It was a real toilette, for they all desired to appear to the greatest advantage before the Blessed Virgin.

A large number had sufficient sense of delicacy to wash their hands.

Others unpacked their parcels, and put on clean linen.

On her side, Elise Rouquet had ended by discovering a little pocket-glass in the hands of a woman near her, a huge, dropsical creature, who was very coquettish; and having borrowed it, she leant it against the bolster, and then, with infinite care, began to fasten her fichu as elegantly as possible about her head, in order to hide her distorted features.
Meanwhile, erect in front of her, little Sophie watched her with an air of profound interest.
It was Abbe Judaine who gave the signal for starting on the journey to the Grotto.

He wished, he said, to accompany his dear suffering daughters thither, whilst the lady-hospitallers and the Sisters remained in the ward, so as to put things in some little order again.