1IntheAabbey

　　(ThestorystartsinanabbeyofSalzburg,Austria,inthelastGoldenDaysoftheThirties.Halleluyah!

　　Bernice:ReverendMother...

　　ReverendMother:SisterBernice.

　　Bernice:Isimplycannotfindher.

　　ReverendMother:Marisa?

　　Bernice:She'smissingfromtheabbeyagain.

　　SisterA:Perhapsweshouldhaveputacowbellaroundherneck.

　　SisterB:Haveyoutriedthebarn?Youknowhowmuchsheadorestheanimals.

　　Bernice:Ihavelookedeverywhere,inalloftheusualplaces.

　　ReverndMother:SisterBernice,consideringthatisMaria,Isuggestyoulookinsomeplaceunusual.

　　(Later,MariagetsbackandcomestoseeReverendMother.)

　　ReverendMother:I'mhere,mychild.Nowsitdown.

　　Maria(shortforM):Oh,ReverendMother,I'msosorry.Ijustcouldn'thelpmyself.Thegateswereopenandthehillswerebeckoningandbefore...

　　ReverendMother:Iknow!Ihavenotsummonedyouhereforapologies.

　　M:Oh,pleaseMother,doletmeaskforforgiveness.

　　ReverendMother:Ifitwillmakeyoufeelbetter.

　　M:Yes.Wellyousee,theskywassobluetodayandeverythingwassogreenandfragrant.Ijusthadtobeapartofit!Andyouknowthosebirdskeptmeetingmehigherandhigherasthoughitwantedmetogorightthroughthecloudswithit.

　　ReverendMother:Child,supposedarknesshadcomeandyouwerelost?

　　M:Oh,Mother,Icouldneverbelostupthere.That'smymountain,Iwasbroughtuponit.Itwasthemountainthatledmetoyou.

　　ReverendMother:Oh?

　　M:WhenIwasachild,Iwouldcomedownthemountainandclimbatreeandlookoverintoyourgarden.I'dseethesistersatworkandIwouldhearthemsingontheirwaytoVespers,whichbringsmetoanothertransgression,ReverendMother.Iwassingingouttheretodaywithoutpermission.

　　Reverendother:Maria,itisonlyhereintheabbeythatwehaverulesaboutpostulantsinging.

　　M:Ican'tseemtostopsingingwhereverIam.Andwhat'sworse,Ican'tseemtostopsayingthings.EverythingandanythingIthinkandfeel.

　　ReverendMother:Somepeoplewouldcallthathonesty.

　　M:No,butit'sterrible,ReverendMother.YouknowhowSisterBethalwaysmakesmekissthefloorafterwehadadisagreement?WelllatelyI'vetakentokissingthefloorwhenIseehercomingjusttosavetime.

　　ReverendMother:Maria,whenyousawusovertheabbeywallandlongedtobeoneofus,thatdidn'tnecessarilymeanthatyouwerepreparedforthewaywelivehere,didit?

　　M:No,Mother.ButIprayandItryandIamlearning.Ireallyam.

　　ReverendMother:Whatisthemostimportantlessonyouhavelearnedhere,mychild?

　　M:TofindoutwhatisthewillofGodandtodoitwhole-heartedly.

　　ReverendMother:Maria,itseemstobethewillofGodthatyouleaveus.

　　M:Leaveyou?

　　ReverendMother:Onlyforawhile,Maria.

　　M:Oh,please,Mother,don'tdothat.Pleasedon'tsendmeaway!ThisiswhereIbelong.It'smyhome.Myfamily.It'smylife.

　　ReverendMother:Areyoutrulyreadyforit?

　　M:Yes,Iam.

　　ReverendMother:Perhapsifyougooutintotheworldforatime,knowingwhatweexpectofyou.Youwillhaveachancetofindoutthatyoucouldexpectitfromyourself.

　　M:Iknowwhatyouexpect,Mother,andIcandoit.Ipromis