-but was she following Him by
entering a convent? The conflict was severe; she burst into tears, and
sobbed as if her heart would break. Hour after hour went by, sleep
refusing to visit her eyelids, till, long after midnight, thoroughly
worn out, she sobbed herself into forgetfulness.

The convent clock was striking three when a Sister entered her cell and
summoned her to rise and repair to the chapel. Hastily dressing, she
followed her conductress, who had remained to assist her. She there
found all the nuns assembled, and for four hours they remained repeating
prayers and chanting alternately, till Dr Catton entered, and after
going through a service, administered the Holy Communion, giving the
wafer instead of bread, and wine mixed with water. Faint and weary, for
nearly two hours more Clara remained, while the nuns repeated the
prayers, or sat silent, engaged in self-examination. Some of them who
had undertaken the duty of teachers then went into the schoolroom, where
some fifty children were assembled. Clara begged leave to accompany
them, and gladly took charge of three or four of the youngest, though by
this time she felt so exhausted that she could with difficulty speak.
The school over, the nuns hurried to the refectory, where a frugal
dinner was placed on the table by the serving Sisters. In silence the
nuns took their places; in silence they ate the portions served to them.
Clara, sick from hunger, had the greatest difficulty in swallowing the
coarse and unpalatable food. It notwithstanding restored her strength,
and she went through her duties in the schoolroom with rather more
spirit than in the morning.

The following day was passed much as the first. Clara saw but little of
the Mother Superior, who kept herself much aloof from the community, in
her own apartments, which were furnished very differently to those of
the nuns.

Several weeks passed by. Though Clara got accustomed to the ways of the
establishment, and strictly followed the rules, she did not find herself
more at home than at first, nor was she at all more intimate with the
Sisters; yet, girl as she was, she possessed an indomitable spirit.
Although the false religious fervour which had induced her to consent to
enter a nunnery had vanished, she was determined not to give in on
account of the disagreeables she experienced. Her aunt Sarah had
promised to write to her, and she herself had written several times; but
she received no