In another part of the room, a monk was under punishment.  He was standing in some kind of a machine, with heavy weights attached to his feet, and a belt passed across his breast under his arms.  He appeared to be in great distress, and no refreshment was furnished him while I was there.

On one side of the room, I observed a closet with a “slide door,” as the nuns called them.  There were several doors of this description in the building, so constructed as to slide back into the ceiling out of sight.  Through this opening I could see an image resembling a monk; and whenever any one was put in there, they would shriek, and groan, and beg to be taken out, but I could not ascertain the cause of their suffering.

One day a nun was brought in to be punished.  The priest led her up to the side of the room, and bade her put her fingers into some holes in the wall just large enough to admit them.  She obeyed but immediately drew them back with a loud shriek.  I looked to see what was the matter with her, and lo! every nail was torn from her fingers, which were bleeding profusely.  How it was done, I do not know.  Certainly, there was no visible cause for such a surprising effect.  In all probability the fingers came in contact with the spring of some machine on the other side, or within the wall to which some sharp instrument was attached.  I would give much to know just how it was constructed, and what the girl had done to subject herself to such a terrible and unheard-of punishment.  But this, like many other things in that establishment, was wrapped in impenetrable mystery.  God only knows when the veil will be removed, or whether it ever will be until the day when all secret things will be brought to light.

When the three days expired, I was taken out of this room, but did not go to work again till my feet were healed.  I was then obliged to assist in milking the cows, and taking care of the milk.  They had a large number of cows, I believe thirty-five, and dairy rooms, with every thing convenient for making butter and cheese.  When first directed to go out and milk, I was pleased with the idea, for I hoped to find and opportunity to escape; but I was again disappointed.  In the cow yard, as elsewhere, every precaution was taken to prevent it.

Passing out of the main yard of the convent through a small door, I found myself in a small, neat yard, surrounded by a high fence, so that nothing could be seen but the sky overhead.  The cows were driven in, and the door immediately locked, so that escape from that place seemed impossible.

At harvest time, in company with twenty other nuns, I was taken out into the country to the residence of the monks.  The ride out there was a great treat, and very much enjoyed by us all.  I believe it was about five miles, through a part of the city of Montreal; the north part I think, but I am not sure.  We stopped before a large white stone building, situated in the midst of a large yard like the one