Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. II.djvu/203

Rh in splendid dresses. The two young girls having reached the chancel, fall down on their knees before the Cardinal, who says something in a low voice, first to the one, and then to the other. After this, each one receives a candle in her hand, when they rise, and again kneel down at the side of the choir, and so continue the whole time whilst the Cardinal makes an address to them, reading it, however, from a paper, which appears to me to be stereotyped, as well in matter as in manner. “The young sisters must resign the world, its temptations and dangers, become brides of Christ, live in constant communion with Him on earth, in order one day, when this life is over, to enter the eternal joys of paradise.” The sisters both look pale, but exhibit little emotion. They resemble two doves, which know little about their own fate, but are contented with it. Outside the choir, stands their father, with an expression of sympathy without much feeling, whilst their mother is bathed in tears.

The two young girls again advance, and kneel before the Cardinal, who cuts with a large pair of scissors several locks of hair from the tops of their heads. Two elderly nuns, one of whom has a slight mustache, and looks particularly masculine, complete the clipping off of the front hair, whilst the remainder, twisted up behind, is left untouched; nor is it cut off until the novice assumes the black vail; the initiation now taking place being that of the white vail, or first degree.

After this, the elderly nuns begin to disrobe the two novices, who kneeling before the Cardinal with their backs to the public, behaved quite passively. This disrobing, during which the white necks and