Funny,′ said Harriet to herself. ‘The world goes on turning, and it has all these troubles in it.

I think there are only two ways to live in this place,’ said Sister Philippa, ’you must either live like Mr Dean or like the Sunnyasi; either ignore it completely or give yourself up to it.

You have to be very strong to live close to God or a mountain, or you’ll turn a little mad.

I can’t,’ but it was acceptance now. ‘I can’t,’ whispered Dame Catherine, ’so You must.

Dolls cannot choose; they can only be chosen; they cannot ‘do’; they can only be done by; children who do not understand this often do wrong things, and then the dolls are hurt and abused and lost; and when this happens dolls cannot speak, nor do anything except be hurt and abused and lost. If you have any dolls, you should remember that.

Sometimes,′ she said, remembering that morning, ‘I write poems that are taller than I am.

I don’t expect you to understand me any more than I can understand you; but I respect you and that’s the difference between us.

And we pray in reparation, to make up for all those who won’t or can’t pray for themselves – especially anyone in grave sin. That’s why communities say the longest and most arduous Office at night – the time when most sin is committed in the world.’ ‘You mean a little Carmelite might sit up and pray for a murderer?’ ‘She has, with results,’ said Philippa.

And you needn’t worry about being useful,’ said Dame Ursula. ‘When you have become God’s in the measure He wants, He, Himself, will know how to bestow you on others.’ She was quoting St Basil. Then her face grew wistful, ‘“Unless He prefer, for thy greater advantage, to keep thee all to himself.” That does happen to a few people. Yet, paradoxically, they have the greatest influence.

Not what thou art, nor what thou hast been, beholdeth God with His merciful eyes, but what thou wouldst be.