Part 2 (1/2)

CHAPTER VI

THE GREY NUNNERY

The Grey Nunnery is situated on St Paul Street, Montreal It is four stories high, besides the baseround, I do not knoThe roof is covered with tin, with a railing around it, finished at the top with sharp points that look like silver, about a foot in length, and three feet apart Over the front door there is a porch covered with a profusion of cliive it a beautiful appearance

The building stands in a large yard, surrounded on all sides by a high fence, so high indeed, that people who pass along the street can see no part of the nunnery except the silver points on the roof The top of this fence is also finished with long iron spikes Every thing around the building seeed to keep the inmates in, and intruders out In fact it would be nearly iain a forcible or clandestine admittance to any part of the establishates in the fence, how ate opens on St Ann Street Over each of the gates hangs a bell, connected with the bells in the rooate is opened There is always a guard of two uns upon their shoulders

While atte, I may as well say that it is constructed with non-conductors between the walls, so that the ringing of a bell, or the loudest shriek, could not be heard from one room to the other The reader will please bear this in mind, as the reason for the precaution will appear in the course of my narrative

The priest, who met us as we left the boat, conducted us to the front door and rang the bell Soon a lady appeared, who drew a slide in the h this she looked, to see as there, and when satisfied on this point, opened the door Here let me remark, that since I left the nunnery, I have heard of another class of people who find it convenient to have a slide in their door; and if I am not very much mistaken, the character of the two houses, or rather the people who live in them, are very much alike, whether they are nunneries of private families, Catholics or Protestants Honest people have no need of a slide in the door, and where there is sobehind the curtain ie, but true notwithstanding, that ”where there is conceal”

In the hall opposite the front door were two other doors, with a considerable space between theht hand door was opened by the door-tender, and we entered a roo was neat, and in perfect order Instead of chairs, on two sides of the roo bench was fastened to the sides of the house

They were neither painted, nor cushi+oned, but were very white, as was also the floor, on which there was no carpet Beside the door stood a basin of holy water, and directly opposite, an ie of the Saviour extended on the cross which they call a crucifix

Here ere left a few moments, then the door-keeper came back, and asked us if ould like to see the Black Cloisters; and if so, to follow her She led us back into the hall, and in the space between the two doors that Iit down, touched a spring, and i Across this door, or hatever they called it, were strong bars of iron about one inch apart Through this aperture ere allowed to look, and a sad sightladies were sitting there, ere called Black Nuns, because they were preparing to take the Black Veil They were all dressed in black, a black cap on the head, and a white bandage drawn across the forehead, to which another was attached, that passed under the chin These bandages they alore, and were not allowed to lay aside They sat, each one with a book in her hand, er did they e before theuide infor the [footnote] Black Book preparatory to taking the Black Veil and entering the Cloister This book was quite a curiosity It was very large, with a white cover, and around the edge a black border about an inch wide

[Footnote: ”The Black Book, or Praxis Sacra Romance Inquisitionis, is always the e manuscript volume, in folio, and is carefully preserved by the head of the Inquisition It is called Libro Nero, the Black Book, because it has a cover of that color; or, as an inquisitor explained to nifies 'The book of the dead'

”In this book is the criminal code, with all the punish the trial, so as to elicit the guilt of the accused; and theaccusations I had this book in s relative to my own case; and Iparticulars; for exa the bit, or as it is called by us THE MORDACCHIA, which is a very siue, and compress it between two cylinders composed of iron and wood and furnished with spikes This horrible instruue and occasions excessive pain, but also, fro it produces; frequently places the sufferer in danger of suffocation This torture is generally had recourse to in cases considered as blasphein, the Saints, or the Pope So that according to the Inquisition, it is as great a crily of a pope, who may be a very detestable character, as to blaspheme the holy name of God Be that as it may, this torture has been in use till the present period; and, to say nothing of the exhibitions of this nature which were displayed in Roory 16th, by the Inquisitor Ancarani--in Umbria by Stefanelli, Salva, and others, we may admire the inquisitorial seal of Cardinal Feretti, the cousin of his present holiness, who condescended more than once to employ these s with the Inquisition, by the Rev Giacinto Achilli D D, late Prior and Visitor of the Doy and Vicar of the e 81]

Our curiosity being satisfied as far as possible, we returned to the side rooth she came, she turned to me first, as I sat next the door, and asked ood character I gave her my card; she looked at it, and led me to the other side of the rooirl in turn, when it was found that only four beside ood behavior The other six presented cards which she said were for bad behavior They were all placed together on the other side of the room; and as the Superior was about to lead the that she did not wish to stay with those girls, she would rather go with us

The Superior drew her back, and replied, ”No, child; you cannot go with those good girls; you would soon learn the, youthat the child really felt very bad, she said, in a kinder tone, ”When you learn to do right, you shall be allowed to go with good girls, but not before” I pitied the poor child, and for a long time I hoped to see her coether, and that was the last I ever saw of any of theirls, to a room on the second floor

Here we found five cribs, one for each of us, in which we slept Our food was brought to us regularly, consisting of one thin slice of fine wheat bread for each of us, and a s, however, that the milk was allowed us, and for dinner and supper we had a slice of bread and a cup of water This was not half enough to satisfy our hunger; but we could have no ry all the time, and I know the others were also; but we could not say so to each other We were in that rooether five weeks, yet not one word passed between us We did son, though even this was prohibited, but we never ventured to speak We were forbidden to do so, on pain of severe punishment; and I believe atched all the time, and kept there, for a trial of our obedience We were e the ticks with it We were directed to make our own beds, keep our room in the most perfect order, and all our work in theto see that ere thoroughly washed, and every Saturday she was very particular to have our clothes and bed linen all changed

As every convenience was provided in our rooo out for anything, and for five weeks I did not go out of that rooht froe square room, with four beds in it, only two of which were occupied We were then sent to the kitchen, where in future, ere to be e knives and forks, and such work as ere able to do As we grew older, our tasks were increased with our strength I had no regular eery that was to be done about the house The Superior ca after prayers and told us what to do through the day

Then, in her presence ere allowed fivepresent For the rest of the day we kept a profound silence, not a word being spoken by any of us unless in answer to a question fro there was a school for young ladies, ere instructed in the various branches of education usually taught in Catholic schools Many of the scholars boarded at the nunnery, and all the cooking and washi+ng was done in the kitchen We also did the cooking for the saloons in Montreal If this did not keep us employed, there were corn brooms and brushes to make, and thus every moment was fully occupied Not a moment of leisure, no rest, no recreation, but hard labor, and the still ious exercises, filled up the ti to me to devote so many hours to , that they were of little worth But it was a severe trial to our tes, and all kinds of rich food, which ere never allowed to taste The priests, superiors, and the scholars had every luxury they desired; but the nuns, who prepared all their choice dainties, were never per but bread and water

I am well aware that this statement will seem incredible, and that many will doubt the truth of it; but I repeat it: the nuns in the Grey Nunnery, or at least those in the kitchen with me, were allowed no food except bread and water, or, in case of illness, water gruel

CHAPTER VII

ORPHAN'S HOME

The Grey Nunnery is said to be an orphan's home, and no effort is spared to make visitors believe that this is the real character of the house

I suppose it is true that one part of it is devoted to this purpose; at least my Superior informed me that many children were kept there; and to those apartments visitors are freely admitted, but never to that part occupied by the nuns We were never allowed to communicate with people fro all the time I was there, I never saw one of them, nor did I ever enter the rooms where they were

In the ladies' school there were three hundred scholars, and in our part of the house two hundred and fifty nuns, besides the children who belonged to the nunnery Add to these the abbesses, superiors, priests, and bishop, and one will readily i affair

In this nunnery the Bishop was the highest authority, and everything was under his direction, unless the Pope's Nuncio, or soh church functionary was present I sometimes saw one whoreat deference by the priests, and even by the Bishop himself