254 THE PASSION-FLOWER. 



the first time, a building to which the light reading 

 of former days had attached many romantic ideas ; 

 while the better instruction of a later period had 

 taught me to view it in its real character, as a 

 strong-hold of superstition and self-righteous delu- 

 sion. The nun, who had especially taken an in- 

 terest in the little dumb girl, was presently intro- 

 duced to me ; and never did I behold a more en- 

 gaging creature. Tall, graceful, and bearing about 

 her the manners of polished society, her aspect 

 was that of the most winning sweetness, the most 

 unaffected humility : and when, by a very short 

 process, I convinced her that every difficulty might 

 be overcome, and the child instrucjed to spell and 

 write, the sparkling animation of her looks, the 

 eager delight with which she listened to my direc- 

 tions, and the fervency of her eloquent thanks, 

 while, w r ith glistening eyes she caressed the child 

 whose welfare she was planning, all attracted me 

 irresistibly. I do not know how far the picturesque 

 effect of her habit, which I never before had seen 

 — the loose folds of a long black robe gathered in- 

 to a broad belt, with its depending rosary, and the 

 graceful veil which, falling back from her beautiful 

 brow, nearly swept the ground, — might tend to 

 deepen the impression ; but certainly I believed 

 her to be, without exception, the most fascinating 

 creature I had ever seen : and when she asked me 

 to walk around the garden with her, I readily 



