The carriage, which bore a coronet on the door, contained a lady in long
furs, a rosy-faced baby-girl in squirrel skins with a large doll in her
arms, and a nurse.
I could see that, like myself, the lady (a young mother) had come to
confess, for as she rose from her seat she told the child to sit quiet
and be good and she would not keep her long.
"Tum out soon, mummy, and dolly will lub you eber and eber," said the
child.
The lady stooped and kissed the little one, and then, with a proud and
happy look, stepped out of the carriage and passed into the church,
while the door-keeper opened the vestibule door for her and bowed
deeply.
I stood at the top of the steps for a moment looking back at the
carriage, the horses, the footman, the nurse, and, above all, the
baby-girl with her doll, and then followed the lady into the church.
Apparently mass was just over. Little spirelets of smoke were rising
from the candles on the altar which the sacristan was putting out, a few
communicants were still on their knees, and others with light yet
echoing footsteps were making for the door.
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