I have by me a letter written by the Mother Abbess of the Feltham convent, to the lady in whose employment Miss Povey is now living, giving her, as will be acknowledged by all, a very high character for truthfulness and uprightness.
THE CONVENT, FELTHAM, _Sept. 14th, 1887_.
Miss J. M. Povey lived in my house for ten years, and I knew of her before and since.
She bears, and has always borne, the highest moral character; all her relations are highly respectable people. She is thoroughly conscientious and trustworthy, clever and observant, and speaks well. She is a good needlewoman, and I should think quite capable of undertaking what you require of her, and is one who would do her work quite as well in your absence as if you were at home superintending her.
She is _quite above_ the ordinary station of domestic servants. There is no mystery in her life.
Miss Povey has also received the two following letters from the same lady:—
I am not in the least surprised at your leaving, and I pity you much for several reasons.
However good F. Ignatius may be (and he has much goodness), I never thought he had much tact; but that he could be so utterly devoid of it as to tell M. Wereburgh that you knew about her history after leaving here first time, I could not have imagined. Of course, knowing her as I did, I can but feel sure that she was anxious for you to leave, lest you should hint it to others. I am, as I have said, very sorry for you, and hope you will not stay in the world.
Your always sincere friend, and affectionate Sp. Mother,
I have ample testimony to the truth of her statement, “_Seventeen_ Years with Father Ignatius,” since I am able to give the following extract from a letter written by “Ignatius” himself to Sister Mary Agnes, soon after she had left the convent:—
… You have profited nothing from all my teaching and patience of nearly seventeen years: you cannot imagine the grief you have given me.
I have no time for more. I shall always pray for you, and love you, and you must think of me as always
Your affectionate, but disappointed Father,
Most of the readers of this book will probably know the meaning of the letters “O.S.B.” They mean the “Order of St. Benedict.” Now, although Sister Mary Agnes never became what is called in conventual phraseology a “_professed_” nun in that Order, that is to say, she never “took the black veil,” yet for all these years she was a _novice nun_, and was always looked upon and called a _nun_.