CHAPTER 23"When one is going to be dismissed, one is notified the samemorning, never earlier: as usual, the Officer of the Day makes hisappearance at nine o'clock and says, let us suppose,‘Omphale, the monastery is sending you into retirement; Iwill come to take you this evening.’ Then he continues abouthis business. But you do not present yourself for his inspection;he examines the others, then he leaves; the person about to bereleased embraces her comrades, she makes a thousand promises tostrive in their behalf, to bring charges, to bruit abroad whattranspires in the monastery: the hour strikes, the monk appears,the girl is led away, and not a word is heard of her. Supper takesplace in the usual fashion; we have simply been able to remark thatupon these days the monks rarely reach pleasu
