The same ceremony when one taps at the other's door。
Hardly has she touched the door when a soft voice on the other side is heard to say hastily； 〃Forever！〃
Like all practices； this bees mechanical by force of habit； and one sometimes says forever before the other has had time to say the rather long sentence； 〃Praised and adored be the most Holy Sacrament of the altar。〃
Among the Visitandines the one who enters says：
〃Ave Maria；〃 and the one whose cell is entered says； 〃Gratia plena。〃
It is their way of saying good day； which is in fact full of grace。
At each hour of the day three supplementary strokes sound from the church bell of the convent。
At this signal prioress； vocal mothers； professed nuns； lay…sisters； novices； postulants； interrupt what they are saying； what they are doing； or what they are thinking； and all say in unison if it is five o'clock； for instance； 〃At five o'clock and at all hours praised and adored be the most Holy Sacrament of the altar！〃
If it is eight o'clock； 〃At eight o'clock and at all hours！〃 and so on； according to the hour。
This custom； the object of which is to break the thread of thought and to lead it back constantly to God； exists in many munities； the formula alone varies。
Thus at The Infant Jesus they say； 〃At this hour and at every hour may the love of Jesus kindle my heart！〃 The Bernardines…Benedictines of Martin Verga； cloistered fifty years ago at Petit…Picpus； chant the offices to a solemn psalmody； a pure Gregorian chant； and always with full voice during the whole course of the office。
Everywhere in the missal where an asterisk occurs they pause； and say in a low voice； 〃Jesus…Marie…Joseph。〃 For the office of the dead they adopt a tone so low that the voices of women can hardly descend to such a depth。
The effect produced is striking and tragic。
The nuns of the Petit…Picpus had made a vault under their grand altar for the burial of their munity。
The Government； as they say； does not permit this vault to receive coffins so they leave the convent when they die。
This is an affliction to them； and causes them consternation as an infraction of the rules。
They had obtained a mediocre consolation at best；permission to be interred at a special hour and in a special corner in the ancient Vaugirard cemetery； which was made of land which had formerly belonged to their munity。
On Fridays the nuns hear high mass； vespers； and all the offices； as on Sunday。
They scrupulously observe in addition all the little festivals unknown to people of the world； of which the Church of France was so prodigal in the olden days； and of which it is still prodigal in Spain and Italy。
Their stations in the chapel are interminable。 As for the number and duration of their prayers we can convey no better idea of them than by quoting the ingenuous remark of one of them： 〃The prayers of the postulants are frightful； the prayers of the novices are still worse； and the prayers of the professed nuns are still worse。〃
Once a week the chapter assembles：
the prioress presides； the vocal mothers assist。
Each sister kneels in turn on the stones； and confesses aloud； in the presence of all； the faults and sins which she has mitted during the week。
The vocal mothers consult after each confession and inflict the penance aloud。
Besides this confession in a loud tone； for which all faults in the least serious are reserved； they have for their venial offences what they call the coulpe。
To make one's coulpe means to prostrate one's self flat on one's face during the office in front of the prioress until the latter； who is never called anything but our mother； notifies the culprit by a slight tap of her foot against the wood of her stall that she can rise。 The coulpe or peccavi； is made for a very small mattera broken glass； a torn veil； an involuntary delay of a few seconds at an office； a false note in church； etc。； this suffices； and the coulpe is made。 The coulpe is entirely spontaneous； it is the culpable person herself （the word is etymologically in its place here） who judges herself and inflicts it on herself。
On festival days and Sundays four mother precentors intone the offices before a large reading…desk with four places。
One day one of the mother precentors intoned a psalm beginning with Ecce； and instead of Ecce she uttered aloud the three notes do si sol； for this piece of absent…mindedness she underwent a coulpe which lasted during the whole service： what rendered the fault enormous was the fact that the chapter had laughed。
When a nun is summoned to the parlor； even were it the prioress herself； she drops her veil； as will be remembered； so that only her mouth is visible。
The prioress alone can hold munication with strangers。 The others can see only their immediate family； and that very rarely。 If； by chance； an outsider presents herself to see a nun； or one whom she has known and loved in the outer world； a regular series of negotiations is required。
If it is a woman； the authorization may sometimes be granted； the nun es； and they talk to her through the shutters； which are opened only for a mother or sister。 It is unnecessary to say that permission is always refused to men。
Such is the rule of Saint…Benoit； aggravated by Martin Verga。
These nuns are not gay； rosy； and fresh； as the daughters of other orders often are。
They are pale and grave。
Between 1825 and 1830 three of them went mad。
BOOK SIXTH。LE PETIT…PICPUS
CHAPTER III
AUSTERITIES
One is a postulant for two years at least； often for four； a novice for four。
It is rare that the definitive vows can be pronounced earlier than the age of twenty…three or twenty…four years。 The Bernardines…Benedictines of Martin Verga do not admit widows to their order。
In their cells； they deliver themselves up to many unknown macerations； of which they must never speak。
On the day when a novice makes her profession； she is dressed in her handsomest attire； she is crowned with white roses； her hair is brushed until it shines； and curled。
Then she prostrates herself； a great black veil is thrown over her； and the office for the dead is sung。
Then the nuns separate into two files； one file passes close to her； saying in plaintive accents； 〃Our sister is dead〃； and the other file responds in a voice of ecstasy； 〃Our sister is alive in Jesus Christ！〃
At the epoch when this story takes place； a boarding…school was attached to the conventa boarding…school for young girls of noble and mostly wealthy families； among whom could be remarked Mademoiselle de Saint…Aulaire and de Belissen； and an English girl bearing the illustrious Catholic name of Talbot。
These young girls； reared by these nuns between four walls； grew up with a horror of the world and of the age。
One of them said to us one day； 〃The sight of the street pavement made me shudder from head to foot。〃 They were dressed in blue； with a white cap and a Holy Spirit of silver gilt or of copper on their breast。
On certain grand festival days； particularly Saint Martha's day； they were permitted； as a high favor and a supreme happiness； to dress themselves as nuns and to carry out the offices and practice of Saint…Benoit for a whole day。
In the early days the nuns were in the habit of lending them their black garments。
This seemed profane； and the prioress forbade it。
Only the novices were permitted to lend。 It is remarkable that these performances； tolerated and encouraged； no doubt； in the convent out of a secret spirit of proselytism and in order to give these children a foretaste of the holy habit； were a genuine happiness and a real recreation for the scholars。 They simply amused themselves with it。
It was new； it gave them a change。
Candid reasons of childhood； which do not； however； succeed in making us worldlings prehend the felicity of holding a holy water sprinkler in one's hand and standing for hours together singing hard enough for four in front of a reading…desk。
The pupils conformed； with the exception of the austerities； to all the practices of the convent。
There was a certain young woman who entered the world； and who after many years of married life had not succeeded in breaking herself of the habit of saying in great haste whenever any one knocked at her door； 〃forever！〃 Like the nuns； the pupils saw their relatives only in the parlor。 Their very mothers did not obtain permission to embrace them。 The following illustrates to what a degree severity on that point was carried。
One day a young girl received a visit from her mother； who was acpanied by a little sister three years of age。 The young girl wept； for she wished greatly to embrace her sister。 Impossible。
She begged that； at least； the child might be permitted to pass her little hand through the bars so that she could kiss it。 This was almost indignantly refused。
AUSTERITIES
One is a postulant for two years at least； often for four； a novice for four。
It is rare that the definitive vows can be pronounced earlier than the age of twenty…three or twenty…four years。 The Bernardines…Benedictines of Martin Verga do not admit widows to their order。
In their cells； they deliver themselves up to many unknown macerations； of which they must never speak。
On the day when a novice makes her profession； she is dressed in her handsomest attire； she is crowned with white roses； her hair is brushed until it shines； and curled。
Then she prostrates herself； a great black veil is thrown over her； and the office for the dead is sung。
Then the nuns separate into two files； one file passes close to her； saying in plaintive accents； 〃Our sister is dead〃； and the other file responds in a voice of ecstasy； 〃Our sister is alive in Jesus Christ！〃
At the epoch when this story takes place； a boarding…school was attached to the conventa boarding…school for young girls of noble and mostly wealthy families； among whom could be remarked Mademoiselle de Saint…Aulaire and de Belissen； and an English girl bearing the illustrious Catholic name of Talbot。
These young girls； reared by these nuns between four walls； grew up with a horror of the world and of the age。
One of them said to us one day； 〃The sight of the street pavement made me shudder from head to foot。〃 They were dressed in blue； with a white cap and a Holy Spirit of silver gilt or of copper on their breast。
On certain grand festival days； particularly Saint Martha's day； they were permitted； as a high favor and a supreme happiness； to dress themselves as nuns and to carry out the offices and practice of Saint…Benoit for a whole day。
In the early days the nuns were in the habit of lending them their black garments。
This seemed profane； and the prioress forbade it。
Only the novices were permitted to lend。 It is remarkable that these performances； tolerated and encouraged； no doubt； in the convent out of a secret spirit of proselytism and in order to give these children a foretaste of the holy habit； were a genuine happiness and a real recreation for the scholars。 They simply amused themselves with it。
It was