The flowers belonged by right to the florists。 Four 〃virgins〃 walked in advance。
On the morning of that great day it was no rare thing to hear the question put in the dormitory； 〃Who is a virgin？〃
Madame Campan used to quote this saying of a 〃little one〃 of seven years； to a 〃big girl〃 of sixteen； who took the head of the procession； while she； the little one； remained at the rear； 〃You are a virgin； but I am not。〃
BOOK SIXTH。LE PETIT…PICPUS
CHAPTER V
DISTRACTIONS
Above the door of the refectory this prayer； which was called the white Paternoster； and which possessed the property of bearing people straight to paradise； was inscribed in large black letters：
〃Little white Paternoster； which God made； which God said； which God placed in paradise。
In the evening； when I went to bed； I found three angels sitting on my bed； one at the foot； two at the head； the good Virgin Mary in the middle； who told me to lie down without hesitation。
The good God is my father； the good Virgin is my mother； the three apostles are my brothers； the three virgins are my sisters。
The shirt in which God was born envelopes my body； Saint Margaret's cross is written on my breast。 Madame the Virgin was walking through the meadows； weeping for God； when she met M。 Saint John。
‘Monsieur Saint John； whence e you？' ‘I e from Ave Salus。'
‘You have not seen the good God； where is he？' ‘He is on the tree of the Cross； his feet hanging； his hands nailed； a little cap of white thorns on his head。'
Whoever shall say this thrice at eventide； thrice in the morning； shall win paradise at the last。〃
In 1827 this characteristic orison had disappeared from the wall under a triple coating of daubing paint。
At the present time it is finally disappearing from the memories of several who were young girls then； and who are old women now。
A large crucifix fastened to the wall pleted the decoration of this refectory； whose only door； as we think we have mentioned； opened on the garden。
Two narrow tables； each flanked by two wooden benches； formed two long parallel lines from one end to the other of the refectory。
The walls were white； the tables were black； these two mourning colors constitute the only variety in convents。
The meals were plain； and the food of the children themselves severe。
A single dish of meat and vegetables bined； or salt fishsuch was their luxury。
This meagre fare； which was reserved for the pupils alone； was； nevertheless； an exception。 The children ate in silence； under the eye of the mother whose turn it was； who； if a fly took a notion to fly or to hum against the rule； opened and shut a wooden book from time to time。 This silence was seasoned with the lives of the saints； read aloud from a little pulpit with a desk； which was situated at the foot of the crucifix。
The reader was one of the big girls； in weekly turn。 At regular distances； on the bare tables； there were large； varnished bowls in which the pupils washed their own silver cups and knives and forks； and into which they sometimes threw some scrap of tough meat or spoiled fish； this was punished。
These bowls were called ronds d'eau。 The child who broke the silence 〃made a cross with her tongue。〃
Where？
On the ground。
She licked the pavement。 The dust； that end of all joys； was charged with the chastisement of those poor little rose…leaves which had been guilty of chirping。
There was in the convent a book which has never been printed except as a unique copy； and which it is forbidden to read。
It is the rule of Saint…Benoit。 An arcanum which no profane eye must penetrate。 Nemo regulas； seu constitutiones nostras； externis municabit。
The pupils one day succeeded in getting possession of this book； and set to reading it with avidity； a reading which was often interrupted by the fear of being caught； which caused them to close the volume precipitately。
From the great danger thus incurred they derived but a very moderate amount of pleasure。
The most 〃interesting thing〃 they found were some unintelligible pages about the sins of young boys。
They played in an alley of the garden bordered with a few shabby fruit…trees。 In spite of the extreme surveillance and the severity of the punishments administered； when the wind had shaken the trees； they sometimes succeeded in picking up a green apple or a spoiled apricot or an inhabited pear on the sly。
I will now cede the privilege of speech to a letter which lies before me； a letter written five and twenty years ago by an old pupil； now Madame la Duchesse de one of the most elegant women in Paris。
I quote literally： 〃One hides one's pear or one's apple as best one may。 When one goes up stairs to put the veil on the bed before supper； one stuffs them under one's pillow and at night one eats them in bed； and when one cannot do that； one eats them in the closet。〃 That was one of their greatest luxuries。
Onceit was at the epoch of the visit from the archbishop to the convent one of the young girls； Mademoiselle Bouchard； who was connected with the Montmorency family； laid a wager that she would ask for a day's leave of absencean enormity in so austere a munity。 The wager was accepted； but not one of those who bet believed that she would do it。
When the moment came； as the archbishop was passing in front of the pupils； Mademoiselle Bouchard； to the indescribable terror of her panions； stepped out of the ranks； and said； 〃Monseigneur； a day's leave of absence。〃
Mademoiselle Bouchard was tall； blooming； with the prettiest little rosy face in the world。 M。 de Quelen smiled and said； 〃What； my dear child； a day's leave of absence！
Three days if you like。
I grant you three days。〃 The prioress could do nothing； the archbishop had spoken。 Horror of the convent； but joy of the pupil。
The effect may be imagined。
This stern cloister was not so well walled off； however； but that the life of the passions of the outside world； drama； and even romance； did not make their way in。
To prove this； we will confine ourselves to recording here and to briefly mentioning a real and incontestable fact； which； however； bears no reference in itself to； and is not connected by any thread whatever with the story which we are relating。
We mention the fact for the sake of pleting the physiognomy of the convent in the reader's mind。
About this time there was in the convent a mysterious person who was not a nun； who was treated with great respect； and who was addressed as Madame Albertine。
Nothing was known about her； save that she was mad； and that in the world she passed for dead。 Beneath this history it was said there lay the arrangements of fortune necessary for a great marriage。
This woman； hardly thirty years of age； of dark plexion and tolerably pretty； had a vague look in her large black eyes。 Could she see？
There was some doubt about this。
She glided rather than walked； she never spoke； it was not quite known whether she breathed。
Her nostrils were livid and pinched as after yielding up their last sigh。
To touch her hand was like touching snow。