Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. II.djvu/165

Rh stately church Trinita di Monte. Close to the church is a large conventual building, where the nuns of the order Sacré Cœur have an educational institute for girls. Grand equipages, with liveried servants, are often drawn up at its gate, showing that these young girls belong to noble or wealthy Italian or foreign families. In the evening, at il vespro, people go there to hear the nuns from the organ-gallery. It sounds like the singing of angels. One sees in the choir, troops of young pensionières, moving with slow and measured steps, with their long, white vails, like a flock of spirits. One day Mme. de M. took me with her to pay a visit to the convent. We were received by a tall, handsome nun, still young, with a gay, vivacious countenance, and a fluent tongue. She spoke French, and inquired if I were Catholic?

“No,” I replied.

“Not yet,” added my countrywoman, gently.

“Indeed! But you must be!” exclaimed the lively nun. “You must go into retraite, here, with us, and seriously think about it!”

I smiled, and shook my head.

We went through such parts of the convent as are open to strangers: its beautiful garden and church. The nun talked a great deal, and interested me by her vivacity and frankness. During the conversation it was mentioned that two young sisters, English girls, of the Protestant church, who had come some months since to the Pension of the convent for the perfecting of their education, as proud, staunch Protestants, had been converted to the Catholic church by means of Sister —— (the tall nun), and would, in a short