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I was colouring in confusion at the continued scrutiny, with a feeling
of being looked over for some unexplained purpose, when the Reverend
Mother called me, and turning to go to her I saw, by the look of pain on
her face that she, too, had been hurt by it.
She put me to sit on a stool by the side of her chair, and taking my
right hand she laid it in her lap and held it there during the whole of
the interview.
The Bishop, whom I had never seen before, was the first to speak. He was
a type of the fashionable ecclesiastic, suave, smiling, faultlessly
dressed in silk soutane and silver buckled shoes, and wearing a heavy
gold chain with a jewelled cross.
"Reverend Mother," he said, "you would gather from Mr. O'Neill's letter
that he wishes to remove his daughter immediately--I presume there will
be no difficulty in his doing so?"
The Reverend Mother did not speak, but I think she must have bent her
head.
"Naturally," said the Bishop, "there will be a certain delay while
suitable clothes are being made for her, but I have no doubt you will
give Mr.


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