Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 46 The Runaway Nun
If Lionel's memory serves him correctly, the girl before him with clear emerald green eyes and dark chestnut curly hair is Alice-Clemence Rorschach, two years younger than him.

Her father, Étienne Rorschach, owned a farm at the foot of the Alps, mainly raising cattle and growing potatoes and rye.

The Rorschach Farm is two hours away from Montiel, the small town where the Sorel family lives; the Sorel family orders milk, potatoes and rye flour from him every year.

From as far back as Lionel can remember, Alice often accompanied her father on his delivery trips to Montière.

Because he was an old friend of old Sorel, Étienne Rorschach would leave the mountain goods and Alice at Sorel's house, and then drive his wagon to deliver them to other people's homes in town.

After delivering the goods, Étienne Rorschach would invite old Sorel to a tavern for a drink; Alice would spend the whole day playing with the Sorel siblings in town and the nearby mountains.

It wouldn't be wrong to say that she and Lionel were childhood sweethearts.

Alice-Clemence Rorschach brought her youthful face, full of southern French charm, closer to Lionel, revealing an angry expression: "What, you don't recognize me after just a few years?"

No wonder everyone says, 'Men turn into libertines when they come to Paris!'

Seeing the doorman casting a curious glance at her, Lionel quickly interrupted her, "It's so cold outside, let's go upstairs first."

Then, leading Alice, they hurriedly went inside under the "reluctant" gaze of the gatekeeper and went up to the fifth floor.

As soon as I stepped out of the stairwell and into the corridor, I saw Lucien de Pance, the opera singer and a real libertine, passionately kissing a blonde woman at his room door.

Alice quickly turned her face away and silently murmured, "May the Holy Mother protect us."

When Lucian saw Alice, his eyes revealed a look of amazement. While kissing the woman in his arms, he quietly raised his right hand and gave Lionel a thumbs up.

Lionel: "..."

But this was clearly not the right time to explain, so Lionel could only take out his key, unlock the door, and go inside with Alice to talk.

As the bright white light from the gas lamps illuminated the entire apartment, Alice stared at the walls, white as the first snow of the Alps, the floor, gleaming like the calm waters of Lake Eigbel, and the furniture and paintings inside. She was so shocked that she couldn't speak for a moment.

She had accompanied her father to deliver milk and honey to Father Edmund's house in town and had visited his little house, which was known as "the paradise of all the widows of Monttier," but none of them were as exquisite as the apartment in front of her.

Coming to her senses, Alice suddenly looked at Lionel with some anger: "Don't you know what happened to the Sorel family? How can you live such a good life in Paris all by yourself?"

"Ivana's eyes are red and swollen every day!"

Lionel was somewhat troubled. He couldn't explain what he was doing to Alice in a short time, so he quickly changed the subject: "How did you find your way here?"

The Alps and Paris are located in the north and south of each other, respectively. Even with the railway connection, it wouldn't be an easy journey. Moreover, Alice is a woman, and in this era, it would be virtually impossible for her to travel long distances independently.

Upon hearing this question, Alice suddenly tensed up. Instead of answering directly, she walked to the window, cautiously glanced at the street below, then drew the curtains and said mysteriously, "I ran away!"

Lionel was startled: "They've escaped? From the Alps? All the way to Paris?"

Alice quickly explained, "It's either from the Alps or Paris. —I don't want to be a nun!"

Lionel couldn't process this information right away: "What? A nun? When did you become a nun?"

Alice nodded vigorously. "Yes, Sister. My mother was very ill last year and almost died. My father made a vow at church that if my mother recovered, he would send his daughter to serve Christ." Lionel: "...And then Aunt Aisha recovered?"

Alice: "Later, a doctor who had studied in Paris came to town and cured my mother—my father felt that this was God's response to his piety."

Lionel: "..." Okay, that makes sense.

Alice continued, "Our local Notre-Dame Basilica was too small. To formally become a nun, one must go to the Order of Saint Martha in Paris. I ran away from the Order after I arrived in Paris, on my way there."

Then she walked around the living room of the apartment: "As for here... I visited Sister Ivana before I left the Alps, and she showed me the new letter you sent. I remembered this address."

Lionel rubbed his forehead, his head about to explode. He already had a lot on his plate, and now he had to deal with a "runaway nun." If the church came knocking on his door, he might end up in jail.

Although French society in the 1880s had begun to fully shift towards secularization, and the Church was criticized by most intellectuals, it still had a great influence among the nobility and the lower classes.

At the same time, the court still maintained a considerable degree of respect for the authority of the church.

Although Alice has not formally vowed to become a nun, she may already be a member of the church and theoretically a member of the church.

Seeing the troubled look on Lionel's face, Alice suddenly looked at him seriously and said, "I know I'm a 'trouble,' and if you don't want to take me in, I can leave tomorrow!"
But could you please let me stay here tonight? It's too cold outside, and I didn't take any luggage with me when I ran away..."

If Lionel were truly a 19th-century person, he should have immediately called the police to get rid of this "trouble"—becoming a nun was not considered a bad option by most people in that era.

But now he couldn't bear to watch a woman—even if Alice was a stranger—be sent to a convent for such absurd reasons, and then possibly never be able to step out of the gates for the rest of her life.

Especially considering that Alice herself was unwilling to become a nun.

Lionel could only sigh: "Come with me."

He then led Alice to the smaller bedroom in the apartment, turned on the gas light, and instructed her: "The mattress, pillows, and blankets are all in the closet. Make your own bed."

Also... don't go out for the next few days; the church is probably looking for you too.

Alice looked at Lionel in disbelief after hearing this, then jumped up and rushed over, hugging him tightly as if he were a lifeline: "I knew you wouldn't send me away, Lionel!" Her eyes were already brimming with tears.

Lionel was so embarrassed he didn't know what to do with his hands, so he could only pat him gently on the back.

A long, loud rumbling sound rose between the two.

Alice shyly released her arms from Lionel and placed them on her stomach. Seeing Lionel looking at her with concern, she quickly said, "It's okay, I'm not hungry... I won't be hungry after I fall asleep..."

Lionel smiled and shook his head: "You wait here, I'll go to the restaurant on the first floor and have them send up dinner—it's okay, I have meals included here, no extra cost."

Alice didn't dare to speak, afraid of revealing that she was already choking up, so she could only nod and watch Lionel leave the room.

Once the apartment door closed, she finally relaxed, curled up in a corner of the room, and sobbed uncontrollably, hugging her shoulders...

(End of this chapter)