Sidonia The Sorceress, vol 2 | Page 5

see how this wickedness has shocked the poor young nun!
Therefore, dear sister, you must, as sub-prioress, make an end of the
scandal, and prohibit this false priest from visiting the convent; for,
indeed, they who permitted him such freedom amongst the nuns were
more to blame for his sins than he himself."
Poor Dorothea groaned forth in answer--
"Alas, alas! why did I ever accept the sub-prioret? For the couple of
sacks of flour and the bit of corn which she got more than the others, it
was not worth while to be plagued to death. It was all true about the
priest. He must be dismissed. But then she loved peace. How could she
right such matters? Oh, that some one would relieve her of this
sub-prioret!"
Illa.--"That can be easily done if you will. Suppose you ask Anna
Apenborg to take it?"
_Hæc_.--"No, no; Anna had not sense enough for that; but if the dear
sister herself would take it, how happy she would feel."
Illa.--"She was too sick, probably going to die; who could tell?"
_Hæc_.--"No, no; she would pray for her. The dear sister could not be

spared yet. Let her say yes (falling on her neck and weeping), only let
her say yes."
Illa.--"Well, out of love to her she would say yes; and if the Lord raised
her up from this sick bed, order and decorum should reign again in the
convent."
_Hæc_ (again embracing her with gratitude).--"No doubt they would.
She knew well that no such pure-minded nun was in the convent as her
dear sister Sidonia."
Illa.--"But, good Dorothea, in order to get rid of the priest as soon as
possible, we had better send the porter immediately to summon the
abbess and the entire sisterhood here, for you to tender your resignation
in their presence."
_Hæc_.--"But sister Sidonia must promise not to complain of the priest
or the abbess to the Prince."
Illa.--"No, no; I can settle the matter quietly, without laying a
complaint before the Prince."
_Hæc_.--"All right, then. Everything, if possible, in peace."
Hereupon Sidonia despatched the porter to the abbess with a request
that she and the whole convent would assemble in half-an-hour at the
refectory, as she had somewhat to communicate. Meanwhile she
instructed Dorothea in what she was to say, so as not to disgrace the
poor abbess before the whole convent.
At the end of the half-hour, the abbess and the entire sisterhood
appeared, but all with anger and mistrust depicted on their
countenances. Sidonia then spake--
"Since ye and your priest refused to pray for me, I have prayed for
myself, and the Lord hath heard me in my weakness, and made me
strong enough to listen to the request of this good sister, Dorothea, and
promise to fulfil it. Speak, sister Dorothea, what was your prayer?"

So Dorothea advanced, weeping and wringing her hands--
"Ah, God! she could no longer be sub-prioress. She loved peace too
much. But there were bad doings in the convent--she would say no
more--only they must end. Therefore she had earnestly prayed her dear
sister Sidonia to relieve her from the duties of office, and become
sub-prioress in her stead."
Here she loosed the veil, which differed from the others, by having a
key embroidered in gold thereon--the abbess had two keys on her
veil--and bound it on Sidonia, who had by this time risen from bed,
taking Sidonia's veil for herself. Then leading the fatal sorceress
forward, she said--
"Good mother and dear sisters--behold your sub-prioress!"
Thereupon the abbess and the whole convent remained quite mute, so
great was their horror.
Then Sidonia asked--
"Have they aught to say against it? If so, let them speak."
But they all remained silent and trembling, till at last the abbess
murmured--
"Is this done with your free-will, Dorothea?"
"Ah, yes, yes, truly," she answered. "I told you before with what
earnest prayers I besought the dear sister to release me. God be thanked
she has consented at last. Who can keep order and decorum so well
throughout the convent?"
Then the abbess spoke again--
"Sister Sidonia, I have no opposition to make, as you know full well.
So, if the Prince, and the sheriff, our worthy superintendent, consent,
you shall be sub-prioress. Yet first you must render an account of your
strange doings this past night, for things were seen and heard in your

chamber which could not have been accomplished without the help of
the great enemy himself."
Hereat Sidonia laughed as if she would die. She would tell them the
whole trick. They all knew what a trouble to the convent was this Anna
Apenborg from her curiosity--not once or twice, but ten times a day,
running in and out with her chat and gossip. She had tried all