CHAPTER VIII.

Description of Apartments in the Black Nunnery, in order.--1st Floor--2d
Floor--The Founder--Superior's Management with the Friends of Novices
--Religious Lies--Criminality of Concealing Sins at Confession.


I will now give from memory, a general description of the interior of the
Convent of Black nuns, except the few apartments which I never saw. I
may be inaccurate in some things, as the apartments and passages of that
spacious building are numerous and various; but I am willing to risk my
credit for truth and sincerity on the general correspondence between my
description and things as they are. And this would, perhaps be as good a
case as any by which to test the truth of my statements, were it
possible to obtain access to the interior. It is well known, that none
but veiled nuns, the bishop, and priests, are ever admitted; and, of
course, that I cannot have seen what I profess to describe, if I have
not been a Black nun. [Footnote: I ought to have made an exception here,
which I may enlarge upon in future Certain other persons are sometimes
admitted.] The priests who read this book, will acknowledge to
themselves the truth of my description; but will, of course deny it to
the world, and probably exert themselves to destroy or discredit, I
offer to every reader the following description, knowing that time may
possibly throw open those secret recesses, and allow the entrance of
those who can satisfy themselves, with their own eyes, of its truth.
Some of my declarations may be thought deficient in evidence; and this
they must of necessity be in the present state of things. But here is a
kind of evidence on which I rely, as I see how unquestionable and