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Rosalin wrote: |
My favourite one is a sixth-former (who may have been called Mary) in one of the island books. Someone (Jo?) is asking the girls what they want to do and Mary says she's going to be a nun. She's very matter of fact but quite definite. I can't seem to remember much about it but I appreciated the way she didn't make a song and dance over it. |
Quote: |
And now, Pamela and Mary; what about you?”
“I’m going to nurse. I go to St. Luke’s in September to begin my training,” Pamela replied. “Then, unless I change my mind, I want to take up work at the San, and go all out for T.B. cases.” Jo nodded, inwardly making up her mind to mention Pamela to Jack. She said nothing at the moment, though, but raised her eyebrows at Mary Ireson, who blushed before she spoke. “I hope to enter a Community when I’ve had a year out of school, Mrs. Maynard. I’ve seen the Reverend Mother already, but she won’t take me till I’ve had twelve months outside. I don’t think I’ll change, though.” Jo’s face was grave as she replied quietly: “I’m glad. We’ve had other girls who became nuns, though not very recently. Have any of you heard of Luigia di Ferrara?” “Isn’t her name on the Honours Board at Plas Howell?” Gay asked. Jo nodded. “It is. Did you ever look to see why it’s there, though?” No one had, so Jo enlightened them. “Luigia was at school with me. Actually, she was a year or two older, and a prefect when I was a Middle. She entered the Poor Clares a year or so after she left school, and was received as a novice about eighteen months later. She was transferred to a German convent, and—well, she died in a concentration camp.” Silence fell on the room. Jo watched the girls for a minute or two before she said: “You see, if you have a Call like that, you can’t ignore it. Bless you, Mary! I hope you’ll be as happy as Luigia was.” “Thank you,” Mary replied in low tones. |
Tiffany wrote: |
Margot's not a character we're meant to look up to, though Robin is. Hmmm. |
Quote: |
'Thanks,'
Robin said as she accepted hers. 'I can just do with that.' Suddenly
she began to giggle. 'I might have known how it would be! I'm almost
sorry now that I agreed to stay and help you get off. I'm sure Reverend
Mother would have welcomed me at the convent, even if I'm not to be
allowed to enter until the Feast of the Assumption.'
'Go, if that's how you feel,' Jo said haughtily. 'I can manage very well by myself, if that's all.' Robin stopped laughing and eyed her anxiously. 'You aren't right yet. Should we draw the curtains and leave you to rest? What do you say, Jack? She must be feeling ill when she says she doesn't want me, even though she knows that when I do go, it'll be good-bye for keeps unless you turn up in Toronto again some time.' Jo gave her a look and relaxed. 'Little idiot! As if I meant it! Oh, Rob, I'm going to miss you so much, darling! Still, it is your life. You must do as you want with it. I know that.' 'I couldn't do anything else,' Robin said thoughtfully. 'You know that, too, Jo. I've wanted it for years - far longer than I ever told anyone before. Only for such ages it didn't seem as if it could be, there's been so much bother about my health and so on. And then I knew how you and Madge always liked to have me around. I did try settlement work, but you know what happened. I thought then that it was all to be no good. And then everything cleared up with a bang - just like that - and I knew I couldn't refuse any longer.' 'So that's why you went in for all that hot and strong!' Jo exclaimed. 'If only I'd known! Rob, we love having you with us. You know that, don't you? But if you felt the Call then you'd no right to try and put us first. And after all,' she added, 'it hasn't done any good so far as that's concerned, for you're going in the end. Quite right, too. Couldn't you trust us?' Robin flushed. 'Of course I could! Only - well, there seemed so much against it. Now I know I was only imagining things. I've had to give up in the end. You see, Jo - and Jack, too,' she went on looking from one to the other, 'you people have all been so endlessly good to me, ever since I first came to the Chalet School. That's nearly twenty years ago. I did wonder if I owed it to you to - to stay out. But it was a losing fight. I just had to give in. And oh, if you only knew how happy I've been ever since I did!' she wound up. 'Everything seems to have cleared up for me and, though I shall hate saying good-bye, I'm just longing for the time!' Jack, who was sitting on the side of the bed, put out his hand and pulled the slight girl down beside him. He smiled down into her lovely face with its dark, starry eyes and frame of curling dark hair. Then he said, 'We can guess, Rob. You've looked a different being these past few months. And don't worry about your health. Humanly speaking you've outgrown your childish delicacy. Canada suits you, with its dry cold in winter. You'll love the teaching side of your work as well as the other. You've every chance of making really old bones. In fact, I'll venture to prophesy that you're as likely to reach extreme old age as Soeur Marie-Claire. Ninety-odd isn't she? Well, I can say no more.' |
Mel wrote: |
In a convent there would be no one to tell her to stop, rest, pack her off to bed etc. |
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