"I will close the outer doors," said the Abbess, "those leading to my
passage must remain open, so that I can go in and out. I shall not
disturb you."

Paolo bowed. "When do you wish to begin?"

"At sunset."

It now struck the good Domina, that the dark Neapolitan had declared as
the fittest implements of the church the three fairest children of the
Odenwald, but she suppressed her suspicions, went to the young girls,
and informed them that the Magister intended holding special evening
prayer services for the promotion of their souls' welfare. Did they
acquiesce, they must remain behind in the church after Vespers. The
three maidens blushed, but none refused.

The Magister at noon visited the church several times and brought in
secretly a few objects, some of them from his own room, others were
taken from the town into the chapel of the Convent. In the evening
vespers were conducted as usual. When the organ had ceased playing the
loud sounding recessional and the exulting Hallelujah, Paul appeared
before the altar, where he found the three girls kneeling in a reverent
position on the three first benches. A mystical semi-darkness filled a
chapel never too bright. The young Priest uttered a prayer, and then
made his three young friends a small discourse containing much of the
same substance which we have already read in his remarks to the
Countess Sabina. Man must not only think about a higher world, but must
feel and experience it, so as to be certain of its existence. For this
cause a holy man had thought of the exercises which he was about to go
through with them. Their soul should in this very hour confer with
Jesus about its belief as a friend with a friend, as a servant with its
Lord. He himself would aid them. He then ordered the first of the
maidens to kneel down in the gloom behind the altar, where on this day
hung a picture representing in vivid and glaring colours the Holy
family in the carpenter's shop. Next he took Bertha von Steinach
already trembling with excitement by the hand and led her to a gloomy
chapel at the side. Before the altar at which he bade her kneel was a
large basket of roses. "Pray here, my dear child," he said, "and when
thou hast reverently repeated a Pater noster, Ave Maria, Salve regina,
Gloria and Magnificat, cast aside these flowers of the Spring and
consider what is hidden behind the roses of this life." Then he led
Lydia, gently supporting her by the arm to the steps of the or