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in Spain； and of all the crimes which a man in favour with the Commander…in…Chief might commit； this one alone was certain to find him inexorable。 The General had asked for the mission to gratify private motives of curiosity； though never was curiosity more hopeless。 This final attempt was a matter of conscience。 The Carmelite convent on the island was the only nunnery in Spain which had baffled his search。
As he crossed from the mainland； scarcely an hour's distance； he felt a presentiment that his hopes were to be fulfilled； and afterwards； when as yet he had seen nothing of the convent but its walls； and of the nuns not so much as their robes； while he had merely heard the chanting of the service； there were dim auguries under the walls and in the sound of the voices to justify his frail hope。 And； indeed； however faint those so unaccountable presentiments might be； never was human passion more vehemently excited than the General's curiosity at that moment。 There are no small events for the heart； the heart exaggerates everything； the heart weighs the fall of a fourteen…year…old Empire and the dropping of a woman's glove in the same scales； and the glove is nearly always the heavier of the two。 So here are the facts in all their prosaic simplicity。 The facts first； the emotions will follow。
An hour after the General landed on the island； the royal authority was re…established there。 Some few Constitutional Spaniards who had found their way thither after the fall of Cadiz were allowed to charter a vessel and sail for London。 So there was neither resistance nor reaction。 But the change of government could not be effected in the little town without a mass； at which the two divisions under the General's command were obliged to be present。 Now； it was upon this mass that the General had built his hopes of gaining some information as to the sisters in the convent； he was quite unaware how absolutely the Carmelites were cut off from the world； but he knew that there might be among them one whom he held dearer than life； dearer than honour。
His hopes were cruelly dashed at once。 Mass； it is true； was celebrated in state。 In honour of such a solemnity； the curtains which always hid the choir were drawn back to display its riches； its valuable paintings and shrines so bright with gems that they eclipsed the glories of the ex…votos of gold and silver hung up by sailors of the port on the columns in the nave。 But all the nuns had taken refuge in the organ…loft。 And yet； in spite of this first check； during this very mass of thanksgiving； the most intimately thrilling drama that ever set a man's heart beating opened out widely before him。
The sister who played the organ aroused such intense enthusiasm； that not a single man regretted that he had come to the service。 Even the men in the ranks were delighted； and the officers were in ecstasy。 As for the General； he was seemingly calm and indifferent。 The sensations stirred in him as the sister played one piece after another belong to the small number of things which it is not lawful to utter； words are powerless to express them； like death； God； eternity； they can only be realised through their one point of contact with humanity。 Strangely enough； the organ music seemed to belong to the school of Rossini； the musician who brings most human passion into his art。
Some day his works； by their number and extent； will receive the reverence due to the Homer of music。 From among all the scores that we owe to his great genius； the nun seemed to have chosen Moses in Egypt for special study； doubtless because the spirit of sacred music finds therein its supreme expression。 Perhaps the soul of the great musician； so gloriously known to Europe； and the soul of this unknown executant had met in the intuitive apprehension of the same poetry。 So at least thought two dilettanti officers who must have missed the Theatre Favart in Spain。
At last in the Te Deum no one could fail to discern a French soul in the sudden change that came over the music。 Joy for the victory of the Most Christian King evidently stirred this nun's heart to the depths。 She was a Frenchwoman beyond mistake。 Soon the love of country shone out； breaking forth like shafts of light from the fugue； as the sister introduced variations with all a Parisienne's fastidious taste； and blended vague suggestions of our grandest national airs with her music。 A Spaniard's fingers would not have brought this warmth into a graceful tribute paid to the victorious arms of France。 The musician's nationality was revealed。
〃We find France everywhere； it seems；〃 said one of the men。
The General had left the church during the Te Deum； he could not listen any longer。 The nun's music had been a revelation of a woman loved to frenzy； a woman so carefully hidden from the world's eyes； so deeply buried in the bosom of the Church； that hitherto the most ingenious and persistent efforts made by men who brought great influence and unusual powers to bear upon the search had failed to find her。 The suspicion aroused in the General's heart became all but a certainty with the vague reminiscence of a sad； delicious melody； the air of Fleuve du Tage。 The woman he loved had played the prelude to the ballad in a boudoir in Paris； how often！ and now this nun had chosen the song to express an exile's longing； amid the joy of those that triumphed。 Terrible sensation！ To hope for the resurrection of a lost love； to find her only to know that she was lost； to catch a mysterious glimpse of her after five yearsfive years； in which the pent…up passion； chafing in an empty life； had grown the mightier for every fruitless effort to satisfy it！
Who has not known； at least once in his life； what it is to lose some precious thing； and after hunting through his papers； ransacking his memory； and turning his house upside down； after one or two days spent in vain search； and hope； and despair； after a prodigious expenditure of the liveliest irritation of soul； who has not known the ineffable pleasure of finding that all…important nothing which had come to be a king of monomania？ Very good。 Now； spread that fury of search over five years； put a woman； put a heart； put love in the place of the trifle； transpose the monomania into the key of high passion； and； furthermore； let the seeker be a man of ardent temper； with a lion's heart and a leonine head and mane； a man to inspire awe and fear in those who come in contact with himrealise this； and you may； perhaps； understand why the General walked abruptly out of the church when the first notes of a ballad； which he used to hear with a rapture of delight in a gilt…panelled boudoir； began to vibrate along the aisles of the church in the sea。
The General walked away down the steep street which led to the port； and only stopped when he could not hear the deep notes of the organ。 Unable to think of anything but the love which broke out in volcanic eruption； filling his heart with fire； he only knew that the Te Deum was over when the Spanish congregation came pouring out of the church。 Feeling that his behaviour and attitude might seem ridiculous； he went back to head the procession； t