said that she had not
expected me to prove a tyrant. I do not think tyrants feel their hearts
go pitter-patter, as mine did, both last night and this morning. Of
course I knelt and kissed her hand, and said how sorry I was to have
displeased her.

"But, indeed, my Lady," said I, "I spoke as I did because I was afraid I
had not been sufficiently firm before."

"Oh, I dare say it was all right," said my Lady, closing her eyes, as if
she felt worried with the whole affair. "Only Sister Ada thought--I
think somebody spoke to her--do as you think best, Sister. I dare say
it will all come right."

I wish things would all come right, but it seems rather as if they all
went wrong. And I do not _quite_ see what business it is of Mother
Ada's. But I ought not to be censorious.

Just as I was leaving the room, my Lady called me back. It does feel so
new and strange to me, to have to go to my Lady herself about things,
instead of to one of the Mothers! And it is not nearly so satisfactory;
for where Mother Gaillarde used to say, "Do _so_, of course"--my Lady
says, "Do as you like." I cannot even get accustomed to calling them
Sister Gaillarde and Sister Ada, as, being a Mother myself, I ought to
do now. Oh, how I miss our dear Mother Alianora! It frightens me to
think of being in her place. Well, my Lady called me back to tell me
that the Lady Joan de Greystoke desired to make retreat with us, and
that we must prepare to receive her next Saturday. She is to have the
little chamber next to the linen-wardrobe. My Lady says she is of good
lineage, but she did not say of what family she came. She commanded me
to tell the Mothers.

"_Miserere_!" said Mother--no, Sister Ada. "What an annoyance it is, to
be sure, when externs come for retreat! She will unsettle half the
young Sisters, and turn the heads of half the others. I know what a
worry they are!"

"Humph!" said Sister Gaillarde. "Of good lineage, is she? That means,
I suppose, that she'll think herself a princess, and look on all of us
as her maid-servants. She may clean her own shoes so far as I'm
concerned. Do her good. I'll be bound she never touched a brush
before."

"Some idle young baggage, I've no doubt," said Sister Ada.

"Marry, she may be a grandmother," said Mo--Sister Gaillarde. "If she's
eighty, she'll think she has a right to lecture us; and if she's only
eighteen, she'll think so ten times more. You may depend upon it, she
will rec