Mother Lidoine (Lidoine) becomes the new Superior; it is said that she was preferred over Mother Marie because she comes of simple, humble stock while Mother Marie is of old aristo-cratic descent — which suited the present circumstances better, with the French Revolution at its very height... But the acts of terror increase day by day, striking nobles and men of religion alike. And now a band of police comes to search the convent and violate its sanctity. One of them enters Blanche's room; panic seizes her and she hides her face in her hands like a frightened child. He showers her with questions and she does not answer, and the man of the Revolution imagines that this girl is being kept in the convent against her will and is afraid to say so; he threatens Mother Marie with denunciation and public disgrace and with exposing the convent to the rod of law and liberty. Blanche throws herself into Mother Marie's arms, sobbing bitterly... Blanche's problem grows acute, and her presence becomes a danger to the convent and its very existence. Mother Lidoine summons her, and after a prayer said together she tells her:

— My daughter... we no longer have any hope of overcoming your nature and this deadly panic that seizes you... Do you think we wrong you if we return you to the world?

Blanche is stunned; confusion shows upon her, and after a long silence she says: — Yes... you speak truly... I have no hope of overcoming my nature... no hope... I shall drag the burden of my weakness upon my shoulders as the criminal prisoner carries the mark of his crime upon his body... That is why this convent is the only place where I hoped to make of my abasement an offering to His glory. Perhaps

God willed me a coward as He willed others clever or dull — who knows?...

The Mother calms her fright and promises to consider her case anew...

The persecution intensifies, and the Revolution pours the volcano of its wrath upon the people of religion; the convent is stripped of all its possessions, and the nuns are forbidden their religious habit. Terror seizes every heart, and the community of the con-vent feel themselves threatened with death at every minute. Mother Marie then proposes that they offer together the vow of martyrdom. One of them asks her:

— And what does that mean?

— It does not mean that we throw ourselves into the fire or go looking for death; it means only that we do not flee from it if God wills to honor us with it in these present hard times — indeed, that we accept it with joy as a grace from Him on high, bestowed upon the Carmelites in hours of trial, that with their innocent blood they may wash away the sins of the homeland and of humanity...

Mother Marie proposes that the motion be put to a secret vote: if it meets with unanimity it becomes a sacred vow; otherwise it shall not be acted upon,

even if the opposition be a single voice. All eyes turned toward Sister Blanche; Blanche quailed and grew confused, and Sister Constance sensed what had happened, deep concern and preoccupation coming over her face... The nuns stood in a line, and each in turn went round the altar where the priest stood, to cast her vote. When the round was complete, the priest came to Mother Marie, and she announced in a calm, steady voice that there was one oppos-ing vote... Everyone turned to Sister Blanche — when suddenly Sister Constance said in a loud voice: "The opposition is mine — mine... but I ask pardon... I beg you to accept me now... I wish to join my voice to yours... I beg you, Father, accept my vote..." And her vote was accepted... It is understood, implicitly, that Constance had opposed in order to cover the weakness of her friend Blanche; and when she found that Blanche had not opposed, she went back and gave her vote... So the Carmelites offered the vow of martyrdom, that with their blood they might wash away the sin of the rulers and of humanity. And scarcely had they finished pronouncing the vow when Blanche, confused and struck dumb, turned her back and fled the convent...

Mother Marie follows her to Paris and finds her in the palace of her father the Marquis, who had been executed the night before. The palace is threatened with pillage and its people with execution, and Blanche sits before the fire, trembling, her teeth chattering, the sallow pallor of crushing terror upon her face.

Mother Marie asks her to return with her to the convent, and Blanche cries out: