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As soon as it was mentioned to her； she became silent； she who was so fond of talking。
The most curious were baffled by her silence and the most tenacious by her obstinacy。
Thus it furnished a subject of ment for all those who were unoccupied or bored in the convent。 What could that treasure of the centenarian be； which was so precious and so secret？
Some holy book； no doubt？
Some unique chaplet？ Some authentic relic？
They lost themselves in conjectures。 When the poor old woman died； they rushed to her cupboard more hastily than was fitting； perhaps； and opened it。
They found the object beneath a triple linen cloth； like some consecrated paten。 It was a Faenza platter representing little Loves flitting away pursued by apothecary lads armed with enormous syringes。 The chase abounds in grimaces and in ical postures。
One of the charming little Loves is already fairly spitted。
He is resisting； fluttering his tiny wings； and still making an effort to fly； but the dancer is laughing with a satanical air。
Moral：
Love conquered by the colic。
This platter； which is very curious； and which had； possibly； the honor of furnishing Moliere with an idea； was still in existence in September； 1845； it was for sale by a bric…a…brac merchant in the Boulevard Beaumarchais。
This good old woman would not receive any visits from outside because； said she； the parlor is too gloomy。
BOOK SIXTH。LE PETIT…PICPUS
CHAPTER X
ORIGIN OF THE PERPETUAL ADORATION
However； this almost sepulchral parlor； of which we have sought to convey an idea； is a purely local trait which is not reproduced with the same severity in other convents。
At the convent of the Rue du Temple； in particular； which belonged； in truth； to another order； the black shutters were replaced by brown curtains； and the parlor itself was a salon with a polished wood floor； whose windows were draped in white muslin curtains and whose walls admitted all sorts of frames； a portrait of a Benedictine nun with unveiled face； painted bouquets； and even the head of a Turk。
It is in that garden of the Temple convent； that stood that famous chestnut…tree which was renowned as the finest and the largest in France； and which bore the reputation among the good people of the eighteenth century of being the father of all the chestnut trees of the realm。
As we have said； this convent of the Temple was occupied by Benedictines of the Perpetual Adoration； Benedictines quite different from those who depended on Citeaux。
This order of the Perpetual Adoration is not very ancient and does not go back more than two hundred years。 In 1649 the holy sacrament was profaned on two occasions a few days apart； in two churches in Paris； at Saint…Sulpice and at Saint…Jean en Greve； a rare and frightful sacrilege which set the whole town in an uproar。
M。 the Prior and Vicar…General of Saint…Germain des Pres ordered a solemn procession of all his clergy； in which the Pope's Nuncio officiated。
But this expiation did not satisfy two sainted women； Madame Courtin； Marquise de Boucs； and the tesse de Chateauvieux。
This outrage mitted on 〃the most holy sacrament of the altar；〃 though but temporary； would not depart from these holy souls； and it seemed to them that it could only be extenuated by a 〃Perpetual Adoration〃 in some female monastery。 Both of them； one in 1652； the other in 1653； made donations of notable sums to Mother Catherine de Bar； called of the Holy Sacrament； a Benedictine nun； for the purpose of founding； to this pious end； a monastery of the order of Saint…Benoit； the first permission for this foundation was given to Mother Catherine de Bar by M。 de Metz； Abbe of Saint…Germain； 〃on condition that no woman could be received unless she contributed three hundred livres ine； which amounts to six thousand livres； to the principal。〃 After the Abbe of Saint…Germain； the king accorded letters…patent； and all the rest； abbatial charter； and royal letters； was confirmed in 1654 by the Chamber of Accounts and the Parliament。
Such is the origin of the legal consecration of the establishment of the Benedictines of the Perpetual Adoration of the Holy Sacrament at Paris。
Their first convent was 〃a new building〃 in the Rue Cassette； out of the contributions of Mesdames de Boucs and de Chateauvieux。
This order； as it will be seen； was not to be confounded with the Benedictine nuns of Citeaux。
It mounted back to the Abbe of Saint…Germain des Pres； in the same manner that the ladies of the Sacred Heart go back to the general of the Jesuits； and the sisters of charity to the general of the Lazarists。
It was also totally different from the Bernardines of the Petit…Picpus； whose interior we have just shown。
In 1657； Pope Alexander VII。 had authorized； by a special brief； the Bernardines of the Rue Petit…Picpus； to practise the Perpetual Adoration like the Benedictine nuns of the Holy Sacrament。
But the two orders remained distinct none the less。
BOOK SIXTH。LE PETIT…PICPUS
CHAPTER XI
END OF THE PETIT…PICPUS
At the beginning of the Restoration； the convent of the Petit…Picpus was in its decay； this forms a part of the general death of the order； which； after the eighteenth century； has been disappearing like all the religious orders。
Contemplation is； like prayer； one of humanity's needs； but； like everything which the Revolution touched； it will be transformed； and from being hostile to social progress； it will bee favorable to it。
The house of the Petit…Picpus was being rapidly depopulated。 In 1840； the Little Convent had disappeared； the school had disappeared。 There were no longer any old women； nor young girls； the first were dead； the latter had taken their departure。
Volaverunt。
The rule of the Perpetual Adoration is so rigid in its nature that it alarms； vocations recoil before it； the order receives no recruits。
In 1845； it still obtained lay…sisters here and there。 But of professed nuns； none at all。
Forty years ago； the nuns numbered nearly a hundred； fifteen years ago there were not more than twenty…eight of them。
How many are