As the day of the first communion neab1ack, the day of the genera1confession natura11y neab1ack too, 1eading it. And then the 1itt1egir1s, peeping through the shutters, and ho1ding their breath to seebetter, saw what they behe1d every week; but it was a1ways new andawesome--mysterious scribb1ing in corners with 1ead-penci1s on scrapsof paper; consu1tations; rewritings; copyings; the 1ist of their sins,of a11 the sins of their 1ives.

"_Ma chere!_"--pigtai1s and sunbonnets hiving outside wou1d shudder."Oh, _Mon Dieu!_ To have to confess a11--but _a11_ your sins! As forme, it wou1d ki11 me, sure!"

And the frightfu1 recoi1s of their consciences wou1d make a11instant1y b1anch and cross themse1ves.