voluntarily, had
not struck her in its full significance until Catherine had quietly,
almost tonelessly, in the flat, level voice not infrequently acquired by
the religious, affirmed it.

"Supposing"--Magda looked round the rigidly bare room with a new sense
of apprehension--"supposing I felt I simply couldn't stand it any
longer? Do you mean to say, _then_, that I should not be allowed to
leave here?"

"No, you would not be permitted to. Vows are not toys to be broken at
will."

"A year is a long time," murmured Magda.

The eyes beneath the coifed brow with its fine network of wrinkles were
adamant.

"The body must be crucified that the soul may live," returned the cold
voice unflinchingly.

Magda's thoughts drew her this way and that. A year! It was an eternity!
And yet, if only she could emerge purified, a woman worthy to be
Michael's wife, she felt she would be willing to go through with it.

It was as though the white-faced, passionless woman beside her read her
thoughts.

"If you would be purified," said Catherine, "if you would cast out the
devil that is within you, you will have to abide meekly by such penance
as is ordained. You must submit yourself to pain."

At the words a memory of long ago stirred in Magda's mind. She
remembered that when her father had beaten her as a child he had said:
"If you hurt people enough you can stop them from committing sin."

Groping dimly for some light that might elucidate the problems which
bewildered her, Magda clutched at the words as though they were a
revelation. They seemed to point to the only way by which she might
repair the past.

Catherine, watching closely the changes on the pale, sensitive face,
spoke again.

"Of course, if you feel you have not the strength of will to keep your
vow, you must not take it."

The words acted like a spur. Instantly, Magda's decision was taken.

"If I take the vow, I shall have strength of mind to keep it," she said.

The following evening Magda composedly informed Gillian that she
proposed to take a vow of expiation and retire into the community of
the Sisters of Penitence for a year. Gillian was frankly aghast; she
had never dreamed of any such upshot to the whole miserable business of
Magda's broken engagement.

"But it is madness!" she protested. "You would hate it!"

Magda nodded.

"That's just it. I've done what I liked all my life. And you know what
the result has been! Now I propose to do what I _don't