For two hours I sewed with my heart in the Infirmary. If the rule of holy obedience had been at the bottom of the Red Sea, I am sure I should not have tarried in that work-room another minute. And then I heard the passing bell. It struck so cold to my heart that I had hard work to keep my broidering in a straight line. A few minutes later, Margaret appeared at the door. She knelt down in the doorway, and made the sign of the cross, saying, "Peace eternal grant to us, O Lord!" And we all responded, led by Mother Ada,--"Lord, grant to Thy servant our Sister everlasting peace!" So then I knew that Mother Alianora had been sent for by the Master of us all. "Sister Margaret!" said Mother Ada. Margaret rose, went up to Mother Ada, and knelt again. "How comes it thou art the messenger? I sent Sister Roberga to the Infirmary this morning." "Mother Gaillarde bade me go to the Infirmary," said Margaret in a low voice, "and sent Sister Roberga down to the laundry." "Art thou speaking truth?" asked Mother Ada. Margaret's head went up proudly. "King Alfred the Truth-Teller was my forefather," she said. "Well! perhaps thou dost," answered Mother Ada, as if unwilling to admit it. "But it is very strange. I shall speak to Sister Gaillarde." "What about?" said Mother Gaillarde, appearing suddenly from the passage to my Lady's rooms. "Sister Gaillarde, this is very strange conduct of you!" said Mother Ada. "I ordered Sister Roberga to the Infirmary." "You did, Sister, and I altered your order. I am your superior, I believe?" Mother Ada, who is usually very pale, went red, and murmured something which I could not hear. "Nonsense!" said Mother Gaillarde. To my unspeakable astonishment, Mother Ada burst into tears. She has so many times told the children, and not seldom the Sisters, that tears were a sign of weakness, and unworthy of reasonable, not to say religious, women--that they ought to be shed in penitence alone, or in grief at a slight offered to holy Church, that I could only suppose Mother Gaillarde had been guilty of some profanity. "It is very hard!" sobbed Mother Ada. "That you should set yourself up in that way, when I was professed on the very same day as you--" "What has that to do with it?" asked Mother Gaillarde. "And my Lady shows you much more favour than she does me: only to-day you have been in her rooms twice!" "I wish she would send for you," said Mother Gaillarde, "for it is commonly to waste time over some sort of fiddle-faddle that I despise. You are heartily welcome to it, I can tell you! Now, come, Sister Ada, don't be silly and set a bad example. It is all nonsense, and you know it." Off marched Mother Gaillarde with a firm step. Mother Ada continued to sob.