No one in the congregation could tell; but many surmised that she must be some young postulant of St. Rosalie, just beginning, or about to begin, her novitiate.
At length the pale priest passed into the pulpit, and, amid a breathless silence of expectancy, gave out his text:
"God is love."
A truth revealed to us by the Divine Saviour, and confirmed to our hearts by the teachings of His Holy Spirit.
The preacher spoke of the divine love, "never enough believed, or known, or asked," yet the source of all our life, light and joy; he spoke of human love, a derivative from the divine, in all its manifestations of family affection, social friendship, charity to the needy, forgiveness of enemies.
And while he spoke of love, "the greatest good in the world," his tones were full, sweet, deep and tender, his pale face radiant, his manner affectionate, persuasive, winning.
He was listened to with rapt attention, and even when he had brought his sermon to a close, and his eloquent voice had ceased, his hearers still, for a few moments, sat motionless under the spell he had wrought upon them.
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."