“I’ll take the red, thank you,” said Catherine in the spectacles. “I’m so red myself. They’ll comfort us on our way back to Rome.”

“Ah, they won’t last,” cried the young girl. “I wish I could give you something that would last!”

“You’ve given us a good memory of yourself, my daughter. That will last!”

“I wish nuns could wear pretty things. I would give you my blue beads,” the child went on.

“And do you go back to Rome to-night?” her father enquired.

“Yes, we take the train again. We’ve so much to do là-bas.”

“Are you not tired?”

“We are never tired.”

“Ah, my sister, sometimes,” murmured the junior votaress.

“Not to-day, at any rate. We have rested too well here. Que Dieu vous garde, ma fille.