girl with her religious habit of mind would, naturally, turn to the
convent, and regard a life spent in it as the worthiest, therefore the
most desirable, to be found in this sinful world; and Apolinaria,
notwithstanding her strength of character, soon became fascinated with
the prospect. She thought long and seriously before saying a word to any
one; for much as she now wished it, she knew it would be painful both to
herself and to the good Carrillos, and she dreaded to disclose her plan.
But at last, believing she had definitely decided that it concerned the
future welfare of her soul, she betook herself to her spiritual adviser,
Father Pujol, and laid her thought before him.

Now Father Pujol was a man - one of many in this imperfect world - who
had not found his proper place in life. His father had intended to take
him, as a partner, into business, toward which he had a natural leaning,
so soon as he was of sufficient age; but Se–or Pujol suffered reverses
which swept away his modest fortune, and left his family destitute.
Rather than receive aid from his uncle, and waiving his claim in favor
of his younger brother, this son, although with reluctance, decided to
enter the priesthood, for he was a singularly religious young man. But
Father Pujol, in his capacity as priest, combined, in a marked degree,
the wisdom of the serpent with the harmlessness of the dove. He had a
deeply rooted aversion to the custom of women sequestering themselves
from the world behind the walls of a convent; and it had been his habit,
whenever opportunity offered, to dissuade any who, by so doing, might
leave a void in the world. Indeed, he had been so zealous in one or two
cases that the suspicions of his fellow-brethren had been aroused, and,
eventually, he was selected to make one of a company of Franciscans to
the new province. Therefore, on hearing for the first time what
Apolinaria meditated doing, he felt almost angry with her, foolish and
unreasonable though he knew he was.