"Served him right!" said Mrs. Thorpe indignantly. "Pretty doings! A family of ladies are set upon in their own house, and made to hide like rats in a damp musty hole, where one at least has got her death; and it is to be hushed up, forsooth, because a noble family is mixed up in it? Well! There, I won't say a word—" as Amabel put her finger on her lip—"but only this to free my mind. I can tell you what, my maids; sometime or other, there will be a fearful uprising against the nobles and rulers of this land. It may not come in our day, but it will surely come. What is that for?" As the bell struck it accustomed signal. We told her it was for the evening service, and asked her to attend. Father Brousseau came himself to invite her, but she declined. "I am not sure that I should be able to join in the worship with a clear conscience, and I should not like to offend the good ladies by sitting a mere looker on!" said she. "With your leave I will remain here." "All Protestants are not so scrupulous as yourself!" said Father Brousseau. "I have seen them not only spectators of our services, but very irreverent, and even noisy ones." "They are not of my mind, then!" said Mrs. Thorpe. "I have seen the same thing in my travels, and been disgusted with it." We went into the church, and left Mrs. Thorpe to amuse herself in the garden. By half past eight, as our rule was, we were all in bed, except the sister at her post in the chapel, and Mother Prudentia and Sister Filomena (who was one of the tenderest and most skillful of nurses), who watched with Mother Superior. The priest was right; about midnight we were all called to our dear Mother's room. The door of her cell was open, and we all stood or knelt in the outer room, while the priest administered the last rites of the Church. The Superior was supported in Mother Prudentia's arms, breathing in soft sighs, but not seeming to suffer; we watched her, as it seemed, a long time after the rites were concluded; her face was peaceful, and we could not be sure whether she breathed or not. At last she roused herself, turned her head toward us, smiled, and raised her hand as in blessing; it fell; the dear eyes closed, and the voice of the priest pronouncing the last solemn words, told us all was over. We joined in the last prayers, and then withdrew from the chamber of death; to spend the night in watching, or to cry ourselves to sleep.