footstool, then it was suddenly kicked away, the jerk of the sudden strain on my wrists almost making the straps cut into the flesh. My feet were dangling some inches from the ground, "Oh! Oh! Ah—r—r—r—re!" I screamed, "How cruel! Oh! Papa! Papa If you only knew how they are treating me in this awful place!"
Lady Superior (who seemed delighted at the sight of my pain),—"Hold your foolish noise, Mdlle. Lucille, wait till you have something to scream about, girl". Then the old Serena, who it seemed was always in attendance at punishment time, pinned up my skirts and opened my drawers behind, and the Superior went on, "This rod shall make all the sluggards turn out quicker in the morning; what do you think, Mademoiselle, of making us all wait prayers for ten minutes? Will you wake—wake—wake up sharper in future?"
She gave me three smarting cuts at each word, and my suspended position added so
