Danusia nodded her little head in sign that she wished to know; therefore the "sister" continued:
"There are also servants, women, in the Order, who, although they do not make any vows, and are allowed to marry, are obliged to perform certain duties for the Order, according to the brothers' commands. The one who meets such favor and honor, receives a pious kiss from a brother-knight as a sign that from that moment she is to serve the Order with words and deeds. Ah! panienko!—I was going to receive that great favor, but in sinful obduracy instead of receiving it with gratitude, I committed a great sin and was punished for it."
"What did you do?"
"Brother Danveld came to me and gave me the kiss of the Order; but I, thinking that he was doing it from pure license, raised my wicked hand against him——"
Here she began to strike her breast and repeated several times:
"God, be merciful to me, a sinner!"
"What happened then?" asked Danusia.
"Immediately my hand became motionless, and from that moment I have been crippled. I was young and stupid—I did not know! But I was punished. If a woman fears that a brother of the Order wishes to do something wicked, she must leave the judgment to God, but she must not resist herself, because whosoever contradicts the Order or a brother of the Order, that one will feel God's anger!"
Danusia listened to these words with fright and uneasiness; the sister began to sigh and to complain.
"I am not old yet," said she; "I am only thirty years old, but besides the hand, God has taken from me my youth and beauty."