JustHeaven！whatdidInotsuffersomedaysafterwards，whenIunitedaroundmeatdinner，forthelasttime，allthefriendswhohadbeendearesttomeinthedaysofmyworldlylife！Whatwordscandescribethetumultofmyheartwhenoneofmyguestssaidtome，\"YouaregivingustoogoodadinnerforaWednesdayinPassionWeek；\"andwhenanotheranswered，jestingly，\"Youforgetthatthisisherfarewelldinnertoherfriends！\"Ifeltreadytofaintwhiletheyweretalking，androsefromtablepretextingasanexcuse，thatIhadapaymenttomakethatevening，whichIcouldnotinhonourdeferanylonger。Thecompanyrosewithme，andsawmetothedoor。Igotintomycarriage，andthecompanyreturnedtotable。MynerveswereinsuchastatethatI
shriekedatthefirstcrackofthecoachman\'swhip；andthecompanycamerunningdownagaintoknowwhatwasthematter。Oneofmyservantscleverlystoppedthemfromallhurryingouttothecarriagetogether，bydeclaringthatthescreamproceededfrommyadoptedorphan。Uponthistheyreturnedquietlyenoughtotheirwine，andIdroveoffwithmygeneralconfessiontothevicarofSaintSulpice。
Myinterviewwiththevicarlastedthreehours。HisjoyatdiscoveringthatIwasinastateofgracewasextreme。Myownemotionswerequiteindescribable。LateatnightIreturnedtomyownhouse，andfoundmyguestsallgone。Iemployedmyselfinwritingfarewellletterstothemanagerandcompanyofthetheatre，andinmakingthenecessaryarrangementsforsendingbackmyadoptedorphantohisfriends，withtwentypistoles。Finally，Idirectedtheservantstosay，ifanybodyenquiredaftermethenextday，thatIhadgoneoutoftownforsometime；andafterthat，atfiveo\'clockinthemorning，IleftmyhomeinParisnevertoreturntoitagain。
BythistimeIhadthoroughlyrecoveredmytranquillity。IwasaseasyinmymindatleavingmyhouseasIamnowwhenIquitmycelltosinginthechoir。Suchalreadywasthehappyresultofmyperpetualmasses，mygeneralconfession，andmythreehours\'interviewwiththevicarofSaintSulpice。
Beforetakingleaveoftheworld，IwenttoVersaillestosaygood-byetomyworthypatrons，CardinalFleuryandtheDukedeGesvres。Fromthem，IwenttomassintheKing\'sChapel；andafterthat，IcalledonaladyofVersailleswhomIhadmortallyoffended，forthepurposeofmakingmypeacewithher。Shereceivedmeangrilyenough。ItoldherI
hadnotcometojustifymyself，buttoaskherpardon。Ifshegrantedit，shewouldsendmeawayhappy。Ifshedeclinedtobereconciled，Providencewouldprobablybesatisfiedwithmysubmission，butcertainlynotwithherrefusal。Shefelttheforceofthisargument；andwemadeituponthespot。
IleftVersaillesimmediatelyafterwards，withouttakinganythingtoeat；theactofhumilitywhichIhadjustperformedbeingasgoodasamealtome。
Towardsevening，IenteredthehouseoftheCommunityofSaintPerpetuaatParis。Ihadorderedalittleroomtobefurnishedthereforme，untiltheinventoryofmyworldlyeffectswascompleted，anduntilI
couldconcludemyarrangementsforenteringaconvent。Onfirstinstallingmyself，Ibegantofeelhungryatlast，andbeggedtheSuperioroftheCommunitytogivemeforsupperanythingthatremainedfromthedinnerofthehouse。Theyhadnothingbutalittlestewedcarp，ofwhichIeatwithanexcellentappetite。Marvelloustorelate，althoughIhadbeenabletokeepnothingonmystomachforthepastthreemonths，althoughIhadbeendreadfullysickafteralittlericesoupontheeveningbefore，thestewedcarpofthesisterhoodofSaintPerpetua，withsomenutsafterwardsfordessert，agreedwithmecharmingly，andIsleptallthroughthenightafterwardsaspeacefullyasachild！
Whenthenewsofmyretirementbecamepublic，itoccasionedgreattalkinParis。VariouspeopleassignedvariousreasonsforthestrangecoursethatIhadtaken。Nobody，however，believedthatIhadquittedtheworldintheprimeofmylife（Iwasthenthirty-oneyearsold），nevertoreturntoitagain。Meanwhile，myinventorywasfinishedandmygoodsweresold。Oneofmyfriendssentaletter，entreatingmetoreconsidermydetermination。Mymindwasmadeup，andIwrotetosayso。Whenmygoodshadbeenallsold，IleftParistogoandliveincognitoasaparlour-boarderintheConventoftheUrsulinenunsofPondevaux。HereIwishedtotrythemodeoflifeforalittlewhilebeforeIassumedtheseriousresponsibilityoftakingtheveil。Iknewmyowncharacter——Irememberedmyearlyhorroroftotalseclusion，andmyinveteratedisliketothecompanyofwomenonly；and，movedbytheseconsiderations，Iresolved，nowthatIhadtakenthefirstimportantstep，toproceedinthefuturewithcaution。
ThenunsofPondevauxreceivedmeamongthemwithgreatkindness。Theygavemealargeroom，whichIpartitionedoffintothreesmallones。I
assistedatallthepiousexercisesoftheplace。Deceivedbymyfashionableappearanceandmyplumpfigure，thegoodnunstreatedmeasifIwasapersonofhighdistinction。Thisafflictedme，andI
undeceivedthem。WhentheyknewwhoIreallywas，theyonlybehavedtowardsmewithstillgreaterkindness。Ipassedmytimeinreadingandpraying，andledthequietest，sweetestlifeitispossibletoconceive。
Aftertenmonths\'sojournatPondevaux，IwenttoLyons，andentered（stillasparlour-boarderonly）theHouseofAnticaille，occupiedbythenunsoftheOrderofSaintMary。Here，Ienjoyedtheadvantageofhavingfordirectorofmyconsciencethatholyman，FatherDeveaux。HebelongedtotheOrderoftheJesuits；andhewasgoodenough，whenI
firstaskedhimforadvice，tosuggestthatIshouldgetupateleveno\'clockatnighttosaymyprayers，andshouldremainabsorbedindevotionuntilmidnight。Inobediencetothedirectionsofthissaintlyperson，IkeptmyselfawakeaswellasIcouldtilleleveno\'clock。I
thengotonmykneeswithgreatfervour，andIblushtoconfessit，immediatelyfellasfastasleepasadormouse。Thiswentonforseveralnights，whenFatherDeveauxfindingthatmymidnightdevotionswererathertoomuchforme，wassoobligingastoprescribeanotherspeciesofpiousexercise，inaletterwhichhewrotetomewithhisownhand。
Theholyfather，afterdeeplyregrettingmyinabilitytokeepawake，informedmethathehadanewactofpenitencetosuggesttomebytheperformanceofwhichImightstillhopetoexpiatemysins。Hethen，intheplainestterms，advisedmetohaverecoursetothedisciplineofflagellation，everyFriday，usingthecat-o\'-nine-tailsonmybareshouldersforthelengthoftimethatitwouldtaketorepeataMiserere。Inconclusion，heinformedmethatthenunsofAnticaillewouldprobablylendmethenecessaryinstrumentofflagellation；but，iftheymadeanydifficultyaboutit，hewasbenevolentlyreadytofurnishmewithanewandspecialcat-o\'-nine-tailsofhisownmaking。
