“At any rate, we ought to think of her soul and send for a priest.”

“A priest would do her no good, as she is in a perfect lethargy; her soul is safe enough.  Besides, an ignorant priest would find out too much, and would tell the whole story either through malice or stupidity.  It will be time to call a priest when she has ceased to breathe.  You must tell him that she died very suddenly; you must weep a great deal, and give him a fee, and he will think only of calming your grief, and nothing about the sudden death.”

“Then we must let her die?”

“We must leave her to nature.”

“If she dies I will send a messenger to the abbess, who will dispatch another lay-sister.”

“Yes, and that will give you another ten days.  During that time you may be delivered, and you will confess that every cloud has a silver lining.  Do not grieve so, but let us endeavour to submit to the will of God.  Send for the country-woman, for I must give her some hints as to her conduct in this delicate matter, on which the honour and life of all three may depend.  For instance, if it were discovered that I had come here, I might be taken for the poisoner.”

The woman came, and I shewed her how necessary it was for her to be prudent and discreet.  She understood me perfectly, perceived her own dangerous position, and promised that she would not send for the priest till she was certain of the sister’s death.  I then made her accept ten louis in case of need.

Seeing herself made rich by my liberality, she kissed my hands, knelt down, and bursting into tears promised to follow my advice carefully.  When she had left us, the nun began to weep bitterly, accusing herself of the murder of the lay-sister, and thinking that she saw hell opening beneath her feet.  I sought in vain to calm her; her grief increased, and at last she fell in a dead faint on the sack.  I was extremely distressed, and not knowing what to do I called to the woman to bring some vinegar, as I had no essences about me.  All at once I remembered the famous hellebore, which had served me so well with Madame and, taking the little box, I held it to her nostrils.  It took effect just as the woman brought the vinegar.  “Rub her temples,” said I. She took off her cap, and the blackness of her hair was the only thing that convinced me it was not my fair Venetian.  The hellebore having brought her to her senses, she opened her large black eyes, and from that moment I fell madly in love with her.  The peasant woman, seeing that she was herself again and out of danger, went away, and taking her between my arms I covered her with fiery kisses, in spite of her continuous sneezes.

“Please let me put on my veil again,” said she, “or else I shall be excommunicated.”

I laughed at her fears, and continued to lavish my burning kisses on her face.

“I see you do not believe me, but I assure you that the abbess threatened me with excommunication if I let myself be seen by a man.”