THt: AMERICAN.
for AutCAH;
TUB HUH.
An Episode of Convent Life-
Trintlatd from tK fr-nh tjr Kr. M. J. P
Thin. A. M l
CHAPTER X.
THK StTKERlNUS Or CLAKISSE.
"Our t'mo wan like one long night,
Interrupted only by the nolno of the
door when Mother Uruln iume to
bring our fixid. ltui though I a not
able Ui dUttngulxh bc-twit-n day and
night, I could mmi ll that ionr Agnt
did, always iHVuplod with raring for
me with troubling humln, during
which ho employed all the argunwnU,
as sh Wllcvod, to convince nu. I alwo
nw her pale face, so emaciated by her
ufferlne, and her look bo aweet which
would never hoo tho light of the sun
again! Ah! how tny heart became at
tached to her! I gave her my entire
confidence; I even went bo far an to
avow the jntmesHlon of a Ilible; and
when I wan Buftlciently recovered, I
took upon myself the tak of showing
her tho truth of the precious volume,
which I read to her for hours at a time.
With what joy wo drank together at
the source of living waters! I did not
know then how Bhort a time the poor
woman had to live, but I was xsttennol
to tell ber all that I bad lu my heart.
Anil how promptly Cod blessed my
effort! Poor Agnes had never before
seen a BIblo. Not one drop of the pure
water of heaven had moistened her
Hps. Hut though she was so Ignorant,
her soul was like a fertile garden,
ready to receive all the seed, and from
which tho Word would bring fori h an
hundred-fold.
"It Is truo that, carried away by fear,
she had dono boiho years previously
all that her spiritual tyrants had
wished; but this xor crenturo was
none the less an examplo of the power
of grace, who had been regenerated and
sanctified, even before my feeble In
structions had come to her. In a short
time she became able to reject again
all the false doctrines with which
Father Joachim bad Imbued her, and
to fix her hoje upon Jesus, and uxn
Jesus alone. She saw that ber salva
tion was accomplished, and that holl
had no longer any dominion over her.
The peace of God penetrated her heart;
80, In spite of her mnny sufferings,
many a time have I heard her repeat
these words: 'Glory to God In the
highest, and on earth peace, good will
to men!'
'But In proportion as the peace of
heaven entered her foul, her poor body
weakened. In a short time she was
unablo to leave her couch. But these
times were not unhappy, for her suffer
ings were not to lie compared with
the joy which posessed her soul. Dear
old lady! Many times I seated myself
by her Bide, now to read the word to
her by the feeble light of the lamp,
then to talk Intimately and pray with
her, I saw death appoaehlng her with
gentle and measured steps but robbed
of all his terror. Yes, I shall always
give t hanks to the Lord for all my suffer
ings if I dare thus to designate my light
affliction' if I have been able to serve
to the good of that sweet and patient
creature. Ah! in these things the ways
of God have been marvelous! In allow
ing me to be bruised by iniquitit s, lie
had in view the deliverance of one of
Bis dear children.
'Yet my poor heart could not sur
mount all her f are; It was for me a
terrible thought that I should soon be
entirely alone, and at tho same timo to
be a wltnees of the agony of the poor
Dun. I feared also that I should be a
long time shut up with her remains.
Ah! how (eeble was my faith! But God
pardoned me. lie is full of compassion
and I thank II I m for enabling mo to
conceal my fears from Agnes, and lead
ing me always to be a tender daughter
to fuch a mother, who often blot-sed
God for having givt n her such a friend
in ber momenta of need.
"And so passed I do not know how
many davs, without any interruption
save the daily visits of Mother Ursula.
Our prUon was far remote from the
subterranean chapel, and yet we could
hear the service that they held there
when the bishop made his visit. The
singing of the litanies aroused Agnes,
who cried:
" 'Are we already in giory? Is it not
the voice of argelb? Is tne bitterness
of death already past?'
"At these questions I burst Into
tears, and embracing- her prayed her to
be quiet. What tenderness I feit for
ber! But they came to conduct me to
the bishop, and all my fear returned
then lest they should not return me to
Agnes. But when the bishop ordered
them to conduct me back to my prison.
I was scarcely able to contain the joy of
my heart.
"It seemed that they had not yet
come to any decision with respect to
me, for they left me several days vith
Agnes. Then they placed me In a cell
under the porch where many of the
sisters could see me, but without my
daring to speak to them. There I had
many interviews with the priest
Joachim and the Inquisitor.
"These murderers would have been
pleased to make an end of me by viol
ence: but they did not dare to do it,
though it was impossible, said the In-
quisl'-or at one time, to let me go after
having allowed me to know Agnes.
My recantation was not then the object
of their desire, but it was made the be
ginning. But still I do not know to
what extremities they would have gone
if certain circumstances has not pro
voked the iMsiple against the convents.
"The plague had api ared, and It
was during its ravages that Agnes died.
For three days it was evident to me
that she was apjroachlng her end, but
her last hour was hastened by her
formal refusal to receive the last sacra
ment that Priest Joachim offered her,
as also the energy with which the told
the coiifcsMor that she placed tier faith
lu the merits of Christ alone. God sus
tained her to tho end, in spite of the
anathema pronounced against her by
the priest, who, in departing from the
dungeon, shook the dust from his feet.
"What a moment was that of tho de
parture of the priest, of the ablniss, of
Mother Ursula, and of Annuneiata, who
accompanied him! Tho door of Iron
clow d, and I found myself alone with
tho dying. I seated myself by her pil
low, I took her In my arms, and I al
lowed my tears to fall upon her pale
face. I hoard her say to me in a husky
voice:
"'Happy child, fear nothing. A
little while and all will Ikj well. I bless
God for thee, Clarlsso, my child!'
"She slept; but little by little her
head bocamo heavier, and as I did not
hear her respiration I believed that
she had passed away.
"From that moment I am ignorant of
what passed. I do not know whether
tho terrible visions that I had then
were those of my own brain or the In
iquitous work of my persecutors. I
think rather, since my arrival In this
house of peace where I am now, that
my reason wandered.
"I cannot say at what time they bore
xor Agnes away and pluced her in the
cell under tho jKinh. The fresh air
having revived her, tho abbess pressed
her again to receive the sacraments.
She refused them, and her death was a
faithful seal of her life, to she great
horror of tho abbess. In spite of all
this they buried her with all the
Idolatrous ceremonies of the house. I
learned all those details from Mother
Genefrldo, who told me of them under
the seal of secrecy.
"I was allowed to see the funeral of
Agnes through a grated window. It
was held in tho night with torchos, and
they told me that it was I that was
burled, and that I was dead to the
world; that Pauline and Angolique
thought that I was buried, and that
they hud told Mme. Veranl not to
trouble herself any farther concerning
me (for they had learned that my two
friends had had some communications
with that lady). They said that all my
friends believed me dead; 'yes,' said
they, 'your mother and your brother
bel love It also-'
I cannot say how I passed my time
up to the hour of deliverance. I was
in the shadows and not able to compute
the time; as to the rest, I was almost
uudlsturbed. I slept; if I was hungry
I ate a little food and lay down again.
But my God did not abandon roe. No
desire of revenge entered my heart. I
thought myself in the home and park
of my father, admiring the hills, the
brooks and the smiling landscapes.
Sometimes everything was covered
with horrible visions and clouds which
surrounded me; at other times 1 Imag
ined that since tho death of Agnes I
was in a long night whose morning
would scatter the shadows, and then I
confounded the sweet image of my
father with that which my heart
formed of my glorious Savior, or it was
that of Agnes which was mixed with
that of my grandfather of whom I have
scarcely any remembrance.
"It was after a succession of frightful
visions that all at once a great noise
made me tremble. I raised myself upon
my bed; the door of the prison opened,
a ray of light penetrated and two men
appeared they were ihe priests Julian
aad Joachim. The latter seized me by
the sleeve and drew me through many
corridors whose doors were closed and
bolted behind us. I do not know all
that the men spoke about during this
long passage, only I heard the words
'Inquisition,' 'auto-de..'
"Finally we came to a narrow, wind
ing staircase which led up to the sur
face of the earth. Then I wrenched
myself from the grasp of the priest, and
falling at his feet I implored his pity,
not knowing that there is no pity in the
breast of a servant of the papal and
antichristian church. He repulsed me
with his foot, when I seized the hem of
his robe; then seizing me again, he
mounted the stairway, followed by the
Jesuit who carried a torch.
"It is here, my friends, that the pity
of my heavenly Father showed itself in
all His glory. May every mouth praise
and magnify His grace!"
CHAPTER XI.
CONCLUSION.
Such was the recital of our dear Clar
isse to whom I give her true name,
Emily. One is able to comprehend that
in hearing such a history, Pauline and
I resolved to quit a church which for
so many centuries has maintained its
authority by the use of such means.
In commencing this recital, I had
thought to terminate it in a few pages,
but I see that I have enlarged consider
ably. I ought to give a few words rela
tive to tho tersons who have figured in
it. Many years have rolled away since
then; the days of our youth have fled,
and we have left the amiable families
who bad received us.
But I must say a word concerning
the alliance Ix'twccn M. Beaumont and
William d'lvanhois. It commenced at
Geneva, where Edward was on his
journey to St Siffren to we his sister.
William decided to accompany him.
Arriving at St. Siffren, they learned
that a cousin of Mme. Veranl had en
tered a convent. All three feit them
selves unitud by the same cause; each
of them bad a friend bound by the same
vows under the same roof! Edward
and William never had any other
design in their visit to St. Siffren than
to see their friends through the grate.
But the destruction of many convents
In the Sardinian states made them con
ceive of other hoes. From its first in
ception the project was crowned with a
complete success.
Emily had comforted her heart by
her recitals. Pauline and I had re
solved that we would leave the ao tate
church; our spirits were calmed, and
our dear Emily was able soon after to
regain a robust health, snd assume the
gentle gayety that a sincere piety al
ways produces.
It was In the winter. Madamed'Ivan
hois was unwilling to consent to our
departure for the present, and I acqui
esced all the more readily since I was
without a home. M. Veranl had placed
the remnant of my fortune In a bank at
Geneva, from whenco it had been
passed, with tho advice of M. Beau
mont, to England. I was then indepen
dent; but I had no dwelling-placo, ex
cept In the heart of my dear Pauline.
Mme. Veranl was, like myself, & wan
derer upon the earth.
Yet I was not uneasy in tho sweet ro
treat where Mme. d'lvanhois wished
me to pass the winter. M. and Mme.
Veranl soon joined us. We formed a
sufficiently large society for tho daily
study of tho Bible, and the venerable
pastor of the village came to explain it
to us with as much of piety as of pro
found learning.
I would like to enter upon the details
ot the arguments which were used by
William and his parents with Pauline
to lead her to renounce the vows that
she had pronounced of William as her
husband. What especially convinced
her was that she had pronounced these
vows contrary to the authority of the
Scriptures, and especially to please
man; and that in consequence these
vows, contrary to the will of the Lord,
were no longer able to bind her.
Tn fact, our Lord has never required
his disciples to reject the primitive
order of leaving father and mother and
cleaving to the wife, On the other
hand, the forbidding to marry is one of
the marks of a church subjected to vol
untary worship rather than thechai
acter of a church conducted by divine
law.
My dear Pauline became the wife of
William. Almost all the population of
the valley assisted at the marriage.
Were I to live many years I should
never forget that day. It was the last
day of the year. The country was
covered with an abundant snow which
formed a magnificent contrast to the
rocks and pines under which the sum
mit of the Alps reared themselves like
glittering pyramids of silver. A bright
sun embellished the scene. The happy
couple advanced toward the church to
the sounds of merry bells and in the
midst of cries of joy from the people
who, from time to time, sung a song
asking the benediction of God upon the
primitive institution of marriage, ter
restial image, but blessed, of the union
of the soul with tho Lord, and not at
all of the ideal marriage of a mortal
with a celestial spouse outside of a
visible union in the world. How then
this biblical marriage differed from the
profession of a religieuse, in the bosom
of the Romish church!
It Is the entire church which is es
poused to the Lamb, so she will not
enter into that glorious union until the
natioqs are assembled before Him.
Then only will she be espoused, pure
and c'aaste, as the apostle says, to Him.
The landscapes were covered with
heather, and during the march the
crowd increased, so that when the
church was reached, it was filled in a
moment. All faces shone with joy, for
those poor peopla were happy with the
choice that Wiiliam had made. The
oldest had known him since his infancy.
they hoped that he and his wife would
treat their children with as much kind
ness as his parents had treated them.
The benevolence of Pauline and her
affable manners encouraged this hope;
she looked upon them all and e Ighed,
and I can say that these sighs did not
promise more than she performed, for,
with divine aid, she was a benediction
to that little valley, a solitary, a little
world in itself, lost in the midst of the
mountains.
I was struck with the simplicity of
the ceremony, and especially with the
benediction pronounced by the worthy
pastor. It was impossible to compare
the simple and spiritual service of the
Reformed church with that Romish
worship where the form is everything,
and where the most profound mysteries
are presented In vain and blasphemous
ceremonies.
We returned to the house in proces
sion by the same route. While we
were at the church the sun had risen
above the summits of the hills, and he
poured out his ray upon the valley, il
luminating every snow-laden branch
and making to glitter like diamonds
the azure peaks of the glaciers. The
good Kxiplo of the valley took it as a
favorable omen, and they poured forth
another song for the occasion. The
songs did cot cease until the party en
tered the house, where we terved our
humble friends with a repast which
Mme. d'lvanhois had prepared for
them.
The venerable pawtor rejoined us in
the parlor. He talked to us of the
divine goodness which manifested itself
in providing for our terrestrial needs,
but still more in that Ineffable work by
which the redemption of a believer is
assured aside from his own works.
Then speaking of salvation, ho ex
plained it, making us understand some
thing of its profoundness, and we all
wept with feelings of joy and gratitude.
Never have I seen a similar scene. We
dismissed these good people, and were
glad to take some rest. The sun went
down while we were at the table, and
we terminated the day in talking about
the marvelous goodness ot God, par
ticularly manifested toward us poor re
ligieuses This marriage naturally
separated me from Pauline and drew
me to Emily; and in the first days of
spring, when the melting snows inun
dated the roads, I decided to accom
pany her to England.
It was in the month of April that we
separated from this dear family. In
order to avoid Franco we passed by
Geneva and Mayence; then we de
scended the Rhine to Holland, and
from there we embarked to England.
There was only one incident connected
with thin journey worthy of repeating.
We were stopping over Sunday in a
little German village whore we were
not a little embarrassed, for none of us
spoke German. Our embarrassment
increased and the landlord went to find
an interpreter, making us understand
that a few days before, a poor woman
had arrived, a stranger, whoso misery
pi evented her from following her jour
ney to Mayence where she was to find
friends. Judge our surprise, when in
that unfortunate creature we recog
nized Mother Genefride, clothed as a
peasant and reduced to most extreme
poverty.
Oh, it was a happy moment! I fell
fell into her arms; Emily did the same,
at the risk of frightening the poor old
religieuse for she suspected as little
as I the substitution of Agnes for Clar
isse in the funeral ceremonies. At the
same time the tribulations of that
worthy woman came to an end; she ac
companied us to England and lived
with us until her death.
She was unablo to tell us much ahout
the events happening at St. Siffren
after our flight; she bad escaped under
the cover of obscurity and tumult, and
had hidden in the cabin of the peasant
who had cared for the little Ella Rose.
From there, after having changed her
costume, she had begged her way, even
to the place where we encountered her.
Her destination was the home of Mme.
Barthelmy, at Mayence. She said that
she spent the winter at Geneva, where
she had found much kindness and
benevolence.
It was a month from the time that
we left Pauline until we arrived in
England. From London we went with
out lof s of time to the home of M. Beau
mont in Devon county. We found a
modest mansion agreably situated in a
park and surrounded with charming
hills. With the view of the verdure
and the accidents of the land, a Pied-
montese herself would scarcely miss her
native mountains. Everything was so
appropriate, so fresh, so comfortable
that we exclaimed: "We are in para
dise!" The English people enjoy an
unlimited liberty of conscience.
In the same parish, behind the park,
was a charming villa, little, but ele
gant and gracious. It was inhabited by
a man to whom, under God, M. Beau
mont owed his elevated views of Chris
tianity. Though he was a little older
than Edward, he had been his com
panion in study. Later M. Teaumont
had given him the spiritual direction
of his parish. Perhaps you would like
his portrait: it would be difficult for me
to trace it, since he has nothing in him
which would at first arrest attention,
unless it be perhaps a humility and an
extreme gentleness, united to the most
agreeable manners. His whole manner
breathed that eletrance which gave an
exquisite delicacy of sentiment. It
seemed to me that true piety mani
fested itself particularly in hira and
made him one of the purest, simplest
and most amiable beings I had ever
seen. Not being permitted to reveal
his name, I will give him that of Theo
philus, whose well known signification
applied to him as fully as to every per
son who loves God.
A sadness was very naturally over
him the first time we saw him. He
had lately accompanied the remains of
a dearly loved young sister to the
tomb. She had lived with him until
the time of her death. Her name was
Lucy. He still wore emblemsof mourn
ing. The return of his friend was to
him a great consolation, and M. Beau
mont pressed him to spend all the time
with us that he eould spare from the
duties of his parish, ihis completed
the circle of our acquaintances. Happy
together, we shunned other new acquaintances.
In the midst of u Mother Genefride
was perfectly happy. She had an apart
ment to herself. In a little painted
cabinet she bad erected a kind of altar;
a cross was suspended from the wall, a
figure of wax represented the virgin,
and she had ornamented the cabinet
with artificial flowers. She kept the
cabinet so well closed that I had been
in the house some weeks before I saw
the interior.
This discovery produced upon me a
disagreeable Impression. I related
what I had seen to Emily and her
brother. They thought that we had
better Ignore this circumstance and use
every opportunity to engage the vener
able mother in the reading of the Bible,
and to hear the teachings of the true
faith. But, fearing that she would
talk with the domestics, Emily and I
resolved to wait upon her and aid her
in her toilet, which thing attached her
to us more and more.
Yet during her life which followed
and up to her death she never received
with an entire conviction that Christ is
all in all, and that the church of Rome
Is an apostate church, but some years
after, having a chanco to glance into
the cabinet, I saw that the cross, image,
and flowers had disappeared, and that
nothing remained upon the altar save
a cushion, upon which rested an open
Bible, There was a folding stool bo
fore the table.
And now how shall I terminate my
recital? I, who have sworn the veil
and who was formerly a cloistered nun
dare I say that the year of my novi
tiate was not terminated when I became
the happy wife of Edward Beaumont?
Some months after my marriage, my
good sister Emily married Theophilus.
Many years have passed since, and now
I am the mother of two sons, larger
than myself, and three daughters,
Emily, Pauline and Agnes. In a few
weeks, if God permits it, my son will
marry his cousin Agnes, in whom have
been renewed all the personal and
spiritual graces of her amiable mother.
They await the arrival of Pauline and
William, who are now on their way
with three of their children. The two
eldest are boys, and the youngest a girl,
bearing my name.
I pause. God grant that the facts
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