CHAPTER VII.
THE NOVICE.
We left Dona Maria in the garden of the convent, preparing to obeythe summons of the venerable abbess, Dona Madeline Aguirre Frias, inreligion, Sister Santa Marta de los Dolores, the Mother Superior of thecommunity, not doubting but that she was summoned to give a detailedaccount of the morning's events. Dona Maria expected to receive somereproof for the involuntary fault she had committed by letting her facebe seen by the cavalier who raised her when in a fainting state.
But, in her present state of mind, far from upbraiding herself for nothaving quickly lowered her veil so soon as she regained possession ofher senses, she was quite prepared to confess the impression which thesight of the young man had produced on her, and the present she hadmade him of her scapulary, for she had only one thought, one desire,one wish, and that was, to see again the man whom she loved.
Still, in consequence of the remonstrances which her companion,Rosita, made to her, and in order not to give anybody the opportunityof reading in her eyes what was passing in her soul, she removed alltraces of her tears, overcame the feeling of sorrow which had invadedher whole being, and proceeded with a firm step toward the cell of theMother Superior, while Rosita regained her own.
We have described the interior of the cells of the nuns or novicesdwelling in the convent of the Purisima Concepcion, which, with butrare exceptions, are all alike, but that of the Mother Superiordeserves a special description, owing to the difference that existsbetween it and those of the other nuns. Nothing could be morereligious, more worldly, and more luxurious than its whole appearance.It was an immense square room, with two large pointed windows, withsmall panes set in lead, on which were painted holy subjects withan admirable delicacy and surety of touch. The walls were coveredwith long gilt and embossed Cordovan leather tapestry; and valuablepictures, representing the chief events in the life of the patron saintof the convent, were grouped with that symmetry and taste which areonly found among ecclesiastics.
Between the two windows was a magnificent Virgin by Raphael, beforewhich was an altar; a silver lamp, full of odoriferous oil, hung fromthe ceiling and burnt night and day in front of the altar, which couldbe concealed by thick damask curtains when required. The furnitureconsisted of a large Chinese screen, behind which was concealed theabbess's bed, a simple couch of carved oak, surrounded by a mosquitonet of white gauze. A square table, also in oak, supporting a few booksand a desk, was in the centre of the room; and in one corner a largelibrary filled with books relating to religious matters, allowed therich gilding of scarce tomes to be seen through the glass doors. A fewchairs with twisted legs were arranged against the wall. Lastly, abrasero of brilliant brass, filled with olive kernels, faced a superbpress, whose fine carving was a work of art.
The sunshine, subdued by the coloured glass of the windows, spread asoft and mystical light, which made the visitor undergo a feeling ofrespect and contemplation, by giving this large room a stern and almostlugubrious aspect.
At the moment when the maiden was introduced to the abbess, the latterwas seated in a large, straight-backed chair, surmounted by theabbatial crown, and whose seat, covered with gilt leather, was adornedwith a double fringe of gold and silk. She held an open book in herhand and seemed plunged in profound meditation. Dona Maria waited tillthe abbess raised her eyes to her.
"Ah, you are here, my child," the abbess at length said, on perceivingthe presence of the novice. "Come hither."
Maria advanced towards her.
"You were nearly the victim of an accident which cast trouble andconfusion upon the progress of the procession, and it is slightly yourown fault; you ought to have got out of the way of the horse as yourdear sister did; but, after all, though the fear exposed your life todanger, I see with satisfaction that you have, thanks to the omnipotentprotection of Nuestra Senora de la Purisima Concepcion, escaped fromthe peril, and hence I order you to thank her by reciting an orisonmorning and night for eight days."
"I will do so, buena Madre," Maria replied.
"And now, chica, in order to efface every trace of the emotion whichthe event must have caused you, I recommend you to drink a fewspoonfuls of my miraculous water; it is, as you are aware, a sovereignremedy against every sort of attack. Worthy Don Francisco Solano,the reverend Pater-Guardian of los Carmelitos Descalzos, gave me thereceipt for it, and on many occasions we have recognised the trulysurprising qualities of this water."
"I will not fail to do so," the young lady replied, with the firmintention of doing nothing of the sort, as she knew the perfectinefficiency of the good lady's panacea.
"Good! You must take care of your health, Maria, for you know that mygreat object is to watch over the welfare of all our sisters, and torender their abode in this peaceful retreat in which we live in thepeace of the Lord, full of attractions and sweetness."
Maria looked at the abbess; she had expected some sort of reprimand,and the honeyed words of the worthy Mother Superior had a tinge ofbenignity which was not habitual to them. Emboldened by the abbess'skind manner, Maria felt a great desire to tell her of the deep aversionshe felt for a monastic life, but fearing lest she might be mistakenas to the purport of the words which fell from the unctuous lips ofthe holy person, she awaited the end of her discourse, and contentedherself with saying, with all the appearance of a submission full ofhumility--
"I know, buena Madre, how great your anxiety is for all of us; but I donot yet merit such kindness, and--"
"It is true that you are but a novice, and the solemn vows have noteternally consecrated you to the pious destination which Heaven hasreserved for you, but the blessed day is approaching, and soon--"
"Madre!" Maria impetuously interrupted, about to speak and displaythe wound in her heart which was painfully bleeding at the thought oftaking the veil.
"What is the matter, my child? you are impatient. I understand thelively desire which animates you, and am delighted at it, for it wouldbe painful for me to employ with you, whom I love so dearly, any othermeans than those of persuasion to oblige you to take the gown which isdestined for you."
On hearing the abbess speak thus, Maria understood that her fate wassettled, and that no supplication would produce any change in whatwas resolved. Moreover, the air of hypocritical satisfaction spreadover the face of the Mother Superior sufficiently proved that theconversation which she had begun had no other object than to adroitlysound the young lady as to her feelings about taking the veil, andthat, if necessary, she would employ her right and power to force herinto submission.--
Maria, consequently, bowed her head and made no reply. Either theabbess took this silence for a sign of obedience, or regarded it as amanifestation of utter indifference, for a faint smile played round herlips, and she continued the conversation.
"While congratulating you on the good sentiments which have takenroot in your mind, it is my duty to inform you of the orders which Ireceived this morning from your father, General Soto-Mayor."
Maria raised her head, trying to read in the abbess's looks what theseorders might signify.
"You are not ignorant, chica, that the rule of our convent grantsnovices who are preparing to take the veil, permission to spend a monthwith their family before beginning the retreat which must precede theceremony of their vows."
Here Maria, who was anxiously listening, felt her heart beat as if itwould burst her bosom. The abbess continued--
"In obedience to this custom, your father, before affiancing you toGod, informed me this morning that he wished to have you near him, andemploy the month which you will spend out of the convent in taking youto Valdivia to see his brother, that worthy servant of the Lord, DonLuis."
A cry of joy, restrained by the fear of letting what was taking placein her mind be seen, was on the point of bursting from her bosom.
"Dear father!" she said, clasping her hands.
"You will set out tomorrow," the abbess continued; "a servant of yourfamily will come to fetch you in the morning."
r /> "Oh, thanks, madam," Maria could not refrain from exclaiming, as shewas intoxicated with joy at the thought of leaving the convent.
Assuredly, under any other circumstances, the announcement of thisholiday would have been received by the maiden, if not with coldness,at the least with indifference; but her meeting with Leon had sochanged her ideas, that she fancied she saw in this departure a meanswhich Providence gave her to escape from a cloistered life. The poorchild fancied that her parents were thinking of restoring her to theworld; then, reflecting on the slight probability which this hypothesisseemed to possess, she said to herself that, at any rate, she might seeagain within the month _him_ whose memory excited so great an influenceover her mind. There was still hope for her, and hope is nearlyhappiness. The abbess had not failed to notice the look of pleasurewhich had suddenly illumined the maiden's features.
"You are very happy, then, at the thought of leaving us, Maria," shesaid, with an attempt at a smile.
"Oh, do not think that, Mamita," Maria said, as she threw herself onher neck. "You are so kind and so indulgent that I should be ungratefuldid I not love you."
At this moment the maiden's heart, inundated with delight, overflowedwith love. The aversion which she had felt an hour previously for allthat surrounded her had faded away and made room for a warm expressionof joy. A sunbeam on high had sufficed to dissipate the dark cloudwhich had formed on the blue sky.
In spite of the lively desire which Maria had to bear the good newsto Rosita, she was obliged to listen to the perusal of GeneralSoto-Mayor's letter, which the abbess gave her, as well as a longexhortation which the latter thought it her duty to address to herabout the conduct she should assume when she found herself in the bosomof her family. Nothing was forgotten, neither the recommendation toperform her religious vows exactly, nor that of preparing to return tothe convent worthily at the close of the month, animated with the piousdesire of devoting herself to it joyfully, as the trial of the worldwould serve to show her the slight happiness which those forced to livein it found there. Maria promised all that the superior wished; sheonly saw through the pompous phrases of the holy woman the temporaryliberty offered to her, and this sufficed her to listen patiently tothe rest of the peroration. At length the harangue was finished, andMaria rushed towards Rosita's cell; on seeing her companion with aradiant brow and a smile on her lip, the latter remained stupefied.Amid the transports of joy, Maria informed her of the happy event whichhad occurred so opportunely to calm her anguish, and embraced heraffectionately.
"How happy you seem!" Rosita could not refrain from saying to her.
"Oh! I really am so. Do you understand, Rosita, a whole month out ofthe convent, and who knows whether I may not see during the month theman who so boldly saved me from peril."
"Can you think of it?"
"Yes; I confess to you that it is my dearest wish to see him again andtell him that I love him."
"Maria!"
"Forgive me, dear Rosita, for, selfish that I am, I only think ofmyself, and forget that you, too, might perhaps like to leave theseconvent walls in order to embrace your brother."
"You are mistaken, sister; I am happy here; and though my brother lovesme as much as I love him, he will not call me to his side, for he wouldbe alone to protect me, and what should I do in the world when he wascompelled to remain with his soldiers? Ah! I have no father or mother!"
"Poor Rosita!"
"Hence," the latter said, gaily, "speak no more of me, but let merejoice at finding you smiling after having left you so sad."
The maidens soon after separated, and Maria went to make the necessarypreparations for her departure. On entering her cell, her first carewas to throw herself on her knees before the image of the Virgin andthank her. Then the rest of the day passed as usual. But anyone whohad seen the novice before her interview with the Mother Superior, andmet her after the latter had made the general's letter known to her,would have noticed a singular change in her. A lovely flush had driventhe pallor from her lips, her eyes had regained their expression ofvivacity, and her lips, red as the pomegranate flower, parted to lether heaving breath pass through.
The morrow Maria was up at daybreak, still under the impression of thesweet dreams which had lulled her slumbers. The whole night Leon'simage had been before her, flashing in her ravished eye the dazzlingprism of a new existence. It was striking ten by the convent clock whenGeneral Soto-Mayor's major-domo presented himself at the door of thehouse of God.