During this speech the abbot had time to recollect himself: he was satisfied with reading the penitent spy a lecture upon the dangers of curiosity, and the meanness of the action in which she had been just discovered. Flora declared herself fully persuaded that she had done wrong; she promised never to be guilty of the same fault again, and was retiring very humble and contrite to Antonia’s chamber, when the closet door was suddenly thrown open, and in rushed Jacintha pale and out of breath.

“Oh! Father! Father!” she cried in a voice almost choked with terror; “What shall I do! What shall I do! Here is a fine piece of work! Nothing but misfortunes! Nothing but dead people, and dying people! Oh! I shall go distracted! I shall go distracted!”

“Speak! Speak!” cried Flora and the monk at the same time; “What has happened? What is the matter?”