“I must tell you, first of all, with whom the institution intends to place you.  It is a widow lady, named Mme. de Bremant, a person of the most steadfast piety.  In her house, I hope, you will meet with none but excellent examples.  If it should be otherwise, you can come and inform me.”

“How so, mother?” said the sewing-girl, with surprise.

“Listen to me, my dear daughter,” said Mother Sainte-Perpetue, in a tone ever more and more affectionate; “the institution of St. Mary has a double end in view.  You will perfectly understand that, if it is our duty to give to masters and mistresses every possible security as to the morality of the persons that we place in their families, we are likewise bound to give to the persons that we so place out every possible security as to the morality of their employers.”

“Nothing can be more just and of a wiser foresight, mother.”

“Naturally, my dear daughter; for even as a servant of bad morals may cause the utmost trouble in a respectable family, so the bad conduct of a master or mistress may have the most baneful influence on the persons who serve them, or who come to work in their houses.  Now, it is to offer a mutual guarantee to good masters and honest servants, that we have founded this institution.”

“Oh, madame!” cried Mother Bunch, with simplicity; “such designs merit the thanks and blessings of every one.”

“And blessings do not fail us, my dear daughter, because we perform our promises.  Thus, an interesting workwoman—­such as you, for example—­is placed with persons that we suppose irreproachable.  Should she, however, perceive, on the part of her employers, or on that of the persons who frequent the house, any irregularity of morals, any tendency to what would offend her modesty, or shock her religious principles, she should immediately give us a detailed account of the circumstances that have caused her alarm.  Nothing can be more proper—­don’t you think so?”

“Yes, mother,” answered Mother Bunch, timidly, for she began to find this provision somewhat singular.

“Then,” resumed the superior, “if the case appears a serious one, we exhort our befriended one to observe what passes more attentively, so as to convince herself whether she had really reason to be alarmed.  She makes a new report to us, and should it confirm our first fears, faithful to our pious guardianship, we withdraw her instantly from the house.  Moreover, as the majority of our young people, notwithstanding their innocence and virtue, have not always sufficient experience to distinguish what may be injurious to their soul’s health, we think it greatly to their interest that they should confide to us once a week, as a child would to her mother, either in person or by letter, whatever has chanced to occur in the house in which we have placed them.  Then we can judge for them, whether to withdraw them or not.  We have already about a hundred persons, companions to ladies, young women in shops, servants, and needlewomen by the day, whom we have placed in a great number of families, and, for the interest of all, we have every reason to congratulate ourselves on this mode of proceeding.  You understand me, do you not, my dear daughter?”