Her father, upon being made acquainted with her determination, was of course greatly shocked; but, after some consideration, appointed a day to meet and talk over the subject with her. He accordingly set off for Paris, having previously thought of every argument that he should urge, as most strongly appealing to her good sense, to her general notions of filial duty, and to his own intentions towards her. When he arrived, he found his daughter an altered being, both in manner and affection, and totally different from what she had represented herself in her communications to him. For hours, and for days, he urged every reason that his ingenuity could suggest, to divert her from her purpose, and employed all the persuasion and force of which he was master; but all, all was vain. His once dutiful child was immoveable; the duty she owed her God, she said, was paramount to all filial obligations his views of the religion which she had embraced, were erroneous; for she had been taught by infallible guides, and convinced by miraculous tests. The father, finding all his entreaties and endeavours vain, at length gave up the point, upon this condition; — that, as her determination to take the veil was so fixed, he should - name the religious house of which she should become a member. This was readily, most readily agreed to; and the girl, elated with joy, and her father, depressed beyond measure, separated, with the understanding that on the morrow she was to be conducted by him to the nunnery which was in the neighbourhood of this great city. The father kept his appointment, received his child, and after an hour's drive, both reached the gates of the convent. She remained firm, unchanged, and unmoved; he melted into tears, and imprinted the last kiss upon her pale and quivering lips. An ancient lady, the superior, received her, and the father and daughter parted for ever! Daughter," said the Elder, as they passed through the numerous passages, "it is the custom of our House for those about to become our Sisters, to be kept in a short and almost exclusive retirement, that they may better consider the sacred nature of the vows they are to make, and be instructed in their duties. For this purpose, one or two of our Sisterhood will be deputed to hold converse with you." During the first days the Superior and the Sisters paid frequent visits to her: We are guarded,' they said, 'as to the manner of receiving and admitting to the sacred veil those of your nation and former habits. Our holy religion has been wounded deeply by the injurious representations of your countrymen; we are all, therefore, cautious how we receive any of you among us, lest the charge already made to our detriment be, by these means, increased. We are, moreover, unwilling, that through any want of care on our part, your people should withhold the amity which now exists between us. We, therefore, strictly charge you to consider whether your admittance here will receive the sanction of your relatives and friends; or whether if they be against it, they may not be incensed, and so lay to our charge things which, if listened to, may prove injurious to the sacred cause we espouse.' Upon hearing this, the poor girl was disheartened, and confessed that her father had the strongest objections to the step she was about to take, and had urged every thing in his power to change her mind; but that finding her resolute, he had given way. They then continued to represent to her their deep sorrow at this circumstance, and declared that whatever might in former times have been the opinions and practice of their church, it no longer acquiesced in the propriety of receiving into the inner recesses of her bosom, such as violated the duty owed to a parent; and, therefore, although they still could not refuse her, if she persisted in her resolution, they pressed upon her by every motive, the necessity of the deepest consideration, before she finally took a step, which, once made, could not be recalled." "This," exclaimed Eloise," was liberal and kind, and worthy of the cause of true religion; and, surely, if such be the conduct of the Superiors of the Catholic religion, it ought to cause you to recall those strong charges of bigotry, which you have to-day so freely lavished against them." "Well," I continued, "the girl from the commencement of the attempt made for her conversion, had been taught to look up with more than peculiar reverence to the advice and representations of the Bishop of St. Denis, who had delegated one of her Priests to convey his sentiments to her; and now that she was so near him, she entreated that he might be informed of her situation and circumstances, and that he might be persuaded to see her. The venerable man no sooner was apprised of the matter, than he came, and his visit was repeated; but upon both occasions he earnestly charged her to reflect upon what she was about to do, and finally exhorted her in the event of not obtaining the direct and unequivocal and free sanction of her father, to continue, indeed, in the Catholic faith, but to withdraw her intention of taking the step against which he had so decided an objection." "Excellent old man !" ejaculated Eloise. "Such, however, was the extraordinary firmness of her mind, that though somewhat shaken, she still determined to persist. At length she came to the resolution, that one more interview with the mitred Father, should one way or other be conclusive; and she begged, that he might for the last time be sent for. And the last time, indeed, it was, for the aged Prelate had resigned his breath only on the previous evening. The circumstance was communicated to the poor girl, upon which, as soon as she heard it, she said"I will take the last advice he gave, I will return to my father, and I renounce my intention of taking the veil wholly and for ever!'" Her father was summoned to attend her; he came soon afterwards, and the meeting was such |