Posted by (continued from: “The Bishop”)
A sudden draft made me shiver, and as I was wondering how this was possible in this heat of summer, the door of Mother Ferocia’s office swung open, revealing a stocky, authoritarian woman. ‘Greetings, my children, may the lord bless you and your loved ones. Please step into my chambers’, she said, leading the way into the semi-dark office. She told us to sit down and watched us questioningly before she started to speak.
‘Sister Felicitas tells me you come to visit poor Sister Lauredana. Are you ladies family?’ she inquired with a piercing look. Catharina seemed relaxed as she answered, ‘it’s as if we were, we’re good friends of the Colonna family and Lauredana’s sister Brunella. There is some concern about the well-being of Lauredana, and we promised the family to look her up to establish that she’s all right and well taken care of.’
Taking in Catharina’s words, the Mother Superior took a deep breath before responding. ‘Oh, dear,’ she sighed, looking somewhat annoyed. ‘I suppose I have no choice but to give you the same answer as I gave her sister last week, when she came to visit the convent unexpectedly. Sister Lauredana has been suffering lately from delusions that propelled her into a catatonic limbo. Even though there is some slight improvement in her state, there is almost no way to communicate with her at the present time. Of course she is monitored closely by an accomplished psychiatrist and our competent medical nurses. She gets all the attention she needs, and she is in our prayers every day, but for the time being it’s considered detrimental for her to have visitors, even from family and close friends.’
Catharina closed her eyes for a short moment, as if she was forcing herself to stay calm and composed in the presence of this older woman, while thinking of an approach that might dissuade the Mother Superior. ‘We simply cannot go back to the family with this news and expect them to remain patient and await notice of the progress of her illness,’ she spoke in a inquisitive manner. ‘Well miss, I’m mortified to have to contradict you, but the only living family Lauredana has, is her sister Brunella, and she seemed to have accepted our views on the treatment of Lauredana, and on how we expect to lead her sister back to sanity, albeit in the long run.’
Catharina made a last attempt to break the vicious circle we were in by saying: ‘It would really help if you would allow us just to see her for a very short moment and…’ But Mother Ferocia raised her hand in a gesture that was unmistakably indicating the fact that she had no intention to repeat herself, and considered the matter closed. When she spoke it was only to say: ‘I wish you ladies a safe journey back home, go with God…’
Without saying another word, we got up and left Mother Ferocia’s office, closing the door behind us, somewhat loudly. Sister Felicitas was waiting for us patiently and started to lead the way back to the main gate. As we were out of sight of the main building, Sister Felicitas looked around nervously, as if afraid to be overheard, and said: ‘I wanted to say something to Mrs. Brunella Colonna, last week when she left the convent, but I couldn’t speak freely, and I was afraid of the possible consequences. For a week I was desperate, feeling I missed the only chance to say something useful about her sister’s condition, but then you ladies came along. It’s as if I’ve been given a second chance!’ ‘Speak your mind dear,’ Catharina said mildly.
‘Some twenty years ago, when they brought in Sister Lauredana, wounded and in the last stages of her pregnancy, I overheard a conversation between Mother Ferocia and Bishop Tarantino, who was only Father Tarantino at the time. The phrase that haunted me for all these years was then uttered by the Bishop: “The child will have no knowledge of her natural mother, and will be placed, as usual, in a family arranged by our associates.” ‘These words were incomprehensible to me at first, but through the years they became clear. The only problem was that I didn’t know what to do with it,’ she said half sobbing.
Once we were back at the train station and Catia translated her story to me, I was so confused that my head was spinning. Catharina walked resolutely over to the nearest phone booth and dialed Uncle Salvatore’s number.
(to be continued)
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Right on the mark again – please write more!
Very cute turn! I just told a friend about this story, let’s see what she says.
This story is giving me the creeps! Don’t stop now..!