So much for the convent and the work that I was to do in it. My
next anxiety was to see how the restrictions imposed on me were
to be carried out. The first day, the Mother Superior herself
mounted guard in the parlor--a stern, silent, fanatical-looking
woman, who seemed determined to awe me and make me uncomfortable,
and who succeeded thoroughly in the execution of her purpose. The
second day she was relieved by the officiating priest of the
convent--a mild, melancholy, gentleman-like man, with whom I got
on tolerably well. The third day, I had for overlooker the
portress of the house--a dirty, dismal, deaf, old woman, who did
nothing but knit stockings and chew orris-root. The fourth day, a
middle-aged nun, whom I heard addressed as Mother Martha,
occupied the post of guardian to the precious Correggio; and with
her the number of my overlookers terminated. She, and the
portress, and the priest, and the Mother Superior, relieved each
other with military regularity, until I had put the last touch to
my copy. I found them ready for me every morning on entering the
parlor, and I left them in the chair of observation every evening
on quitting it. As for any young and beautiful nuns who might
have been in the building, I never so much as set eyes on the
ends of their veils. From the door to the parlor, and from the
parlor to the door, comprised the whole of my experience of the
inside of the convent.
Pages:
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318