hile to come right when any body has
put her wrong--ever so much longer than you or Sister Margaret. The
lightning comes into Sister Margaret's eyes, and then away it runs, and
she looks so sorry that she let it come; and you only look sorry without
any lightning. But Mother Ada looks I don't know how--as if she'd like
to pull all the hair off your head, and all your teeth out of your
mouth, and wouldn't feel any better till she'd done it."

I laughed, and told the child to go to sleep, and not trouble her little
head about Mother Ada. But when I came into my cell, I began to wonder
if Sister Ada's will is perfectly mortified. It does not look exactly
like it.

Before I had done more than think of undressing, Sister Gaillarde rapped
at my door.

"Sister Annora, may I have a little chat with you?"

"Do come in, Sister, and sit down," said I.

"This world's a very queer place!" said Sister Gaillarde, sitting down
on my bed. "It would not be a bad place, but for the folks in it: and
they are as queer as can be. I thought I'd just give you a hint,
Sister, that you might feel less taken by surprise--I expect you'll have
a lecture given you to-morrow."

"What have I done?" I asked, rather blankly.

Sister Gaillarde laughed till the tears came into her eyes.

"Oh dear, the comicality of folks in this world!" saith she. "Sister
Annora, do you know that you are a very carnal person?"

"Indeed, I have always feared so," said I, sorrowfully.

"Rubbish!" said Sister Gaillarde in her most emphatic style. "Don't,
for mercy's sake, be taken in by such nonsense. It is a wonder what
folks can get into their heads when they have nothing else in them!
Sister Ada is very much concerned about the low tone of spirituality
which she sees in you--stupid baggage! She is miserably afraid you are
a long way off perfection. I'm more concerned a deal about her."

"But, Sister Gaillarde, it is true!" said I. "I am very, very far from
being perfect, and I fear I never shall be."

"Well!" saith she, "if I had to go into the next world holding on to
somebody's skirts, I'd a sight rather they were yours than Sister Ada's.
I do think some folks were born just to be means of grace and nothing
else. Maybe it is as well some of them should get into nunneries."

"Some are rather trying, I must admit," said I. "Sister Roberga--"

"Oh, Sister Roberga! she's just a butterfly and no better. Brush her
off--she's good for no more.