array of wood-reliefs emphasizing the Stations of the Cross. She herself
had liked to confess, particularly when she was fourteen and fifteen,
and to listen to the priest's voice as he admonished her with, "Now,
my dear child." A particularly old priest, a French father, who came
to hear their confessions at school, interested her as being kind and
sweet. His forgiveness and blessing seemed sincere--better than her
prayers, which she went through perfunctorily. And then there was a
young priest at St. Timothy's, Father David, hale and rosy, with a curl
of black hair over his forehead, and an almost jaunty way of wearing his
priestly hat, who came down the aisle Sundays sprinkling holy water
with a definite, distinguished sweep of the hand, who took her fancy.
He heard confessions and now and then she liked to whisper her strange
thoughts to him while she actually speculated on what he might privately
be thinking. She could not, if she tried, associate him with any divine
authority. He was too young, too human. There was something a little
malicious, teasing, in the way she delighted to tell him about herself,
and then walk demurely, repentantly out. At St. Agatha's she had been
rather a difficult person to deal with. She was, as the good sisters of
the school had readily perceived, too full of life, too active, to be
easily controlled. "That Miss Butler," once observed Sister Constantia,
the Mother Superior, to Sister Sempronia, Aileen's immediate mentor,
"is a very spirited girl, you may have a great deal of trouble with her
unless you use a good deal of tact. You may have to coax her with little
gifts. You will get on better." So Sister Sempronia had sought to find
what Aileen was most interested in, and bribe her therewith. Being
intensely conscious of her father's competence, and vain of her personal
superiority, it was not so easy to do. She had wanted to go home
occasionally, though; she had wanted to be allowed to wear the sister's
rosary of large beads with its pendent cross of ebony and its silver
Christ, and this was held up as a great privilege. For keeping quiet in
class, walking softly, and speaking softly--as much as it was in her to
do--for not stealing into other girl's rooms after lights were out, and
for abandoning crushes on this and that sympathetic sister, these awards
and others, such as walking out in the grounds on Saturday afternoons,
being allowed to have all the flowers she wanted, some extra dr