1IntheAabbey(ThestorystartsinanabbeyofSalzburg,Austria,inthelastGoldenDaysoftheThirties.Halleluyah!Bernice:ReverendMother...ReverendMother:SisterBernice.Bernice:Isimplycannotfindher.ReverendMother:Marisa?Bernice:She’smissingfromtheabbeyagain.SisterA:Perhapsweshouldhaveputacowbellaroundherneck.SisterB:Haveyoutriedthebarn?Youknowhowmuchsheadorestheanimals.Bernice:Ihavelookedeverywhere,inalloftheusualplaces.ReverndMother:SisterBernice,consideringthatisMaria,Isuggestyoulookinsomeplaceunusual.(Later,MariagetsbackandcomestoseeReverendMother.)ReverendMother:I’mhere,mychild.Nowsitdown.Maria(shortforM):Oh,ReverendMother,I’msosorry.Ijustcouldn’thelpmyself.Thegateswereopenandthehillswerebeckoningandbefore...ReverendMother:Iknow!Ihavenotsummonedyouhereforapologies.M:Oh,pleaseMother,doletmeaskforforgiveness.ReverendMother:Ifitwillmakeyoufeelbetter.M:Yes.Wellyousee,theskywassobluetodayandeverythingwassogreenandfragrant.Ijusthadtobeapartofit!Andyouknowthosebirdskeptmeetingmehigherandhigherasthoughitwantedmetogorightthroughthecloudswithit.ReverendMother:Child,supposedarknesshadcomeandyouwerelost?M:Oh,Mother,Icouldneverbelostupthere.That’smymountain,Iwasbroughtuponit.Itwasthemountainthatledmetoyou.ReverendMother:Oh?M:WhenIwasachild,Iwouldcomedownthemountainandclimbatreeandlookoverintoyourgarden.I’dseethesistersatworkandIwouldhearthemsingontheirwaytoVespers,whichbringsmetoanothertransgression,ReverendMother.Iwassingingouttheretodaywithoutpermission.Reverendother:Maria,itisonlyhereintheabbeythatwehaverulesaboutpostulantsinging.M:Ican’tseemtostopsingingwhereverIam.Andwhat’sworse,Ican’tseemtostopsayingthings.EverythingandanythingIthinkandfeel.ReverendMother:Somepeoplewouldcallthathonesty.M:No,butit’sterrible,ReverendMother.YouknowhowSisterBethalwaysmakesmekissthefloorafterwehadadisagreement?WelllatelyI’vetakentokissingthefloorwhenIseehercomingjusttosavetime.ReverendMother:Maria,whenyousawusovertheabbeywallandlongedtobeoneofus,thatdidn’tnecessarilymeanthatyouwerepreparedforthewaywelivehere,didit?M:No,Mother.ButIprayandItryandIamlearning.Ireallyam.ReverendMother:Whatisthemostimportantlessonyouhavelearnedhere,mychild?M:TofindoutwhatisthewillofGodandtodoitwhole-heartedly.ReverendMother:Maria,itseemstobethewillofGodthatyouleaveus.M:Leaveyou?ReverendMother:Onlyforawhile,Maria.M:Oh,please,Mother,don’tdothat.Pleasedon’tsendmeaway!ThisiswhereIbelong.It’smyhome.Myfamily.It’smylife.ReverendMother:Areyoutrulyreadyforit?M:Yes,Iam.ReverendMother:Perhapsifyougooutintotheworldforatime,knowingwhatweexpectofyou.Youwillhaveachancetofindoutthatyoucouldexpectitfromyourself.M:Iknowwhatyouexpect,Mother,andIcandoit.IpromiseIcan!ReverendMother:Maria...M:Yes,mother.ItisGod’swill.ReverendMother:ThereisafamilynearSalzburgthatneedsagovernessuntilneedsagovernessuntilSeptember.M:September?!ReverendMother:Totakecareofsevenchildren.M:Sevenchildren?!ReverendMother:DoyoulikechildrenMaria?M:Ohyes,butseven....ReverendMother:IwilltellCaptainVonTrapptoexpectyoutomorrow.M:Acaptain?ReverendMother:AretiredofficeroftheimperialNavy.Afinemanandabraveone.Hiswifediedseveralyearsago.Livinginthedormwiththechildren,andIunderstandhehashadamostdifficulttimemanagingtokeepagovernessthere.M:Er..Whydifficult,ReverendMother?ReverendMother:TheLordwillshowyouinHisowngoodtime.(Maria,withherbagandguitarinhands,walkssullenlyoutoftheab...
