[27]
]Our Superior was a stern looking woman of about forty-five, with dark piercing eyes and Roman nose, thin compressed lips considerably adding to the severity of her expression.
“Mdlle. Lucille,” said the superior, “I thought the caution I gave you on your arrival, would at least have saved you from trouble for some time, and spared me the pain of inflicting personal correction on you so soon after your entry into our seminary, but I am afraid your papa must have had serious cause for wishing me to be severe with you; now what have you been saying to your fellow pupil the Mdlle. Olive; did you remark, ‘
that the food was not fit for a dog, much less schoolgirls’
?”
I looked down in confusion, “Ah, I see,” she continued, “you cannot deny it; well Lucille, I hope soon to convince you that our bill of fare is both wholesome and proper for the pupils, I shall give you one dozen cuts with the rod, and then let you off if you promise not to offend in the same way again.”
[28]
]The nun who was called Serena, now placed a long stool in the middle of the apartment, and made me lie on it full length face downwards, then I felt her cold busy hands as they turned up my clothes, and opened my drawers behind, till my bottom was left naked to the attack of the Lady Superior.
“Do you, Mdlle. Lucille,” she asked sternly, “consider that our fare of bread and porridge three times a day, and meat or soup twice a week, added for dinner is only fit for a dog? Ah! Ha!” she went on, cutting me slowly and severely at every few words, “This will give you a better appetite; how do you like birch sauce, Miss Dainty Mouth
?”
I screamed with the pain, and plunged about so that Sister Serena had to hold me down with all her weight upon my shoulders. “Forgive me, oh, forgive me this time, I won’t speak to Olive again!” I gasped out as the heavy woman almost stopped my breath, but at last it was over, and after kissing the rod and making me [29] ]look at the blood-stained weals on my bottom, they sent me away with a caution how I spoke about that or anything else I might see done in the convent.
I longed to have my revenge on the deceitful Olive, but knew not where to turn for a confidant, they all perhaps would be equally treacherous. I stuck to my lessons and avoided punishment as much as possible, being assured that the longer I brooded on my revenge the more complete it would be in the end, at the same time I thoroughly studied every part of the building to which I was allowed access, in the hope I might some day find it very useful if I wanted to effect my escape.