But it was through the medium of
these last that Madelon saw them all pass before her--St.
Cecilia, St. Catherine, St. Dorothea, St. Agnes, St.
Elizabeth--she knew them all by name. Soeur Lucie almost changed
her opinion of Madelon when she discovered this--for about a
day and a half that is, till the child's next flagrant
delinquency--and Madelon found a host of recollections in
which she might safely indulge, as she chatted to Soeur Lucie
about the pictures, and galleries, and churches of Florence,
not a little pleased when the nun's exclamations and questions
revealed that she herself had never seen but two churches in
her life, that near her old home and the convent chapel.
"Oh, I have seen a great many," Madelon would say, "and
palaces too; I daresay you never saw a palace either? but I
like the churches best because of the chapels, and altars, and
tombs, and pictures. At Florence the churches were so big--oh!
as big as the whole convent--but I think the chapel here very
pretty too; will you let me help you to decorate the altar for
the next fete, if I am good?"
So she chattered on, and these were her happiest hours
perhaps.
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