tears and entreaties; but, fiery little being as once she was, I
looked to see her force spend itself in passion, and that then the
victory would have been easy; but no, she ever looks as if she had
some inward resource--some security--and therefore could be calm.
I should deem it some Huguenot fanaticism, but she is a very saint
as to the prayers of the Church, the very torment of our lives.'

'Could she escape?' exclaimed the Chevalier, who had been
considering while his sister was speaking.

'Impossible! Besides, where could she go? But the gates shall be
closed. I will warn the portress to let none pass out without my
permission.'

'The Chevalier took a turn up and down the room; then exclaimed,
'It was very ill-advised to let her women have access to her! Let
us have Veronique summoned instantly.'

At that moment, however, the ponderous carriage of Monseigneur,
with out-riders, both lay and clerical, came trampling up to the
archway, and the Abbess hurried off to her own apartment to divest
herself of her hunting-gear ere she received her guest; and the
orders to one of the nuns to keep a watch on her niece were oddly
mixed with those to the cook, confectioner, and butterer.

La Mere Marie Saraphine was not a cruel or an unkind woman. She
had been very fond of her pretty little niece in her childhood, but
had deeply resented the arrangement which had removed her from her
own superintendence to that of the Englishwoman, besides the
uniting to the young Baron one whom she deemed the absolute right