never to return to it again. Meanwhile, my inventory was finished and
my goods were sold. One of my friends sent a letter, entreating me to
reconsider my determination. My mind was made up, and I wrote to say
so. When my goods had been all sold, I left Paris to go and live
incognito as a parlour-boarder in the Convent of the Ursuline nuns of
Pondevaux. Here I wished to try the mode of life for a little while
before I assumed the serious responsibility of taking the veil. I knew
my own character--I remembered my early horror of total seclusion, and
my inveterate dislike to the company of women only; and, moved by these
considerations, I resolved, now that I had taken the first important
step, to proceed in the future with caution.

The nuns of Pondevaux received me among them with great kindness. They
gave me a large room, which I partitioned off into three small ones. I
assisted at all the pious exercises of the place. Deceived by my
fashionable appearance and my plump figure, the good nuns treated me as
if I was a person of high distinction. This afflicted me, and I
undeceived them. When they knew who I really was, they only behaved
towards me with still greater kindness. I passed my time in reading and
praying, and led the quietest, sweetest life it is possible to conceive.

After ten months' sojourn at Pondevaux, I went to Lyons, and entered
(still as parlour-boarder only) the House of Anticaille, occupied by the
nuns of the Order of Saint Mary. Here, I enjoyed the advantage of
having for director of my conscience that holy man, Father Deveaux. He
belonged to the Order of the Jesuits; and he was good enough, when I
first asked him for advice, to suggest that I should get up at eleven
o'clock at night to say my prayers, and should remain absorbed in
devotion until midnight. In obedience to the directions of this saintly
person, I kept myself awake as well as I could till eleven o'clock. I