She sends you loving greetings, her thanks for loyalty and obedience, and prays that the blessing of the Lord may ever be with you." The Bishop ceased speaking.
At first there was an amazed silence.
Then the unexpected happened.

Mother Sub-Prioress, without any warning, broke into passionate weeping.
Never before had Mother Sub-Prioress been known to weep.

The sight petrified the Convent.

Yet somehow all knew that she wept because, in the hard old nut which did duty for her heart, there was a kernel of deep love for their noble Prioress.
The other nuns wept, because Mother Sub-Prioress wept.
The sobbing became embarrassing in its completeness.

Wheresoever the Bishop looked he was confronted by a weeping nun.
Suddenly Mother Sub-Prioress dried her eyes, holding herself once more in control.