Mother Sacristine praised our work to the skies, and lamented, as much as Sister Agnes had done, over our going away. "If you were only of age—but when you are, you can come back, you know. I don't believe but it might be managed now. There are plenty of hiding places where no one would ever find you." We glanced at each other, but said nothing, and betook ourselves to look for Mrs. Thorpe. "They are all in it!" said Amabel. "I see they are," returned I. "It frightens me. What if they should keep us here?" "There is no use in being frightened," said Amabel, composed as usual. "Wait and see. I have a strong feeling that Mother Superior will not approve; and if she does not, I would not be in their shoes." We found Mrs. Thorpe in her little cell, busily writing something in her pocketbook. "Mrs. Thorpe, is my father a Catholic?" asked Amabel, going to the point, as usual. "My dear, that is more than I can tell you," answered Mrs. Thorpe. "His father and mother were so, and he was brought up in that way. My own impression is that he is not much of anything." "You do not mean that he has no religion at all!" said Amabel, startled. "If he hasn't, he is not the only one,—more's the pity say I," answered the good woman. "But in England just now, as I understand is the case here, a great many fine gentlemen profess infidelity just as they carry clouded canes and tortoise-shell snuff-boxes. But your aunts, your mother's sisters, are very religious ladies, in their way, and keep their church regularly—so my sister-in-law tells me, who lives in the same parish." "Shall we have to go to church with them?" I asked. "My dear Mrs. Corbet, if I were you, I would leave that to settle itself," replied Mrs. Thorpe. "You cannot tell just how you may find things, and there is no use in borrowing trouble. 'Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.'" "That is what I always tell Lucy," said Amabel, "but she picks out her knots a dozen times before she comes to them, or they are made at all. But what a nice proverb that is you repeated. Please say it again." "Proverb, child! Why, 'tis in the Gospel. Our Lord himself said it. 'Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.' Lay it to heart, my dears. It will save you a great deal of trouble."