NeverwaswomanmoreamazedormoreangrythanI,whenIfirstreadthisletter。\"What!\"criedItomyself,\"doesthismanseriouslyrecommendmetolashmyownshoulders?JustHeaven,whatimpertinence!Andyet,isitnotmydutytoputupwithit?Doesnotthisapparentinsolenceproceedfromthepenofaholyman?Ifhetellsmetoflogmywickednessoutofme,isitnotmyboundendutytolayonthescourgewithallmymightimmediately?SinnerthatIam!Iamthinkingremorsefullyofmyplumpshouldersandthedimplesonmyback,whenI
oughttobethinkingofnothingbutthecat-o\'-nine-tailsandobediencetoFatherDeveaux?\"
ThesereflectionssoongavemetheresolutionwhichIhadwantedatfirst。Iwasashamedtoaskthenunsforaninstrumentofflagellation;
soImadeoneformyselfofstoutcord,pitilesslyknottedatveryshortintervals。Thisdone,Ishutmyselfupwhilethenunswereatprayer,uncoveredmyshoulders,andrainedsuchashoweroflashesonthem,inthefirstfervourofmynewly-awakenedzeal,thatIfairlyfloggedmyselfdownontheground,flatonmynose,beforeIhadrepeatedmoreoftheMisererethanthefirsttwoorthreelines。
Iburstoutcrying,sheddingtearsofspiteagainstmyselfwhenIoughttohavebeensheddingtearsofdevotionalgratitudeforthekindnessofFatherDeveaux。AllthroughthenightIneverclosedmyeyes,andinthemorningIfoundmypoorshoulders(oncesogenerallyadmiredfortheirwhiteness)stripedwithallthecoloursoftherainbow。Thesightthrewmeintoapassion,andIprofanelysaidtomyselfwhileIwasdressing,\"ThenexttimeIseeFatherDeveaux,Iwillgivemytonguefullswing,andmakethehairofthatholymanstandonendwithterror!\"Afewhoursafterwards,hecametotheconvent,andallmyresolutionmeltedawayatthesightofhim。HisimposingexteriorhadsuchaneffectonmethatIcouldonlyhumblyentreathimtoexcusemefromindictingasecondflagellationonmyself。Hesmiled,benignantly,andgrantedmyrequestwithasaintlyamiability。\"Givemethecat-o\'-nine-tails,\"hesaid,inconclusion,\"andIwillkeepitforyoutillyouaskmeforitagain。Youaresuretoaskforitagain,dearchild——toaskforitonyourbendedknees!\"
Piousandpropheticman!Beforemanydayshadpassedhiswordscametrue。Ifhehadpersistedseverelyinorderingmetoflogmyself,I
mighthaveopposedhimformonthstogether;but,asitwas,whocouldresisttheamiableindulgenceheshowedtowardsmyweakness?Theverynextdayaftermyinterview,Ibegantofeelashamedofmyowncowardice;andthedayafterthatIwentdownonmyknees,exactlyashehadpredicted,andsaid,\"FatherDeveaux,givemebackmycat-o\'-nine-tails。\"FromthattimeIcheerfullyunderwentthedisciplineofflagellation,learningtheregularmethodofpractisingitfromthesisterhood,andfeeling,inaspiritualpointofview,immenselythebetterforit。
Thenuns,findingthatIcheerfullydevotedmyselftoeveryactofself-sacrificeprescribedbytherulesoftheirconvent,wonderedverymuchthatIstillhesitatedabouttakingtheveil。Ibeggedthemnottomentionthesubjecttometillmymindwasquitemadeupaboutit。Theyrespectedmywish,andsaidnomore;buttheylentmebookstoreadwhichassistedinstrengtheningmywaveringresolution。AmongthesebookswastheLifeofMadamedeMontmorenci,who,aftertheshockingdeathofherhusband,enteredtheOrderofSt。Mary。Thegreatexampleofthisladymademereflectseriously,andIcommunicatedmythoughts,asamatterofcourse,toFatherDeveaux。Heassuredmethattheonelastgreatestsacrificewhichremainedformetomakewasthesacrificeofmyliberty。Ihadlongknownthatthiswasmyduty,andInowfelt,forthefirsttime,thatIhadcourageandresolutionenoughboldlytofacetheideaoftakingtheveil。
WhileIwasinthishappyframeofmind,IhappenedtomeetwiththehistoryofthefamousRance,founder,orratherreformer,oftheOrderofLaTrappe。Ifoundastrangesimilaritybetweenmyownworldlyerrorsandthoseofthisillustriouspenitent。Thediscoveryhadsuchaneffectonme,thatIspurnedallideaofenteringaconventwheretheruleswerecomparativelyeasy,aswasthecaseatAnticaille,anddetermined,whenIdidtaketheveil,toenteranOrderwhosedisciplinewasassevereasthedisciplineofLaTrappeitself。FatherDeveauxinformedmethatIshouldfindexactlywhatIwantedamongtheCarmelitenuns;and,byhisadvice,IimmediatelyputmyselfincommunicationwiththeArchbishopofVilleroi。Iopenedmyhearttothisworthyprelate,convincedhimofmysincerity,andgainedfromhimapromisethathewouldgetmeadmittedamongtheCarmelitenunsofLyons。OnethingI
beggedofhimatparting,whichwas,thathewouldtellthewholetruthaboutmyformerlifeandabouttheprofessionthatIhadexercisedintheworld。Iwasresolvedtodeceivenobody,andtoenternoconventunderfalsepretencesofanysort。
Mywisheswerescrupulouslyfulfilled;andthenunsweredreadfullyfrightenedwhentheyheardthatIhadbeenanactressatParis。ButtheArchbishoppromisingtoanswerforme,andtotakealltheirscruplesonhisownconscience,theyconsentedtoreceiveme。IcouldnottrustmyselftotakeformalleaveofthenunsofAnticaille,whohadbeensokindtome,andtowardswhomIfeltsogratefully。SoIwrotemyfarewelltothemafterprivatelyleavingtheirhouse,tellingthemfranklythemotiveswhichanimatedme,andaskingtheirpardonforseparatingmyselffromtheminsecret。
OnthefourteenthofOctober,seventeenhundredandtwenty-four,I
enteredtheCarmeliteconventatLyons,eighteenmonthsaftermyflightfromtheworld,andmyabandonmentofmyprofession——toadoptwhich,I
maysay,inmyowndefence,thatIwasfirstledthroughsheerpoverty。
Attheageofseventeenyears,andpossessing(ifImaycreditreport)
remarkablepersonalcharms,Iwasleftperfectlydestitutethroughthespendthrifthabitsofmyfather。Iwaseasilypersuadedtogoonthestage,andsoontempted,withmyyouthandinexperience,toleadanirregularlife。Idonotwishtoassertthatdissipationnecessarilyfollowsthechoiceoftheactress\'sprofession,forIhaveknownmanyestimablewomenonthestage。I,unhappily,wasnotoneofthenumber。
Iconfessittomyshame,and,asthechiefofsinners,IamonlythemoregratefultothemercyofHeavenwhichaccomplishedmyconversion。
WhenIenteredtheconvent,Ientreatedtheprioresstoletmeliveinperfectobscurity,withoutcorrespondingwithmyfriends,orevenwithmyrelations。Shedeclinedtograntthislastrequest,thinkingthatmyzealwasleadingmetoofar。Ontheotherhand,shecompliedwithmywishtobeemployedatonce,withouttheslightestpreparatoryindulgenceorconsideration,onanymeniallabourwhichthedisciplineoftheconventmightrequirefromme。Onthefirstdayofmyadmissionabroomwasputintomyhands。Iwasappointedalsotowashupthedishes,toscourthesaucepans,todrawwaterfromadeepwell,tocarryeachsister\'spitchertoitsproperplace,andtoscrubthetablesintherefectory。FromtheseoccupationsIgotonintimetomakingropeshoesforthesisterhood,andtotakingcareofthegreatclockoftheconvent;thislastemploymentrequiringmetopullupthreeimmenselyheavyweightsregularlyeveryday。Sevenyearsofmylifepassedinthishardwork,andIcanhonestlysaythatInevermurmuredoverit。
Toreturn,however,totheperiodofmyadmissionintotheconvent。
Afterthreemonthsofprobation,ItooktheveilonthetwentiethofJanuary,seventeenhundredandtwenty-five。TheArchbishopdidmethehonourtopresideattheceremony;and,inspiteoftherigouroftheseason,allLyonspouredintothechurchtoseemetakethevows。Iwasdeeplyaffected;butIneverfalteredinmyresolution。Ipronouncedtheoathswithafirmvoice,andwithatranquillitywhichastonishedallthespectators,——atranquillitywhichhasneveroncefailedmesincethattime。
Suchisthestoryofmyconversion。Providencesentmeintotheworldwithanexcellentnature,withatrueheart,witharemarkablesusceptibilitytotheinfluenceofestimablesentiments。Myparentsneglectedmyeducation,andleftmeintheworld,destituteofeverythingbutyouth,beauty,andalivelytemperament。Itriedhardtobevirtuous;Ivowed,beforeIwasoutofmyteens,andwhenIhappenedtobestruckdownbyaseriousillness,toleavethestage,andtokeepmyreputationunblemished,ifanybodywouldonlygivemetwohundredlivresayeartoliveupon。Nobodycameforwardtohelpme,andIfell。
HeavenpardontherichpeopleofPariswhomighthavepreservedmyvirtueatsosmallacost!Heavengrantmecouragetofollowthebetterpathintowhichitsmercyhasledme,andtopersevereinalifeofpenitenceanddevotiontotheendofmydays!
Sothissingularconfessionends。Besidesthelittlevanitiesandlevitieswhichappearhereandthereonitssurface,thereissurelyastrongunder-currentofsincerityandfranknesswhichfitittoappealinsomedegreetothesympathyaswellasthecuriosityofthereader。
ItisimpossibletoreadthenarrativewithoutfeelingthattheremusthavebeensomethingreallygenuineandheartyinMademoiselleGautier\'snature;anditisagratifyingproofofthehonestintegrityofherpurposetoknowthatsheperseveredtothelastinthelifeofhumilityandseclusionwhichherconsciencehadconvincedherwasthebestlifethatshecouldlead。PersonswhoknewherintheCarmeliteconvent,reportthatshelivedanddiedinit,preservingtothelast,allthebetterpartoftheyouthfullivelinessofhercharacter。Shealwaysreceivedvisitorswithpleasure,alwaystalkedtothemwithsurprisingcheerfulness,alwaysassistedthepoor,andalwayswillinglywroteletterstoherformerpatronsinParistohelptheinterestsofherneedyfriends。Towardstheendofherlife,shewasafflictedwithblindness;butshewasatroubletonooneinconsequenceofthisaffliction,forshecontinued,inspiteofit,tocleanherowncell,tomakeherownbed,andtocookherownfoodjustasusual。Onelittlecharacteristicvanity——harmlessenough,surely?——remainedwithhertothelast。Sheneverforgotherownhandsomeface,whichall。Parishadadmiredintheby-gonetime;andshecontrivedtogetadispensationfromthePopewhichallowedhertoreceivevisitorsintheconventparlourwithoutaveil。