Ay, methinks, had he lived, he
would have helped forward this new reformation of doctrine and manners."

"Reformation!" cries Mother Ada, entering the chamber. "I would we
could have a reformation in this house. What my Lady would be at,
passeth me to conceive. She must think I have two pairs of eyes and six
pairs of hands, if no more. Do but guess, Sister Annora, what she wants
to have done."

"Nay, that I cannot," said I. I foresaw some hard work, for my Lady is
one who leaves things to go as they list for ever so long, and then,
suddenly waking up, would fain turn the house out o' windows ere one can
shut one's eyes.

"Why, if she did not send for me an hour after we came out, and said the
condition of the chapel was shameful; how could we have let it get into
such a state? Father Mortimer was completely scandalised at the sight
of it. All the holy images were all o'er cobwebs, and all--"

"And all of a baker's dozen of blessed times," said Sister Gaillarde,
entering behind, "have I been at her for new pails and brushes, never
speak of soap. I told her a spider as big as a silver penny had spun a
line from Saint Peter's key to Saint Katherine's nose; and as to the
dust--why, you could make soup of it. I've dusted Saint Katherine many
a time with my hands, for I had them, if I'd nought else: and trust me,
the poor Saint looked so forlorn, I fairly wondered she did not speak.
Had I been the image of a saint, somebody would have heard of it, I
warrant you, when that spider began scuttering up and down my nose."

"And now she bids us drop every thing, and go and clean out the chapel,
this very morning--to have done by vesper time! Did you ever hear such
a thing?" said Sister Ada, from the bench whereon she had sunk.

"Mother Ada," said Sister Josia, "would you show me--"

"Mercy on us, child, harry not me!" cried Sister Ada.

"But I do not know whether a lily should be in this corner by the
blessed Mary," said Sister Josia, "or if the ass should stand here."

"The lily, by all means," said Sister Gaillarde. "Prithee paint not an
ass: there's too many in this world already."

"I do wish Father Mortimer would attend to his own business!" cried
Sister Ada, "or that we had old Father Hamon back again. I do hate
these new officers: they always find fault with every thing."

"Ay, new brooms be apt to sweep a bit too clean," replied Sister
Gaillarde. "Mary love us, but I would we had a new broom! I don'