"Come, she is not very loquacious, at least," grumbled the old man to himself, as he obeyed; "she is accommodating."
The nun stood on one side to give him passage, and he entered the little room, whither she followed him, closing the door after her.
This little room, with very comfortable furniture in old black carved oak, and the walls of which were covered, in the Spanish fashion, with thin Cordova leather, was divided into two, which was indicated by a door placed in a corner.
Three persons were, at the time, in the room, sitting on high-backed carved chairs.
These three persons were women.
The first, still young and very beautiful, wore the complete costume of a nun; the diamond cross, suspended by a large silk ribbon from her neck, and falling on her breast, at once pointed her out as the superior of the house, which, notwithstanding the simple and sombre appearance of its exterior, was, in reality, occupied by Carmelite nuns.
The two other ladies, seated pretty close to the abbess, wore ordinary costume.
The one was the Marchioness de Castelmelhor, and the other Doña Eva, her daughter.
On the entrance of the old man, who bowed respectfully to them, the abbess made a slight sign of welcome with her head, while the two other ladies, as they bowed to him ceremoniously, furtively cast curious looks at the visitor.
"My dear sister," said the abbess, addressing the old woman, in that harmonious voice which had already agreeably struck the ear of the old man, "bring, I beg you, a chair for this gentleman."