;~ ~ whorri w~uid lift the ~arties, 'IIQ& 'sa~v~ fa~roMy,; on t~ping~'fro~n ~d~o~ted,~n4'assM1ed ~ mingled with. curses. ~h -; 4 AGNES. ~e ~speeches 'of counsel on' ~, that that fbi' the prisoners 'y and abusive of Protes ~, in summing up, pointed evidence fbi' the prosecu- perjury of the witnesses ~d for a verdict of 'guilty ~6 had ~&vidently committed 'were indicted. ~in about thirty minutes r~- Guilt7,." 4 ~urprise passed round the ~iing'~' cheer arose from the hisses and sounds of in- congratulations took place ven~ ~ Member of Parlia- pb. of falsel~ood and per- f~Patrick O'Flannigan was a nieb collected round' it, bucket of watar4to quench ~rticl& of furniture.' the the' burning, wore hissed ~th all ( ~probrious epithets, t~ie Keegan an& her mc- I AN IRISH TRIAL B JUI~Y. ther had b~en taken to the R'ector'~ alth ugh diree miles distant from the of li y in i4~~ yai'd4 was set on fire. I ed i 'time to prevent a general confi the im o the papists evidently Wa peas ntry rom again giving evidence 'by arkin out for vengeance every done so. 4noth of the witnesses narrowly A ~~ot bei g tired into his window; the ~rall, w thin a few inches of the 'p was '~itting ~V~Tho c n doubt the instigators of raged? T e priests had, at least, the ingt~Iem. ext d y there were great rejoice vent, comm noing with a ~Te Deum' f of th reve end fathers 'from the hands cutor .' T ere was a grand collation i at w ich a umber of priests 'were colle merr ment esounded. through the ustia Siste ~The esa told with infiuiWe humoi dressing F ther IDennis in the' garme~ erend moth r, and Father Dennis ralal ing n~istak n and nearly captured for ~ not b~ said that the language and th~ company w re very refined; but they loud, and ighly spiced with broad 279 safety; and village, a rick ~ wa~ discover- ~gration. But to terrify the againstt priests, one who bad escaped d~ath'. rhich lodged in [ace where' he all these out- power of quell- igs' in th~ con~. r the"' escape of their perse- i the refectory, oted, and much ly dreary hail. r~ the story of ts oC the rov- ed that efbe~ nun~~ It cau~ jokes ~f"the were at ~least rish hum4~nr. page: 280-281[View Page 280-281] A':' / 3 ~r mie day, tasks and p si1~e was unobsarsyod. however, s&t gloomily in rer~iembercd with b~ttern oourt~upon perjwy, a~nd evid~nee. Besides this, t1iat~ked her' f~r th pa~rt hi~ justification; a dno with sister Theres 'whul j~aJou~y, hati'ed, hagri ~hef~igned ~i~kne~; and bitter tears of mort ficatic humour Father) en~i~ Upon ~her ea~rt Qiie da~~ merriz~ien. ~J~he yQutEfizl ~ niae 'My b~i~aI. f~as ~was b~ai~ti*W ~s they e urch was ~a]~e?-w y~ is has OE~i4es ~fle&' 0 8~X~ v~r. rneu ~a~d gly.~' ae)~e&the youthful 'maui ~i~iee' sb~ looked p i~. e{~a~rm sl~~ c iing. ~n~anees were forgotten, and. The. cr~ss sister Moniea, he midst of the fun. She, ss the observations of~ the ~ he hisses which followed lwr ather D~nnis had no~ even ~he had ~akex~ in ,procnring he sat joking and laughing nobody notice& ker.~ Envy, rankled in her heart; retired to heir cell, to weep n, and to plan pel~ty acts of 1 sad. An occasional laugh of Theresa, or the coarse ;but the lo~d which had as uot to b~ dissipated by ove4 about bewildered. ea~tifgl 'whan arranged, as ~n& the it4t~r; but where y dres~'-~black ?-~-whither are there' such ~&mez~' at ~my marriage '1' ~as with vacant counte- h~ face of sister Agnes, to ' Spe~k~. Agnes~-4efl me ~loom, 5. B. P. u~S were sum- crior, and in- bi~oad'Thenext hated convent his, reverend ~,nd theji gav~ icli ware you 'wilV have tol and Dover 8iO11~ separate rriag~ on 280 SI8TR1~ AGNES. CIIAPTh~R XXIX. 280 tEPoRTATIo~. o the land ~Eere t~he myrtle and orange o the land of the cloudless shy, here soft wlhds ixfro* a &~h p~*me " ~omflowers of glorious dye." ON~ mor ing Siste? Thetesa and A motied to the r&om '6f the tady S formed tha they must prepare to ~o a day, as th were to be, sent t an Mi in ttaly.* 'May inquire the r~as of mother,' sa d Agnes. No,' r plied' t1a~ Iadyd~cid y, a few direc ion~ as to, so1ue1artk~1e8 w1~ packed 4 ~ their wardrobe a~d1ng, & pi~oper ~5 ort, will go by way ~f B~i to Iaris. To secure you from idri piace~ ixf t estearnel's, and sep~raVe e~ * See Appendix 0. 1* page: 282-283[View Page 282-283] 77 2 9 82 English railways 'i~ closely ~ii yours unhallowed eyes 1 ties. When you faith, you" wil4 be' 'foreign convents any thing done he The nuns bo of Agnes leaped uDknown to her; melancholy priso voyage; for the cloudles~ skies of a ~?W~he~ nionast Virgin is worship - none with theres feelin~ S. i V. L~on't suppose poor caged l4rd,' round you still.' 'Ah ~!. but t1ie~ iro flowei~s in the 'tar ~ smile 'r~ere~ 'Oh'! ~ we f~el 'the breezes- the railway carria, SISTE AGNES. ill be engaged' for you. You will yes in passing to tWe vehicles, lest ok upon you~ in the land of here~ c~ter t~e countries of the C~tholic safe ~om insult. Lemeinber, 'in c~t one~ word must be breathed of ed th~ir acquiescence. The heart with a sensation of pleas~ire long she ~s at length to leave this to I ave it for a journey and a ~ri~ht. plains of France and the Italy; for the romantic beauty of th~ land where her beloved pe4a~ the morning star. When ~, she expressed somewhat of her is liberty we shall, find, ~t'ha~it id ere~a. 'The wires will be 'will ~e sh~ Len, or; I~, but :;~ we 8~Th ~e ~old~jr wire II s, not wires of ave xnyrtles ~and orange- lc~l4ng into our cills.' was very sad. see the sea, the dear, s~l. upon it-how I long to su.&t see g~eld~ from I - 'Per 'Wi good old 'She ~Well Ont and they prior. tion, after heart of massive g out from t carriacre stopped a in it-.the she was c place wher closely veil drove off a 'I wage these ungr~ and us' th south, as tk 'If 1a4 preach whe: 'If you I bet i joined. aips.' I~ can nothe ~as s we em )ade 'he Ia havi ~gne ~te o ie dr adn t~ide ~ame~ ~nvey~ she ed, w a ra rmy teful ir bi e rozi cept Ig4 can,' yho DEPORTATION. have put it into the~' i t' to send ust~ Italy.. me deep reason, don aust get ready.' rrow a chaise awaite i~rewell to the nuns a bter pronounced over g given them ~sundry beat with yaried~ e her prison opened, a ary court into The gr t, as usual, been: dri Fathers Dennis a~' who had guarded her 4 full of hope and had suffered so mu re assisted into the id pace. cassock,' said Father girls are glad to essed priests, to go anoes call it.' our wager, father~,a~D t it?' asked sister T] replied the priest; d, then, That I am g 28S Lagination of the bless.' the travellors, ~d the Lady Suw hem~ a benedic- ~irectio~s. The notions as "th~e id she stepped en 'lane, foT~ the eu in-~-.-it had. O~Eooran were o the spot when omattce, 'to the Ii. The'iiuns, marriage, ' and it Dennis, "that e their ralaoe, to. the su~iny d win, shaTh. I ere~a. page: 284-285[View Page 284-285] K 4 ~84 ~1STE The ttavellers eache b~rkiu thea tea eii' f~ permitted to rexnai orid of. intense delight o sist ture had been ~o 1 ng ~~s'~f *~YO)~ penS VO na ~s~d~o feel, when, au u r~ve&at will 'amen ~its b prl$ener~ .A~pries was. bdth priests were ther gwdlng her.. now as m pl~y~d byTi~d~e ailo, tke~ ~6nvexILi Ali she Metz; ow she w~s ~tr~n~ Mill of otlisrs, she newj WAI4Wr. She~ga~ 4 on trea~ting1~nd, with ifecti fri~ud~ A~roin whom h~ h then she sighed to hink ~rMod fi~&m theiii agaih O~1flkOY before h~ enjoyit to then ruio they went below; a d p du~te& Wa ~tate; ~ them. '~W~1iafl be ~k leave our door opt~x~ said oa~t1j~, 'I. * '~QshQwustla~twe [Cork just in. time to em- Bristol. The nuns were ~ek u~itil sunset; a soutee i' Agnes, whose love of na- gratifi~ed~ Yet the delight aire, quite unlike that she trammeled, happy girl, she autie~. Now sh~ felt as. a Iways at her side-~---usually the, jealousy shown in ioh greater than that dis- ~hen she~ fled ~with him to went by her own choice ported, like a slave, at the iot why, she scarcely knew ho sea a~d sky, an& the re- ni, as upon old aud choice d long been ~parated; but how soon she might be sep- She had a considerable ~ver wind she resolved to it. After a noble ~unset, ~eut1y the nuns were. con~ Ii h~d been prepai~ed for so b~ your roon~ and shall SEather O'Hoor&i, signifi- cannot escape if we would? I I. I _ whispered WOfl~t let A thea sisters, a were shut Them They were their meal quested t O'lThoran morning b the intoler sister Agn to feel th cheek and No in& age; but t able attent gant, midd. once with V Sister deep-seated Bristol cha -almost w alit nothing~ * Tw&p~ 4o1; one ac doa~h; the siste ~ eve. ysw .d th in to )rnin not was iat it ~ad h "eezes Lble p 5; sI OQOl et be ent ey fel nto e-age ars i gne~ grie: nel. th ad won] ests ompa ther 285 .gnes. ' They x as. DI~PORTATiON. Theresa to sister drown ~urselves~' Ii came on-sea~sick delights of nature misery. was calmer and the ~rmitted to breakfast carried to their own might be tti~ken 911 s also re~noved thit revived them; but iest. destroyed all th e perceived that it wa unfettered breath of sad. Her heart was fg~onsequence occur t iMemselves the obje he passengers, one of widow, gazed upon her eyes~ was almost ~harme by the beautiful S( She looked upon it~ w ration-yet4be ioad~ remove that! met ~thern, on law ~ed~ thQW azid father alked with father 0'] ess invaded the ~hut out, they ~ slept a little. in the ss~loon, abin; they re~ ~ek, and father or. The fresh he presence of enjoyment of ~ possible even heaven~ on her very heavy. ed on the voy- ts of consider.~ whom, ~an ele- them often- d out of her enery on the tli admiration n her li~art- ing at :Bzjs~ Dennis hito a~ oran.. They. page: 286-287[View Page 286-287] 28~ SITE AGNEs. were cotiduct, I t~ the ~idlway, put into a private carriage; where a ~light repast was brought~ to them; an& they were re~ueste4 to keep from the windows, as thei~' costume woul~ attract observation. The + priests themselves sat at the sides of ,the carriage, the nuns occupied the centre seats. Sister Theresa composed herself ~t~o sle~. Sinte~' Agnes, for aWhile after they .'-starto4, 1ear~ed forward to. look at the glbn~ses o~' soener$T, but her eyes became weary, and she too fell fast asleep, the. priests conversing in an iindet tone, each t~ the oppositee one. Their ~tay in I~aondoii was to be but for a night. It wasevidei~tly to the hc~use of a priest that they were conducted-~-a dignitaryy ~f the church, ;they thought. It wa~ ab~legantresidexice iu the west end; a boudoir and bedroom opening each er, were assigned thexn* 1with ~every c~mfer1~. ~ '~thiscannot be the h~use of a priesV-Iadies .mu3t live here P said sister Agnes. 'Threry thing is ar~ ranged f~r a lady. Oh! i~ is like home ;-dea', dear home!' She threw herself upo~i argreen damask sofb~., kiss.. editlikeachild, 'Maybe the revereu~r father has a niece,' said Theresa, curling h~r lip.~ ~ You-a1 nun, and to care fo~ ~these vanities! ]31it ~what a sobbing ! foolish ~b4Ni ~Now~~ry a~aiu i~'yoiz dare, after have kiss- ~ Shafl I a~k his reverence to. take you as. a 80 boarder, t your life, molu '? '* - Shed 'There 'You mesa, retur 'Locke 'Yes; - or running 'Priso 'But cuts chains * 'Butp 'Poor 'There 'Agnes this locking nuns must father was convent of coated apr tion they d of the stati forced into priest, deal passed und The girls w irgat my comes after him.' *ttle f ol I' said Theresa, pi ~a, I t understand y~ou I will derstand ii~yse in, tell you a stor e gu rded when traveling ringi g two poor unwilling ,my former resident ty p an of escape, and at rted forward and claimed n-ma~ter, asserting that th~ content. The pmiest-~-no ed tl~em to be his daugEt~ r.thi~ designation all al6ng re ;dem age, he said, and ainask *wood, 281 sofa all and or~ Drn~ouTATIc~J. i may reclin& ~ a d )Ok upon carved rose the door. cried Agnes, in slam ;nes. resa. ' Death yingly. f.. Dut about to show that a reverend ~ girls to the ~e; they con~ ~. railway. sta. bhe protection y were being t habite4 as a rs; they had heir journey. he dared any .4 I A e ~ed n t recal me so veheme Ling4~~We are looked in! 1o ke~p us1~rom doing, or s away~' ers fo~' life I' said. sister A~ ot fo~ ever!' replied Th at yoi ~nd 1 ~ted t ~ntly,' said The~ }~eing mischief, page: 288-289[View Page 288-289] SIS~EU AGNES. ene to interfere with the~n~ ':Their4ear~and' enti~ea~ tie8,~ however, so moved the officials, that they were taken b~ef'ore a magistrate. The man coolly reit'ei~ated that they were his daughters; and they were admon- ished to be obedient t~ A~heir father, and dismissed. Th&' tiger' kept 'this prc~y ~afel~; and bitter were the cosequent suff&ings of the poor children~' 'I 'know the case tc~ be hopeless;' said Agnes. ~' The eye of father O'Ho ran' is bolt and lock enough. Do you know, Theresa~ I quail under it.' 'Stouter il~arts than yours have quailed under it,' ~aid1?heresa.. The door opened, and a lady walked~in; 'Miss Pet qt,' she said. Sister' 'Agn~s started ;~ a deadl3r palene~s' over- spt~ad her cotrntenance; then arlet' flu~h,~ and, tt~'f&rWd, ~he threw 1~r~ f into the arms 'of MddS~uis~eDupin. Yon ~ilH~inV, m~ cull,' said Mademoiselle, as she led her back to her sofa. 'Compose' yourself for a1i~tle.' A ~fl~d ~f t~ai~ ~an1e 'to the relief c~f the nun; she bwiea he~r fate hin~.The~ bosom of her governess, and ~~bb~dj A My~ f~,th~r1' 'Ki~e ~a1ixi, and [will teTh you.' ~ "N~; ~ ,;"~t my heart will ireak.' r 'Sk& rai~e~he~ '1~e~d, looked steadily through' ''~ ',' ~' iv hi tl~ U12 er so] fri ho thi be co' rei ha] spi cai br~ sui ~r tears, )ead P 'Yes id the w: 'I am e nun. un and r figur right, an ess. 'No;' row to. nds are. 'Itnee low tone 5 to corn n cruelly vent.' 'I beijey lied Mad py in a it.' 'I have not last 1 n is folk 'The Ma ess. 'Amen! DEPORTATION. clen4hed her hands, and 'one ~ry a is m ler iollo .beca~ i loo said t ring gone.' ed bul of un lete n dece: 289 said firmly-~ here the wicked cease ~Eronvtroubling, 'e at rest.' rderess; 0 God, tak maturess were like ~t4 ,as if issuing from ne rigid and statue :ed fixedly in the fa4 ie Jesuitess him, lie is 'Peatb a friei~ 'this,~ said sister Agil r~atural calmness; 'J isery. Madenioi ~'Do not you b the c~aurch has other work ~mois Pe, 'but if a young' ~onven~t, it~must be the faul ned ~o think 'so;' said Ag ~ng. My heart is turned ~wing.' ~donna forgive you!' exela ejaculated the sister. me too 1' said ~ne; her ~voice a '-'sepuIphre;. -like, she sat ~e of' 'her gov- waits not for ~when other s, in thesame t needed but elle, we have enticed to a for me to do' oman be not of her own es. 'Butit 0 stone; my' med 'the Je- page: 290-291[View Page 290-291] I 290O SISTER AGNES. 'My time is limited,' said 'Mademoiselle. 'I have i~nportant. business with you-your fort~ine-' 'Is already settled up~n the convent, of course,' replied Agnes. 'Well t But it is your duty to provide against any danger 'of alienation. Owing to your father's death, others may seize it.' It will be necessary for yott to sigu some' documents, and make some declarati6ns be~ fo~re a lawyer and competent witnesses, before you leave the country.' "I care not what Ido.' 'Your dinner will be brought in a few minutes; after that you will be visited by two professional gen- 'tiemen.' Can they not ~wait till to-morrow ?---Cannot I have this evening alone P possibleble' £ Well; if my brain does turn, it 15 no matter.' '4, N th Co do Th att con af rea was tion tion lett wrol in r~ I must fl( deportat Lmencing lament h~ s docume ~ined the ~equence~ ls~ date ~y to swe: also ord ng the r to perse r wa~ st~ er and tc ality, it c~llA4ER XXXI ~EASO~NS FOR DEPORTATI "we hav& the right and i~iight alone; "Wh~re is the power to reach us?" w detail the' circumstance on of Sister Agnes~' Im her n~viciate, she was req~ nding 6~e~ier property t4~ ut could not be available t age of twenty-one; but ti Even should she die befi ould be in~ej'ted, and the ~ r anything that might be rei red to write a letter to her asons for her flight, and h ere in. a religious life. T ted tc~ be supplementary to which. 'she had received no as the only one which was i / uther'8 R~rnne. which' 'led to ediately upon Lired to sign a the convent. ntil she had at was of no re that time,. itnesses were uired. She father, men~ r determina-. herself this the first ~he nswer ; - but tended ever / page: 292-293[View Page 292-293] 29i~ SISTER AGNES. to be delivered. It too was kept in readiness for future~use. Until she had. assumed the habit of a nun, it was not deemed advisable to inform her Ii'riends of her situation, lest they should so persevere ~' at- tenqfts to see her, as to render her concealment scan- dalous~. No communication had been made to her friends, when her fathers death occurred. Mr. Courtenay strongly suspected the truth; but haviiig not the shadow of pro~f, had zieVer hinted lii~ suspicion to Mr. Perc~ Bitt it was now requisite ~o take decisive stops in ~der to ~eeure her fortune to the convent; and her Thtter was dispatched to her fathers as if in ignoi~anoe of his death; butx~eallyixi the ~ertainty of * its ia~ili~g into the hands of .hi~ executors, Colonel i1~ayward and~ Mr. Courtenary. They lost no time in pioeeeding. W the convent~wh~ere they were most .~/ .~s p~dite1y received by the iper~iore~, who prQniised to bring Miss Percy to the paAour to speak with them ~alQ~e. *~ 'This is oouti~ary to;our rules,' ~he said, as she left the room, ~ but th~e circuxnstance8 are so peculiar, that X ai~ a~xious to affor~1 you evei'y satisfaction.' 'She is~ candid, M least~' remarked Colonel Hay- iV~rd when she 14d 4isapp~ared.~ In ~ fe~ minutessh~ mturneff I regret exceed- in~ly,~' ~he saidi4hat ~'1iss Percy quite deelinesto see iiel\'frionds; her. d~t~min~tion'is sQ immoye~ble, and ag: lad tre fer do bo~ the Pei woi we] err: lite of t the teni the vaii so] I REASONS FOR DEPORTATIC N 29~ he~ gi de~ lib r contend ent so perfect, that she 4 re her pa n to meet those who migh ision. think she is~ wrong, and I but in hose mattei~s my nuns are I rty to d as~ t1~ey please.' The ge tleuien insisted and the in to en c~eavour, as she said, to persu to grant an interview. She was unsuceessfl4, however; pro ng~~seei~ sorro , and the utter impossib that she never coinpelle fly thin disagreeable to themselves ed out Ii r visitors with the greatest most mt nse protestations of regret Of cours she had never communi cy their presence in the convent Id have een but to lad to find * the Sup nor i~new this.. eturnin frofri what they both fel~t nd, bafile and outwitted by a wo4 essT even restrained in her presence eir mdi na1~ion, they had n~ Boone convent ha~ they stormed to their b; and vo ed, that if there was law would see ~he infatuated girl. I i; there a~ no law in the land to me ng. as s e stedfiistly refused to se ~els~ it would question her hiave ~told her eft at perfect ~upenior'~ent Lde the young ested her ei- lity of inter~ I her nuns to and finally suavity, and a.ted to Miss he~ poor girl iverers; an4 to4be .a fool's n, whose po the outburst '~g6t outside hearts' c~i- in th~ land, was all in t theircase, them, and 23 N. page: 294-295[View Page 294-295] 9 &ST~R AG'~S. fl1~A8ONS P'OR DI~F0RTATIc~.N. 29b w~ot~, whi~h+~he apparentlyy,)~ did at"terwards, declin- iz~g ~awihtervie~. . - - While, they 'were consulting lawyers, and pressing in v~iu to see her, the period-of Miss Percy's'majority * arrived; and finding theaffairbeconhing troublesc~ine, the Su~eri~ress and-the priests 'determined to send her out of the ~country, ~ ~S soon - ~s iher fortune should be kgaily secured to the church. Therefore she~ was Th~st c6nve~e4 -to the priest's~house-in London, where 1*o -TL~man Catholic lawyers~ attended to prepare a fregh deed if gift. This being duly signed, witnessed and;eealed; her forty thousand pounds were safe;~ and it mattered not what should become of her, if she were only sufficiently .~on&ealed from prying inquiries. A le4~r, appareiitiy in her hand-wrhing was then sent to her uncle, stating that, distressed by his' perW naciousende~vOUr8 ';'to see' l* she had gone abroad ; and~in a ~'ew months afterwards, adt4y attested notice of i~ Eer death was' foi'warded to him, dated from a convent in ~ris wher~ she h~d stayed on her way to - it~1~ 2 He visited - the abl ess. thei'e,~ and received ~ very~ mt ti'i~par'tieulars of the event, which had not taken ~pl~ce~' - -' ~ The Chiireh"' 1iad'-'~gained' her object, ~nd she 'oal~n1y'folded her arms'and smiled at tbe iu4otent duiations' of'th~rne -who;f~lt her villainy.- ~ I 'believe that gov~rnes~ to have be~n at the bot~ to on C so ~fo an wo so lib pet M. con hin cou up~ / the ing all. ~4 ~ ~ofall,'~ ~ ever ex~ 'The th lonel Ha' clierlike e 'Chant3 - shir4 ~e for co ~'thy peop .1 by con ~rty of co 'Liberty ous Colc 'It won'1 P. 'Thi The cQloJ him, oj try, as ii his inn Nothing convent-; there *~ said Mr. Courtenay, 'she- as a Jesuit, if sted.' ng w~s 'disgraceful, abomi able P echoed ward~'violently stamping hs foot, with a pres8ion which we shall nit repeat. gentlemen, charity!' sai the member who was present, 'you mu t make allow- scientious convictions of uty. Thes~ e thought they were savin Miss Percy's eating her. We cannot nWrfere with science.' of murder ~nd robbery P fled the im- el. C Liberty such as the devil has.' do to interfere, my dear sir,' said the. liberty is guaranteed b the British iel left the~oom, slammh~g dered his ho and gallo f he had intended to veni )cent and noble favourite.' rn~re ~ould be done ;. 'the in Miss Perey'~ relatives pu as a good deal of valking-~-~ the door be- ped into the his passion ~ney went to ~j on mourn- Lnd that wa& 2 page: 296-297[View Page 296-297] .4 CHAPTI~R XXXI. TRAVEL. "Strike "Theeeitlieotes, " We have found a change, we have found a pall, -" And4~g1oom o'ershad~wlng the banquet ball." Wouns~ou~ra. Mxe. HUMANS. Trni ~rQessiona1 business was speedily transacted. a*id signed wilat she~wa1s desired to sign. She cared f&~io~hingi~ the world x~ow Te~ was broug~, and hei4 and Sister The~ hours previously, appearance of home o$ woul& 1~ave. charmed her;~ but all charms Agnes declarel what she was bid tp declare, were~ow brok~n. WBh~h~d ~id tr~ilythather heart *a~ ttz~d o sto~pe; and her brain was~ turning. Sister-.Therp0 poured out the tea,~and;kissed her as she put the cup into her hand. She , swallowed the liquid, beca~ise she was desired sotodo; J~he offered ~ake~ sheL put aside with loathing. ~8he retired toe. luxurious bed, ~and-.-slept with / TRAVEL,. 297 orrow. he had been stunned, he faculties were. enurnbed and the sense of Sorrow 85 not acute; 1 th t of a dull depressing, weight; its vei~y: eaviness had blunted i~s edge., ~ could not see aclemois lie again-could gain no p rticuk~rs of her their's de th. Next morning. they started for over Agnes am looked upon her darling sea, nd a few tears o me to. h r relief~ It was sparkling n the sitnshine. s if tens f thousands of diamonds ad been s~,aV- t red over it. She almost wished it had bee~i dark a d storm ; it would have harxnon ed better with t e state f her heart. But in ~spit of herself, its b auty sco hed her, and she thong t that misery ight be b rue if it could be borne a ong$ie beau~ ti s of nat e. But perhaps within he boundaries o an. It~di n convent there might be beauties; per.. h ps some glorious prospect of hill nd forest and s y, might e visible from its towers' perhaps among so Italian maids there might be ~n re g~utleuess a d elegant e, and. less waste~wor.k td o oupy~the tin~ w 'oh 8he ould faiu spend in retire ent a~id xniedi~ ta on. The b tie of embarkation was ye . annoying to he wonude spirit. 'Sister Theresa se med to enjoy it, bi~t she, as scarcely sorry tq ohey he colninaiLd to Retire to th~ small cabin provided for~the wtns, Si ter Ther ~a said it~Was very provokizig, page: 298-299[View Page 298-299] 298 SISTER AGNES. TRAVEL. 4 - - -When fairly under- weigh, howe er, the steamer -h~d- b~gim to plough the clear green waves, the sis- i~ers were pei~1itte&to go on deok, a d- were escorted by the ~rieets- -to a retired station w ere they could watch-the retreating - castle and chal cliffs of Dover, - and look upon the sea, 'as frQm the hallow emerald they passed on. to the deep sapphire. Sister Agnes, after surveyingg the prospect around, flxed her' eye~ - upon the foam into whjch -the waves ere lashed by tbre paddles ; contrasted with.~ the bl e- of the ocean, its~ snowy ~whit-enes~ was beautiful-.- She fell into a - sort of-4ranoe, in which her- father's image was the o~y~4efl-*~-object~-and an occasion 1 thrill of pain,' ~th~~nly - definite feeling. - - . - - ey -~stole ever ~her-a wish ;-~-it would be - jple~SaTrt-to Ii~at ~n thai; beautiful se~; lave her arms heavy -krow in That liquids element; to~go ~ (~-W tQtbOa~OIOf the i~nem~imp~id ;: n the haunts of ~h&; pearl4nu8~Je -and the i~i~ihi&~ to. eKplore- the ~gro ~ gai~d s-~here the -~eWeof-~the ~sea bton~t~ ~ii a .q iet-g~ave deep ~ id the -s~a#k. ling sandL shad e eypro~s of the sea. She 1oQk~d i~&uud her,-it~w ~o&szb2e ~ e-tho~iight'; she ~o*edi1o~'n ~gain~ &fresh- -~hreeze s. pt -the'-surfaee o$~A~e' wr~isp~k~ he~blue, a & lining her - -, - - - I mao*adelieious -----9--, -- - -- - seexnesI t1~i~a~ - 8he slowly ~se~ ?~ -her - -2 - 298 -9- ----- 2242-9Th --4 'ge / -'1 810W1y 11 O'iQ~3ia pied h coming a is not~ sa -lee -cezal Siste she was a We fl4 the jourm sisters w convent,~ Father ID Ireland.. he cells 4 - gnes~ be oble arc usic; ai ned by t nd the r. ode of-I rish coz ~iotony of house~woi ~veumori ~enriis, ii humour.- * ~ufl ~lae~ 1;ed her foot towards the b i and -was about to spring 's firm hand quietly grasp ~r to her seat. He smile child again,' he said. ' I ~; you must be content wit ed place.' Agnes felt that'he]uxew h bashed. ed not d~cribe the landi y to Paris-these are so re. conveyed by the priest here they remained a few n-nis took his -~Wave of th Here everything was ma f the nuns. Had not the uso depressed, she would lecture, stained. -glass, p d as it was; The sense of e gorgeous beauties- pi'ese h melody that f~ll upQn-t e she perceived to be the ,ent. There was the s~m prayera- and- - chanting, sil ; and, the cduntenaxices ol -vacant than in Ireland. A ~ his. vulgarity, were. absent, he con~ent of St. ~ t TRAVEL. 299 ich against the p, when Father I her gown, and ;'You arebe~- ie station there looking from a intention; and g .~ Galais, ixor &~fl known~ :-T1~e to a Porishin azys, and .whence ~tn to~rehinx to. ;nfficent, ~ex~e~t ~piritaof~Sister ~ave revelled in otures, statues, isery' was light- Lted to -i~he eye, e ~ar. ~But the same as. in the heartless~ mo- ent meal's and ~- the~nuns. we~re n&-poor Father ~ 0 wa0 hi~rf~~ey truly a'v~ry page: 300-301[View Page 300-301] * v*iTh~p?, 80o One evenii~g, wlu~n the silent tii~ie ~had expired, the si~A~s 'w~ra gaTh~ed. in groups, when ~0~tiO~8 arosefroni a eOrner in~ wJ:uc siste ~~#eatdwitli a J~ench nun. The were er~- n~iw aw animated manner~ aithoug the F~4~ch of ~i~ter The~sa wa~ ~ornewhat defee ive. ~pati&ting on, the 'glories of. St. I'ot iek, re th~ w~4~r% he had. performed, in Ir land, an us~ treatingg by. eating the. dismay of the ye oxxioi~is reptiles *~hiehhe cleared the couiitry. The frogs, she ~~erWd, b~r putt in, his cloak, and to ed them across ~' at~. Sister FranTees responde ~by marvellous 1~le~ of the pe~tr4u saint of her ow convent, and ~ xnir~c1~s ..bec~ the curr nt talk of the ~ They recounted some of odern:times- eertain4ivrn'y wonderful, btit sister ranees said,- ~O~ir priests tell us. ~t1iat the reas of~ the rarity ~tusnowjis the p~e~alence of * fidelity. Youlr eo~t~yp W ~ except ~1~iG~ d~ vertted to, the ~eUe~Whjis whoily~Wi~el~; and emost~ fright~ kl ei~penly~p*~a&tised2 9That pietiira is ~ro~tIer overdr& n,'~said sister Agnes. 'Thay mean Ir~b~ng observed s ster Theresa; ~h~o~tbe~ b~~ho~is~z wiio~sa1~, an the people in tl~a; 'those who try ~o pti~ut the~~ eat back, into ~ 'i~ i4 ~tho her~t4os who ~ that ' inquired a - . ***j,:i**~ K~K I PRAYER~ I 1?t~Ech tin, grimacing after the pec oume,' replied sister T.,1 ~ e true faith; but heretics steal the priests~. clot ei~'s have to go ho~x~.e drest he' pillory for running awa 61 Virgin! whah~ country!' M~delai e. It is a country of heretics,' sal shaking er head. C They infect e Do you l~now, sometimes a nii*~ fal priest, ar~d frets to death.' 'Po&1~.! they do'thait i~e~&~-~pet1t criect sister Frances. 'Welt ;' s~P sister ~ei'esa, dies hi~ 4eighbours danv&~nd drink beside th~ 'corpse. * '~St. 4aathony, de%~4 rem her Madelaine~ * Thei~ a xuffiivn ~iU station :W iiedge, ~an~l when he tsee~ ~a ~nan go shoots him '4h! I ma ohere ~oeur, how ho~ OaTho~Iic ian.d! Notre Dame~forbid i sent to Ejigland!' 2iYAat ~ in I~r~h~id,' said sister ~ Ther~ &f course, it i~iwo~sein ~ iliar style of het~ L CaiflTiDt' be the ~et e~en into the es, and the r~- as nuns, ~uid get. ejaculated sister sister Theresa, ~er~ the f~dthfi~1. [si&love with a ~tre, or go .x~xad,' when ~ peasa~it ~irhisky afl night, m~elf behit~d ~ paat~-'bohAAi~e y to live i~i a I~hou4,e~r]~ gzie~. ~ ~o1 I, page: 302-303[View Page 302-303] SI$TKU AGNES. '-si~t~ Thances, 'for they ~ay there a e ni~r0 Oath~lz~s in Ireland4 We had a nov na tI$ (~oxkver~7io1TL Qf Englancb Father Spe ~ nrng, l~ did uot t~l1 us of all th se h bi~ eon~try2, jDoyou tell him ~iVhen he return ,'sa Wheresa~ 'and ask if he~ expects E~la d soo ~ happy ;as even Ir~1and. To makoJie 'like c will take a thousand years. ~4b'[ ~at a happiness to be a Cat olk!' sigh d 0ist~KMadela~ne1 ~Iti~s the~faith tlvit makes the cotutr ,' said sister Pheresa, oracularly. I will tell father Spencer all th ,' said sister Fi~nees~ ' Hoi~ glad I ~m, ma chem s ur, that yu Ew~e ~coine t~ tell us~all t~things.' TRAYELI. hey travelled, and amused~by ti ntry. The air, too,. was fine ryness and~ela~tioity tends xi j~s, and it did partiaJly relieve ie hveirness Qf inch ~o elevate the. oppression ~e is a feeling, too, in conteixipi ting the death nd from whom we had been p ~viou~1y. seja- rat~d~for ever y different fro~n .t at with which. we regard that of oii~ with whom we have constant intercourse~ ~wfth whom we had hoped to spend .our lives. In tl~e one case, death Ea~ deprived P nothing, has rendered our situation n worae~thani1~ was before~ we mourn the mere isolate & fact, tlz at lie is dea~1, and if we believe him. to be appylwe kx~o~ not why we mourn it.~ Bwtinit1~ oth r-in the case. of one, communion with om was t e ,haj4iness of our life, we weep the e~which fo ce~ itself upon our .daily, hourly no f9el a c ntinw~I want; we loseK~ continual , ; we xnss perpetually the guide, the counsello he conipanio , whose ima~g~ and love are entwined all our aet o'ns, our hopes and our emotions. e one is a s ntime~t; the other a sense. ~ sister Agn ,. th lQs~s of he father produ- ced~o~real difference in the tone of he life, tho~igh it fihledherwith emotionsof deep sorrow, and ~ ed, a heart Zoaded already. Tet it left i~ooni in ~ Q ______ page: 304-305[View Page 304-305] 804 SISTER AGNES. TRAVEL. degree for the influences of natural beauty, healthful climate to operate upon her. The journey was performed partly by moon the sweet sadness of which agreed with the to her mind. IBut she regretted every day that passed, for it brought her a day nearer to her imprisonment again. She sometimes wondered whether escape was not possible, whether she might nt~t suddenly dive into the depth of a forest and elude her keepers; but that eye of father O'llooran-oh! it haunted her like some evil spirit. She felt that she was contin- ually under its inspection; and if for a quarter of an hour he was away, the I~'rench priest mounted guard, and the eye seemed transferred to him. The small- est auberge at which they rested, was always secured in some manner against liberty. At Marseilles tb~ey e d for Genoa. 'Genoa Ia superba' ister Theresa. 'You romantic little nun, doe dur heart beat to see it VP 'It would if I were at tiber~ty.' 'Pooh ! a mere fancy; cat~iiot your eyes see what they look at without liberty?' "See, but not enjoy!' 'Well, you shall enjoy Genoa. This French priest is very polite; I 'will coax him to take us round it, and set your eyes at liberty.' Agnes smiled, but sighed. 9 TRAVEL. * 'Fathers,' said sister Theresa, to the priests, 'we are somewhat sad on leaving oui~ own country, and this sisterZf mine has another sorrow. May nuns for once have recreation?' 'What r&~reation do you wish?' inquhed the French priest. 'To see the beauties of Genoa. We could not be seen in a heretic land, but in the realms of the true fait1~, we ~should not be hooted at. We would learn to love the land of our adoption.~ 'I think we may give our fair wards this enjoy- ment,' said father Bourienne to father O'llooran. 'Surely,' replied the latter. Ah! reverend fathers, you have your prisoners now, where, if they attempted to escape, they will be hunted down by the police. They are safe at length. ,The view of Genoa from the sea is truly "superb." Skirting, like a vast amphitheatre, a noble bay, it rises tier above tier, on the side of ~the Appenines; fortifications, churches, villas, adorn it, and orange trees on flat roofs of the houses add to its~ picturesque effect. The streets through which they passed to the hotel were narrow, but some magnificent churches were greatly admired by the travellers. They visit- ed the cathedral, and joined in the evening service, and next morning drove to the sea shore at the earnest request of sister Agnes, who deeply longed once more 14* page: 306-307[View Page 306-307] 800 SISTER AGNES. to yalk by the waves before being shut up for ever. It seemed to renew the days of her childhood, and she stood gazing fixedly upon the long, pale-blue waves rolling slowly in, their crests broken into snowy foam upon the smooth sand ; the &xquisite shading of blue and white and sand colour ; the fresh, yet gen- tle breeze; the pure soft sky ;. the line of green be- hind the beach, and farther back, the noble forms of the Appenines, combined to weave a spell almost overpowering to the heart of the long-imprisoned nun. She was not permitted to remain long ; the priests had busines in Genoa; and the girls were to be shut up again till it was transacted. They were taken to the convent of St. , and indulged by the abbess with sauntering in. the spacious garden kept in order by the nuns. .Here were fountains, orange- trees, and all manner of paradisaical things ; and if nature could have made her adorers happy, sister Agnes had been happy that day. She reclined be- side a fountain under a shade of myrtles and orange- trees ;-adyet she wept. .Sister Theresa chatted merrily with the French nun who accompanied them. She was unacquainted with Italian, and therefore could converse with none of the sisters of the convent. The superioress alone spoke French. Next day they set off for Florence, through a magnificent country. Ascending a steep road that TRAVEL. a' 307 ) skirts the bay, they enjoyed the prospect of the vast expanse of sea on the one hand, and of hills on 'the other, hills at whose feet, and along whose sides, were scattered villas, and vineyards, and orchards. ~All the way to Florence it was one continued luxury ; and the environs of that city, different as it is from Genoa, presented new-beauties to their eyes. Stand- ing iran extensive and luxuriant plain, girdled by the Appe iines,. adorned with noble architecture-with churches and palaces, and bridges and convents, Flor pce seenied to the enthusiastic sister Agnes, a city of bliss. ' Is it in Florence we are to live 3' she inquired. 'No, my daughter, not 'in a town. Important business brought us hither, but your home is further north, where the scenery' is still more romantic, and the air more healthful. ~We shall remaain in Florence a few days. Among the sisters of the convent there, you will be~happy for awhile,' said father O'lloortrn. Very magnificent was the exterior of the convent; very dismal and horribly filthy was its interior, Many of the nuns were vowed to perpetual silence, and they moved bout like spectres. 'They were clothed in filthy rags. The establishment was one of the strictest of the clausura. No voice of father or mother, sister or friend, ever broke upon the deathlike. solitude, except once a year when some of the nunis were permitted for a few minutes to hear page: 308-309[View Page 308-309] 308 sISTER ~GNES. from the other side of a strong double grating -a few words from their relatives. 'My daughters, shun the parlatory-as you would shun the mouth of hell,' was the 'exhortation of the' confessor. Enfeebled by fast- ing, wounded by stripes, stupified by silence, the nuns of this convent looked scarcely like human beings, and the olfactory nerves of poor sister Agnes rebel- led sadly~againt the odours of this " most sanctified'" place. If the object of sanctification were t1ie utter degradation of the human species, it had been truly attained here. 'Alas ! sister,' she said to Theresa, ' What if our convent should be like this ? we cannot exist.' ' We need not,' replied the sister with an expres- sion of countenance that terrified the gentler nun. 'It may be like that at G3enoa.' ~ It may--I care little.' The meal that day was of black bread, grapes, -and sour wine ; in the morning they had bread and. water. Some of the nuns ate their bread sprinkled with ashes, others had their cup of water soiled. The silence at meals was unbroken, save by the tread of the sisters who waited upon the rest. Not even a legend of a saint was read at meals. The convent was seldom swept; the clothes of the sisters were never washed ; the garden was uncultivated ; so the nuns had nothing to do. They sat in listless indo- lence, or performed stations on bare knees, or flagel- TRAVEL. 309 lated themselves or others, or kneelen1 before a pic- ture telling their beads. The vacant countenance of more than one bespoke her an idiot ; the wild snatches of song that proceeded from another, as she passed unheeded to and fro, told that she was. a maniac. Agnes wondered how any one could retain reason for a twelvemonth there. Sister Theresa had managed to gain the intelligence that one third of the nuns died mad ; that few of them lived more than five years. Sister Agnes was horror-stricken! -' The abbess is a wonderful saint,' said father O'llooran, when he had resumed his charge, and they proceeded northward, ' Her nuns usually die in the odour of sanctity ; itais not uncommon for angels to be seen hovering over their beds, ready to carry their souls to heaven. It is av blessed place-the convent of Santa. -J page: 310-311[View Page 310-311] CHAPTER XXXII. A LIVING SAINT. "Sieguansi i graudi esempi." "Far greater part "Will deal in outward rites and specious forms, 'KReligion satisfied: truth shall retire." M1LT0~. THE spirits of sister Agnes had been miserably de pressed ever since she had received the intelligence of her father's death. The beauties of nature, through which she had passed, had exercised a tranquillizin~ ~though not an elevating effect upon her mind; bui the gloomy fanaticism of this convent sank her agair into the depths of despondency. These cadaverous women, hunger-bitten~ diseased, filthy, with county* nuances indicative of continual pain, she was told were great saints, and she trembled at the portals of thai saintship which she had been so~eager to have opened for herself. Purgatory could be. scarcely worse, she thought, ~than so sad an* existence in this world; and in her recoil she had almost said, "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die." F There is but a step from fanaticism to epicureaw ism,~ just as there is a very slight division between the. credulity that accepts all things and the infidelity that believes nothing. She remembered Genoa~, and the luxu6ous rooms of the priest's house in London, andi she became puz~ zied with her reflections. One of the sisters of this convent had features so exquisitel~chiselled, that in youth and health she must have been beautiful; but this sister had only one eye; and the one side of her face contrasted strongly with the other. Agnes was told that saint Helena,-.--all the sisters here were denominated 'Saint,'-had been r~rnarkable for her loveliness; but finding it a snare, and wiwilling to be distinguished by any thing but her humility, she had, by the advice of her confessor, submitted to have her right eye burxi~ ed out. When the abbess had finished the recital of this story to sister Agnes, she proceeded to speak of St. Rose of Lima, a virgin who, by austerities un- sparingly practiced, attained to sublime heights of sanctity. * 'Even from the cradle she shone with~the presages of future holiness; her face being wondrous- ly transfigured into the image of a rose, caused h~r to b~ called by this name, to which the Mother of God added her own surname. At the age o1~ five, she SeeRomish Breviary, August 30. 4 A LIVING SAINT. ~1 1. 311 page: 312[View Page 312] made avowof perpetual virginit~K When older, off her beautiful hair to avoid being compiled y her p~wer~s to marry. Having assumed the habit of th~ of St. Dominick, she doubled her r- mei~ austerities. To her very sharp hair chemise e fastened everywhere little needles. Under her v st she wore, day and night,~a~erown armed in the ins e * with thick~s6t piercing points. Treading in the ar u~ s steps of St. ~ather4~ne of Sjenna, she girded er * loins with an fron~hain, going thrice round the bo y. Her bed was of knotty lumps of wood, with brok n pottery filling up the interstices; she severely scou g- ed herself; fasted, and kept many vigils.' 'She h d wonderful intercourse with her guardian angelw~h Q St. Catherine of Sie~nna, and with the Virgj~n of God, and at length merited to hear these we s from Christ-' Rose of my heart, he thou my spou .' She was carried to the paradise of this her spou e, and glittering with very many miracles was can i~ed~by Pope Clement X.' 'is it in the footsteps of such saints that t e sisters here aspire to tread?' asked sister Agnes. 'it is, my child,' replied the abbess; and openi g the breast of her habitshe disclosed her own ~ 7 cloth chemise, bound by a girdle of iron. She 1 05 the girdle, and taking it off, showed the nun that it was armed with many minute spikes, and pointing to the flesh beneath, the sister saJ that it was raw a d * - page: Illustration-313[View Page Illustration-313] k A LIVING SAINT, 313 partially ulcerated, so that every movement of the body must be attended with pain. 'All my nuns,~ said the abbess, 'wear similar girdles, even after they have been scouredd' A shudder passed through the frame of the youth- ful nun. 'Come with me,' continued the abbess, 'and I will show you a very holy penitent. She has expiated many sins, and the Madonna will not permit h~r to depart this life, until she has attained the crown of sanctity.' Sister Agnes was then led down a dim staircase, into a passage perfectly ~iark, and in- 0 describably chill, being underground. The abbess struck a light, and desired the nun to follow her. Agnes trembled; she apprehended some trap for 4 herself; but not daring to speak, she went forward k after the abbess. They entered a cell dark as mid~ night; the walls were crusted over with mould, and a foul, damp* odour filled the place.~ A coffin was on the ground, and in it, amids't ashes, lay the sem- blance of a human being, attenuated and filthy to horror. The creature raised a bloody hand; it had been pierced through in blasphemous imitation~of the Redeemer. 'Water,' whispered a weak voice- yet no; I will endure still more! 0, sin, sin, I will be revenged upon theel' * Suffering and filth are Rome's two most meritorious things. -See Breviary. 1k m page: 314-315[View Page 314-315] 314 SISTER AGNES~ 'Yet thou mayest have water,' T the abbes, taking from the floor a pitcher of dirty liquid, a putting her hand under the shoulder of the create to raise it up, while she held the pitcher to its lip A scream of agony followed th~ touch. 'The scourging is yet fresh and unhealed,' s& the abbess-' patience, my daughter!' 'For that scream I will drink no water,' said t victim; and the abbess replaced the pitcher. upon th ground, and the agonized frame in the ashes. 'Not equal to St. Rose 'of llAma yet,' said t abbess-' ashes are softer than knots of wood an broken pottery.' .' I had a dream, mother,' said the penitent, in low., hoarse voice. 'The enemy came, but the Virgi vanquished him.' 'Praise be to the celestial Mother, our help, o h6pe!' ejaculated the abbess. Sister Agnes shivered with cold, and became sic She had, seen a living saint-a saint of the papacy. AU Satan torments his victims before their tim The poor creature's blood could not atone for si She knew not the inft~ite guilt of transgression,-th infinite guilt of rejecting the true sacrifice for si and striving to work out a righteousness of her ow She had deprived herself of all .the little joy an u pardoned sinner can have, the joy-such as it is of earth; and yet she was going down into the gray A. LIVING SAJNT. 315 7 with her unexpiated sin upon her head. Sife had made hell for herself before she entered it. But she served the purpose of Rome; tales were to be told of her marvellous sanctity; miracle~ were t6 be wrought at her death. The church had nee4. of her sufferings; it mattered not to it, that "Christ came not to destroy men's lives, but to save." I page: 316-317[View Page 316-317] - CH APTER XXXIII-. A CONVENT AMONG THE APPENINES. " Where is the suffrage of eternal Truth, " Or where the seal of undeceitful good ? " "Down the stream, "Look how the mountains with their double range, " Embrace the vale * * * * * from each side, " Ascending steep to heaven a rocky mound, " Covered with Ivy and the laurel-boughs." LKEN5IDE.~ IT was a relief to be told to prepare for the fin journey on the morrow. This visiting of Italy, which sister Agnes had looked forward with holi hiad brought hitherto as little~ enjoyment as -oth portions of her life.; .and hope itself was nearly de within her, she thought that nothing could awaken into being again. Since she came from France, s. had sometimes felt a strange foreboding ag to t Appenine convent ; she feared that it too might be convent of saints-; 'and her feelings were mu changed towards saintship. She scarcelytnew wb ther she rather wished to have her uncertainty t C Ll it a h A CONVENT -AMONG TNBE APPENINEs. 317 -minated, or to linger yet a little amidst the glories of Italy in her mountain region. ' The convent of Santa Helena cannot be worse than this : the Madonna grant that it may be better,' said shie' to sister Theresa. ' No matter,' replied the nun with the same strange expression of countenance with which she had once before uttered the sentiment, ' No matter-death breaks chains.' Are you ill;, dear Theresa?' 'No: how liked you the saint ?' Don't ask me about liking; she must be a great saint indeed.' ' Fiddlestick! Theresa!i for the love of the Virgin do not scof! ' Fiddlestick!' 'I beseech you' ' To tell this to your confessor to-morrow, and have me sent to the Inquisition.' 'You know I must confess all.' ' Little simpleton! Liguori -says you need not. The dear man has a way of getting over every thing.' ' But do not say suck things, dear Theresa; you will surely get into trouble.' 'Death breaks whips.' ' They will accuse you of heresy' ' Deathf breaks racks.' Sister Agnes threw her arms round the neok of page: 318-319[View Page 318-319] 318 SISTER AGNES. Theresa. 'If you love me,' she said, 'don't say terrible words, a~iad look so strange.' 'Little fool.' Sister Agnes feared that sister Theresa was g mad, like so many nuns. It was not the case. After a repast of black bread, grapes, sour and water, the travellers bade farewell to the ab and nuns of the Florentine convent of 5-. abbess. stretched out her arms, commended the the protection of the Madonna, and with her unwa~ fa~ce, imprinted a kiss on the cheeks of the nuns. How tantalizing to be where travellers go to their eyes, and yet to be allowed but a rapid glan beauties whose praise rings through the civil world! The dome of the Duomo, whi~~h sugge to Michael Angelo the idea of that of t. Pete the Campanile, the Sasso di Dantethe slu~ish A 'the bridges, flashed before our once romantic hero and disappeared. Without regret she left the embosomed Florence :-the world contained no~ paradise for her. Paintings, statuary,~ even rel were veiled to her. But the glorious hills! she 'going up among their scenes of grandeur, and might feast her eyes for a little while upon them. The road ascended; they looked down upon: rence, arid up to the everlasting hills; now they c~ to a shady dell, now to a sunny slope; aii~d again roar of a cataract attracted them; and down, dowi itch ing me ess~ he to ed ast at zed ted '5. no, ne, ill- no ics, as he lo- me the ,in A CONVENT AM0N~~ Vp~{~ APPENINES. 319 a deep ravine, they espied the~. thundering waters. They often left their carriage to walk; ~and the spell of nature again was wound around 'the heart of the young enthusiast who had renounced it. Yineyards clothed the lower parts of the mountains in many places; and stretching far up towards the deep blue sky, pine-forests towered on the heights. They halted for a meal beside a rivulet that came tickling down a hill, and they drank of the sparkling water. A black wooden cross was erected by.its side, and they prostrated themselves before it. Their conductor. told them that a man had been murdered there by a bandit, who, after paying largely to the Church, and receiving absolution, erected the cross in memory of his fault. 'Ah! 'tis good to be a bandit, and gain money,' said the conductor, 'money procures all things -bread, grapes, and salvation.' 'Dishones% gains need to be atoned for,' said father O'llooran. 'Ah! they atone for themselves,' rejoined the man. 'Divide them with the church, and the one half sauc- tifies the other. It is easier to get absolution for mur~ der and robbery, than for eating mutton on Friday.' A week or two afterwards, the conductor was snatched from his family and thrown~into a Tuscan dungeon, for blaspheming the church. To the great satisfaction of sister Agnes, it was necessary to discard the carriage, and alternately to I. page: 320-321[View Page 320-321] ~2O SISTER AGNES. walk and ride on mules, the roads being now im~ sa~lAe for wheeled vehicles. There was there nothing to obstruct the view of the magnificent s ery, and the progress being slow, it could be leisu~ inspected. But long confinement had diminished power of walking in the nuns; and ere long they greatly fatigued. They halted for* the night at a OQnvent-among the mountains. INothing material occurred during the journ~ "sister Theresa was permitted a little to enjoy her ~ of rattle; and sister Agn~s to sit sometimes up~ rock meditating upon the scene spread out before and indulging thoughts that brought tears into eyes; the French nun usually preserved a glo~ silence; the French priest rattled with sister Ther~ or conversed in a low tone with father O'Uooran; latter strode on as stately as ever, keeping watch sister Agnes, whose upraised~ foot on the deck of steamer he had not forgotten, although in confess she had declared what he perceived to be cori~ that the impulse was but temporary, and had n returned. But all pleasures must end, and those of a i~ mixed with sadness as they are, are peculiarly sl~ lived. ]~re long a lovely river spread its silver wa before the travellers;' and on its opposite bank stre ed a fine pile of building. This, they were told, the convent of Santa flelena. The situation las- bre en- 'ely the ere oor ove aa ier, her my ~sa, the ver the ion act, ver un, rt- ers cli- vas ~as V A CONVENT AMONG THE APPENINES. 821 most roiiiantic, in front was the river; behind, the pine- cbthed Appenines; varied beauties lay all around; groups of chestnut trees; green pastures on which cattle and sheep were browsing; ~easant~' huts, and elegant villas. Agnes looked on with melancholy pleasure. 'Beautiful,' she said to herself 'beautiful; buttl shall be shut out from nature"-s~1~i in among the walls, and perchance the dungeons~ there.' I have been told,' said father O'llooran, as if he had read her thoughts, ' that the gardens are lovely, and the walls are oVertopped by those grand moun- tains. You will find that convent a beautiful and peaceful home, my daughters~' Sister Theresa looked fixedly upon the? counte- nance of sister Agnes, into whose eyes tears were springing. There was a bi~idge further down the river; but a little skiff waited for the party, and they crossed directly opposite to the convent. A smooth lawn ex- tended to the edge of the water; a high ~and exten- sive wall ran along the bank, and in the centre, a noble gateway reared its massive columns. The bell was rung, and an ancient porter opened, admitted the party, and closed again the thick' iron-studded doors. 'In prison again!' was the mental exclamation of sister Agnes.. Yet the prison was a noble one. The' monastery of the monks occupied one side aiid the 15 K page: 322-323[View Page 322-323] $22 SISTER AGNES. top. of the quadrangle; that of the nuns the oppose side.~ In the centre was a fountain~ bordered b orange-trees; and myrtles. were scattered up' a down the court. Like the generality of Tuscan villa the lower story of the convent was arched, and my tles, and orange-trees, and flowering shrubs, gre here and there against it. The nuns were conduct to their own quarter, while the priests were receive by the Abbot on the~ opposite side. Sister Agnes felt a little relieved when the do opened ~nd she was uslieied into a spacious ha arched and cool, and hung. round~ with pictures. vwas clean too, and she ventured to hope that som thing of. comfort might be found there. The abbess appeared-a little sprightly Italia with regular features, and sparkling eyes% The ho was tastefully arranged, and ~somewhat of a coqueti afr pervaded her monastic dress. ~She saluted ea of the nuns with a kiss upon the cheek, conduct~ them to her own room, and set before them fru~ bread, and wine. 'Yo~i are. weary, my daughters,' she said, 'e: and refresh yourselves.' The sisters rested till the vesper-bell summon them to the -chapel. It was very, splendid, and ti music very fine. A number of the 'friars 'atten' ed, and their deep. voices mingled finely with ti treble of the nuns and novices. All the adjuncts I ci d 1 t A COMMENT AMONG THE APPENINES. 323 devotion were here-of that sensuous worship which, with Rome, has. taken the place of F' worship in spirit and in truth." Dead lope has an easy resurrection; she readily 'revives when called; and this evening she opened her eyes and languidly raised her head while sister Agnes listened to the rich Italian music, and gazed upon the noble architecture around her. She whispered, but her whisper was faint-that peace and holiness might after all be found on earth. We shall see how long the echo of that 'i~hisper lasted. - On the following morning the new residents were taken to see the beauties of the monastery; for the abbess was very proud ofNier domains. They in- * specter the fine paintings in the church and in the cloisters, along with some statuary and- other treas~ ures which adorned them. Many of the pictures were really excellent-some by the bes1~ old masters. A Madonna by Guido, especially attracted the atten- tion of sister Agnes, for she was a. devoted idolater of the Virgin. Some precious' relics too were kept in silver shrines; one of the many thousand nails of the true cross; a fragment of the Virgin's petticoat; bones of two or three saints; a bottle of martyr's blood; and a few hairs plucked from the garment of St. John the Baptist. These were most reverently exhIbited.. There was a fine sacristy also, designed by some eminent architect; and an edifying array of b di it page: 324-325[View Page 324-325] 324 SISTER AGNES. cross bones and skulls. The nun's garden was truly beautiful, according to the Italian style' of gardening. There was a fountain in a~ myrtle-shade, surrounded by rich velvet turf; which especially delighted our heroine; the flower parterres ~were very rich. A little rivulet murmured through the midst, and es- caped through a grating under the wall to join 'the river, the banks were of turf mingled with flowers, and orange-trees; and here and there a chestnut drooped' 'its branches to kiss the water. If sister Agnes had not known that human passion can trans~ form paradise into pandemonium, she would have dreamed of paradise here. But she now knew what it is to be a prisoner, and she had discovered that something in her own heart which ever disturbs repose; and therefore her pleasure was mixed with sadness~ ' *1 She was surprised by the announcement. that a play was to be performed in the evening by several of the sisterer and that the Abbot, the confessors, and. other dignitaries of the monastery, would witness its performance. There was ~ bustle of preparation. Dresses-not convent-dresses, gentle reader, but such as you see' on the stage-well arranged; the theatre-a large room, temporarily appropriated to the purpose, was prepared and adorned, and' the corps dramatique was oc~cu~ied in rehearsal.* * Acting plays is not unfrequent in Convents. A CONVENT AMONG THE APPENINES. 325 The washing-day in Ireland had not more greatly surprised sister Agnes than this evening's amuse- ment. The play was well performed ; the priest~ ap- plauded vehemently, and remained to supper with the nuns. When sister Agnes retired to her cell, she pon- dered wonderingly upon her varied experience of convent life-the vulgar Irish establishment, the luxurious 0-enoese; the wretched Florentine; and now this scene of beauty and gaiety; and ever and anon there flitted before her the priests' house in London, with the apparition of Mademoiselle Pupin. The whole formed a mystery which she~could not un- ravel. page: 326-327[View Page 326-327] CHAPTER XXXIV. A NEW CONFESSOR. "lie knows lila need of an unerring guide." "God's worship and the mountebank between." Cow~nn. IN a day or two Father O'Hooran took his leave after having recommended to the two nuns under hi~ chaTge an Italian priest, father Francesco, as theii confessor.~ "You desire holiness, my daughter,' he said to sis ter Agnes; 'father Francesco will lead you in th( right pa1th. There seems to me a good deal. of laxit~ among some of the inmates here.; but under such ~ guide, you will be safe. The Virgin and all the saint~ bless you! Farewell P Although standing considerably~ in awe of Fathe O'Hooran, yet sister Agnes had a sinceree regard foj him. She believed him to be a tru~, and earnest as pirant after holiness. lie bad bee~ somewhat rigi with her, but this increased her respect. She did nol A KI~W CONFESSoR. 327 know the dept1~ of villainy, which lurked under the polished and dignified exterior of the priest; for with his acute perception of' character, he had soon disco- vered, that with sister Agnes he must be a sair~t, if he would maintain influence over her; and tha1~ the infliction of a little painful disci~1ine would but strengthen his ascendancy. FLe easily perceived th~t many of the monks of~t. Helena were very irreligious; and he was glad to find a few young men of a differ~- ent character: one-a priest, he perceived to. be just the sort of person suitable to direct the conscience of sister Agnes. Not that he cared about conscience; he had none himself; but it is one of the instruments for making fast the chains of the Church, and, as such, requires to be judiciously handled. Sisters Agnes and Theresa were therefore introduced to~ father Fran- cesco; the French nun found a confessor of a differ- ent stamp.* Father Fran~,esco~was about thirty years of ~,ge, of a handsome but pensive Italian countenance, and the gentle bearing of nobility. HighTy intellectual, his mind often rebelled against ~the absurdities or his faith, but with many a penance he had striven to check this deadly sin; and as often as reason asserted her sway, so often had he resolutely chained her down. He was constitutionally devout; his nature impelled * See Appendix P. page: 328-329[View Page 328-329] 328 SISTER AGNES. him to worship, and, unconscious of the true object of adoration, he bowed before the god~ which Rome ha~ exalted; and if the qualities which she ascribes to them sometimes failed to awaken his veneration, he clothed them with others created by his own fancy. He dwelt among the romances of the past-the annals of martyrdom, and miracles, and transcendentalism; and he panted to emulate the Christian heroes of an- tiquity, who foiled demons in the desert; or the mis- sionaries of more modern times, the Loyolas and Xa- viers of world-wide fame. Unlike his associates, he was not satisfied with bodily service. It was the mind which he sought to discipline through the sufferings of the body, and it was sin that he sought to subdue. For this purpose, though not a Jesuit, he ardently followed the course of meditation prescribed by lLoyola, and had really at- tained to some height of what he considered spirituality. He loved nature: her beauties in his own romantic land sent a thrill of joy through his heart; and he peopled her solitudes with saints and angels, and made them vocal with Ayes and Paternosters. It will be perceived that his character bore a considerable i'e- semblance to that of sister Agnes; his desires and 'aspirations were the same as hers; but he had the vigour which springs from comparative liberty; while she had the languor and depression which fasten upon the slave. Father Francesco could refresh his spirit A NEW CONFESSOR. 329 with the beauties, and his frame with the breezes, of his much-loved Nature; sister Agnes pined for this, but pined in vain. The benevolence too, and human sympathy of the monk could find a sphere of action among the poor and the miserable; and this kept his heart alive: while the nun, sighing for affection and communion, dwelt apart in enforced loneliness and uselessness, and in bitter solitude of spirit. She was about to find a mind like her own-a mind to hold communion with hers: but, alas! it was but to in- crease her misery. The account given by father O'llooran to the con- fessor of his new penitent greatly interested him. The establishment was a large one. There were the abbess; a vicar or assistant; a mistress of the novices-for here the novices were not permitted to have intercourse with the nuns, a very politic regula- tion~-a bursar, sacristan, fortress, infirmarian, keeper of relics, &c. The nuns at this time were twenty-five, the novices six. A few of the religious formed almost a separate community; they were thoBe who desired to become saints. According to the directions of St. Liguori, they abstained from the opera, never indulged in the parlatory, ate very sparingly, and often fasted entirely; held no intercourse with the priests and monks who i~isited, except for confession; scoured themselves frequently, washed seldom, performed the most menial I page: 330-331[View Page 330-331] 830 SISTER AGNES. A NEW CONFESSOR. 331. and disgusting offices from which others were glad to escape; entirely avoided the bath; and preserved an almost continual silence. There were four who ob- served these rules in all their strictness. For a few days all went on si~oothly; the three sisters freshly arrived, were initiated into the ways of the monastery, had their work assigned them, and fell into the routine of life there. But sister Theresa's liveliness attracted the attention of some French brethren, with whom she could converse; their visits became too frequent, and the abbess frowned; in fact she used herself to hold a little harmless ftirtation* with one' of them, and she felt jealous of the new nun. With Italian vindictiveness she resolved to punish her, and sentenced her to be confined to her cell for a fortnight upon bread and water. She likewise told Sister Agnes that the instructions of an abbess were positive, to permit no peculiar friendships among the religious; that she perceived a dangerous attachment to have sprung up between her and sister Theresa, and therefore she must interdict them from speaking to each other~at all for a month; and after that, from ever conversing longer than five minutes in one day. Sister Agnes bitterly felt this privation, but she sub- * "A nun flirt, when she couldn't marry!" exclaims Miss-, "Yes, little coquette, did you never exult in the admiration of a poor wight whom yoji would~&'t marry ~ A num may be as vain as you. emitted quietly. When not employed, she used. to go to the garden to enjoy its beauties; but a dreadful solitude of heart oppressed her. At these times her father's image haunted her, ~nd her distress was ag- gravated by her utter ignorance of all the circum- stances of his death. Nothing but the fact itself had been vouchsafed her. During her travels her mind had been sufficiently occupied to keep it comparative- ly calm, but now it preyed upon its own imaginings. She went to confession, and discovered that father Francesco understood all her feelings. He soothed j~er; appointed some religious exercises appropriate to her case, and enjoined frequent prayer to the Ma- donna, and meditation upon her merits. Very gently he spoke of her father, and enjoined hei~ to feel con- vinced of the salutary nature of the discipline by which she was kept in ignorance of the circumstances of his death. He would not permit her to reproach herself with being the cause of it. The act of devot- ing herself to a religious life was a right act, he said, and she was not answerable for the consequences. Alas! by what precept of the divine law did he find that act to be right'? The truth is, a doubt arose in his mind even while he spoke; but that doubt was smothered, for the Church had given forth her in- fallible decree. Never had Sister Agnes been so tranquilized by confession. It was not long before she returned. page: 332-333[View Page 332-333] 332 sismi~ AGNES. A NEW CONFESSOR. ~j19. pouted euti all 1~er sprrows, and especially~ her ~p~intn~ex4 iu a ~religious life ~ ~r'~ fruitless ~ afler holiness; he~ doubts a~ii her depres- Ni~b~ penitent~ h~4 so deeply interested the pde~t~) h&sww'th~ r4ecdou ot'~ his own sentimei~ts lke~~d the ech9, of his ow~thoughts.~ 'You ar~ un~~ ha~py% 4daughter,' he~id, 'yet pe~seYere; ugh ~ will dawn,. struggles will terminate. Come ~ft~u t~ me, and I will pra~y t~e saint~ for' wisdom to guide ~ Ikt the mode of life in. this monasteryy was ineQul-, prd~xai1Ae to her., teritly alternatedwith levity: onie di~y ~ couedy~~ 'the ne4apananca: one' day laughing ai~d ta~1king witk~priest~s ;arid monks~ an4 the d~y~ following utter eilence rigidly enforced. The abbess~ was lively and wa~m~hearted, but imost ca- pi~~ioU0 aad~ occasionally ty~nnical; there: were two '~4bsee ~ftlwi~ui~swhorn~ ~he s~en~d to holding utter abhortence,~ ~u~d iipow these 8he juflicted alLmaxAner of .irks~ine 4nties, petty vexations, and painful pen- anees,. Sister Bon ntur8i~would be confined to her ~e1l, ~ ~bread a~d watetb~t any oz~.e knowing t~r .wbat~ r~e~son.: The .unfo~tunata religious: 1a~d ~onearebeUe4 against 'the rule &f the Buparioress, and ~etorte& i~ghtiIy to her rebuke; and ever afterwrds the lady seemed t~ delight in hu~bling -~u~g1~er~ 8i~ter Theresa too w~ now an abject. o$ her dis like ;~ an4-it~eemed as if she could not b'e'satisfled till that spirited mm s~h~u1d be prostrate' btkher~ feet. Sister The~esa ventured on~da~ to r~ply':w~th Irish vivacity to ~ most arbitrary requirement. The dark' eyes of the little~ abb~ss. flashed fire; ;~he amped' her small foot upon the 'ground; and going 'of the room, desired. the nun to follow her i~ito axiother, where she commanded, her to seat herself on a footstool. Taking her own station in a 'huge chair, she stared full in the face of the nun fhr 'several min~ites, then rising, she opened iher mouth with her own I fingers, and' thruBting in 'her hand, she held it wid~ open until she was herself fatigued. Are yoivhumbled. now'P she inquired. 'Not kumbl&Z, though very'iinc~infortable,' 'was the reply.* 'Follow me'again, then!' They went to the~refectory, and the other nuns were called. 'Bring stourges,' said the abbess; She was obeyed. 'Now prepare sister Theresa for discipline4' She was stripped to the waiSt, compelled to kneel down, and scourged until the raw flesh ~p1i~ered% and the mood streamed upon the 'ground. She ft~ixkted and' was. carried~ to her bard couch, wher0 ~lw~y several days in' torture.' Sister Agnes :onee b~ged * The Abbess must have been in Devonshire, learning fr6~n Miss~ page: 334-335[View Page 334-335] 334 SISTER AG-N~S. to be' permitted to see h~r, but was peremptorily re* fused. Sister Theresa demanded to be sent to the infirmary; but this prayer was rejected. $ister Agnes wa~ one day attacked with feverish ,symptoms, and was immediately ordered to the in. firmary; This presented a~ new scene of~ wonder' her Two sisters were eQufined to bed extre ill; but others with their nurses were amusing then~ selves in every possible way. Dominoes and other g&mes were going on; one sister sang, another danced with all manner of grotesque gestures; order, de~ corurn, there 'was none. A confe~sor left one of the sick beds ana joined in a dance~ and a nurse tickled her patient until she nearly expired with laughter. 'You, are fortunate, mia' sorell~,' said a nun to sister Agnes-' very fortunate in' ~being sent' hither. T~iis is-the place for fun; we do as we please here.' H 'Have you no rule, no penance here?' 'Na~ no, sickness' and death are penance enough, and we care not for them; we enjoy ourselves. ' 'Is itaflowed?' 'Yes," to be sure!' The 'little signora herself dances sometimes when she coness' ~' 'Is this an exercise for sickness-.~a preparation for"de&th?' mentally, inquired sister Agnes. ~he infirwarian was skilful--the sister rec~wei'ed * See Ap~endir 4 A NEW CONFESSOR. 335 speedily, and was not sorry to 'descend from the ex~ travagances of the infirmary to the despotisms be- neath; for signora had never yet been tyrannical with her. But her time was coming. I' page: 336-337[View Page 336-337] CHAPTER XXXV. OFFERINGG, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL. "They 'wbo to believe refuse, "ClingIng to false opinion; "Bound ~n th~ chums they love and choose, - "Descend to hell's dominion. "Deep in Its dark abyss they lie, "Their good works unavailit~g; "Their chains to break in vain they try, "Th~ir'strength and efforts falling~ "Their doom eternal wailing." LutY&er'e Hymr~e. IT was one day would make a for the following day member their off The Revere pomp; he/laid h and had present In con~equezice o Bonaventura shoi t~ndergo disciplin while singing the announced that the spiritual visitor ~al examination of the convent on and. the nuii"s were required to re- nces. d father was received with great ~s hands on the heads of the nuns, to him the ~report of the abbess, this report, he directed that sister for seyen successive Fridays, at the hands of the community psalm, 'Miserere mei Deus;' and SUFFERING PHYSICAL AND MENTAL. 3~7 that, after the. performance of each discipline she should lie prostrate across the threshold of the choir whilst each sister stepped over her:into the choir.' Sister Theresa was sentenced to 'be kept on bread and water for thirty-one days, and to, perform the ~ stations on naked knees twice each day during that c; and to receive discipline at the hands of a sister while performing the stations. There were teen stations; she was to go to them on naked knees twice each day, and to be flogged at each-K Twenty-eight floggings a day for thirty-one days. Sister Gertrude was ordered to weed in the ga - den all day for three successive days; after this, for other three days to perform stations on naked knees around the cloisters;, and then k~r three days more to be confined to her cell upon bread and water, and to meditate upon the sufferings of our Lord in' unisoti wiI~h her own. Sister Marie, sister Anna, sister Mary Joseph, and sister Cecilia, were directed to observe a spirit- ual retreat for one fortnight, a~ follows :-~-.' To rise at the first stroke of the bell after twelve at night, to be down in the choir ten minutes after, having arranged their habit, and made up their bed all in the time. On entering the choir, to prostrate themselves for one quarter of an hour before the blessed eucharist; all to rise up at the sound of the bell, and each to retire to her stall,'here to kneel on bare knees for 'two kour.~ page: 338-339[View Page 338-339] 388 SISTER AGNES. in meditatio on the sufferings of Christ. At half past two, to ommence matins and lands, recite ma- tins~and sin lands. At four-4aving said~and' sung an hour and alf-to extinguish lights in the choir, light the lam before the altar, and let each Sister make hare he shoulders; and keeping christ scour ed at the pill r before her mind, let each inflict thr lashes over h r shoulders, at each verse, sloWly re t~ * ed, of the Mis rore.. After this discipline, media for haifan-ho r. At five, recite prime, at~ halt s five, retire to he ehapte~r-room, where each is to con- fess to the s prioress the sins and omissions~ rule since t t same hour the morning before, and * receive suitab e penance to be performed in private. At six, assem le in choir, to recite Angelus; after which, semi2p ostrate before the Blessed Sacrament for half-an-ho .' 'At a 4ua tei' to seven, walk, in profound silence and thought, the cloisters (aftor nearly seven hours of. exhausting and ~painful exertiou!) and at seven, assemble in th m to hear mass at th@~$anctum; semi- prostrate~ to th elevation, at whieh~ prostrate fully (a * welcome reli ) and remain ~o to thT~ comx~iunion, at which let each rise, approach and receive,, return to her place besid her stall and semi-prostrate till mass is over, imm~d ~tely after which~ let each, at the sound of the be' , proceed in silence to the refectory, & where partake. f, standing as pilgrims, a little bread SUFFERING PHYSICAL~ AND MENTAL. 3&9 ~ptinkled with asIU~, and a cup of water. (Their first meal since midiiight.) After collation proceed to r, reciting one to the other the psalm "Mise- rere;" in choir, after grace, all kneel in stalls, and remain in meditation till ten o'clock, at which hour recite Tierce, Sex, and None; at twelve, the Ange- his; after Angelus, let fall the curtains of the choir, ar4 commence discipline ut supra facta. After dis- e e, meditation on bare knees and without cush-. ion 1 two o'clock. At two, proceed one by one to the cloister; all kneeling on naked knees; commence stations, and then proceed on naked knees from station to station without rising,~ remembering that you~ Lord and Saviour had no relief fromthe time he entei~ed Pi- late's hall, until he finished his station on Calvary, (Blasphemer! that was to save his people ~from suf- fering). At three, dinner; at half-past three, return to choir, an ~ecite vespers and complin- at four, med- itation on Christ's passion till live; then adoration of the Blessed Sacrament till half-past five ; from this to six, walk in pA~fouud meditation the cloisters; at six, enable to recite the Angelr~s, after this, me4itation till seven; then perform. station as above; at' eight, return to choir; meditation till~ nine, at this hour * take discipline as before; at half~past nine, recite the rosary of fifteen decades, receive holy water at the hands of the' abbess, aud retire one by one, in pro- found silence, each to her bed cell.'* page: 340-341[View Page 340-341] 340 SISTER AG'NES. SUFFERING PHYSICALL AND MENTAL. 341 'This leavj '.~~-if the effe~ 7 Whati.st. At the .te: -necessary -to ary. Two re usual occupat -died from ex ed her at the her, then 'or placed on the Reverend tor ed, 'psalms a pired, and lie A rejoirt that our. Lord bier as-sheex ithat he himee Three day of bread -and community.. and then r9tu Sister Ag -5Gr'8 invitation * Should artjo fer them to thee the~ pamj~h1et en *Wonieu Imprisa By Henry Drun ~s two hours of slee~ upon a. hard pallet s of discipline permit sleep. te severest, longest factory-labor t hjs?~ 'mination of the fourteen days,' it was emove~ three of. the.nuns to 'the infirm- ~overed so. far as to' return to their' onsthough greatly weakened; the thix~d aiiistion in a- week. The. director visit- time . of death, absolved and an lered her. to be taken out of b nd dying bier, on ashes and palm-tops; the mentor singing, as he afterwa~~ds relat- rid prayers for the dying, untiLshe ex- happy 'spirit flew to heaven.' was spread that a saint had died; and was seen 'hanging on the cross over the ired. The Reverend director declared f saw. the apparition si1en~e and fasting on one meal per day water, were .enjoined~ upon the whole They observed it most 'meritoriousi ned. to th~irformer habits. es gladly availed herself of her confes- ~to go to him frequently. Formerly o douht the authenticity of all this, I be~ to re- ui'i~lof a Yisitor of' Oonvents~ to be ibtind in Lgea, "A I~1ea .foi~ th~ Rights and Liberties of ed fov~ Lire,' nuder the power of the priest&" ond,' ~sq.M. P. 40 confession had been to her ~ penance in itself. She had shrunk from the examinations of 'eear~e-niinded priest~ now she felt the magic of sympathy, and deeply appreciated the delicacy and tenderness of father Francesco. ~he found 'wha.t -she had long lamented after, a kindred spirit, interested in her, a being. to whom she could, without dread, unfold -her heart, and who comprehended the nature of her griefs and ~sins. Sh cemed to have entered upon a new existence; she 4 something now to enjoy. . She poured into his ear every, feeling of her soul, and 'was conscious- of its- awakening a response in his; for' he was toiling on in the same path with herself-.-4he arduous path which'they both imagined to lead to' heaven. In the solitude of her cell she delighted to' ponder the revela-~ tions she was to make. to him; and toTecall the words he had spoken to her. Had she been'in the world, these feelings might have awakened some fear in her, she might have ~tarted at the frequency with which her thoughts reverted to one who had not sought her love~; but here, in a convent, where love was forbid- den, where marriage, was impossible, she dreamed Aiot of danger to her ~peace of iiiind; friendship was all tk occurred to her as existii~g in 'her heart for her confessor. And so it might perhaps have continued to be; even the agony of separation might have seemed but the agony of parting with a friend; and with her very heartstrings t6rn and soy- | page: 342-343[View Page 342-343] 342 .. SISTER AGNES. ered, ~ night still have been ignorant that she had o:~I: 3ii1~ there were those in the convent not so dimple- minded as s . The keen eye of the abbess .pene~ treated these ret~ and~ -she placed a restrictio~i upon the times of: rqWfe~sion. Then she limited her to a quarter t ~Aiou~ at each time, and began to treat bQth he and father Francesco with marked dis~ respect~ i~hen; sist r Agnes was subjected to many etty annoyances, hich we have not space to enumerate; and ~naliy, e forenoon, the Abbess directly charged her with ente training passion. for her confessor. :The nun as horrified. In vain she protested her .n~eeuce4 he was ordered to change her confessor,* awl reminded that even particular friendships among the nuns the 8elves were forbidden. / 'For this eason,' sai4 the Abbess,' 'I prohibited mueh'iuterco4rse with sister Theresa, as calculated to dr&w- your affections from heaven. How much more am Called u on to interfere when the. object of your attachment is a man! I command you to speak to him n~more, nd ~o be disciplined daily £ r fourteen days; spend g~the first two days in you i~ell upon bread and, wa or,' 'The Abbe shad no special attachnient; her affec- tions wandere over a thousand vanities. * S'ie Appendix R. 1' SU FELi1NG FIIYSICAIa AND MENTAL. 343 Stunned, desQlated, sister Agnes retired to her cell. The fib7res of her heart would not unclasp; to set it free he must break them all. In one moment what~ agon had seized her! She oQuld not think she could nly feel-feel herself enveloped by a hor~ rible dark ess. She threw herself on her knees to pray; but n6 prayer would come from her parched lips ;-des air, utter, intolerable despair had seized her. At len th thought came. She was for ever sep- arated fro her only friend. It was too true; he was indeed the light of her existence; and this must be what is cal ed love. Why had she not suspeet~d it before? w ile it waS yet possible to untie her heart- strings fro him. Now she knew what utter wretch- edness me , for her confessor was entwined around every thou ht, every feeling of h~eNr souls She feared she had & ned mortally-she who had vowed to be the bride f Ohrist alone. For the first time she realized th terrible nature of that vow; it had shut her out fro joy, from hope for ever: it had consigned her to des air. Others. might love and' be happy; she had by d, but t~o be wretched. Whatwas life to her now? A dreary, desolate. existence. Her fever- ed brain co jured up two apparitions, that vow and father IFra cesco confronting one another.. And the eur3e came and see~ned to grin upon them., Why h d not her woman's heart been plucked out page: 344-345[View Page 344-345] when' the~vei1 - Whyihad &he'~ w~u1d- deprive she .couldbe~ remain the' si~ doit~ share~ come madnes~ come the gra~ for ~he weary Ali! the Papist. Thir years in fire! her 1i7~artwer cease. 'Holy throwing hers~ tearles~sly the~ able life!: 'could believe' 1 and do believe The' comm~ father Frances ukation with si he demanded V saw clearly tha exceeded that ~ de~poz~dency s image by alib He ~onfe~sed" SISTER AGNES. S1~FFERING PHYSICAL AND MENTAL. 845 of double blacknesswas cast over, her? not been tltriied to stone? What now her of feeling ?----boclily suffering; that L'.-~-all penances-~---but the mind woul& ~me. Madness !-perhaps that would embere& Miss S. audher visions.. 'Oh, then'!' she exclaimed~, 'iN~0 ~ rather 'e---the quiet grave, the resting-place grave is not a resting-place for the ~tory breaks its repose; thousands of Well; she could' suffer them if' only dead-if only this metital agony would Virgin, take me tothyseIf,'~ she cried, If on the floor of her cell, and writhing Holy' Virgin! quench this miser- there is nought holy-~-Oh! that I here 'is nothing after' death! Imi~st ud of the abbess Was duly convey'e&to to' abstain ix~ future from aU coi~ii,~i- ster. Agnes. Astoni~hed and wou~ided, reason, and was informed. 'He now ~t the interest he had felt in his j~enitent ~hioh it was la*ful for him to feel, and ed him. He could not banish her and fastings, and i'igils. the' 'bishop, and prayed to be sent upon the and he dc drive fro: vow, migi panion to snare and I indian mission. His prayer was granted; parted, vowing all manner of austerities to n his heart, her, who but for his inhuman Lt have been the joy of his life, and his corn- heaven, but who was now involuntarily his torment. 16 BAA - 4 Eddea - page: 346-347[View Page 346-347] CHAPTER XXXVI. TEMPTATION-SUICIDE. "Do not believe " J'h~ rigid threats." "Many shapes "Of death, and zbanyar~ the ways that lead, "To h1~ grim cave~aU dismal." MILInox. ~!l!ii~ morning w~s dark and cold when sister Theresa entered. softly the cell of sister Agnes. A lamp was iii her hand; sh~ shut the door and kneeled by 'the pallet of the sister. Agnes,' sh~ whispered, 'do you believe the tales we hear of saint~ and purgatory and stuff?' Agnes start~d. 'Theresa,' she said, 'that is heresy." No,' replied Theresa, 'heresy is to believe what heretics tell us; I believe nothing, because I am told. to believe too much.' Oh! 'hush ! hush 1" ' *3* T * No~ ± won't2 ± am growing inaa, as every one T~MPTATI0N-S1IICID]~L iese places.; I have before I die.' not lo4g to does in ti will speal 'No, Sister crossed li 'Hel4 you both] you migli 'Oh, 'Youi 'He can the way- ned a flu] 'Our is on fire him. XE 'Psha i~h maid Think yo if there b it. But me wise, abbesses, andlare disenthra will confe 347K live, and I - to not interrupt me. You Agnes who was now sit~ ~r hands upon her breast, & ves you also,' proceeded ti mew as I do, that this religi be happy.~ Pheresa, spare me!' escape is quite possible,' co ~ome into the convent at all -flee together, and he happ~ I.' Tow! Theresa; do not torm ready. Besides, he ne\rer d the vow-and the curse! w! the vow.-the curse: t n's b~rea~th-the blast of a these words are registered a heaven, thereds nothin iear me. 1 am mad, but m -loosed the chains of my mi and priests, are liars all o victims, Agnes~-viotimsof~ I you, to n~ake you happy~ is to-morrow to father Fra him to sa~v~ you; his ani~i i~ as stron~ as his heart; ove, Agnes.'. ing up in bed, d writhed. O nun; and if n is but a fable, tinued Theresa. hours; Iknow * Luther n~ar. nt me, my brain asked me to love ~e puff of a fool- wieked priest's! in heaven? No, ~so inhuman in 4ness has made ~id. Popes and tham ;. and y~u lies. I want to ~efore I die. I ucesco, anJ. tell page: 348-349[View Page 348-349] 4 348 sis 1DB ~ ftee with lAm, and bride, ~when I am in the be his ~gr8ye.' K. 'I beseech you, T eresa, by; ~1ie Virgin, and all the ~~ints, that~rou sp ak not ofi~th~ Francesco. I ~h~1l be degi~aded in is eyes for ever~ And 1 wilt not flee; I will ~T1ot na my salvation for earthly hap.. 'You are a fc~ol!' exclaimed Theresa, passionately. 'Promise me Theresa, that ~ou pill not.' 'I will not promise You are ivlt~4nly person I ever loved, ~xee t nw. I 'Decidedly, h~re~sa, you shell 4z&~ ]wilInever more utt~ri wo d t&father Fr~ii~e~d. ~ I would not flee with him; a d he is too holyt&a~4k it. Promise me Ahat you will notispeak, or I shal12n~v~r. be happy again.'. 'No, pooi~ cl~ld, you iie~ver will b~. happy' again,' ~id si~ter Thor~sa; altering her ~pne~ . .' Well, if you pr~fei'your pAd~ to yo~&happine~s, k~ it so I will ~$ho glided fr~zri The e~ll: ~aii&t. ~ she :~2,~i~:w~uldrain have th~ ik~oei~vr~riced; 8he pondered she ha{ heard, itiitil her own faith 'gav~e Wa~+, a~dU~ i~tion~d w1iethei~ to inflict woe i~pon ori~self~id1iI' ~b ptabh~rvieet~ the Oreator. ~he ~aW~ ~g ~s tc~lci~la1ted to produce I@e to G~xi, 4wen t1i~&S~l6ur i ~fte~ repi~e~exited as im~ - placable, of her sul who took~ been beli fable. ~W if he belie was that his hotline sincere iu Thus, prayed. * invoking of woman die, or who, like ly stay~- like agtw left bare, who lifting the flg.tr4 the vine; ~elds sh~ from the yet will my salva are not e of their abroad iii T1DMPTATION-SUIC1D1~X until mollifle&by his Mothe E'e~ings, and her spirit shrai )leastlre in them. Perhaps ~ving a delusion; perhaps hat if father Francesco thou~ ved the vow to be a nullity? about, him which proved ~s. Yet~ Sister The~'esa h~r infidelity. Where .la one moment she diabeli~v AhI h~t she but~pra~ed t lumb idols who could not h was not made for solitude.; ~ utterly wretched. True ~isterAgnas, have been stri whose beloved ones have fal cm leaves1 until their bra -who are Eappy still. B ~ up the eye to heaven ca ~e shall not blossom, neith:~ the labouV of the Q~iV 11 yield no meat; th~ flock Ud, and there ~hall be no h rejoice in lhel4ord, I will ion. The I~ord God is mys ~ty-Iw@t~cl; they have h ouls reti~ievea by ~tbe. "19 bhem by the UoIy Ghost;" 341~ She thought ~,. k from the God fter all, she had religion was a lit so tqo-.~---what * But no; there ssincerity and ras sincere also, the tni~th'? d-the next she God, insteadd of ~ar! The heart she ~nust'Iove or there are some, ~t of every, earth- en by their side ches have been t they are those say, "Though shall fruit be in. all fail, and tEe shall be cut off ~rd in thQ stalls; ~oy in the God of ~ren~thY They d the desolation ~e: of ~Q4~5h~d t~hey h~ve looked page: 350-351[View Page 350-351] upon-One "fair~ together lovely s~i~it has been with heavenly pose, Rome pr 1 earthly lova; b heart may be v heaven; God's and then the id': Sister Agne is word; she IIIUflI&U BuDDort. :Then----. as and as~they ate, to them. Sister ir~ thought. Wlj arose to leave ~td requested tl~ then drawingh~ 14s. ~aid~ ten, Si~ and I~oliness~ I that the religiou God, no purgatory tormented me till ptisoner no longer '%Mdldernai tWa; ~we~'are barr SISTER AGNES. ~r tha~i the children of men, even al- ;" arid the deep yearning of their ~atisfi~d with heavenly sympathy-. on3munlon. True, it is for this ends that she severs the heart from .t she begins at the wrong end. The ~ry desolate and yet neirer turn to ~ay is to esta'biish Himself' as Lord, Is of the soul fall before his presence. ~ knew not God as he is rev~a1led in no consolation when bereft of all iembled in the refectory for dinner, ~ Popish legend was, as 'usi~4~ read Theresa at9 little, and'~ ~ lost ~n the meal was enaed and the nuns ie tab~e, she addressed the -Abbess, Lat all would, remain a few nui~s, ~rself 'Up expect ~nd' hau~hti~jr~he nora, I c~xne hither to seek peace bund violence and crime. I learned are hypocrites, that there is no ii~ hell, no hereafter. You have~ lam ~reary oflife. I will be your i4ernand liberty.'~ d 'obeaie±ice;" said the Abbess. uhe~es~' %ba~t:am yir~p~ d and bolted irao our dungeon;--.4.. there is n here she bolts. T knife an spouted f ous shrie to stanch sister A poured o her brea ceased to Siste no cancel her in * adog; a~ crime, by exported~ a cr1~'mecoi Afte~ fever. :i to the liii in the sa dient 81fl( the Abb ~the novi passive, neither I F~MYTATION-SUICID one t hear* our dry' for libe turn d to sister Agnes Liis 'is ihy deliverer,' she p1 ging it into her bos 'om t e wound, and she fell ~ bur t from the nuns, some the w und. It was in vain, nes supported her head her ce, and a napkin cbs t. ut in a quarter of exist The esa was a suicide'; n s we e burned for her. onse rated ground as the ci th~n the nuns were har an it~fidel and immorc4 p to go to confession, to f~st was appc~ted to clear th mitt within its walls. this ister Agnes had a fe or p tience and submissi rtiat~r an and nurses; ~and a: ness of' her broken spirit, ~trac able, that she recover ~s, a d was sometimes even es i their garden walks. ecau e her heart was brob Qpe~n r wish. In. fact, she 351. 4. 'ty-but----' and -' death breaks ddedT seizing 8~ ~m. the blood A simultane- of whom rushed 3he had fainted; rhile water was ily pressed upon ~n hour she. had mass ~~Tas said, ileutly they laid would h~ve laid ngued upon h~r jest. They were and pray; and ~ convei4 of the er, a protracted n endeared her -ter her recovery, she ~was so obe~. d the favour of * trusted toatteud She was quite en, and. she. had was sinking into page: 352-353[View Page 352-353] '352 1~h~ gm~e an 4 ~X~Q1~ upon her t~Xe~ 2But siste ~way in r4idiy. 'I SIST~]Ii &GNES. ~ceasional hollow couglg~and a hectic pale cheek niidstal~eab1y ~to1d t~i~ ~ Agne& was not destined: to linger ~pLiou~; her: f~ite ~ppro~ohed more K. "WII ThE g~'ey convent' clothed front, the be~iity an inour one bright~eye from a vii music' s oadence' '0 and[' miss flier !ceUs chapel-n tttrbing 't The 'ii~ht~ thei noble '1 C~1APTJ~R Xxxi - A JNI~iW VIU±IIV.L. ie high t praise Is, that they live in va " light of:m~ spring morning d sari a H~1eni4as it~too ppeni 'es bdhind;iiid the 'i very odel of sei'enity aiid I I seel sion"of the place wer of m~vent4ife-~-at 'least, gir1~ who, with an attend a at some distaiiee~ to list m~ elIin~ triutnphatitly, and ~er th& readies of the ri e lani rosary, the nunsh4 ~nd 'alke& in solemn 'p 1 ~oui~d but th~1t of their s' e si1~nee' ~f th~ ol6ieterW cold ~d ey~ithout, atr' 1 rieli~y4int~4 rad4~ii 18"' CowrEa. awned on the with the pine- iver Arietoin Lolines~. The enough to etia ~o thought a had w&idered to the matin dying in soft r. With' veil;: I issued f~m. o~iou t~ ~he Ld&1~1 feet dis~ s they pissed. ~, as tiei~ page: 354-355[View Page 354-355] 351 SISTER AGNES. took their $aces; and when the service commenced, the scene t6 a stranger would have been imposing. The magnificent architecture, the gorgeous altar-piece -the work of Titian-the images of saints, the dark, kneeling figures of the sisters, their sudden rising, and the bursting forth of the rich peal of music, formed a spell not easy to be resisted by the young and en- thusiastic. Yet to many of the nuns themselves this daily routine was wearisome and monotonous; and this morning many thoughts were wandering to some- thing which was to break the tedious dulness of their existence-a gorgeous ceremonial awaiting them. Matins finished, a few lingered behind in the chapel, telling their beads; some went to the garden to gather flowers, and others proceeded to the con- fection-room to finish the preparation of some of those beautiful preserves for which Italian convents are re~ markable, and which, by the bye, are like the lives of their niakers, bright and tempting to the eye, but insipid in their cloying sweetness to the taste. The glittering frost-work sparkled upon the almost tran parent fruits, and the triumph of their art was com- plete. Our English nun, with one or two companions, walked slowly to the garden. 'We are allowed to speak this morning,' said she. 'How I love thQse white roses, and orange-flowers, and that blue peaceful sky, and the high tops of those lonely hilli were trans and the V never wiTh primroses 'Primi thought nc of prey. Virgin for 'Hark house thei 'What 'Ah!] 'No; i 'No, I rocks aIm along spai 'The ~ 'Why green ban ~ tufts amot -yes, lik stirred b~ branches. ing, and y Agnes bu: 'Fooli hands iti ~ 351 A NEW VICTIM. 355 Oh, Ursula! if that mountain of a wall parent, and we might look upon the river tees-how happy we should be! Do you to get outside, to walk at l4rge, and gather ~n the woods'?' oses in the woods!' replied Ursula; '1 thing was there but savage frtexi and beasts All is danger outside, A~nes; bless the those four walls that keep out evil things.' you,' said Agnes, 'beside my father's e was a glen '- is a glen'?' oor girl were you never in a gleu?' ~ it like the cloisters'?' rrsula; fancy this stream dashing over wild st as high as those walls; then running kling, laughing - tream laughing, Agnes '1' yes; looking merry and lig~at-hearted; and ~s beside it, with primrose peeping up in g the moss, and tall trees overhead arching the cloisters; but green ~and living, and the wind and birds fiit~ing about the Then fancy yourself a n~erry child sing- our mother sitting on a gr~y stone, and' ~st into tears. ~h child!' said Ursula, drawing away the ~hich the face was buried, and wiping her page: 356-357[View Page 356-357] &STEk AGNES. lears, 'who would wish to be in a glen, when the very thought of one rn~k~s you weep? idont weep, Agnes~ eep' Ag~es~koked ~ th~ i~rble countenance, s~~- sionl~ss,, so vacai~4, ~et "~o:~d; true it was that no tears ~ quiet ey~Th~ut no smile could play n~on ti~at rigid hiouth and from the midst of h~r grief, Agnes pitied Ursula, because she never #ept ~iPoor ghild! ' said Ursula, 'you have sorrow, you h~ave lost soniethix~g. I w~s~ bred here,~bi'ought up here; I have no sorrow, I never weep1 I have lost no- thing.' The t~ieh~ncholy tone of the sister betrayed a vacant heart. 'What flowers h~#~ you gathered?' cried the ~arp -voice .of sister Genevieve. 'Are there suf- ficient for the ehapel'yetl 'C~blyYirgin1 whathave you beezi doing? What .will inoflier say to your i4leii~ss? ' k'ei~re th~tyowdoii't gettwo dozen pa. ten~sters for your~ gsi~ii~g. My b~~sket js full of ii1~erb~tbhig~ andy Pweboth empty. AhJ ~haP ter ~iU. brea~f~st,. an4 ge~ afast~day for yorn! pains.' ~ a e&frQm~ 1~h~ garden. ~ now,' sMdUrusla; ' or ~te~ ~ene4ie~e; *ifl4eU~ ~ ~t~ie to g~iw~ms ~pen~ 'lee j~sed t tu~lli~asJovein ii c~#~it~' said A*~ ~he~h&~tilymhopped~o*ers i~t~er~ket. I 7 p1 le w I in ti Sc w A ax 0~ C iT E ':So~it jed TYt'us ~zst we ~,ked ~i~t seldom t: terest in 'Conve em 'for 1 me lovel 11 have x 'A del g hair V 'Itis: ist his gues. 'C 'I nev t sorro'~ 'I won d ~then capeB u~ 11 put ~ tandtli yond th "No;' neviev~ u'b~ars enw~A'e A J~EW VICTIM. ould ~ if p~opIe were not a. 'We should all love ou1d~ ~zot hate if it were~ I rs, who keep the rest~ in i. ouNe myself with their br them. ts a e not like the pict e w~r1d,' said AgrEes. ' bios oxiis for the hair of t o hai to-morrow poor thin :veran e! flow can ~irIs be iuqu red Monica. trou le when there iB no nge s through one's ii ~ ce it gave me no trouble to r kn w a father,' said 1Yr~ rul.' er if ou were ever glad?' t~ he &d~ 'S~, U~ila, thi der .t e w&li, and flows in s white rose upon its bosQn nit w~ll be frees There, ~o tossed and torua~ aud drow~ e pea~ful ~ observed I i$t~, miue !" cried the s ~, ~ho ~ ~et~ir~ed~ 'to be a 0M~4* g~t through the' i 357 malicious,' re- ~ch oth~r-~g n6t~ for~.a few roil. For me, us; I take no ires~ drawn of But here are e bride. She troubled 'dress~ dear father te iglets,' sighed dress my h~ir.' sla, 'so Lam ought Agnes ~ little stream to'the sea. I it will glide ;. happy r~se!~ ed in the gee,~ rsula ~qui&ly. s~r~ voice of cai~ght in. the ug toe~Oape. ngrMiiig'at 4 page: 358-359[View Page 358-359] .4 SIS~RR AGNES. the foot of the wall., Holy Virgin! if the hole ~irere not grated, some~~ redaeed ~xionk might get in, or som~. white-faced nun might g~t out. So neither you nor &our rose will find liberty I assure you, miladi Agnes, however you may try.' The nun-s assembled in silence to their morning meal of black head and grapes and water, during which not a -word was-spoken. When they had left the refectory-' You are to dress my hair, dear Agnes,' said. a young novice, who was that day to take the veil, 'dress it like an English lady's.' Agnes threw her ar~is round the neck of the love- ly girl; and as she kissed her, a tear fell upon her bosom, but one word of pity she dared- not speak. 'Have yoi not been happy since you became the bride of heaven ~'inq~.ed the novice. Very happy,' was the reply, th~ words of which 4 were contradicted by the:tone. 'The world is s~ hollow!' said the novice. 'My' father was the only being that loved me, and -he is d~d. My-brother would-have married me to an old count, whoua It hated. I could not go to the opera, or *0 a-ball, bnt that rn~n was there. He whom I cowla~-liave loved, l~ut never did, became a rebel, and was shot.'' Here she grew pale and shuddered, but ran exi,-'Whatcould 1 do but'ffeel- H~e I shall be~at'peace. The ~?ectacks~arn6the~e4ldcolunu~s a~e finer than thciseii~ the halls- ~ Florence; -the I I -I V I -A NEW VICTIM. iusic eq als t e oper~a. And you ~gnes; - ~t is 1 ye I wants Yes ; 4 - Anoth r sil nt kiss strongly pr rhite sho Ider; and another. burning eply oft enu 'Why weep, Agnes ?-is it for jo 'Yes.~ 'lid Idmight tell you my name, ay father s. na e e and the name o beautiful illa p among the-2the- ~rhat, or ou wi 1 guess. NoW dress ~'es; the folds of the veil are perfect ~ever be orn again.. Do you kno ike that no, I must not say dismal eed a ado~a to become it. M alf a hai s bre~dth. I shall have- no a! Pr y don't look at my i~ald hea azing people think of it? Now ridal cr9wn,+I knew your own d ake it 'perfection-so light-so oses-lo ely orange-blossom!' 'Mus I p on all those jewels? iven to t e co vent without my we poil me. The diamonds and pearls hose gau y rubies, pray!' 'The mus1~ all be on, that it may maid d votes herself' to the Virgin. 'The fold ~hem in my hair, and U will - love me, hall b6 happy.' ss~d upon - the tear were the ,II~ - - ny real name- our villa-our [must not say me beautifully. ;-pity it must * I cannot quite lress-~.-jt would ve that ringlet hair te~morrow, L.-..wliat will the he crown,-the ar hands would ~raeeful-lovely -They coutd be ring them all to will do, but not ~ e seen how~rich ey willdrop out 859 page: 360-361[View Page 360-361] 860 si~rrn~ AG~s. 861 when it is cut off. Aih! my father loved these poor ringlets.! Why. ita~st a nun be without hair 1' - '~ ~hernust part with all the vanities of the world, ~rd that~ i~ one of them.' 'Yet God put it on our heads bit to try our self-denial in cutting it ~ ~,~that was you think so V 'Yes.' 'Just as he made the world so beautiful, that we might have the greater merit in forsaking it.' 'Yes; but yoi found it hollow as well as beautiful.' -' ~true f but it was the men and women I found hoil&w; the work{ itself iW beautiful, only we~ cannot have the one without the other.' The ~mouth of Agnes was strongly compressed,, and her e6unVenan~e like that of one who by strong effort, is suppressing almost irresistible emotion. Here Genevieve entered the apartment. 'You wilVsleep in a cell tonight, my pretty bride,' said she. ~ IL biwe put The finest ashes in the world into your ~~~for the ekull which. is to smile uprn you as a ever, has 4he moat exquisite grin you can behold ~1ppu he 5a~we, which iia~*~ only one froht~to~th o~it ~f;th~n. 4here ~re~ ~4l~ity of kii~,ots in your sc~irge. r[~e is pur orukAfi~-your li4som-friend, love, what thin~c you of it tt1i~d~ ~har~ edges to wound the breast. '1 ~ill ~w~lc~e~ it i~hex~ Il have sin~ied,' said the ( y y 'A gl renevieve on look a our side. ill, dark- ~vord by I A half. b -ide. '] 'Gene' eave the Ibess sh~ 'And answered I A NEW VICTIM. )riouS thing iB a nun'S ti with an expression of bitter sentimental as if your bel Imagine that he is, and ti yed youth in uniform, with uS side.' suppressed shriekbur8t frcu rieve,' said Agnes in a con room, and go to your ow; II know of this2 ~f your tears and sighs for he tormentor, as she walked ousseau,' cried irony. 'Why, rothed were at iat will d~ ;-a a golden-hilted a the lips of the mending tone, ~ work, or the Liberty, miladi,' away. page: 362-363[View Page 362-363] CHAPTER XXXVIII. A DISCOVERY. "I'rophetess! awake and say, "What virgins these In speeehles~ we, "That bend to earth tIi~lr soleum brew?" (Thxy. HAVIN~G already described the ceremony of taking the veil, ~v~e shall not repeat the description here, although in this land of pageants it was far more imposing than in Ireland. All that magnificent architecture, exqui-. site music, gorgeous costume, and scenic arrangement could do, Was done to oompl~te the spell Which a sensuous devotion casts around its votaries. The novice wa& not insensible to the admiration excited by 'her youth, beauty, and elegance as she kneeled gracifuliy before the cardinal vicar; she felt herself ~.t& ~be the centre of all the pageantry, and it Was this, rath& than a sense of the consequences of' the step taking,' ~hi~h rendered her' sweetly~modizlat. voice' treiuulo~s in its responses. 'v'' A gay company had collected f~om the 4i1Th~ges. m wi~ G we th ha do hi WI 'in ro in w ol in ti 01 it d villas wous, an th two or arduoci; re at the ir host e yward- wander4 re sober Thq novi s, ~mids1 r; and ting oft self so ~ hin. U her brid ed nuns ces, and uld be gnant ID ~ ply mus eutlie the victi~ to have 1 burial i the pall, but his nUI~W11 mong the hills; the spect, V among them stood an En~ i~ bhree friends. He Was on~ and while some of the same time guests of the Co 1 ajoying themselves ~at a boa or ~t was he-the uncle. of{ s d to ~he monastery, to be religious ceremonial. ce, after performing her pdr the swell of music, ;co~ri hen ~he reappeared be i e nun's enclosure, the Col s to obtain a, full view of a: s eye wandered from'the ~k' 1 dress, to the retreating He marked. their dull~ thought how soon the brig sad, breathing statue, l~k ty of the English soldier w ng, he moved not from t rtain was drawn down It was raised, and ~she ~ black pall thrown over he ~ rvice performed. For a ~id'thoizghtof the burieded{ a ye waS attracted by the figt~ j with her lighted taperIsl ~rs were nu~ ~h gentleman Asit to' Count ng men, who at, were 'with hunt, Colonel ~ter Agnes- resent at the in the chapel,. ucted to the id the gilded nel stationed L that passed feeling novice ows of dark~ i~ded county~ it young~girl them. ~'The ~s stirred, and ~e spot, even the disrobing s seen kneel.. r, and to have hue he gazed ~ beneath e of a youth~ ood near 'the A DISCOVERY. page: 364 (Illustration) [View Page 364 (Illustration) ] ~64 SISTER AGNES. grating. He fancied that her eye was fixed upon him, and as he scrutinized her countenance, so sad, 4 yet so sweet, a strange feeling passed over his heart, and his eyes became riveted upon her. Reader, have you ever seen, in the features of an unknown person, something that touched a chord in your spirit for which you could not account? You could not detect a resemblance to any one you loved, but a thrill as of some old affection passed through your inmost soul, and you could not but gaze. So felt Colonel Hayward; so was he attracted to watch the nun, while she stood immoveable as a statue, with her races turned towaris him. He became al.. most unconscious of the service, and forgetful of his sympathy with' the heroine of the day. At length theloud burst of the hallelujah chorus awakened him from his trance. All wa~ over, and the new. recluse was about to be lost to the world for ever. A basket of fresh flowers was handed to her, and she advanced to the* grating to distribute them to the bystanders. Colonel Hayward pressed for~ ward among the rest, to receive a flowered from the fair but trembling hand; but, when he approached the 'grating, the nun he had been watching 'rushed forward to it; throwing up her arn~s, and dashing them against the bars, she screamed wildly, 'Uncle, save me!' In vain she clung to the grating; in a moment she was drawn back, and the curtain fell; 6 page: -365[View Page -365] 7 4 4 and a confuse chal ?el. My niec cognizing thc 'II ish, sir, With the hac~ changed Th~ priest a 'Jam 501 to ~peak witi permitted to added, impe cane; 'Ide~ 'It is im in this conv 'What, t called mc" 'I canno 'I insis~ 'If I w into custody~ assembly.' 'I am a his arms, am The pri said, 'has ~ as your inn~ 365 A DISCOVERY. 365 cd noise issued from the ~ow invisible ~!' exclaimed the Colonel, at once re~ voice; and, turning to a pi~iest, he said, ;o speak with that young lady.' rapidity of Italian impulse, the scene from solemnity to strange excitement. Dressed, stepped forward, ~nd replied, 17, sir, that gentlemen are ifrot permitted the sisters.' exclaimed the Colonel, 'An uncle not speak with his niece. I demand,' he 3uously, striking the gr~t~ng with, his ~and to see my niece.' possible, sir, that a niece of~ yours can be nt.' hen, is the name of the yo~ing lady who Uncle'?"' 13 tell.' upon knowing.' ~re to do right, sir~- II siiiduld give you , as the cause of uproar in a religious ri Englishman~' said the C~Aonel, folding d planting one foot forwa~d. st smiled contemptuousl3f. 'No one,' he ny right to profane a sacred place; but i appears to be really disturbed, perhaps page: 366-367[View Page 366-367] 366 SISTER AGNES. an interview with the abbess might relieve you.' So paying, he retired, and in a little hile the curtain was again, raised, and ethe abbess stood before the grating-the rest of the nuns were gone. - 'Wills you oblige me, madam,' said the Colonel, by a strong effort composing1 himself; ' will you oblige me by mentioning the name of the young lady who called me " Uncle ?" *"ister .Agnes !' replied the abb ss. ' She is the daughter of an Enuglish gentleman, long resident in FMorence, and being of unsound ind, was placed under my protection.' *The abbess bowed, and once more the curtain fell.; the priest re-appeared, and requested the Colonel to leae the church. If I have been mistaken,' said Colonel Hayward, an anterviewWuld remove my miaprehension.' *The lady fainted, sir,'said the priest; 'and from her ecitability, an interview m ight he fatal.,' at om saifled, siri must epply to the proper fnor power' o demand interviewe' Th pest replied hauhiy, ' earhly power has authort within this sceplac he privacy of ~i&hoy un is not to be rk .in upn Thank . Go w a~ nder the pro tin f1w e can n6b inutede wih iunit Tw Siri Q49E 4vaneed anid; bong with rage, 'tEnglishma *ad@ einpelled to eti e. L. A DISCOVERY. -In fever sh impatience he returned where he w s a visitor to Count Guord 4 whole party including his own son, wer excitement f a hoar-hunt having been them to tih solemnity of a religious Colonel Ha ward paced impetuously ab then summo ing an old and tried domest the circums ance. Old Carlo crossed it be she,' hi said, 'she might as well be of the devil, as in those of the abbess a1 You will never see her more.' " Is there no justice in Italy ' ' Holy ~irgin, no !-nor law net Jesuits got 'he upper hand. Tell mew ndt rule, fr m the Sovereign's palace to hut, and I will tell you where to find no! Mia cara Italia ! shesis priest-ridd: to death.' 'But a :ritish subject P' 'In a c nventia subject of the m~ brother's only daughter !--a monkI -we never saw her more. ' She was not British.' ' All the same. They will tell yo t mke her white letters to say she does n ouit. You will as soon see her out of p 'A good idea! Cannot we buy her brings out 6f purgatory.' to sthe villa, cci; but the e absent, the preferred by s -ceremony. out the lawn, ic, he related himself. ' If in the hands d the priests. er, since the here they do the peasant's justice. No, n-oppressed ~riest5. en1~iced Ai! her in she is dead) or iot wish to get urgatory.' out ?-Money 367 page: 368-369[View Page 368-369] 85 SI$T~R A~1KF~S. +Wh&*as her dowry?' (4~n4Inn, 'By the staiF of D&mini~! it 'is~ hopeless. fl though they~ have clut&hed the mon~ y, would they her &tlibertyt6 tell, howl' S&d1y~ i~nd~ wearily the hours pa sed till the hu ing party~ returned. Ek~itement h ving~ given w ~tt~ d~pres~i6n, Colonel Hayward ~at ooctily rovolvi plans for 'the liberatinii6f his niece ~ for such he lieve4 ~the youthful nun to be. h appeal to t British ambassador, of course, wa one ;~-anoth personally to the government at ho e; but then relkoted that heha{no facts, no~ I gal evidence ~st upon; and he~knew~ the' diffic ity of eliciti &utk 9fr PopiBh~prie~ts.' iAt len th the tramp hQ~89&~flflotZ1Oe4 tIt~. ~turn of ~thQ arty. A boa h~4 ~ honie in triumph~ in fr~nt; voices of mer ment fell jarringly upon the~r of t e Colonel; ~ 'amidst the bustle of dismo~i±itir~g, ~he i patiently dre ~i~e his ~on and h~ost; aft~$the4 tter had given feW r~4t~isite orders' to~ h~s 'nntg~ioriIo o. Count Guarducci 'thought it' p~ssi le' that the ta of the monk might be correo~, 'a~ le st it Would iit~jiossib1e, he said~ ti dispi'ove it. 'Could they ik~t 'be. £ol~cedrto pro uce the nun? the Colond asked; ~bere was n~ ieail~ by #il~h th~ :e6uld be effect ~d, was the substance of ~h~4t~liaii's i~eply. What Le g IT A DISCOVERY. ever might be transacted within the wal it could not transpire; the system of co so perfect. Vague rumors alone eve public. The most solemn oaths and th pi~nishments stood in the way of dis sisters were forbidden to communicate even their real names; an4 once a ye; th~ grating of a small window, and und lance of the abbess 'were those' who need permitted for a few minutes to see t The institutions were sanctioned, and enforced by the and if, as happen, a nun made her escape, she wa by the police like .a thief or a murderess; once, a year or two ago, in Rome, an darted through the open door, she rushe an~I plunging in, ~was di'ewned-Her on liberty to die.* Taking down a vellum~.covered book, Listen to the curse pronounced upon ~ attempt, and upon those who shall assist 119 then read the curse we have record thq ceremony of taking the veil. 'Horrible P said the Colonel. 'W xni.~ttered, stamping on the ground with * See Appendix S. i'i I r 369 of a convent,' cealment w~s reached the most fearful losure. The' to each other r 'only, before ~r the surveil- 3d no secrecy, eir reThtives. ~ll their laws ~ould 8carcely hunted down 's~ that when ~bbess herself I to the ~ib~r, y liberty was he continued, un who shall er toesea?~! ed as ~paait of etches!' 'he is foot. I' page: 370-371[View Page 370-371] CHAPTER XXXII. RESCUE CONTEMPLATE P. "0 valIant cousin, worthy gentleman I"4.3faobetk. AT night, Edwt~rd Hayward went to 4 whi~e he found the Colonel, not undre~ glo~iilyat~ds toilette, resting his hea~ -A~ bis son entered he exclaimed, thot this country is tormented with insi justice is unknown! Then rising, a the floor, he cried, '1 will move heave I discover that girl! Why have we t*~os~e eur~ed Italian courts, if not to - ~ii1ijects? -, Order the carriage ; I wil once this~ night9' 'But what will you do, sir?' inqu man. -. '$imply dexn~nd of the ambassador an interview with this young woman,' - - to be my niece.' - 'I have been talking with sagae is father's roon~ sing, but sitting~ ~i upon hishan~ It is no wonde~ directions, whe~ id stamping ox n ~nd earth til an einbas~y t( roteot Britisi I start for Flor* ed the young to procure me horn I believe ous old Carlo I, RESCuE CONTEMPLATE ~ bout it,' s~dd Edward, 'and he~ has 01 the hopelessness of any attempt to se really my cousin. The Tuscan gove n interfere; you. cannot make out a c ~ induce our own to move; and the. le s exposure would be the signal for her e 'A guerdon fQr old red-faced 0-li e d olonel. 'There was some spirit in 1 after all. He would have blown the-co a~s he threatened to treat the castleof ~ a prisoner's release. The pusillatiimi 7 robs one of his entire stock of patience 'We are afraid of the Jesuits, in the young man, with an expression of 'The premier may have o~e for a 1' Queen. another for .a lady of the be ~ 1~nows what might happen were we But I have been with. them learnin since fair means are unavailing, I vo cousin out of their hands by foul.' 'What do you propose P inquired t 'Only a small bit of romance, to c r young nun, in spite of their bolts and 'Saint Mercury himself, and the fo I you I' cried the Colonel, suddenly lang a - re~~ectable youngster's prank. £13 you- mean to discover~ the lady--will~ - couveni,?' - I 371 winced me of Iwr, if she- be ment will not ~ -s'uffi~ient to t prospect of ath.' r!' cried the hose puritans ITeut to ato~~ns, ~t. Angelo for of these days dear sir,' said - itter 8arO8$1~I. ekey, aud -the hauibex' *ho off~n:d them? intrigue -; 'and to bring my he Oolonel. ry off a pretty - K ars.' ;y thieves help ng. 'That is t boy, how do 1 t 4 .6 page: 372-373[View Page 372-373] 372 sxs~rEn AGNES. "Give me a f0W of the young fello s of your regi-. merit, and I would not hesitate. B t I. will try a 'What?' 'Years ago you used to delight in aking us sing the Tyrolese Hymn together. Now I will go round the convent to-night, whistling the air. She will sleep but little after what has occurred, and if she hear it, she will connect it with theciroiunstan e of the morn- ing. Tfli~t a girl's ~Vit~ for convey~g to me the knowledge of her~ Situation.' 'By Jove I' cried the Colonel, 'yo4 will be good for'something in the ~orld yet. But t ere's danger, boy, in your plan, both to yourseltand o her.' 'As to myself,' said ~1dward with .a contemptuous smile,~ Thyixig 'his hand upon a' pocket pistol," This good friend against any lazy monk. or her they I can but ~gi~re her 'a little penance for ec oing a vaga- bond's M'histle.'. 'This is a land of 5uspicio~ and du geons, how- evexV said the Colonel. 'We mtist not co promise our host.' 'No; I znean to take leave of him t&~night, by note, teflin~ hhn I am~ going suddenly to England, ~hieh ~t course Mary anti I wi1l~d6 as s on aS she is re1e&~se4. He will siq~se I ~ne~n to o ~n up nego- cWionswitli go rimeut~at..hom~; aud~ eai~while I willgo to my Qid acquaintance of the boar- unttelling RESCUE CONTE~IPI~ATE1~. 373 l~im I am on an affair where a 5igtiP~$ is concerned . ~Phis is enough for an Italian. I h~e another wild ~omrade,' he added, laughing, C who fears neither P~pe x~or Devil; on his assistance I can rely.' 'The ilaywards were never famed for prudencee,' said the Colonel; 'but you will need some for this ~dventure.' 'I have inhaled Jesuitism in* this air. They are the most prudent men alive.' 'Confusion on their prudence!' muttered his father. 'Not on mine, though! My head against the genera 's that I save my cousin!' 'Ned, your spirits are carrying you away; you ~vill re uire' caution rather than im~etuosi~y.' 'G od night,~ father. Go to bed and sleep, if you jAease; don't come prowling to hear my serenade, or you wi I spoil all.' 'D n't serenade yourself into oue~of those cursed usca dungeons,' said the colonel. 'I I do, go to the ambassador then.' 'S amp!' cried the colonel, laughing. 'Engli~h lood against I'opish ~tricks at 'any time!' IEd~ward was in the act of leaving the room when he colonel, suddenly asked, 'Ned, what if you should et ou~ some girl who i~ not your cousin, P I thought you were sure of hei', sir' replied the oun man. 'No one but she will understan~1, aud page: 374-375[View Page 374-375] 374 SISTER AGNES. reply to my serenade. At all even s, no one wil I - ~ine ~t who does not wi~hto escape so .s~ome good xnu~t he (lone' 'Take your own way,' said the. col nel. CHAPTER XL. CATASTROPHE. "Say "That death be not one stroke, as Ieuppo~ed, "Bereaving sense, but endless misery, ~ "From this day onward, which I feel begt~n.~' D as a young peasant, scoh afte Edward set forth upon his adventure. '4 The e was a faint moonlight, sufl~oient a y da ger, but notenoixgh to make him e 'n arr ving at the convent, he p~oeeed e amin the ground, which was already pi i r to h iii. He had not long, been so emp~I t e bay ug of a watchdog brought the pc d or. '~ Si en-zio!' said Edward in a lo1w -voi~ o goes there~' inquired-the ~man, p stol. 'Fr ]3~rancisco,' said Edward, rn th t ne, s~ eating at random a nax~ie wh~oh h 4 MILTON. r midnight, to discover onspi~ous. ed first to ~etty tamib oyed, when ~rter to the ~e. levelling a ~ same low had heard 4 page: 376-377[View Page 376-377] 876 S1~TER AGNES. as belonging to a friar of the neighb ring monster and with lifted linger drawing near. The man quietly put down the stol. 'By a 1 the saints! what do you here?' he whispered. 'Fun; don't spoil it,' said Edward also, in a whi per, which served the double purpose. of concealing his foreign accent,-although he spoke Italian admi ably,-and preventing disturbance, 'Quiet the dog he added, slipping niloney into his hand; 'more after wardB if discreet.' 'No mischief, though ~' inquired the man 1~esita tingly. 'None in the world!' C Sister Genevieve?' The man went ;in, and shut th~ door, and the bay~. i~of~hed $~eu a~1w~ w~o liv og ceased. with him. a L Qf the old ably 'The~ 'I ~gb4 I 4id ~ s~I~ ~ .[ w~s)~alf inclined to ~ee~ ow yo~r 1d~r.. ~ did he look?' ~' ~is ~Qse ~ Aedde~ t~u ever with the fu~e of purgatory, and a flame tame out of each eye.' I say& us,' 'Holy. Vjrgi~i said~ the hay 9ros~ing '~ gill xi~y~r 1o* ov~t~at night again1' 'Detter not,' replied the porter. ~ his sgr~rey, selected: th0 points ~ Ins mu~ie, an4 w~it~d till he. suppose4 t1a~t the CIM~STROP~$. 377 bbess, if the dog had as~eused her~ might b0 asleep gain. ~1ary, he rightly judged, would spe~4 a inig t. lie, little thought that for her i~etiou f the morning, she was now endu4ng one ~f these orribl penances not uncommon in iji~nneries,-4hat s e wa passing. the. nig~it alono in a burial vauTh He concealed himself a little distance from some rated windows, and whistle~ low, l~ut dist~n9tl~the elbk wn air of the Tyrolese Hymn. 'An angel atoh~ to-night,' said an enthusias1~ic novice to her- s If, a she. fLnished a vigil which she had vowed. y vo is accepted, and a~ miracle 4tests it. Hark) t e mu ic is nearer!' On her knees before a portrait o the irgin, with clasped hands, rid uplifted eyes, hich ~t~rained through the dubio~ glimmer, she stene to the strain, and her rapt iIn~ginatio&c9n- erted t into aii angelic song. The; tal9 ~va~s~ told ext morning ~ the convent, and many listeners * ere e ified thereby. ]~u to Edward there~was DO raspo~ise. Ee tril othe position, and~ ~til another, but in ~ain.~ .9nce light. was,, struck in. a cell. His; art~b~a~ vio~eg. I , a~d he ~ep~es~t~4 the air,, but. ~w~aen. h~ e~s~ ~U as sil nt. ~Ee was about to retreat inde~p~i~ a a fo loin hope, he took up a ~ta~ti~n~ iiear~ i~he e, a~nd oiice moi~ ~w~nt, 9ver ~t~e ~ Refo~e ~ nishe he thought he heard a low ~Cemal0 vo~qe ~pm~ ou8ly joining him. He followed the soi~ud~, and 1T* #1 page: 378-379[View Page 378-379] 378 SISTER AGNES. then repeated a bar or two. They were distinct echoed, and now the direction 'of the response w~ s more'elea$y indicated. Another 'bar, and anoth r repetition of it, and ,lie wasp sure 'whence t e sou -eame. A simple eeh~ it was not: it was. fema e voice. But 'the situation was passing strange L~~ary 1' he said, softly~ 'Here, 'underground, look for a griitin at' t kbet of the wall.' At length, in unuttorable excitement neelin downy he spoke through the bars of a low ir grat and 'was answered from within. The strange ale wa told, ~he ~as doing "penance for her exc~an4tion o the morning, she said. She had cherished 4 ~ fain hoDe of being' sought for, but knew that to incjuire a the ~ouv~mit would b&hopelessi and she had gi~ren wa to despair, when the faiiitsound of the diskar~t ~i~m "She recognis'~ed the air, ai~d wit beMi~ heart guessed the musician and Eis errand but EAied a,~ and despair rOturned. She hear ii~ain; 'and tried t~o shout; but so great was he 4~ta~~~n that the aouiid passed from her 'lips, like th di4aiu. ~ But when ~he found the attempt ~oz~tzti~ied~ ~idp'~ g~ave here 'strength, and '8he rep~ate t Y*~th' her ~roice. ' n say ~ w~ere to be three days three ~ inquired 'Edward. an~i 12'. said h 'V kindne not a I hours.' CATASTROPhE. 379 our hould ~ols f C efore xcite 'B touch atoms go~eyn poor g~ Tb throu~ self on tear fe 'Ii ~ar Edward, it is long since t heard a voice of ss," said she, 'but ~1~i !~ he prudent. Go; stay a6ment longer. People prowl ab6ut heie~ 'all. Farewell.' G aanks to their barbarity! how ea~y they make eliverance. I knew not wiiat implemem~ts I need. I will to go the nearest hamlet and bring ~r forcing those bard-a file, a crow-bar, a-~---' ow'i~ir off is the hamlet?' Liree miles.' Lien you could not pos~ibl~ effect my escape daybreak, and to ixiake a partial opening 'would suspicion, and ensure m~r death.' eath! they dare not toiieh yog U' ~fe is nothing here. But speak low.' all the popes in' purgatory! Mary, t'if they hair of your head, I will blow the convent to ' muttered the young man, in 'almost' am- ~able fury. ~y life depends upon' your discretion,' sai~l tihe rl, trembling. 'Go, I beseech you.' t me touch your hand, Mary.' trembling, damp, cold fingers, were thrust the interstices of the grate; he threw him- the ground and kissed theni, while a burning 1 upon them. is enough to make one mad to leave you he~re,' page: 380-381[View Page 380-381] 3S0 S$~J~R AGNJ~~. 8he turned from thegrating as he ard~e, a: sitting 'down on, the lioo~ Qf the vault, she bu jed h ~diu her ~ar~e gown, and wept long and vi lenti wh~th~r £roi~ sorrow or' from joy she wouLd l~a /e' be unable to tell. At length a strong ray of hope dart into her breast, and her heart beat high. To- orro ~ 8he might be free. ~he started up an stoc ~ct; hel' head struck against a low arch; ut 512 felt' no pain. A. wiki, aalh'ious joy of her, and ~ took ~s essjo p~aee~l I &k~ards and forwards in he excitement. ~eptiles wei~e crawling on the floor, an ii~r ~iaked feet trodo' ; a sepulchral; pho~ Hg upon, them ht gleamed, fro~n a corpse; an odour inex pressibly horribl9 filled' the place; but she s~.w no~ nor felt what was around her. One idea possesse( 1~zer, ~nd that idea was liberty. b Buthow was her Jiber~ation to~ be acbieved~.whai dangerss would there not bein its' accoinPli~rnent to herself she. 1~ee~ed riot; ~ t~ her, if I~er @earn 9f liberty should fail~ S~e could not, she would not live if it should';' fo~ ~e~th was but a sleep, a negation.~.surely. At least relj~i~nists, who tell the contrary, are or fools. Edwa~rd,; ~enerous hypoc~'ites Edward, that he should ~'i~ ~ii~ life ~r~r-o~j wl~y had ~he ~e~mide4 it? ~~r41~ Ee~s ~e ent~p~ bya ~ejeiless rhonk~ or poignarded by & rt~anfo~ seized l~y ~i~ar~arian '1 r n d d e r I GATA8T4~OPE~, 3$' police !-sucli thoughts were agony. Selfish ~ she ha been to encourage him'-oh !~ that he ~ou1d I now *ar her warning cry! Poor Mary knew 9f ~io refuge from anxiety and fear. Of ~ falsity of~ the popish faith, she had been thoi'ough1~~4onvinee4-~of the in bihity of saints and the virgin to help;~ and God s e had forgotten. ~he had no rock ouii which to leai~; no piLlow on which to rest' her weary head; no ear~ into which to pour her sorrowful tale '-~xrn arm outstretched to help her: her mind preyed upon itself: she was tossed on ~a teitipestuous. s~a of mingh~d hope, anxiety, and dread; her blood boiled 'in hei4 veins,' aiid' before morning brain~fevor~ had commenced. Ediward had not passed round the convrnit unseen.; nor ha~I his music 1~een unheard. The cell in which a light had been struck was that of the aIAess. $he had ha~d him watched to the grating, a~nd~ the spy l9ft only ~ ascertair~ing that he had departed without attenq4ting the liberation of the prison~r. Be ore dawn the key was turned in the iron-d9o~ It cre~1~ed, and two men e~itered, their fac~s covered with ~rape, and, lanterns in their h~nds. l~a~y shrieked, and fled to a corij~er of the vault~ w1ier~ she crouched on the ground, axi4 turning ~ held i~p b~r hands as if tol defend it.. 'The~ men 9% page: 382[View Page 382] 382 SISTER AGNES. I so that the arches rang; but one of the sava s gagged her mouth. She struggled, but her strugg s were fruitless; firm and strong arms were arou d her. She was taken into a low dark room7 whe upon a table, a single lamp was burning, and besi e it sat the abbess, and the abbot of the neighboring g monastery, while a few nuns stood around them. She was placed before them, and the gag w s removed. 'Hold it in readiness, lest it should e again required,' said the abbess. Despair now seized the nun, and it gave h r strength. Hope had fled; she saw her doom, a summoned courage to meet it,-such courage as ma - ness gives. She stood erect and haughtily. T abbess spoke. 'You are accused,' said she, 'in t first place, of disturbing profanely a holy solemnity and secondly, of having wickedly, and in contrive ti~n of your solemn vows, concocted, in connectio 'with another person, a plan for your escape fro this religious seclusion. Have you any reply t make'?' 'I object to the charge of profanity,' said the nun 'because the ceremony was~ not religious but profane and to disturb it was not profane, but religious; and she laughed hysterically. The abbot and abbess looked wonderingly at eac other, but the abbot in another second nodded know ingly; he saw that the girl was mad, and that wa page: Illustration-383[View Page Illustration-383] CATASTROPHE. 383 nothing new, after a penance of night-watching in the burial-vault. I 'Do you plead guilty of conspiring to escape?' asked the abbess.' 'Innocent, innocent-it were an innocent act from a guilty place.' 'You see that instrument of torture,' said the abbot. 'II defy you;' said the nun. 'You are required,' pursued the abbot, 'to dis- close the nam~ of the man with whom you conspired to escape.~ 'The ab~~ of the monastery of Santa Helena,' replied the sister. The attendant ~uns started an smiled. shall k sense, ir 'By St. Benedict! you spea I will tear you limb from limJ,' cried the furiously. abbot, 'Begin then,' said the victim, drawing herself u~p into a commanding attitude, and stretching out h~r arm towards him, 'Begin, I long for the operation~; but know that every limb of ~this mangle~ body shah dance nightly before your eyes, awake or asleep, fro~n sunset to sunrise; and my blood, and the blood ~f Theresa, and the blood of Marie, shall stain with a crimson hue every object you look upon. ~~~Abbot,' sl~e continued, her form dilating, her eyes sparkling, a~d her tones deepening, 'Abbot, I summon you, with page: 384-385[View Page 384-385] 5IsTi~ A~ES. 88~ CATASTROPHE. my dying breath, to meet me to-morrow in the he 9f purgatory. A commandment glares from the fie walls there.-" Thpu shalt do no murder !"' Peace ! girl;' ci-ied the abbess, ' or you shall spourged to death. Answer the questions put to yo Shethen read, 'is it a guest of Count Guarducci wh is your accomplice V' I1know not Cournt Guarducci.' You know his guest P' 'I never heard his iorme.' Wrte,' said the~ abbot, to the clerk, 'that th young person declares her fellow conspirator to be revolutionary guest of Count Guarducci.' dwrite,'retorted. the nun, ' that this abb reads daily from the chapel wall, " Thou s t de'flse witnssgagainst thy neighbour."' Soe The Count give aseistanoe as well as coui 7 ePwa the next query- 'know of neither. But there, abbot, pointin t~ ishea, thre is assistance for you ! There ar figi9e aan's hn dbesideyour head--they writ ii~~ i~e~t lik'glery, "ll iire shall have thei p 6o inte le that bureth'with fire and bring stoe." fa I 'abot; .ou'gecgaonized!' she .cried 1~aglng onem~'n.pitng still,' nibs a inbu Ibut, e added owering her voice, ani ledig owrds ~teabbess&%nbt-it wa~ a An4 odid itA Usaw 'his r4-ht finer!' r eO '5 a t The abbot instinctively looked up, and drew hi head aside. ' Ha ! he sees it ! cried the nun, elevating he finger again. ' He is modest ; he shrinks from glory Does it burn V' The abbot gnashed his teeth with rages; and th more so as the sisters htildled close together, looking first at the wild form and dilated eyes of the maniac and then at his own head with an expression o mingled fear and wonder ; whlile amidst the gloom o the place, the solitary lamp threw a cadaverous hu over every countenance, whether really blanched not. 'NVurder me, abbot,' said the nun, in a deep asp chral 'ice--' Murder me, and come to me to-morron in 'pjgatory. Here is your summons !' ;she claimed, suddenly snatctiing from the clerk the paper .on which he had written, and flinging' it across th table. 'WThere is the gaga-are the men 'bewildered exclaimed the abbess, and in another second the ga was thrust into her mouth. ' Bind her!' added the abbot. Gagged and bouad she was thrown flat on the floor. ' Fire to her feet ; said the merciless judge. A. pan of red-hot coals was put to her naked feet * see Appenidix T. w 4 r I, 880 r - page: 386-387[View Page 386-387] 886 SISTER AGNEg. OATASTROI'I{E. 887 4 he iy he ~r. .ts The horrible torture took effect; but it defeated rdalice of her ~tormentors. Mad already, the ag rendered her. furious, and her mouth distended, desperation of her fruitless struggling choked h Her face~became black; her convulsive moveme ceased; sister Agnes was dead. 'There is no more resistance,' said the strong m who had been holding her down. The judge approached, stooped down, and exa med the body, while the sisters held their breath. 'The Virgin has avenged herself;' said the hy crite. 'Take her away.! * The x~ien with crape over their faces laid hold the~corched f~et and the serge gown, and dragg her out of the apartment. along a narrow p~ssa *hile a lantern was carried befor& them. The spri of a trapAoor in 'the floor was touched-it flew ope but w~ien a lantern was held ove~ ~the hole, the e could not fathom the black depth below. They lift, the. dead nun. and threw her head.foremost down. dull, heavy sound told when slie had 'reached t bottom, and the door was shut. 'When day carn~ quidk-lime was thrown down upon the corpse. Fearfully the nuns retired, each to her cell, ti matins. They had lookedupon murder before; bu the strange bearing and strajiger words, of siste Agnes, had made an unwanted impression upon thei ~minds; for usually the mode of destroying one wh was to be made away with, was by poison or opium. Even those who slept started wildly from frightful dreams. Circlets of glory, purgatorial fires, strange characters traced by fiends upon the walls, and gloomy chambers of torture, mingled in their visions. As for the Abbot, the summons haunted him, 'and deep were his potations to drown the dreadful words. 'Am I a poltroon, to believe in purgatory P he in- wardly inquired.~ 'That girl's existence is quenched for ever; and so shall mine be, when this thickening breath is gone.~~ Then, lifting the wine~cup again to his lips, 'What care I for the raving of a maniac 'U said he, 'You will be warm enough when the lime is over you, yo g lady.-~-~warmer than in purgatory I ween.' Thus he fortified himself for~his religious duties, and then sang matins with most ~difying devotion. But at xdght ti4 spectre returned. The wild form of the doomed nur~ arose again before him, and her still wilder words rang in his ears. The wine-cup was resorted to once more, and once more .the~ Abbot of the monastery of Santa Helena drank deeply. But the fiend followed him. I~Tot * "Fortb from hi~ dark and lonely hiding place, Portentous sighl4 the owlet Atheism, Drops his blue fringed lids and holds them close; 'And hooting at the gloi4ous sun in heaven, Criesout, Where is it ~" Coleridge's Fears rn ,S~olituJe. d cr 0 e 0 1 a- 0- page: 388-389[View Page 388-389] ~88 SISTER AGNES. merriment, but misery,~ now resulted from his p tions. The curse of the nun seemed to have ta effect; ptujatorial. fire8 seer~ied kindled alread~ his heart, and he raged at hi~ tormentor. Sb and wearily- the night -passed on, and the monk came unconscious of aught but Wretchedness. arose, and staggered out into the dark~ corri Where a -gla~ring eye seemed -fixed upon him, and words, 'Meet me to-morrow in the, heart of pur tory!' broke upon the silence of the night. ~I random summons fulfilled itself. He ~fied from speetre-.-fled with the step of a drunken in s~Unibled at the top of the stone staircase, and h~yjly to the bottom, dashing his head against si aft~ step as he descended. When the body reael2 the bQttorn, it al0ne was there; the soul had- pass to the tribunal of God; it had learned the dread secret; it knew whether or p.ot there, were a God wliether or not there were 'a life after death! Not in Purgatory, but at fife still more feat judgment-seat ~hall the ~Qul of eVery murderer m that other soul which, prematurely, it sent to t terrible account! A lay-brother stumbled over the corpse in t~ dim twilight of the morning; and bell8 were.~tolle and masses were said, and a magnificent funer glorified the murderer;. while tales were spread of glory appearing xoun&tie head ~of the corpse, as if I CATASTROPHE. $89 ta- ~en in vly be- Ele or, he he he Lfl~ Dll ep ul mockery of the ravings of the nun; and the oinmon people pressed to touch the bier of the saints deaa; not from veneration of his life, but from the p odigies reported at his death. In the convent,' it was announced at hr akfast, that sister Agnes was ill; that she was dee ly peni- tent for her fault, and willing, to endure any penance for the scandal she had occasioned. For a week there were daily reports of her expiatory sufferingss, of her patience, and at. length of her absolution. In a day or two afterwards she was related to have died in the odour of sanctity; and .the whole of the in- mates of the convent .witnessed her funeral-the funeral of her whose corpse was consuming amo~ig quick-lime in the vault beneath the trap-door! The few nunS who witnessed her real death and' burial, felt that they had much merit in assistingg so pious a fraud, by which the faith of so many had been strengthened. Masses Were sa&d for her soul, and the young novice of the vigil vowed another for her repose, fully trusting that ~he would hear heaVenly music again'. til Le Ll a' page: 390-391[View Page 390-391] CHAPTER XLI. A DISAPPOINTMENT. "What call unknown, what charms presume, "To break the quiet of the tduib?" GBAI TRUE to his appointment, Edward went next ni with all needful implements for forcing the pri~ bars. lb was accompanied by a young man wh acquaintance he had made in hunting, who had been a bandit on the mountains, and who now liv by the chase.- Bold and lawless enough for any venture, hating the government and the priestho he was ever ready to do them a disservice, and heart having been won towards~ jEdward by witnessiij an act of singular courage in despatching a wil boar, he was easily induced to assist in the project delivering the captive nun. 'Saint Benedict send out the Abbot himself upo i~s,' exclaimed the bandi~t., 'He would be as fat prey as that old tucker you finished so gallantly.' 'Ak! eomrade! but it i~ 'not sport we want t A DISAPPOINTMENT. 391 9I lit d-. a, Lf [1 night, it is serious work-no shooting of an abbot- but to bring this young lady out of his clutches ! 'For this night I am your servant. I will forget that there is sport in the worlds This signora sl~al1 be yours ere morning dawns, and I will conceal you where neither priest nor shirro shall dare to come till you can embark for England.' 'Grazie, mio Amico!' Their first act was, of course, to speak through the bars of the grating. There was no response9 Again and again as disti~ictly i~s he dared, Edward pronounced the name of Mary, but Mary re~Aied not, and he turned to hi~ companion in a tumult of dread forebodings. Amico,' said the bandit, 'your design 'Ah! has been discovered. The signora is placed beyond your reach. The holy mother defend her! You must have been observed.' 'speak, Mary!' cried the young man through the iron .grating. There was no answer. 'Cousin Mary, you are safe all things are pre~ pared for flight-only speak!' still not a voice responded. 'I must see, at least,' said Edward, taking up a file and beginning to 'work at the grating. The bandit wrought on the other side .9f the bar, and then the crowbar was applied to the weakened iron. It. 'V. .4 page: 392-393[View Page 392-393] 392 SISTER AGNES. A ISAPPOINTMENT. 393 gave way; another and another was wrenched o~t, the lantern was lowered to the floor, and they enter d. 'Demons is this a place for a high-born Engli~sh lady?' he muttered, almost sic ene'~by the sight and odour. 'Mary, cousin Mary, speak if you are ali e. Can she have been murdered?' e inquired, turni~ig to his companion. 'It is possible,' returned the bandit, 'but if so, her body will surely be fouiid he e.' Strangely e - cited they stumbled on amidst the horrible contend s of the vault. '~What's this-lime?' said Ed ard. 'Lime!' echoed his companion , 'then there A been murder.' They put down the lantern, and its light glance u~poT1 a h~tid proti'uding from the heap ;-a whit, stiff; female hand and arm. ]~Id~ard fell fainting o~i the floor. He had bee~i on a battle-flek1,and~ha~1 ridden over heaps of slain without wincing; but thi~ deed of death in darkness and solitude, was too muc1~ for him. A plague on English cowardice!' muttered th~ bandit. 'Could.not you have fainted where our IiVe~ were safJ? ~y the Yirgin it wem well dotie td k~*e yo~h~re~ Thit~this restores life as well~ a~ de~ s~oyst it7' odd~d he, dr~wh~ otr~ his stiletto; sl~ghtl~ *o~tifrdb~ th6 ~hg&~iih~ yditg x~i in & sensitive, part. He instantly showed signs of res~ tored animation, and in a little time was able to folk 19w his guide to the grating. They had just emerged2 when a hoarse voice commanded them to stop and a pistol was fired, without however taking effect. Thd bandit returned the salute in an equally harmless manner, when the assaulting party fled towards the convent, and Edward and the bandit retreated as speedily as possible. Much as he needed hospitality, Edward could not return to Count Guarducci; and he was in no mood to encounter the prying of the peasant with~ whom he had taken up. his quarters on the previous night. He stretched himself upon the dried grass beneath the pure Italian sky,~ to rest, but ~not to sleep. We need not picture his feverish tossing, his wild ima- ginings, his horrified remembrances of the burial.. vault. That the white hand and arm beloi~ged to his murdered cousin, he doubted not, and his aim now was to pass on by the assistance of the bandit to Florence, to obtain a passport, and set out for England-hav. ing first written to acquaint Colonel Hayward with the sad and fruitless issue of his adventure. The bandit was faithful, and he liberally rewarded him. Immediately upon the reception ofiiis son's letter Colonel Hayward set out also for V1orence,~ and sooii joined his son. He had on the ~day appointed by~th~ priest, paid a visit to the convent, where he was 1W Is ) I 1 392 398 page: 394-395[View Page 394-395] 394 SISTER AGNES. A DISAPPOINTMENT. 39~i formed that the young lady who~e exclamation had attracted his attention, was the daughterr of an Eng- lish ~iobleman who had been long presidentt in Florence -.that a disappointment had pre~red upon her mind until she had become unfit for society-that she had been placed in ~he convent as a secure and calm re- treat, and being perfectly harmless, was always per- initted to4ake part in religious ceremonies-that she still believed Colonel Hayward t be a relative, and ~that the excitement .of the inorni g had thrown her into 'a dangerous illness. It w s quite impossible that' Colonel Hayward should see her; and the Colonel chafing with rage, but nable to make out any ease for the interference of onsul, ambassador, or Tuscan government, was bowe off in the most po- lite mariner possible. 'Horrid liars your Italians!' he exclaimed to his friend the Count. 'Say rather, our priests,' retor ed ~uarducci: 'It is the Jesuits who have made us hag we are. 'Hark you, Count!' said Col el Hayward; 'be- fore I came to Tuscany, I was t e advocate of Ca- * tholic emancipation; payment Irish priests by government; the grantLto Mayn 'th; and what not. Now I' have learned something! on may call me a fool fo~ ever, if I don't enter my elf a member of a P~ot~stant Association as soon as I reach England, and get up the ." 14o Popery" cr at Grantishall, for the next election. You'll hear of me in parliament by and bye, making Protestant speeches without a doubt.' Colonel Hayward had left but a few days, when Count Guarducci ~was arrested in his own house on a charge of conspiracy against the government; his goods forcibly ta~en possession o1 and himself cast into prison, his servants dismissed, and his son per- mitted to flee a beggar to England. The strange story was told in England, wondered at,4whispered about, sneered at, magnified, doubted, derided, gossiped over in old ladies' tea-parties, re~ lated on Protestant platforms, and finally discarded as totally wanting in the elemer~ts of credibility. The corpse that would have proved its truth was con- sumed by quick-lime in the burial-vault of the con~ vent of Santa Helena; and a British minister o~ whom better things had once 'been expected, classes it, perhaps1 among the anecdotes which, in term~ equally correct and courtly, he stigmatized in. par~ ligament as "Cock and bull stories." 394 SISTER AGNE8. page: 396-397[View Page 396-397] APPENDIX. WHERE startling statements have been made they will be shown to be quite consistent with the author- ized tenets of the Romish Church. In' doijig so, it will he requisite frequently to quote from the wriP ings of St. Alfonso Liguori. These have been by that Church stamped with infallibility. In 1803, the Sacred 'Congregation of Rites decreed, that "In all the writings of Alfonso IAguori, edited an~ unedited, there was not one word that couldjustlyb~ found fault with." Four days afterwards Pope Piu~ VII, solemnly approved and ratified the decree. On 5th June, ,1831, another decree of'the Sacred Chamber confirmed the former; and in 1839, Li~uori was canonized. The extracts here given 'from the writings of the latest saint of the Holy Church will be found to b~ authentic, although the author of this volume has not personally drawn the gems from that mine of morality. If a dian~ond be real, it matters not that the jeweler has not 'himself excavated it from the earth. 9 il+ page: 398-399[View Page 398-399] 398 APPENDIX, APEDX 4 39~ A.-page 25. "It is not only lawful, but ofte cive to the honour of God, and the boiir,-4o ,f4~over the faith than to instance, if concealed among. he more good." B.-page 80. "It is not a mortal sin; nor from the value of the sacrament, if * lie ~i little about matters that do no~ ranient." C.-jage 48. "To injure. another's reputatii good, if 4ue attention to circumsta~ !i~uot sin; nor c~n it .b~e called detr~ 7 U-page 60. "-in the Cath~Aic Church no on to trust himself in spiritual matters. Preface to the Exercises of Loyoli ~' ~Vhey who desire to be perfect i mupt submit jhem8elves to a learned they obeyKa~ ~od He who so acts during a reason f~r all bis actions." ut is nore condu- good of our neigh- confess it; as for ~etics ~you can do LlguorI, 111.14. oes it~ take away n confession, you concern the sac-. Liguori, vi. 498. for any needful ials be observed, tjon." is evei~ allowed by Nicholas wiseman. the way of God confessor, whom s safv from ren.- .Llgriorl, 1. 11. E~-'page 61. "At an age when the heart is especially open to those impressions whidi may be called romantic or sentimental. ... she is beset with continual eommen~ nations of the heavenly state of a nun; she is told of innumerable dangers and difficulties which surround thos~ who live in the world, and of the ease with which she can serve God in a cloister. The du~i4s of a wi1~e, the cares of a mother, are denounced as dangerous, and interfering with~ the souVs health." Nuns a~id Nunneries, p. I~T. F.-page 62. The light of the nineteenth century has not so shone upon Rome's "lying wonders" as to deter her from them. Nay, a British Peer has gravely and devoutly published in England stories of continent~d miracles; and the elegant pen of a clergyman has decorated with many~grac~s, old tales which we ~had thought scarcely fit for the nursery. G.-page 66. "In those things in which the jus divinum has its origin in human will, as in vows and oaths, it is ce~ tam with all, that the P~pe has the faculty of disp~'i~ ing with them." Ligaori, vI~1~9. 'I APPENDIX. page: 400-401[View Page 400-401] 400 ~~APPENDIX. APEDX 0 H.-page 66, , "The Pontiff cannot dispense with the law of Goc without a just cause'; but in any doubt about . thevaidty f dispensation, it ito be accounted valid." Busembaum. "Sanchez, and many others, say with great prob- ability, that the Pope has the pow . . . of declar- ing that the law of God no longer binds." - Liguori, vi. 1119. I.--page 128. Mr. Druimond relates the follow to -a young 'lady, of whom 'he 'had guardian. S" After I had taken her out of heard her one day speaking with die la Sap~rieure, at which I expressed cause whenever I had-oeit h a she had always appeared so fond of h ror I was infortned, that all the gi friends came to see them, were oirdere the knees of Madame la Sup~rieure, the ime they remained, to make the' howilappy they were' '~Peafoadhe Eights and Liberties of Women," Ullathorne. By Henry Drummnd, ing with respect been appointed thre convent, .I like of Madame ny surprise, be- dour to see her, ~r. To my hor- Is, when their dto jump iupon 3d kiss her all 'friends believe In answer to Bishop J.-page 150. .Filthiness of person 'and habitation has been from a very early period indispensable to saintship ; and i~ is everywhere enjoined upon nuns. Contrast God's precepts to his ancient people, with the~ commands of priest~ to their votaries. Protestants imagine some connection between purity of body and purity of mind; poor unenlightened creatures!. K.-page 153. Play-acting is not unfrequent in nunneries, from sacred (query profane ?) dramas to" the lowest come. dies. Often even secular dresses are then used, aid priests-are spectators. L.-page 201. See iguori, i'. 381 and 968. M.-page 202. On this point Viva, Navarre, lalbal, Tamburine, &c~ have decided that it is lawful for good reason to tempt to sin, and the canonized Liguori echoes their' opinion in ii.58. 400 dOA APPENDIX. page: 402-403[View Page 402-403] 402 APPENDIX. N.-page 278. "A. depend t or a witness, no~ legitimate1~y ~ terro~te4 ~y judge, may swe~r that he knows nothing of the cousation, though in truth he does k~w," &e. Lig. iv. 154. 'KI the fault charged he secret may; nay, he is bound to swear t innocent.". All accusations in civil courts ag come under the first ruie\; Rome of any secular judge to try an ecclesi day, 6th February, 1854, the Chief J Pleas, Th~blin, had occasion to adini ing rebuke to a jury.. "He never i heard so monstrous a verdict given I their oaths. He was the last mat interfere with the proper duty of a ju not, in the present case, refrain fron verdict was contrary to evidence, aix obligation they had taken, to find a ** dence. * * Ifjuries found such Chief Justice) thought the sooner the the better." No priest was concern but instances in wl4ch they have~ cont: b~eeri. ~e4uitted of riot, must be familiar readers. APPENDIX. 40S O.-page~ 281. One of the chief dangers of BAtish convents arises from their being affiliated with others on the. conti~ nent; so that on the smallest risk of discovery by, or interference on the part of friends, the prisoner can be deported to a Pbpish country, where no law can reach her; where, even in case of escape, she would be hunted down by the police as a criminal; ~nd where horrors unki~town may be perpetrated. Tli9 moral and religious ~tate of some Continental nur~- neries has been of late laid open; and a recent cas~, widely published, has proved that the mere caprice of an Abbess is sufficient to determine the destination of a captive, in spite of ailremonstranee and opposP tion of friends; ev~en when They are acquainted wit~i that destination. P.-page 827. then the i~~itness atthe accused is Ibid. iv. 154. ~inst priests mi~st ending the right ~astic. On Mon- stice of Common ister the follow- his experience, y twelve men on in the world to y; but he could saying that the to the LoontrarY cording to evi- erdicts, he (the were abolished d in this case; ary to evidence, to many, of our. "They are not confessor to anoth their wishes." In many cons from all i~ule and di and even vice, pre to be condemned who go from oi~e ~r, until they find one favourable 1~o Bu~embaui~. Q.-.page 334. ents the infirmaryr" is exempted scipline; folly of every description, irail there unchecked. page: 404-405[View Page 404-405] APPENDIX. APPENDIX. R.-page 842. The Abbess may, from caprice o~ tyranny, limit the visits of a nun both as to number and duration; them altogether, obliging a change jealousy, or sheer to her confessor, ~r she may forbid of person. S.~-page 369. This story is related by the Re . M. Hobart Sey- mour, in his" Pilgrimage to Rome," nd was repeated by him in a lecture delivered ~in Bat , on the nunnery question. That lecture provoked an attempt at reply from Cardinal Wiseman, who called his fact1 in ques- tion, but only to ~have it, along wi li many ot1ier~, reiterated and substantiated. We beg to: refer to Mr. Seymour's speech, entitled, "Co vents or Nun- neries; a Lecture, in reply to Ca.rdi al. Wiseman." T.-~--page 385. Let it not be ~id that the torture was a resource of the dark ages, and that RoWe, as well as secular governments, has left it in disuse. ome was and is infallible. What sh&~Pproved of in the dark ages, she must approve of now, or resign in4llibility, which she will never do; but her saint of 1~39 gives rules for the infliction of torture. Se~tigu9ri, v. 202, 20~, 204. I Death' is still recognized a,~-the proper punish- ment of the incorrigible heretic; even though that heretic be a sovereign. i:n th~ latter case, public insurrection and private assassination are equally lauded. Liberty of conscience and the liberty of the press -"the ever-to-be-execrated and detestable liberty of the press "-are denounced in G-regorii XYL Epis. Encyclica ad omnes Patriarchas, Primates, Archie- piscopos, et lEpiscopos. Aug. 1839. IJ..-page 892. The correspondent in Rome of the Daily News, London journal, while avowing himself a Roman Catholic, thus wrote from that city, March 31, 1849,- "1 ~visited this morning the works going on in the subterranean vaults of the Holy Office, and~ was not a little horrified at what I saw with my own eyes, and held in my. own hands. Though I have been familiar with everything in and about Rome for a quarter of a century, I confess I never had any curi- osity to visit the Inquisition, taking it for granted that everything was carried on there fairly and honestly, as I was led to believe by people worthy in other respects of implicit trust. Be0ides, the place itself is out of the beaten track of all strangers, and 404 I 405 page: 406-407[View Page 406-407] 406. APPENDIX. in a sort of cul-de~,ac behind S . Peter's, where it naturally retired to perform its blushing operations, and 'd~ 'good by stealth.' I was struck with the out- ward appearance of civilization and comfort displayed by the building, which owes its erection to author of the last creed; but on character 'of the concern was no entering, the real longer dissimulated. A range of Strongly-barred prisons formed the ground-floor of a quadrangular court, and these dark and damp receptacles I found Were only the prelimi- n~ry stage of probation, intended for new-comers, as yet uninitiated into the Eleusinian mysteries of the establishment. Euitering a passage to the left, you arrive at a smaller courtyard, where a triple row of smalbbarred dungeons rise from the soil upwards, SomeWhat after the outward look of ~t, three-decker accommodating' about sixty prisoners. These barred cages must have been often fully manned, for~ there is a sup eme ry w constructed at ~the back of the qua angle on the ground-floor, which faces a large gaa' en. All these cellular contrivances have strong ir rings let into the masonry, and in some there is large stone firmly imbedded in the centre with asi lar massive ring. Numerous inscriptions, dated centuries back, are dimly legible Qn the admis- sion of light, the general tenor being assertion of inuoeenee: 'Iddjo~ ci ?iber~ di lin~rua calurn,~iatrice' lo diimenico Gazzoli vissi qut Crnni 18,' A Galuinj- 4 APPENDIX. 407 atores mendaces exterminabuntur.' I read another somewhat longer, the drift of which is, 'The caprice or wickedness of man can't exclude me from thy Church, 0 Christ, my only hope.' The officer in charge led me down to where the men were digging in the vaults below; they had cleared a downward flight of steps, which was choke~I up~ with old rubbish, and had come to a series of dungeons under the vaults deeper still, and which immediately brought to my mind the prisons of the Doge under the canal of the Bridge of Sighs at Venice, only that here there was a surpassing horror. I saw imbedded in old masonry, unsymmetrically arranged, five skeletons in various recesses,'and the clearance had only just begun ; the period of their insertion in this spot must have been more than a century and a-half. From another vault full of sculls and scattered human remains there was a shaft about four feet square, ascending perpendicu- larly to the first floor of the building, and ending in a passage off th~ hall of the chancery, where a trap- door lay between the Tribunal and the way into a suite of rooms destIned for one of the officials.' The object of this shaft could admit but of one surmise. The groun 'of the vault was made up of decayed ani- mal matter, a lump of which held embedded in it a long' silke lock of hair, as I found on personal 'ex~ examination, s it was shovelled up from' below. Why or wherefor i, with a large space of vacant ground, 407 APPENDIX. page: 408-409[View Page 408-409] 408 API'ENrnx. lying outside the structure, this charnel-house should be contrived under the dwelling, passes my ken. But that is not all: there are two large subterranean lime-kilns, if I may so call them, shaped like a bee- hive, in masonry, filled with layers of calciued bones, forming the substratum of two other chambers on the ground4ioor, in the immediate vicinity of the very mysterious shaft above mentioned. I know not what interest you may attach to what looks like a chapter from Mrs. Radcliffe, but had I not the .evidence of my own senses, I would never have dreamt of such appearances in a prison of the Holy Office, being thoroughly sick of the nonsense that has for years been put forth on this topic by partizan pens." Daily .N~wa, April, 1849. The following address, by the Author of this volume, was extensively, circulated, and promptly re. sponded to. The females of Great Britain poured in their memorials to the Queen, and~also to Parliament, and the subject was taken up by influential members of both Houses; and the bills of Mr. Chambers and Mr. Whiteside, for inspection and regulation of nun- neries, have been submitted to the legislature. A. ropish faction seemed sworn to defeat them: by fair means they cannoP-they will not long do so by foul. } .1* A1A~1~13~ S ~31~ISfl' .6ThsTA~;: YL4LJb.,~. Winx~ Pop h aggr~ion~ h~s stirred the FrotoBtaflt~: i~ni of Bntin to it~ prof~iun49st dejithsiut1~e@Od providence o O~o4 c~ctui~taxices 1~ave ~lso ocourr~d~ ~ call the at mention of the ~i utry t~& sotne ~f the edts oi~ O&nveintu I Institmtlens. The~ women &f ThigIa~k4 hav~1origW ~4ie4 ~it1i a~tk\iI representation& Qtt1Lf~ Vtirity&~~l Ii 'ppiiiesa ofOonventlifeL, a~d in too many azieesTh deceptiou ha~ ~ueceeded T~Aauy ~I~r~tisE females ~ into 1~$hnneries, ab~& it is well known at~ sdi*ie~of these are 4et&i~ied tI~er~ 1~u Willing~ ha ~ been too Iate~ ~ theii~ dr~ath'6f bP ~e~s # ' feaffd reah1~y of utter desolation. ud sh &om~Prot~taut ~rI~I1~ tJI~1~O noai~ixi: ~ is K ~e '1~1~uner~rs. rri~oni~, ~ are, in ~nu~ ee eou~try, tingeons ~which th~ light, of s a 4 page: 410-411[View Page 410-411] 410 APPENDIX. APPENDIX. 411 day cannot penetrate, dens of iniquity which British law cannot reach. One, in the shining circle of England's nobility, has indeed been plucked from the mela~iieEoTy seclu- sion; but there are few who have th~ Chancelloi~$f~ the kingdom to break their chains. Let the women of Britain bestir themselves in behalf of their weeping sisters, whose very cries f~r liberty do but commit them to deeper dungeons. Let the case of the op- pressed be carried to the foot of the throne. J#t the Queen of England be petitioned to recommend to the consideration of Parliament a measure for the opening of the Convent cells; not to force out of them any who may wish to remain, but to give free egress to those who pine in the chains of the Priest and the Abbess. The genius of British liberty detests the underground mysteries of the DOonvent. If all be right which is enacted there, why is not all open? If the inhabitants stay willingly, why are they shut in with high walls and iron bars? Are they prison- ers, 'or lunatics, or both? Both, we believe. Many a nun dies raving mad. Some try voluntarily to seek, as they vainly think, the ways to heaven. Let them stay. It is only the constrained, the oppressed, the wretched that we would liberate. No mother in Britain can tell how soon her da hter may be allured into one of these bastiles. Ho can she bear to think that the voice which once gladdened only reply that the be may be end gerin~ deat in vain to shrouded? Rome's ( ly, all aroun may be acti convert the Let them h victims, an holds of the remain, let unbolted. I propose~ female petit Jreland be arrangement supervision testant," in' I The worl tan towns; parishes wa burgh, or Dii who have tin to set on fool ~er fireside may cry for help, where the 3hall be the echo of the dismal vault ;- over whose childhood she watched, iring despair and degradation, and a lin- where all efforts shall be expended ~ierce the mysteryy in which she is en- missarieS are working, concealed or open~ us. Their wiles we do not know. They unseen in the (~iost happy families, to into scene~ of l~Teeping and desolation. ye no fastuesses whither to carry ~ff their from which to defy the rescue. Let the i~obbers be thrown open; and if the prey 't be voluntarily; unchained, unbarred, that, before next session of Parliament, ons from all parts of Great Britain and resented to the Queen, praying for the * of an effective and constant system of fall Nunneries,, whether Popish or '~ Pro~ he United Kingdom. ought to be commenced in the metropolb ut let not our country towns and rural t for the example of London, or Edin- un. There are women in various places, e, and influence, and philanthropy enough * such petitions. Others will soon follow 410 APPENN1 page: 412-413[View Page 412-413] them. There are noblemen in our land who will will- ingly dexirvey these prayers to the foot of' the throne. They will assuredly awaken a responsive chord in the heart of our beloved and benevolent Sovereign. TIHE END. I .1 ( ) p
