s and vespers alternated with the services of the Episcopalian
and Presbyterian divines, and I am certain none suffered from the
near fellowship of the other.

A detachment of Archie's regiment, the Fraser Highlanders, was
quartered on us for the winter, and with them the community shared
their diminished hospitality; they, in turn, lent us their services
in collecting firewood and in drawing water, and it was surprising
to mark the good-will that was shown on both sides. Not only were
they granted full permission to smoke in the quarters assigned to
them, but the nuns, taking compassion on their unsuitable, and, in
their eyes, almost indecent, dress, fell to work at knitting for
them long stockings of the heaviest wool, which occasioned loud
laughter and much sly jesting among the men, and on our side
Angelique provoked some of the younger nuns to such merriment by
her sallies on the subject that they thereby incurred the
disapprobation of their more serious-minded elders.

For this attention General Murray sent to the Superior a most
gracious acknowledgment of his gratitude towards the community,
but it remained for the men themselves to cap the climax.

Every morning it was the practice of the Superior to make a round
of the convent, including those portions set apart for the
Highlanders, and on this duty I was in the habit of accompanying
her, as the men took a great pleasure in my Gaelic; and it was an
acceptable service to me to cultivate their good-will towards the
community by this simple favour. I knew many of them by name, and
indeed some of them could claim kinship with me, notably Neil, the
sergeant, whom I have already mentioned, a fine specimen of our
people, standing well over six feet in his buckled shoes.

One morning, as we entered the hall set aside for the men, we heard
a sharp command from the sergeant, and to our surprise we found
the men not only drawn up in line to meet us--which was a voluntary
mark of respect they paid the Superior--but now, there stood every
man in full dress, with cocked and feathered bonnet on his head,
claymore by his side, and firelock in his hand, and every pair of
sturdy legs encased in the long grey stockings knitted by the nuns.

The sergeant gravely stepped forward, and, saluting the Superior,
addressed her in his most correct English:

"Reverend madam, I am put forward on account of my rank, and not
for my poor abilities, to thank the ladies who would think so