46 THE FLOWERS

on earth, may she be truly the beloved in
heaven!” JI then took my usual place and
invited her to confession, by asking her to

 

account to me for the scene of the past night.
This question led to many others, and in the
end I obtained from the dear child the fol-
lowing narrative of her short but till then
comparatively perfect course, for indeed the
words of the wise man could never have
been more justly applied, than to this blame-
less infant: “He being made perfect in a
short time, fulfilled for a long time, for his
soul pleased the Lord ; therefore hasted he to