"It grieves me"--

"Do not stop," she said, interrupting him.

"At the Father's bedside I received his blessing; and asked leave to be
absent a few days. 'Where?' he inquired, and I answered: 'Thou knowest I
regard the Princess Irene as my little mother. I should like to go see
her.'"

Sergius sought his auditor's face at this, and observing no sign of
objection to the familiarity, was greatly strengthened.

"The Father endeavored to persuade me not to come, and it was with that
purpose he entered upon the disclosures you ask.... 'The life the
Princess leads'--thus he commenced--'and her manners, are outside the
sanctions of society.'"

Here, from resting on her elbow, the listener sat upright, grasping the
massive arm of the chair.

"Shall I proceed, O Princess?"

"Yes."

"This place is very public"--he glanced at the people above them.

"I will hear you here."

"At your pleasure.... The Hegumen referred next to your going about
publicly unveiled. While not positively wrong, he condemned the practice