"If you had been here a little earlier," the Prioress said, "you would have been in time for Teresa's clothing." And there was an appeal in the Prioress's voice, the appeal that one Catholic makes to another. The Prioress, of course, assumed that Louise had been brought up a Catholic, though very likely she did not practise her religion; few actresses did. So did the Prioress's thoughts run as she leaned forward; her voice became winning, and she led Louise to ask her questions regarding the Order. And she told Louise that it was a French Order originally, wearying her with the story of the arrival of the first nuns. "How can Evelyn stop here listening to such nonsense?" she thought. And then Mother Hilda told Louise about Evelyn's singing at Benediction, and the number of converts she had won to the Church of Rome.
"As no doubt you know. Mademoiselle Helbrun, once people are drawn into a Catholic atmosphere—"
"Yes, I quite understand. So you sing every day at Benediction, do you, Evelyn? You are singing to-day? It will be strange to hear you singing an 'Ave Maria.'"
"But, Louise, if I sing an 'O Salutaris,' will you sing Schubert's
'Ave Maria'?"
"No, you sing Schubert's 'Ave Maria' and I will sing an 'O
Salutaris.'"
Evelyn turned to the Prioress.
"Of course, we shall be only too glad if Mademoiselle Helbrun will sing for us."
"The last time we saw each other, Louise, was the day of your party in the Savoy Hotel."
"Yes, didn't we have fun that day? We were like a lot of children.
But you went away early."
"Yes, that day I went to Confession to Monsignor."