As soon as the benediction had been pronounced, the abbess arose from her seat in the choir, drew the arm of her still feeble guest within her own, and, followed by her nuns, walking slowly in pairs, left the choir. She took Salome to the door of her room in perfect silence, and would have left her there but that the girl stopped her by saying: "Holy mother, I wish to speak to you, if you can give me a few minutes, before we go to the refectory." "Surely, my daughter," answered the abbess, kindly, as she followed her guest into the chamber. "Sit down in the easy-chair, good mother," said Salome, drawing the soft, white-cushioned seat toward her. "No, sit you there, poor child," answered the abbess, taking her guest kindly and seating her in the easy-chair. "I shall be well enough here," she added, as she sat down on one of the painted, wooden seats. "Now, tell me what you wish to say, daughter," she concluded. "Dear mother, I have been very deeply interested in Father F. this morning." "You should be interested in the message only, not in the messenger, my child," gravely replied the elder lady. "In the message alone I believe I was most concerned; but the message was most eloquently delivered by the messenger," said Salome, as her pale cheeks flushed. "Well, my daughter, go on in what you were about to say." "Holy mother, that message, so earnestly spoken, has moved me to greater diligence in what I have purposed to do. You know that I have intended to take the vail in this convent, and devote my life and my fortune to good works." "Yes, my child, I know that such has been your pious purpose. What then?" "I wish to use all diligence in carrying out that purpose. I wish to enter upon my novitiate immediately." "My good daughter, far be it from me to throw any stumbling-block in the way of such praise-worthy intentions; but the strict rules of our order require that a postulant should remain in the convent twelve calendar months, to test her vocation, before she is suffered to bind herself by any vows," said the abbess, very gravely. "As if _my_ vocation had not been sufficiently tested," sighed Salome. "It may have been so, my daughter. This probation may not be necessary in your case, yet we can make no exception to our rules even in your favor. You will, therefore, if you wish, remain with us for one year, unfettered by any vows. At the end of this year of probation, if you shall still desire to do so, you may be permitted to take the white vail and commence your novitiate. In the meantime you need not, and ought not, to be idle. You may be as zealous and diligent in good works while a postulant as you possibly could be as a white-vailed novice or a black-vailed nun." "Show me how I may be so, holy mother, and I will bless you," exclaimed Salome.