midnight
There were none but women there : grey , bent forms , with circular capes and faded mantillas , with hats of faded splendor and turned or threadbare dresses . She saw an unheard-of number of wrinkled faces , sunken mouths , dim eyes and shrivelled hands , but not a single hand which wore a plain gold ring . Yes , Mamsell Fredrika understood it now . It was all the old maids who had passed away in the land of Sweden who were keeping midnight mass in the Österhaninge church . Her dead sister leaned towards her . `` Sister , do you repent of what you have done for these your sisters ? '' `` No , '' said Mamsell Fredrika .