“Why?” she said, recovering her smile. “Is what you know so terrible?”
“It is not terrible,” I said; “indeed, it is joyful.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“For all of us or only for one?”
I hesitated an instant. Did she not penetrate into my perplexity with her question and remind me of the necessary choice.
“You won’t answer!” she added.
“For all of you,” I replied.
“Even for me?” asked Massimilla dreamily.
“Even for you. Are you not going to take the veil by your own choice? And are you not sure of attaining the blessedness which compensates for total renunciation?”