sleep, only to awaken with a start when they were leaving the
church and their wooden shoes clattered on the stone pavement.

In this way, she learned her catechism, her religious education
having been neglected in her youth; and thenceforth she imitated
all Virginia's religious practises, fasted when she did, and went
to confession with her. At the Corpus-Christi Day they both
decorated an altar.

She worried in advance over Virginia's first communion. She fussed
about the shoes, the rosary, the book and the gloves. With what
nervousness she helped the mother dress the child!

During the entire ceremony, she felt anguished. Monsieur Bourais
hid part of the choir from view, but directly in front of her, the
flock of maidens, wearing white wreaths over their lowered veils,
formed a snow-white field, and she recognised her darling by the
slenderness of her neck and her devout attitude. The bell tinkled.
All the heads bent and there was a silence. Then, at the peals of
the organ the singers and the worshippers struck up the Agnus Dei;
the boys' procession began; behind them came the girls. With
clasped hands, they advanced step by step to the lighted altar,
knelt at the first step, received one by one the Host, and
returned to their seats in the same order. When Virginia's turn
came, Felicite leaned forward to watch her, and through that
imagination which springs from true affection, she at once became
the child, whose face and dress became hers, whose heart beat in
her bosom, and when Virginia opened her mouth and closed her lids,
she did likewise and came very near fainting.

The following day, she presented herself early at the church so as
to receive communion from the cure. She took it with the proper
feeling, but did not experience the same delight as on the
previous day.

Madame Aubain wished to make an accomplished girl of her daughter;
and as Guyot could not teach English nor music, she decided to
send her to the Ursulines at Honfleur.

The child made no objection, but Felicite sighed and thought
Madame was heartless. Then, she thought that perhaps her mistress
was right, as these things were beyond her sphere. Finally, one
day, an old _fiacre_ stopped in front of the door and a nun
stepped out. Felicite put Virginia's luggage on top of the
carriage, gave the coachman some instructions, and smuggled six
jars of jam, a dozen pears and a bunch of violets under the seat.

At the last minute, Virginia had a