“Poor child! She is not accountable for anything she says. She is quite possessed.”
These words from Father Ignatius, who I thought would at last see how unjust she was to me, caused me deep grief.
This was by no means the first time I had a false confession to copy, and send as my own. Mother Cecilia (the Novice-mistress) once gave me a confession, in her writing, to copy and send to the reverend Father. I read it, and then knelt down, and kissed the hem of her dress, and said:
“I am very sorry, but I cannot write this, as it is untrue.”
Her reply was, “You can do anything you are told.”
I then knew that I must obey, and therefore I wrote at the end of the confession:
“Dear Father, this is not true, I have only copied it.”
I sealed the letter, and was going to send it, but Mother Cecilia took it, read it, and severely lectured me, saying:
“You have not a spark of the spirit of obedience in you.”