The agitated Nina immediately burst into tears again, partly from a distinct feeling of relief, which unnerved her, and partly from a desire to gain time.
Mère Pauline said, “Ah! je comprends,” nodded her head slowly once or twice, and considerately turned her back upon the weeping Nina.
The extent of this comprehension of Mère Pauline’s soon became almost overwhelmingly apparent to Mrs. Severing. The nun held her hand gently and discoursed in rapid and feeling accents on the changement de cœur which had evidently been operated on the returned wanderer, and of the difficult but salutary way of penance and atonement upon which he would now embark. Her references to St. Augustine and St. Monica were plentiful.
Nina, bewildered, but soothed, responded in suitably broken accents, and led the conversation round to the point of her own immediate departure.
To this Mère Pauline at once acceded. The duties of a mother came before other things, however good in themselves, and no doubt for monsieur the quiet of the country—— Mère Pauline left it to be inferred that a career of debauchery such as that of Nina’s son, was best expiated in as remote a corner of the earth as possible.
“I will myself explain to Father Anselm the situation,” said Mère Pauline gravely, and added an inquiry as to any possible desire for an interview with the good Prior on the part of Nina or her son. She did not, however, make the suggestion in any hopeful accents, and appeared in no way surprised when it was gracefully declined on the grounds that the Prior’s time must be much occupied with the Retreat.
“Then I will leave you, madame, to make your preparations of departure. Shall you require a cab?”
“My son wishes to take me back part of the way by motor—it is not such a long journey then,” said Nina.
“Ah! les autos—les autos!” said Mère Pauline, gravely shaking her head as she went from the parlour.
Morris’s recently acquired two-seater was evidently, in the eyes of Mère Pauline, responsible for much.