Marquesan girl of virtue. Three years before the jubilee I was
enabled, through a gift inspired by Joan, to buy a horse of that
kind in Hiva-oa. I had this mare pastured on that island until the
time came for bringing her here.

"Now as to the girl, I found in the nun's school a child who was
beautiful, strong, and good. Her father was the captain of a foreign
vessel and had dwelt here for a time; he was of your country. Of the
mother I will not speak. The girl was everything to be desired. But
this was seven years before the day of the fête. That was a
difficulty.

"I stressed to the good sisters the absolute necessity of bringing
up the child in the perfect path of sanctity. I had her dedicated to
Joan, and special prayers were said by me and by the nuns that the
evil one would not trap her into the sins of other Marquesan girls.
Also she was observed diligently. For seven years we watched and
prayed, and _Monsieur_, we succeeded. I will not say that it was a
miracle, but it was a very striking triumph for Joan.

"That for the human; now for the beast. A month before the fête I
commissioned Captain Capriata to bring the mare to Tai-o-hae in his
schooner. The animal came safely to the harbor. She was still on deck
when a storm arose, and Capriata thought it best for him to lift his
anchor and go to the open sea. The wind was driving hard toward the
shore, and there was danger of shipwreck."

The old priest stood up and, leading me to a window, pointed to the
extreme end of the horseshoe circle of the bay.