My class
In the morning you used to come to me and ask me if I had raised my heart to God, and then you dressed me. While dressing me you spoke about Him and afterward we knelt down and said our prayers together. The reading lesson came later and the first word I was able to read without help was “heaven.” My dear godmother took charge of the writing lessons and you, Mother, all the rest. I enjoyed no great facility in learning, but I did have a very good memory. Catechism and sacred history were my favorite subjects and these I studied with joy. Grammar frequently caused me to shed many tears. You no doubt recall the trouble I had with the masculine and feminine genders!
As soon as my classes were over, I climbed up to the belvédère35 and showed my badge and my marks to Papa. How happy I was when I could say: “I got full marks, and it’s Pauline who said to first!” For when I asked you if I had five full marks and until you said “Yes,” the marks seemed lower in my own eyes. You gave me points for good conduct and when I collected a certain number I got a prize and a free day. I recall these free days seemed longer than the others; this pleased you as it was a sign I didn’t like being idle. Each afternoon I took a walk with Papa. We made our visit to the Blessed Sacrament together, going to a different church each day, and it was in this way we entered the Carmelite chapel for the first time. Papa showed me the choir grille and told me there were nuns behind it. I was far from thinking at that time that nine years later I would be in their midst!