Marriette was allowed to keep her long hair, but the clothes she had with her were set aside for the season. In their place, she was given a novitiate's robe, which draped to the floor and covered her feet. Since it was winter, she was allowed to wear a pair of light sandals to protect her feet from the cold stone.
The first forty days were dedicated to silence. She rose in the morning with the monks and went to the chapel for prayer, then to the common room to break her fast. The rest of the day was an alternation of prayer, contemplation and chores.
The abbot assigned Brother Stephen as her spiritual director. He chose the scriptures she was to contemplate. They ranged from stories of the Christ to odd tales from the Old Testament. Each time, the instruction was the same. She was to pu
