It gave her confidence to see the blue sky. She was shaken, but certainly she began to feel better. The two nuns looked at her for a moment in silence, and Sister St. Joseph said something to the Mother Superior which she could not understand. Then the Mother Superior sat on the side of the chair and took her hand.
"Listen, ma chère enfant . . ."
She asked her one or two questions. Kitty answered them without knowing what they meant. Her lips were trembling so that she could hardly frame the words.
"There is no doubt about it," said Sister St. Joseph. "I am not one to be deceived in such a matter."
She gave a little laugh in which Kitty seemed to discern a certain excitement and not a little affection. The Mother Superior, still holding Kitty's hand, smiled with soft tenderness.
"Sister St. Joseph has more experience of these things than I have, dear child, and she said at once what was the matter with you. She was evidently quite right."
"What do you mean?" asked Kitty anxiously.
"It is quite evident. Did the possibility of such a thing never occur to you? You are with child, my dear."
The start that Kitty gave shook her from head to foot, and she put her feet to the ground as though to spring up.
"Lie still, lie still," said the Mother Superior.