When I returned to the kitchen again, the nun was sitting there alone.  She shook her head at me, and by her gestures gave me to understand that some one was listening.  She afterwards informed me that the Superior was watching us, to see if we would speak to each other when we met.  I do not know how they punished her, but I heard a priest say that she would die if she suffered much more.  Perhaps they thought the loss of that precious bottle of brandy was punishment enough.  But I was glad I got it for her, for she had one good dose of it, and it did her good; her stomach was stronger, her appetite better, and in a few weeks she regained her usual health.

One day, while at work as usual, I was called up stairs with the other nuns to see one die.  She lay upon the bed, and looked pale and thin, but I could see no signs of immediate dissolution.  Her voice was strong, and respiration perfectly natural, the nuns were all assembled in her room to see her die.  Beside her stood a priest, earnestly exhorting her to confess her sins to him, and threatening her with eternal punishment if she refused.  But she replied, “No, I will not confess to you.  If, as you say, I am really dying, it is with my God I have to do; to him alone will I confess, for he alone can save.”  “If you do not confess to me,” exclaimed the priest, “I will give you up to the devil.”  “Well,” said she, “I stand in no fear of a worse devil than you are, and I am quite willing to leave you at any time, and try any other place; even hell itself cannot be worse.  I cannot suffer more there than I have here.”  “Daughter,” exclaimed the priest, with affected sympathy, “must I give you up?  How can I see you go down to perdition?  It is not yet too late.  Confess your sins and repent.”  “I have already confessed my sins to God, and I shall confess to no one else.  He alone can save me.”  Her manner of saying this was solemn but very decided.  The priest saw that she would not yield to his wishes, and raising his voice, he exclaimed, “Then let the devil take you.”

Immediately the door opened, and a figure representing the Roman Catholic idea of his Satanic Majesty entered the room.  He was very black, and covered with long hair, probably the skin of some wild animal.  He had two long white tusks, two horns on his head, a large cloven foot, and a long tail that he drew after him on the floor.  He looked so frightful, and recalled to my mind so vividly the figure that I saw at the White Nunnery, that I was very much frightened; still I did not believe it was really a supernatural being.  I suspected that it was one of the priests dressed up in that way to frighten us, and I now know that such was the fact.  But what of that?  We all feared the priests quite as much as we should the Evil One himself, even if he should come to us in bodily shape, as they pretended he had done.  Most of the nuns were very much frightened when they saw that figure walk up to the bedside, taking good care, however, to avoid the priest, he being so very holy it was impossible for an evil spirit to go near or even look at him.