Belle-Rose — page 268: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE SIEGE OF THE CONVENT. 257 - ‘*You will be sheltered here from the snares of the world. This is a house in which peace reigns, ’’ ‘““My sister has the wish,’’ said Cornelius; ‘I will not hide the fact, madame, that her family and myself have opposed it a long time.”’ ‘It is to stand in the way of the Lord, my son.’’ . ‘That is what | have understood later on, and to-day I no longer desire to turn her from her project. I have set aside the part which falls to her from her mother’s estate, and this shall be her dowry; there is, in all, eight thou- sand pounds sterling.’’ “Eight thousand pounds sterling?’’ repeated Mother Evangélique. ‘““EKight thousand pounds,’’ continued Cornelius, negli- gently, aes makes a round sum of two hundred thousand francs. ’ ‘We never look at the dowry,’’ said the superior; ‘‘the heart is the only wealth which the Madonna desires; but this money will aid us in doing good.”’ The conversation continued upon this footing some mo- ments still; after which Cornelius, drawing from his — pocket a purse in which there were almost fifty louis, asked the superior to accept it for distribution as alms. Claudine did not feel any joy in penetrating the interior of the convent; she looked everywhere to see if she could not perceive Suzanne; but, on this day, she had to content ‘herself with the pleasure of simply sleeping under the same roof. Suzanne did not appear in the refectory. But the next day, at the morning prayer, she recognized Su- zanne among the novices. She was kneeling with her companions upon the marble, and her forehead was bowed — over her clasped hands. Claudine wept over her prayer- book. Presently the ceremony came to a conclusion, the last songs died under the sonorous vaults; Claudine aban- doned her chair and went to where the nuns passed along, followed by the novices. Suzanne was one of the last of the procession; as she passed before: Claudine, with fore- head lowered and hands crossed over her heart, Claudine lightly touched with the end of her fingers the long dress of Madame d’Albergotti; Suzanne turned her eyes and en- countered the brilliant glance of Claudine, who had one finger upon her lips to command silénce. The procession pushed Suzanne forward, she continued her silent walk; but this morning she did not leave the chapel without blessing God. Suzanne did not stay in her cell on this day. About noon she descended. to the garden and traversed the EOmIcboo cS CO