lked about, pressing us to eat, the bishop now and
then giving them cakes, with permission to eat them, which they
received laughing.

"After supper a small harp was brought in, which had been sent
for by the bishop's permission. It was terribly out of tune, with
half the strings broken; but we were determined to grudge no
trouble in putting it in order, and giving these poor recluses
what they considered so great a gratification. We got it into
some sort of condition at last, and when they heard it played,
they were vehement in their expressions of delight. The Senora
----, who has a charming voice, afterward sang to them, the
bishop being very indulgent, and permitting us to select whatever
songs we chose, so that, when rather a profane canticle, "The
Virgin of the Pillar" (La Virgin del Pilar), was sung, he very
kindly turned a deaf ear to it, and seemed busily engaged in
conversation with an old madre till it was all over.

"In these robes they are buried; and one would think that if any
human being can ever leave this world without a feeling of
regret, it must be a nun of the Santa Teresa, when, her
privations in this world ended, she lays down her blameless life,
and joins the pious sisterhood who have gone before her; dying
where she has lived, surrounded by her companions, her last hours
soothed by their prayers and tears, sure of their vigils for the
repose of her soul, and, above all, sure that neither pleasure
nor vanity will ever obliterate her remembrance from their
hearts."--_Life in Mexico_, vol. ii. p. 9.

[70] "All Mexicans at present, men and women, are engaged in what
are called the _desagravios_, a public penance performed at this
season in the churches during thirty-five days. The women attend
church in the morning, no men being permitted to enter, and the
men in the evening, when women are not admitted. Both rules are
occasionally broken. The penitence of the men is most severe,
their sins being no doubt proportionably greater than those of
the women; though it is one of the few countries where they
suffer for this, or seem to act upon the principle, that 'if all
men had their deserts, who would escape whipping?'

"To-day we attended the morning penitence at six o'clock, in the