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 UNI*. OF CALIF. LIBRARY. LOS ANGELES
 
 THE CONVENT; 
 
 A NARRATIVE, 
 
 FOUNDED ON FACT 
 
 BY R. McCRINDELL, 
 
 AUTHORESS OF THE " SCHOOL-GIRL IN FRANCE," ''THE ENGLISH 
 GOVERNESS," ETC. 
 
 Thy word ii a lamp unto my feet, and a lijht unto my path." 
 
 ?*. cxiz. 105 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 ROBERT CARTER, 53 CANAL ST. 
 
 1843
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 THE following pages are presented to the public 
 under peculiar, and somewhat melancholy, circum- 
 stances. 
 
 The Authoress, no stranger in the literary world 
 (having acquired some degree of fame by her former 
 works), spent a great part of the last year of her 
 life, in preparing the narrative now published. 
 
 I have said the " circumstances were melancholy," 
 yet why should I say so ? To her emancipated 
 spirit most joyful has been the change. Her life 
 was one of painful suffering, and death, to her, 
 brought no sting. 
 
 For many years she had been a faithful follower 
 of Jesus, and, in her hour of utmost need, she re- 
 ceived that support He never fails to give to those 
 who trust in Him. 
 
 Most anxious were her desires to benefit the rising 
 race, and to set before them, in all their soul-de- 
 stroying power, the doctrines of Popery. 
 
 Having passed several years in Roman Catholic 
 countries, and witnessed much of its persecuting 
 spirit, she was well prepared to show the system 
 practised to deceive the simple-minded ; and many 
 
 21313B7
 
 IV PREFACE. 
 
 hours of bodily suffering were endured, while en- 
 deavoring, by her writings, to impress upon the 
 minds of British youth the blessing and privilege 
 they enjoy, in having the Word of God taught them 
 from their youth up ; and daily did she pray, that 
 1 they, like the youthful Timothy, might know " the 
 Scriptures, which are able to make them wise unto 
 salvation." 
 
 That her efforts, for the benefit of the young, 
 have not been in vain, pleasing evidences have been 
 given ; her " labor of love " has been acknowledged 
 by her Heavenly Master, in more than one instance. 
 Her " SCHOOL-GIRL in FRANCE " has been particu- 
 larly useful, and as the present work was undertaken 
 and carried on in a prayerful spirit, and with a view 
 to His glory, no doubt that He, who has promised 
 His blessing to those who "ask any thing" in His 
 name, will vouchsafe to acknowledge the present 
 attempt to spread the knowledge of the truths con- 
 tained in His own holy word. 
 
 The outline of the Narrative is founded on fact. 
 The substance is true, but woven together by such 
 circumstances as her imagination suggested as likely 
 to occur to persons situated as were the novices. 
 
 CLAREMONT HOUSE, 
 Dec. 11, 1847.
 
 THE CONVENT, 
 
 CHAPTER I. ' 
 
 THE CONVENT BELLS. 
 
 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall 
 depart from the living faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doc- 
 trines of devils ; 
 
 Speaking lies in hypocrisy : having their conscience soared with a 
 hot iron ; 
 
 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which 
 God has created to be received with thanksgiving of them which be- 
 lieve and know the truth. 1 TIMOTHY iv. 1, 2, 3. 
 
 " LIST ! oh, list to the convent-bells !" ex- 
 claimed Cecilia Montague, as leaning over tbe 
 side of the luxurious pleasure-boat, around 
 whose gilded prow the deep-blue waves of the 
 beauteous Mediterranean sportively danced and 
 sparkled, she bent a delighted ear to the sweet, 
 plaintive melody, that came pealing over the 
 waters, from the spire of a convent at a short 
 distance from the shore. It was the vesper 
 chime, and the sounds seemed to derive addi- 
 tional softness from the liquid element over 
 which they w r ere borne, and the balmy even- 
 ing air on which they floated. The sun was 
 1*
 
 THE CONVEX!" BELLS. 
 
 just sinking below the horizon, and his parting 
 rays tinged with a golden splendor the placid 
 bosom of the sea, and the lofty turrets of the 
 neighboring monastery. The lovely coast of 
 Sicily, along which they were sailing, presented 
 at every turn objects of the most varied and 
 romantic beauty ; and there was a feeling of 
 calm and delicious enjoyment in the hour and 
 the scene, which was well calculated to hush 
 every jarring passion into peace. 
 
 " Do let us step ashore, mamma, and go to 
 see the evening service in that convent-chapel. 
 The sound of the bells is so sweet ! and, listen ! 
 do you not hear a distant murmur of music, 
 like the echo of seraphic voices ?" 
 
 " Silly, romantic girl P.exCTaimed Mrs. Mon- 
 tague, a quiet, gentle, good-natured woman, 
 " I really doubt if I am doing right in indulging 
 your wayward fancies." Yet Mrs. Montague, 
 in spite of this doubt, gave the necessary direc- 
 tions to the boatmen, and, with the assistance 
 of a Sicilian count, who accompanied them, 
 the two ladies were soon landed, and entering 
 the fine old avenue that led to the convent. 
 It was a venerable Gothic building, in a state 
 of excellent preservation, and the wilderness of 
 chestnut, olive, and orange-trees by which it 
 was surrounded, invested it with an air of som- 
 bre majesty, that suited well with the charac- 
 ter of the edifice, and the purpose to which it
 
 THE CONVENT BELLS. 7 
 
 was devoted. The wild solitude and pictur- 
 esque seclusion of the place did not fail to cap- 
 tivate the imagination of our young enthusiast. 
 The party followed the windings of a noble 
 avenue, till they came to the chapel, which 
 they immediately entered. A few poor old 
 people, from the neighboring cottages, com- 
 posed the whole visible congregation ; but, be- 
 yond a double grating, rendered impervious by 
 a curtain of crimson silk, were heard the appar- 
 ently fervent responses of the nuns, while the 
 officiating priest proceeded with the usual Latin 
 service. The effect was considerably height- 
 ened by the rich notes of the organ, and the 
 melody of several very beautiful voices, whose 
 thrilling accents made the fretted roof resound 
 with a music almost celestial; and while the 
 ear drank in their fascinating sweetness, and 
 the heart yielded to the enchanting spell, the 
 mind did not pause to reflect, that those sounds 
 were repeated in an unknown tongue, and 
 were, therefore, neither the utterance of the 
 understanding, nor the language of enlightened 
 devotion. The choral strain had ceased, the 
 nuns had retired, and the few peasants were 
 leaving the chapel, before the entranced Cecilia 
 and her party moved from their places. At 
 length, Mrs. Montague rose to depart, and after 
 many a " longing lingering look" of admiration 
 from her daughter, at the turreted walls, and
 
 8 THE CONVENT BELLS. 
 
 lovely woods of the convent of Santa Rosalia, 
 they re-entered their boat, and returned to 
 their abode at Palermo. 
 
 " Oh ! mamma, how I should like to be a 
 nun !" exclaimed Cecilia, suddenly arousing her- 
 self from a long and deep reverie, during which 
 she had neither heard the flattering speeches, 
 nor noticed the assiduous attentions of her Sicil- 
 ian suitor. " How lovely the solitude ; how 
 sweet the quiet of that secluded spot ! Surely, 
 none of the cares, anxieties, sins, or sorrows of 
 life can gain admittance there ! The life of 
 the nuns must glide away in one uninterrupted 
 flow of calm and peaceful serenity, hallowed 
 by the glow of seraphic devotion ; and they 
 must almost insensibly pass from earth to 
 heaven, with the blissful certainty of a glorious 
 and happy future. Oh ! that such a lot were 
 mine !" A deep sigh attested the sincerity of 
 the wish, and the poor girl really thought her- 
 self actuated by the purest feelings of true and 
 spiritual piety, while thus displaying her utter 
 ignorance both of her own heart, and of the 
 nature of real religion. Her mother was some- 
 what more enlightened, but the worldliness of 
 her character was conspicuous in her reply. 
 
 ''Cecilia! how ridiculously you talk! Can 
 any thing be more foolish than the idea of your 
 becoming a nun ! You, who are so fond of 
 gayety, and so well fitted to shine in the brill-
 
 THE CONVENT BELLS. 9 
 
 iant circles of fashionable society ! Why, you 
 would be miserable before the end of a week ; 
 pining after those amusements and pleasures 
 which you now enjoy, and which, I am sure, 
 are quite indispensable to your happiness." 
 
 " Indeed, mamma, you are greatly mistaken 
 in your opinion. I assure you, that, although 
 I seem so fond of gayety, I am very often, not 
 only tired, but heartily sick of it. The pleas- 
 ures of the world do not yield me half the satis- 
 faction I expected from them ; and, now that 
 their novelty is past, they generally leave be- 
 hind them a painful void, and a feeling of self- 
 reproach, which make me often unhappy. I 
 am convinced that religion would make me 
 much happier." 
 
 " Come, come, child, no more of this non- 
 sense. If you wish to become religious, you 
 can do so, without shutting yourself up in a 
 convent. You greatly deceive yourself, in 
 thinking there is nothing but peace and hap- 
 piness in those places. Depend upon it, there 
 is quite as much of the spirit of the world in 
 them as there is outside their w T al!s ; while the 
 passions, left to prey upon the very vitals of 
 their unhappy victims, cause quite as much 
 misery there as elsewhere. Besides, you know 
 you are a Protestant, and could not enter a 
 Roman Catholic convent." 
 
 Cecilia was silenced, but not convinced.
 
 10 THE CONVENT BELLS. 
 
 Her ardent imagination was strongly im- 
 pressed by the kind of mysterious prestige 
 that seems to hover round a convent-life ; and, 
 though the impression was at length effaced 
 by newer and more exciting images, yet it 
 greatly tended to prepare her for an easy sur- 
 render to the wiles and fascinations of the 
 Romish system. 
 
 Mrs. Montague and her daughter were, at 
 this time, peculiarly circumstanced. They 
 had, some years before, accompanied Mr. 
 Montague to Constantinople, where he held 
 a lucrative appointment, connected with the 
 English embassy. Death had, however, about 
 a twelvemonth before the period of our story, 
 deprived them of an indulgent husband and 
 father ; and they had availed themselves of 
 the first favorable opportunity for returning to 
 England, where they possessed considerable 
 property. But their voyage had been unfor- 
 tunate ; their vessel was captured by a French 
 sh,p of war, stationed in the Mediterranean, 
 and they were taken as prisoners to Sicily, 
 which was then under the domination of the 
 French sovereign. They were, however, 
 treated with the greatest politeness, and al- 
 lowed to reside in lodgings of their own, un- 
 der the surveillance of the French governor. 
 This gentleman used every means to lighten 
 their captivity ; they were allowed to associate
 
 THE CONVENT BELLS. 11 
 
 freely with the best society in the island, both 
 French and native ; parties of pleasure and 
 delightful excursions, were continually planned 
 for their amusement; and Cecilia, being not 
 only a very pretty girl, but known to be an 
 heiress, soon became the object of pursuit to 
 numberless suitors. 
 
 Not many weeks after the conversation just 
 related, all the fashionable world of Palermo 
 assembled at the principal church, to witness 
 her abjuration of Protestantism ; and but an- 
 other month had elapsed, when the rich, the 
 gay, the beautiful Cecilia Montague bestowed 
 her hand on the Conte Leonelli, and the whole 
 island rang with the fetes that were given to 
 celebrate the event. Mrs. Montague's objec- 
 tions had been overcome, and she consented 
 to spend the remainder of her days in the su- 
 perb mansion of her daughter. 
 
 And was that convent of Santa Rosalia 
 that venerable and interesting edifice, with its 
 sweet scenery, and its lovely air of seclusion 
 and tranquillity was it really the abode of 
 peace, forgetfulness of the world, and undis- 
 turbed happiness ? Let us take a peep into its 
 interior, and we shall be able to judge. 
 
 On the same beautiful evening which has 
 been already mentioned, but a few hours later, 
 when the moon in tranquil majesty was hold- 
 ing her court in the deep blue expanse, amidst
 
 12 THE CONVENT BELLS. 
 
 hosts of brilliant stars, and the delicious re- 
 pose of nature was only interrupted by the 
 sweetly- plaintive voice of the nightingale, two 
 ladies were walking in the convent-garden, and 
 conversing together in low and cautious tones. 
 They kept their walk sedulously confined to 
 the most shady parts, and were evidently anx- 
 ious to escape observation. 
 
 They were both interesting in their ap- 
 pearance, yet very different in person. The 
 younger was a blooming girl of about sixteen, 
 tall and graceful, with the sparkling Italian 
 eye, but fairer in complexion than the natives 
 of the south generally are. There was a 
 laughing sprightliness in her countenance, but 
 ill-disguised by an affected gravity, and its 
 prevailing expression was that of ingenuous 
 and happy youth, but lately emerged from the 
 careless playfulness of childhood. 
 
 Her companion was, in many respects, a 
 perfect contrast to the happy-looking girl. 
 Her age might be about twenty ; her com- 
 plexion was of the dark hue which the tints 
 of health render so rich and glowing ; but her 
 cheek wore a paleness that was almost death- 
 like, and her eyes, of the deepest and most 
 striking expression, were clouded by a melan- 
 choly which might almost have been called 
 despair. It was a face of sad and touching 
 beauty, and there was something very painful
 
 THE CONVENT BELL.S. 13 
 
 in its character of silent anguish, varied by 
 occasional flashes of mild and troubled passion. 
 
 They both wore the white veil of the nov- 
 ices ; and from the first part of their conver- 
 sation, did not seem to have been long ac- 
 quainted. 
 
 " Dear signora," said the younger, then, 
 correcting herself, she changed the expression 
 into " Dear sister," " I am very sorry to see 
 you so sad. You have now been here a whole 
 week, and I have never once seen you smile. 
 But, pray, let us get deeper into this grove, 
 for, though I could not refuse to walk with 
 you in the garden, after all the family were 
 retired to rest, as I thought, I might, perhaps, 
 be of some service to you, yet I am not quite 
 sure that I am doing right, and I fear the 
 madre would be highly displeased if she knew 
 of our being out at this hour." 
 
 " For myself I care not !" replied the other 
 lady, in a tone of reckless determination, " but, 
 for your sake, gentle girl, I w r ould not willingly 
 draw their observation upon us. / am quite 
 resigned to any thing they may inflict upon 
 me. I have neither joy nor hope on this side 
 the grave, and it is of little consequence how 
 the short remnant of my wretched life may be 
 passed ; indeed, I rejoice that I may have the 
 opportunity here of atoning for my sins by 
 misery, and every sort of privation, and so,
 
 14 THE CONVENT BELLS. 
 
 perhaps, attaining to forgiveness, and future 
 peace." 
 
 " You have drawn a very gloomy picture in 
 your own imagination, of the life we lead here. 
 I assure you, you are mistaken, and that we are 
 generally very happy. We have, of course, 
 penances to perform, or endure, when we have 
 done wrong ; but, otherwise, we enjoy a very 
 peaceful and agreeable life." 
 
 " What ! with such a superior over you as 
 the mad re Santa Teresa ! I am sure her ap- 
 pearance and manners are haughty and austere 
 enough to repulse and frighten any body !" 
 
 " She is very strict, certainly, and her man- 
 ners are not prepossessing. She is not at all like 
 our late dear madre. You must know that she 
 has not been long our superior. She was, for 
 about one year, sub-superior, under our late ex- 
 cellent and beloved madre Santa Maddalena, 
 who had been at the head of this convent for 
 thirty years. Oh ! she was a kind and amiable 
 superior ! She brought me up from my in- 
 fancy, and was indeed a mother to me. We 
 all loved her with the most devoted affection, 
 and her death was a bitter and heart-rending 
 grief to us. Every day since, we seem to feel 
 her loss more and more, for her successor is 
 very different, 'and has introduced severities 
 into the convent which we never knew before,
 
 THE CONVENT BELLS. ' 15 
 
 and which make our lives much less comfort- 
 able than they used to be." 
 
 " Poor child !" exclaimed the other lady, in a 
 tone of compassion, " and have you then been 
 here ever since your infancy ?" 
 
 " Even so, sister, I was devoted to God be- 
 fore my birth, and brought hither as soon as I 
 was weaned, and able to walk." 
 
 " Are you an orphan, then, Rosa ?" 
 
 " No, signora ; I have both a father and 
 mother, and also a brother and sister." 
 
 " Who are your parents, then, and from what 
 possible motive could they sacrifice so sweet a 
 child ?" 
 
 " My mother is Contessa di Belfiore, in her 
 own right ; but she married an English gentle- 
 man of the name of Melville. It was a clan- 
 destine match ; they eloped into France, where 
 they were united, first by a Catholic priest, and 
 afterwards by a Protestant minister, as they 
 were of different religions. My father has, 
 since then, embraced the true faith ; but after 
 her return to Sicily, my mother's conscience 
 was so troubled by the sin she had committed, 
 in marrying a heretic, especially as the rites of 
 the church were refused her in consequence of 
 it, that she made a solemn vow to devote her 
 first-born daughter to the service of God, with 
 a dower of considerable amount. Thus she 
 expiated her offence, and reconciled herself to
 
 16 THE CONVENT BELLS. 
 
 the church, into whose bosom my father also 
 was soon after received. Hence, I have never 
 known any other home than this house ; and, 
 through the tender care of the good madre, and 
 the kindness of the nuns, my life was one con- 
 tinued scene of sunshine, till within the last 
 three months, when her lamented death, and 
 the very opposite character and conduct of her 
 successor, have thrown a heavy gloom over all 
 our former happiness." 
 
 " And do you ever see your parents, or your 
 brother and sister ?" 
 
 " Oh ! yes ; my dear papa comes very often 
 to see me, and so does my brother, whenever 
 he is at home ; for he has always been enthu- 
 siastically fond of the sea, and nothing could 
 prevent him from entering the navy. My 
 mother and sister also come sometimes ; but 
 all the community are like mothers and sisters 
 to me, except the superior, and two or three of 
 the nuns who came with her, and whose favor 
 I have not been able to gain, though I have 
 always done all I could to please them." 
 
 " Poor child ! How much I pity you ! but 
 why should I say so ? You are happy in your 
 innocence and ignorance ; you have never 
 known any other kind of life ; and, therefore, 
 I have rather reason to envy you." 
 
 " But, dear signora, vou have not told me
 
 THE CONVENT BELLS. 17 
 
 why you asked me to take this midnight- walk, 
 nor what I can do to serve you." 
 
 " Rosa !" exclaimed the other lady passion- 
 ately, grasping both the hands of her young 
 companion, while a bright beam of moonlight, 
 streaming down through an opening in the thick 
 chestnut-trees above her head, strongly marked 
 the contrast between her pale and agitated 
 countenance, and the smiling serenity of that 
 on which she gazed. " Rosa ! I have watched 
 every face in this house, ever since I have been 
 here, with the most anxious desire to select 
 a friend, to whom I could communicate my 
 wretched history, and my miserable feelings, 
 and from whom I might hope to receive sym- 
 pathy, kindness, affection, and advice. I have 
 seen none but yours, to whom I could venture 
 to open my heart. The superior is to me, a 
 woman of most repulsive appearance, and, 
 among all the nuns, I have seen nothing but in- 
 dications of senseless bigotry, doting supersti- 
 tion, absurd frivolity, malignant censoriousness, 
 and all-pervading selfishness. In no counte- 
 nance but yours can I trace either mental re- 
 finement, true sensibility, frankness, or genuine 
 kindness and feeling. You are very young, it 
 is true ; but yet I feel that I can trust you, and 
 that your friendship will be a consolation to 
 me." 
 
 The countenance of the young girl assumed
 
 18 THE CONVENT BELLS. 
 
 an expression of doubt, and almost of fear, as 
 she replied, 
 
 " Sister, you are much too severe in your 
 opinion and remarks. I assure you there are 
 many of the nuns whom, when you know them 
 better, you will find very excellent and amiable 
 women. For myself, I feel much obliged by 
 your good opinion, but pardon me if I rather 
 dread than wish for your confidence, and beg 
 you will reflect, before you intrust to an inex- 
 perienced girl circumstances, respecting which 
 she cannot be qualified to give any advice, and 
 which, perhaps, it is scarcely proper for her to 
 know. Had you not better wait a little, and 
 choose some fitter confidant among the nuns ; 
 or consult the father confessor ?" 
 
 " Cease, cease !" exclaimed her companion, 
 with a gesture of impatience, " cease, I beseech 
 you, to annoy me with these doubts and sug- 
 gestions. You are the friend my heart has 
 chosen, but you need not fear that my confi- 
 dence will do you any injury. It is, indeed, a 
 confession of crime, of deep and awful guilt ; 
 but it is not such as will tinge your cheek with 
 blushes, though it may make it turn pale. Sit 
 down with me on this mossy seat, and you shall 
 hear my short, but tragical history." 
 
 "I am the only daughter of a Spanish mer- 
 chant at Malaga. I was his joy and pride, and 
 unfortunately, brought up in the indulgence of
 
 THE CONVENT BELLS. 19 
 
 every whim, and the gratification of every 
 wish. My mother was a beata, an exceedingly 
 devout woman, and endeavored to imbue my 
 mind with the strictest principles of religion. 
 But I was fond of the world, and, as my will 
 was never thwarted, I formed what connec- 
 tions I'pleased, and lived in a constant round of 
 gayety. 
 
 " About two years ago, I became acquainted 
 with a young Englishman, a clerk in a neigh- 
 boring merchant's establishment. He paid me 
 marked attention, and we became passionately 
 attached to each other. Our intimacy, how- 
 ever, was discovered and prohibited by my 
 father, who, on this occasion, exerted an au- 
 thority which he had never assumed before, 
 and to which I was by no means disposed to 
 submit. Bitterly does my conscience reproach 
 me, for the numberless instances of disobedi- 
 ence, ingratitude, and deception, of which I 
 was guilty during the ensuing twelve-month. I 
 frequently saw Frederick Morton during that 
 period ; but my father, having been apprized 
 of it, locked me up in my room, and threatened 
 to send me to a convent, if I did not relinquish 
 this forbidden connection. 
 
 " With shame and grief I confess, that these 
 harsh measures, and still harsher menaces, only 
 stirred up my proud spirit to more determined 
 rebellion. I found means of communicating
 
 20 THE CONVENT BELLS. 
 
 with my lover ; our plans were arranged, and 
 I succeeded in escaping from my father's house. 
 A small vessel had been provided, in which we 
 embarked, sailed to Gibraltar, w r here we were 
 immediately married. 
 
 " You shudder, Rosa, at my wickedness, and 
 well you may ; but I was soon punished in so 
 dreadful a manner, that you will not, cannot, 
 refuse to pity me. We spent a few weeks at 
 Gibraltar, in a dream-like happiness too exqui- 
 site to last ; but my conscience soon awoke 
 from its slumber, and its scorpion-stings com- 
 pelled me to implore the pardon of my parents. 
 1 wrote repeatedly, the most submissive and 
 penitential letters ; but no answer was returned 
 to any of them ; and I became so miserable, 
 that my beloved Frederick consented to take 
 me back to Malaga, that I might, on my knees, 
 endeavor to soften the anger of my justly-of- 
 fended parents. O my excellent and affection- 
 ate husband ! Never can I forget your kind- 
 ness, your tender indulgence ! Never can I 
 cease to mourn the hour when I induced you 
 to grant me this fatal opportunity !" 
 
 Here the unhappy novice, totally overcome 
 by her agonized feelings, leaned her head on 
 the shoulder of the sympathizing Rosa, and 
 yielded to a torrent of tears, accompanied with 
 convulsive sobbing. Her companion entreated 
 her to desist from so distressing a narration;
 
 THE COXVENT HELL*. 21 
 
 but, after this burst of feeling, she persisted in 
 resuming it, observing that she would make it 
 as brief as possible. 
 
 " It would be impossible for me to give you 
 a description, or even a clear idea of what fol- 
 lowed.. Scenes of horror and bloodshed flit 
 before my memory, half veiled in a mist of 
 delirious uncertainty. All I know is, that my 
 father and my husband encountered each other, 
 the very evening of our arrival ; my father 
 attacked Frederick with furious rage ; they 
 fought desperately and blindly ; and the result, 
 Oh ! Rosa ! that I should live to relate it ! 
 The result was, the death of both, almost in- 
 stantaneously !" 
 
 It was not till some considerable time after, 
 that the unhappy Spaniard was able to con- 
 clude this account of herself, which, however, 
 she insisted upon doing, notwithstanding the en- 
 treaties of the weeping Rosa, that she would 
 at least defer it. 
 
 " What became of me, after all these hor- 
 rors, I scarcely know. I awoke from a long 
 and horrid lethargy, under the roof of my 
 father's dwelling ; and the first piece of infor- 
 mation I obtained was, that my unfortunate 
 mother had died of grief, and that I was the 
 murderess of both my parents, as well as of the 
 object of my dearest affections ! I was com- 
 pletely overwhelmed by the awful judgments
 
 22 THE CONVENT BELT,?. 
 
 of heaven, in the fearful consequences of my 
 sins ; my reason gave way, and a brain-fever, 
 which had nearly proved fatal, kept me in a 
 state of raving delirium during several months. 
 At length I recovered, and found myself in the 
 power of my brother, who, as soon as I could 
 bear the journey, sent me here, to expiate my 
 crimes by a life of misery and self-reproach." 
 
 " And now, Rosa, dear Rosa, that you know 
 all my guilt, do not, pray do not shrink from me 
 with the abhorrence I deserve ; but have 
 compassion on me, comfort me, counsel me, 
 and tell me how I shall get rid of the dreadful 
 load of condemnation that weighs me down to 
 the dust." 
 
 " Dearest sister," replied the youthful novice, 
 whose tears of sympathy had not yet done 
 flowing, " I am quite incompetent to advise you. 
 The father confessor, to whom you have no 
 doubt told all this dreadful tale, will direct you 
 in the mode of expiating your offences, and put 
 you in the way of recovering your peace of 
 mind, and being reconciled to God. He has, 
 no doubt, enjoined you suitable penance's, and 
 will, in proper time give you absolution." 
 
 " Has he the power or authority to do that, 
 Rosa 1 If I could feel satisfied that he had, I 
 should dismiss all anxiety ; but my mind is full 
 of doubt and confusion on that very subject." 
 
 " Sister !" exclaimed Rosa, starting back in-
 
 THE COXVEXT BELLS. 23 
 
 voluntarily a few paces, " Sister ! what can you 
 mean ? What ! doubt the authority of the 
 Church and her ministers ! Oh, you have in- 
 deed fallen into the snares of heretics ! But 
 you must confess this also, and Father Giacomo 
 \vill easily solve all your doubts. But, pray, 
 do let us retire to rest ; for the moon has sunk 
 behind the mountains, and it must be very late. 
 I fear \\e shall be but little disposed to attend 
 matins, and I think the superior considers you 
 quite recovered enough not to be any longer 
 excused." 
 
 " She has told me so, and my duty is passive 
 obedience. But, oh ! do promise to meet me 
 here occasionally at night, that we may have 
 a little unrestained conversation. I have still 
 much to say to you, therefore promise me this 
 enjoyment." 
 
 Rosa promised, though she felt as if she were 
 doing wrong ; and the two friends, having af- 
 fectionately embraced each other, retired to 
 their respective cells ; but the sleep of the one 
 was disturbed by mental agony, and that of the 
 other troubled with dreams and visions of ter- 
 ror, occasioned by the tragical events which 
 had just been related to her.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE SPANISH NOVICE. 
 
 We wait for light, but behold obscurity ; for brightness, but we walk 
 in darkness. 
 
 We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no 
 eyes : we stumble at noon-day as in the night ; we are in desolate 
 places as dead men. 
 
 We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves ; we look for judg- 
 ment, but there is none ; for salvation, but it is far off from us. ISAIAH 
 lix. 9, 10, 11. 
 
 IT was some weeks after the conversation 
 related in the preceding chapter, the convent- 
 clock had tolled the hour of eleven, and silence 
 reigned along the deserted corridors, for the 
 inmates of the establishment had some time 
 before retired to their cells, to enjoy the few 
 hours of rest allowed them, till the three o'clock 
 bell should summon them to their early .task 
 of useless and wearisome repetitions. A fee- 
 ble ray of light, however, still streamed from 
 the casement of one small chamber ; and its 
 faint reflection just revealed within the usual 
 contents of a nun's cell : a bedstead without 
 curtains, one chair, and a deal table, on which 
 stood a crucifix, a black rosary, a breviary, a 
 skull, and an hour-glass. On that bed lay, in 
 seeming repose, the form of the Spanish novice,
 
 THE SPANISH NOVICE. 25 
 
 and beside it sat the youthful Rosa, in an atti- 
 tude of quiet watchfulness, her eyes bent on 
 her rosary, and her lips inaudibly repeating 
 the Latin prayers attached to each separate 
 bead. A profound silence had, for some time, 
 reigned in the little room, when it was inter- 
 rupted by an impatient motion on the part of 
 the invalid, and a meek, but agitated, voice 
 feebly exclaimed, 
 
 " Rosa, dearest Rosa ! do speak to me, I be- 
 seech you ! Let me hear your sweet and 
 cheering voice, dispelling the horror of my 
 thoughts !" 
 
 " Hush ! hush, dear sister !" said her affec- 
 tionate attendant, gently laying her hand on 
 the mouth of her charge ; " you know you 
 must not talk, but try to sleep, or you will 
 bring on again the fever and all its dangerous 
 symptoms." 
 
 " I cannot sleep, Rosa ; I assure you I can- 
 not ; I have been trying for the last half hour, 
 but I cannot accomplish it. I have long ar- 
 dently wished for an opportunity of conversing 
 with you alone, and without interruption, and 
 the present is one which may not again occur 
 for weeks, perhaps for months. My mind is 
 in a state of insupportable torture, and, as I re- 
 ally find it impossible to sleep, I must unbur- 
 then my misery to you." 
 
 " I sincerely wish you would not, dear sis- 
 3
 
 26 THE SPANISH NOVICE. 
 
 
 
 ter," observed Rosa, with a countenance and 
 manner expressive of the most unfeigned re- 
 luctance to listen to a subject from which her 
 feelings instinctively shrank, though she could 
 scarcely, even to herself, have assigned a rea- 
 son for the dread it inspired. " You know," 
 she continued, " that I am a most unfit person 
 to be your confidant, and I earnestly entreat 
 you to choose a more suitable one, or rather 
 to repose unlimited confidence in your spiritual 
 director." 
 
 " The thing is impossible, and so you will 
 acknowledge, when you know the nature of 
 my distress. O Rosa ! Rosina carissima !" 
 she continued, throwing her arms round the 
 neck of the softened girl, and laying her burn- 
 ing forehead against her cheek, " you cannot, 
 you must not, deny me the relief of your sym- 
 pathy !" 
 
 Rosa gently replaced her head on the pillow, 
 (a luxury only allowed in sickness.) which she 
 carefully adjusted ; and, thinking that further 
 refusal would, perhaps, only produce irritation 
 and dangerous excitement, she resolved to sub- 
 mit for a little while, in order to calm her, and 
 soothingly said, as she kissed her patient, 
 
 " Well, then, I will listen to you for a few 
 minutes, and when you have silenced your 
 mind, you will perhaps be able to sleep. In
 
 THE SPANISH NOVICE. 27 
 
 the mean time, lie down quietly, and I will lay 
 my head on the pillow, beside yours." 
 
 " Thank you, carina., thank you. You are 
 the only kind creature in the house. And now, 
 I will tell you why I cannot impart my distress 
 to Father Giacomo. It is because he is him- 
 self, in a great measure, the cause of it." 
 
 " What, has he not given you absolution ? I 
 thought you had performed all the penances he 
 had enjoined you." 
 
 " He has given me absolution, Rosa, full 
 and entire absolution. But I am not satisfied 
 with it." 
 
 " Not satisfied with it, sister ! you astonish 
 me ! What more can you require ?" 
 
 " I want the absolution of God, Rosa ; the 
 full and entire pardon of my offended Creator 
 of my insulted Redeemer." 
 
 " Well, and have you not had it, by the mouth 
 of His ambassador His accredited and author- 
 ized agent?" 
 
 " I am not sure of that ; I do not feel as if 
 God had forgiven me ; my mind is in a dread- 
 ful state of doubt, anxiety, and terror." 
 
 " That must arise from the weakness of your 
 faith, sister. You know that God has em- 
 powered His ministers to forgive sins in His 
 name, and it is a sin to doubt it." 
 
 " Dearest Rosa, allow me to say that I do
 
 28 THE SPANISH NOVICE. 
 
 doubt it, most seriously doubt it, and this it is 
 which makes me miserable." 
 
 " Sister !" exclaimed Rosa, starting from her 
 recumbent position, and attempting to with- 
 draw her hand from the fevered clasp of the 
 invalid, " sister, you terrify me ! I must beg that 
 you will not again give utterance to such fear- 
 ful sentiments, or I cannot listen you." 
 
 " Listen for one moment !" cried sister Isabel, 
 with vehemence, forcibly retaining her hand, 
 while her eyes flashed with intense and almost 
 wild earnestness, " Rosa, you are not more at- 
 tached to the church than I am. It is because 
 I wish to think her right, that I am so anxious 
 to be satisfied on this subject. Surely truth 
 must Ibe able to bear investigation, and the 
 church must have proof to give, in support of 
 her pretensions. You cannot but wish to know 
 those proofs ; do not, therefore, refuse to hear 
 what I have to say. Remember, it is a ques- 
 tion of the utmost consequence, for on it de- 
 pends the eternal welfare of our immortal 
 souls. I do not say the church speaks without 
 authority ; but I wish to be satisfied on that 
 point." 
 
 " But what satisfaction, what proofs can you 
 require ?" asked Rosa, awed by the solemnity 
 of the subject, and the earnestness with which 
 it was pressed upon her. 
 
 "When I was at Gibraltar, I was one Sun-
 
 THE SPANISH NOVICE. 29 
 
 day going to walk on the Alameda with . . . 
 oh ! I dare not say with whom, for my brain 
 begins to whirl at the thought ! . . . but, we 
 were going to hear the military music played 
 by the English band ; and on our way, we 
 passed ^a place in which there were a great 
 number of people, both Spanish and English, 
 assembled to hear a heretic padre preach. My 
 curiosity induced me to enter, and my beloved 
 companion gladly accompanied me. My at- 
 tention was soon riveted by the simple, but 
 forcible eloquence of the speaker. He attacked 
 most unsparingly the doctrines of our church, 
 and especially that by which she claims the 
 right of forgiving sins. I d not remember 
 one of his arguments ; indeed, how co*uld I, 
 after the oceans of blood and misery which 
 have since rolled over my mind ? but I do re- 
 member that, at that time, they greatly startled 
 me. He had in his hand a small book, which 
 he said was the Bible, the word of God him- 
 self, and what he read out of it seemed very 
 clear a$d convincing. I resolved to satisfy 
 myself on the subject, by inquiring into it seri- 
 ously, for I felt that it must be of infinite im- 
 portance ; but alas ! my attention was soon 
 forced from tiie subject, and the time that has 
 since elapsed seems but one long, long pro- 
 tracted dream of horror, anguish, and despair." 
 " Sister," said Rosa, mildly, but seriously, 
 3*
 
 30 THE SPAMSH NOVICE. 
 
 " you then committed the same sin as our 
 mother Eve ; you listened to the voice of the 
 tempter, offering you the forbidden fruit of un- 
 hallowed knowledge ; and you should be thank- 
 ful to God, who snatched you from the peril you 
 were rashly drawing upon yourself." 
 
 " But why, is it forbidden knowledge, Rosa ? 
 that is what I cannot comprehend. If God has 
 really communicated his will to man, as our 
 church admits that he has, why should we, why 
 should any one, be debarred from reading that 
 blessed book? Surely, it must be delightful to 
 read what God himself has inspired, and much 
 more satisfactory to us to learn our duty thus 
 at the fountain head, than to take it on the word 
 of others, who, perhaps, are as liable to mis- 
 take its meaning as ourselves." 
 
 " The priests cannot misunderstand it, dear 
 sister, because they are instructed by the 
 church, which God has commissioned to be the 
 infallible interpreter of His word ; and they 
 only withhold it,. from the people, to prevent 
 those numerous and dreadful errors which 
 always result from the exercise of private 
 judgment in matters so mysterious." 
 
 " But are we sure that God has so appointed 
 it? Has He said that the greater number of 
 His rational creatures should not read His own 
 words ? Has He really revealed His will only 
 to the priests ? If I could be quite convinced
 
 THE SPANISH NOVICE. 81 
 
 that it was indeed so, my mind would be per- 
 fectly satisfied." 
 
 " What proof could convince you, since you 
 cannot believe the testimony of your spiritual 
 superiors ?" 
 
 " The word of God itself, Rosa ! Give me 
 but that, and let me see there the confirmation 
 of what they tell me, and I will cheerfully and 
 humbly bow to their authority." 
 
 " You could not understand it, sister, even 
 if it were put into your hands." 
 
 " I cannot believe that, for every thing that I 
 heard the English padre read was extremely 
 plain and simple, and I could, without the slight- 
 est mental effort, perfectly understand every 
 word." 
 
 " But, remember, he was, according to your 
 own account, a heretic, and his Bible, therefore, 
 must have been a false one. There is no doubt 
 that the devil has furnished those unhappy peo- 
 ple with a wrong and injurious translation of 
 the Bible ; and this accounts for their errors, 
 and your mistake." 
 
 There was a pause of a few minutes, and 
 then the invalid resumed. 
 
 " You may be right, dear Rosa ; there is 
 great weight in what you say, and I assure 
 you, that I earnestly wish to believe it. It 
 would take an insufferable load off my heart, 
 to be satisfied that the church was right, and
 
 32 THE SPANISH NOVICE. 
 
 .that I might safely depend on her as a guide 
 to heaven. But, still, there is one doubt, one 
 dreadful doubt, which distracts my mind. 
 Since the church has the true word of God in 
 her possession, why does she not impart it to 
 her people ? Why not openly and honestly 
 produce it, and thus, at once, establish her 
 own doctrines, her own authority, beyond the 
 possibility of their being controverted, and 
 crush forever the pretensions of heretics ?" 
 
 " Really, dear sister, I am not sufficiently 
 skilled in the question, to answer all your in- 
 quiries ; I have always heard that it was 
 highly presumptuous and dangerous for un- 
 learned persons to attempt the study of what 
 is so completely beyond their powers of com- 
 prehension, and that it infallibly leads them 
 into scepticism, infidelity, or heresy. I have 
 been taught to bow an implicit submission 
 to the authority and infallible wisdom of the 
 church, and I should shrink with horror from 
 the idea of arraigning either." 
 
 The invalid turned uneasily on her pillow, 
 and was silent for a few minutes. " Rosa," 
 she said at length, " I could almost say I envy 
 your tranquillity. I would give the world, if I 
 had it, to enjoy the same undoubting, unhes- 
 itating confidence ; yet I could noj; bend my 
 mind to such a system of mental slavery, 
 which must surely be unworthy of a rational
 
 THE S1AN1SH NOVICE. 83 
 
 being. Your innocence of all crime is the 
 cause of your blessed serenity ; but to a soul 
 like mine, tortured with the misery of unpar- 
 doned guilt, the fearful uncertainty of my po- 
 sition is a source of incessant anxiety, and al- 
 most hopeless despair. Oh ! that I had a Bible ! 
 Oh ! tkat I could look on the word of God 
 Himself, and satisfy the agonizing doubts that 
 continually distract my mind !" 
 
 She clasped her hands wildly together, and 
 sobbed in the bitterness of her feelings. 
 
 A step, soft and stealthy, but still audible, 
 now startled the anxious Rosa, and turning 
 very pale, she leaned over the bed, earnestly 
 whispering, 
 
 " Dear sister, for the love of heaven, calm 
 yourself ! Here is sister Giovanna ! What 
 will she say to find you thus ? " 
 
 The invalid smothered her sobs, covered 
 her head, and composed herself to the semb- 
 lance of sleep ; while her youthful nurse re- 
 sumed her breviary, and was apparently 
 deeply absorbed by its contents, when the 
 aged nun entered to relieve her watch. 
 
 " Well, carina, how is your charge ? Has 
 she been very quiet ? Has she slept well ? " 
 
 " She is, as you see, quite composed, mother, 
 and I have done all in my power to keep her 
 so." 
 
 Rosa's cheek was slightly tinged, notwith-
 
 34 THE SPANISH NOVICE. 
 
 standing the habitual duplicity inseparable 
 from a conventual life ; the nun, however, did 
 not suspect her prevarication, but dismissed 
 her to rest with the usual blessing. 
 
 The invalid slowly recovered ; but her mind 
 was not at ease. It brooded over her doubts 
 and fears, and daily 1)ecame more and more 
 perplexed. The consciousness of unpardoned 
 guilt, the terrors of an awakened conscience, 
 the ardent longing of the soul for peace, and 
 the utter ignorance of the only way in which 
 it might be obtained, preyed upon her health, 
 and secretly, but surely, undermined her con- 
 stitution. 
 
 It would be too much to say that the mind 
 of her young friend, Rosalia, was quite tran- 
 quil. Her eyes had been opened to see much 
 that she had never dreamed of before ; her 
 fears had been, in some degree, awakened by 
 the suggestions of the Spanish novice ; but her 
 disposition was naturally cheerful, unsuspicious, 
 and confiding; and her spiritual perceptions 
 were not sufficiently clear, or her fears suffi- 
 ciently excited, to compel her to relinquish 
 that implicit trust in her self-appointed guides, 
 which had been implanted in her mind from 
 her earliest infancy. Her deadly lethargy, 
 indeed, had been somewhat disturbed, and her 
 confidence slightly shaken ; but she was wil- 
 ling to banish these unpleasant feelings, to
 
 THE SPANISH NOVICE. 35 
 
 persuade herself that sister Isabel was, to say 
 the least, extremely unreasonable, visionary, 
 and, perhaps, bewildered, and to close her 
 eyes to every gleam of unwelcome light, as 
 the sluggard implores to be left to "a little 
 more sleep, a little more slumber." 
 
 The new comer, in the meantime, was any 
 thing But a favorite in the convent. Her re- 
 served and gloomy manners, her determined 
 shunning of all familiar intercourse with the 
 other inmates, the contemptuous glances with 
 which she noticed their childish enjoyments 
 and silly gossip, the sullen resignation with 
 which she entered into their wearisome em- 
 ployments, the morose and melancholy ex- 
 pression which continually sat on her coun- 
 tenance, and the haughty silence in which she 
 received the directions of the superiors, made 
 her equally an object of curiosity and dislike. 
 As every thing new, however trifling, is an 
 event in a convent, these peculiarities were 
 eagerly seized upon, as interesting subjects, to 
 enliven the dreary monotony of their stagnant 
 existence. Every look, gesture, and action, 
 was closely watched, every opportunity greed- 
 ily seized of prying into her secret sentiments, 
 and imagination very readily supplied what 
 the most anxious observation left undiscovered. 
 Various surmises were formed, and marvellous 
 tales told, of the mysterious novice. She was
 
 86 THE SPAV13H JTOVICE. 
 
 looked upon with an eye of suspicion, wonder, 
 and even dread. The young beheld her with 
 distrust, and avoided her; the old scowled 
 upon her, crossed themselves, and muttered a 
 prayer to some saint, when they met her. To 
 Rosalia alone "she was an object of compassion, 
 kindness, and growing affection ; but the young 
 girl soon found that she must be cautious in 
 the manifestation of these sentiments, or she 
 would have to share in the unpopularity of her 
 unfortunate friend. 
 
 " Gesu Maria ! Sister Rosa," said one of the 
 younger nuns to her, one morning, as they met 
 in the corridor, " what can make you so in- 
 timate with that gloomy-looking Spanish stran- 
 ger ? One would think her aspect was suffi- 
 cient to scare away a girl like you; and I 
 really think you are not like the same crea- 
 ture, since you have been so much with her. 
 Pray, do tell me, what attraction can you find 
 in her, that you are so fond of her company ?" 
 
 " She is a stranger, sister Marcella ; and 
 that, of itself, is a claim on our kindness and 
 attention ; but she is unhappy, and that is a still 
 greater one to every feeling mind." 
 
 " What can she be so unhappy about ? Of 
 course she could not help regretting the world, 
 and her friends, when she left them, especially 
 as she does not appear to have done so wil- 
 lingly ; but she has now been here quite long
 
 THE 3PAMSH NOVICE. 87 
 
 enough to be comforted, and to have made 
 acquaintances in the house who would have sup- 
 plied the place of those she has lost. But she 
 keeps aloof from all of us, and treats us with 
 haughty scorn. This is not very amiable, and 
 I cannot see any right that she has to consider 
 herseif above us." 
 
 " She does not think so, or feel so, sister ; 
 but her feelings have been greatly lacerated, 
 and her mind is, I fear, sadly unhinged ; we 
 should, therefore, pity, and try to soothe her." 
 
 " You speak in this way, Rosa, because she 
 has taken a fancy to you, and you are proud 
 of being preferred to every-body else ; but, 
 for my part, I see no reason to court the favor 
 of this haughty Spaniard, about whom, indeed, 
 very strange tales are told." 
 
 " Strange, indeed," said sister Geronima, an 
 elderly nun who now joined them. " It is the 
 opinion of many persons, that she must have 
 committed some very dreadful sin ; for Father 
 Giacomo would not give her absolution for a 
 long time, not until she had performed a great 
 many long and severe penances ; and she looks 
 so miserable, that I am sure she must have a 
 conscience burdened with very heavy sins. 
 The great enemy often takes advantage of 
 such a state of mind ; and it is said that she is 
 not free from his assaults. I hope she does 
 not yield to his temptations ; but there is about 
 4
 
 38 THE SPANISH NOVICE. 
 
 her something very unhallowed and mysterious. 
 She repeats the prayers as if she did not know 
 what she was doing ; she is evidently wrapped 
 up in some contemplations of her own ; and, 
 when any thing arouses her from her reverie, 
 she starts as if she had been asleep, or in a 
 trance. There is a fearful wildness in her 
 eyes, which makes one tremble and cross one's 
 self; and she is, altogether, so strange and un- 
 accountable a being, that the greater part of 
 our elder sisters strongly doubt the wisdom of 
 the superior, in introducing her among us." 
 
 " Santa Maria preserve us !" exclaimed sis- 
 ter Marcella, ''you do not mean to insinuate, 
 sister Geronima, that she is under the power 
 of the devil ?" 
 
 " I do not exactly say so," replied the other, 
 " but there is certainly something very strange 
 about her ; and how do we know but that it 
 may arise from Satanic influence, or even from 
 heresy ? It cannot but be highly dangerous 
 to introduce such a person into the house; and 
 we must all pray to the blessed Virgin, that she 
 will avert from us the awful consequences that 
 may result from it." 
 
 " But, sister," remonstrated Rosalie, " you 
 have no reason to suspect the poor stranger of 
 such crimes. Why should you judge her so 
 severely, when you have no proofs of her 
 guilt ?"
 
 THE SPANISH NOVICE. 39 
 
 " No reason ! no proofs !" retorted the nun 
 angrily, "do not, sister Rosalie, set yourself 
 up as a judge of your superiors in age and 
 knowledge. I tell you, that I have good rea- 
 sons for speaking as I do; and, if you must 
 know gome of them, I can inform you that she 
 has been heard in her cell, muttering strangely, 
 groaning, sobbing, and walking distractedly 
 about, as if under some dreadful conflict ; she 
 has also been known to roam about the corri- 
 dors, like a demented person, at midnight ; and 
 mysterious noises are said to be heard about 
 the house, ever since she has been here. Let 
 me tell you, sister Rosalie, that you are very 
 rash and foolish, thus to put yourself in the 
 way of danger, by associating with her as you 
 do. How do you know but that she may be 
 guilty of witchcraft or heresy, or possessed 
 with an evil spirit, and that she may infect you 
 with the same crimes, and so drag you, with 
 her, down to perdition ?" 
 
 Rosa made no reply, but Marcella devoutly 
 crossed herself, and invoking the aid of " Maria 
 Santissima," went to make further inquiries 
 respecting the new wonder of Santa Rosalia, 
 and to enjoy this fresh topic of convent gossip. 
 The youthful novice was glad to escape from 
 the lecture of sister Geronima, and immedi- 
 ately took refuge in her own room. 
 
 Rosa was not naturally superstitious ; and
 
 40 THE SPANISH NOVICE. 
 
 though she had been nursed from infancy in 
 convent-lore, and her mind filled with all the 
 absurd legends which formed so large a part 
 of the instruction peculiar to such establish- 
 ments, the utmost effect it had produced was 
 an undefined feeling of awe, but little tinctured 
 with fear. She did not, therefore, bestow 
 much attention on the marvellous tales so 
 gravely circulated respecting the mysterious 
 stranger, in whose conversation she felt an in- 
 creasing interest. They frequently met in one 
 another's cells, after the rest of the family had 
 retired to rest, and spent many an hour in-in- 
 timate communion ; but Rosa now perceived 
 that these nocturnal visits must be discontinued, 
 as suspicion had been excited, and the prospect 
 of detection was any thing but pleasing. They 
 had, also, once or twice, enjoyed a still greater 
 luxury, a quiet ramble in the garden by moon- 
 light ; but this had been obtained by means 
 which, if discovered, would have subjected 
 them to severe punishment. 
 
 Some months previous to this period, and 
 before the new superior came to Santa Rosalia, 
 the portress had been afflicted with a danger- 
 ous illness which confined her for some weeks 
 to her bed. Rosa, to whom she had been very 
 kind in her childhood, entreated and obtained 
 permission to be her nurse. A temporary sub- 
 stitute had been appointed in her place, to
 
 THE SPANISH NOVICE. -i I 
 
 whom the keys were delivered ; but Rosa af- 
 terwards found a small one in her pocket, of 
 which she took possession, intending to give it 
 to the new portress at the first opportunity. 
 Her patient, however, was in so alarming a 
 state, and she became so completely absorbed 
 by the care and constant attention she re- 
 quired, that the circumstance entirely escaped 
 her memory. The key was that of a small 
 door which led into the garden, but which was 
 never used. It was, therefore, not inquired 
 after ; and, when the portress resumed her 
 station, she fancied it lost, and did not mention 
 it, lest she should be thought guilty of negli- 
 gence. The key remained in a small box of 
 Rosa's, unperceived by her, till some time 
 after the installation of the new superior ; and, 
 on discovering it, she felt a dread that, from 
 the greater strictness and severity of the pres- 
 ent rule, she would be censured, and, perhaps, 
 punished, on the suspicion of having used it. 
 She, therefore, kept it, till she could find a 
 favorable opportunity of restoring it. In the 
 meantime, sister Isabel's entreaties for a pri- 
 vate interview induced her to do the very 
 thing of which she dreaded being accused; 
 and, so great was the enjoyment of those 
 stolen midnight-walks, that the key was used 
 again and again, till the remarks of the nuns, 
 in the foregoing conversation, made her trem- 
 4*
 
 42 THE SPANISH XOVICE. 
 
 ble lest they should be discovered, and resolve 
 either to discontinue them entirely, or, at least, 
 to adopt the greatest caution in the use of this 
 indulgence. 
 
 It never occurred to the mind of this young 
 girl that she was doing wrong, nor did one 
 feeling of compunction disturb her conscience, 
 respecting the system of deception she was 
 practising upon those who were " placed in au- 
 thority over her." She had been educated in 
 the principles of that false religion which teach- 
 es that the end sanctifies the means, and that 
 it is lawful and praiseworthy to " do evil, that 
 good may come." Her moral perceptions had 
 thus been dimmed, and her conscience taught 
 to " call evil good, and good evil ;" and, as she 
 felt quite persuaded in her own judgment, that 
 the enjoyments she thus stealthily obtained 
 were, in themselves, perfectly innocent, and 
 tended to soothe and comfort the mind of her 
 unhappy friend, she considered herself fully 
 justified in the use of what appeared a harm- 
 less artifice, and not one doubt arose as to the 
 course she was pursuing. Alas ! she knew not 
 that the God she pretended to worship is " a 
 God of truth ;" and that, as all falsehood is an 
 abomination to Him, He has denounced the 
 most awful punishment, not only on " all Hats" 
 but on "whosoever loveth and MAKETH a lie." 
 Poor Rosa knew not thin, for her church had
 
 THi: SPANISH NOVICE. 43 
 
 shut up the word of life from her eyes, and 
 was leading her blindfold to the brink of that 
 gulf into which she herself shall be cast, when 
 the whole host of heaven shall triumphantly ex- 
 claim, " Babylon the Great is fallen, is fallen !"
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE GARDEN. 
 
 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their 
 tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel 
 will not forsake them. 
 
 I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the 
 valleys : I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land 
 springs of water. ISAIAH xli. 17, 18. 
 
 IT was another moonlight-night bright, and 
 soft, and balmy ; the acacia, the myrtle, and a 
 thousand other odoriferous plants, were fling- 
 ing their delicious perfume over the convent- 
 garden ; while the verdant alleys, and beautiful 
 bowers that composed it, checkering the flood 
 of silver light with the flickering shadows of 
 their luxuriant foliage, seemed to invite to con- 
 templation and quiet enjoyment. The two 
 novices had again availed themselves of the 
 missing key, and were taking advantage of the 
 delightful evening for a walk, and a long, un- 
 restrained conversation. It was not late, but 
 the convent had been some time hushed to rest ; 
 and the deep silence of the scene was only in- 
 terrupted by an occasional swell of plaintive 
 melody, from a nightingale in a neighboring 
 grove, and the low, cautious tones of the two 
 friends, as they earnestly conversed.
 
 THE GARDEN. 45 
 
 " I cannot, cannot believe it !" said Isabel, 
 stopping in her walk, and turning suddenly 
 around to her companion ; " I cannot exercise 
 faith as you do ; I have tried, struggled, prayed 
 fervently, sincerely, passionately, prayed to 
 have my mind set at rerft ; to be enabled to 
 trust my spiritual guides, implicitly, nay, 
 blindly, as you trust them ; that I might enjoy 
 the peace and sincerity which I envy you. 
 But no, it will not be ; I am still restless, anx- 
 ious, miserable ; and every time I strive to 
 draw some comfort from the recollection of 
 Father Giacomo's full and repeated absolution, 
 I seem to hear a voice, deep, distinct, and clear, 
 as if it were from heaven, harrowing my soul 
 with the fearful question, Has he the right to 
 forgive ? What if his authority should be false, 
 and the whole system founded upon a delusion ? 
 I start, and recoil with terror from the thought : 
 but it haunts me, Rosa, night and day, and I 
 cannot, I cannot escape from it." 
 
 " Dear sister, it is indeed a dreadful trial ; 
 but you must persevere in resisting this temp- 
 tation. It is doubtless an assault of Satan, and 
 you know many of the blessed saints have been 
 buffeted in a similar manner. You must re- 
 double your devotions to our Holy Mother, 
 and to St. Rosalia. You must say more 
 prayers, perform more penances, inflict more 
 self-denial on yourself."
 
 4<J THE GARDEN". 
 
 " I have done all that, Ros;*, and more than 
 that, I have prayed to every saint in the cal- 
 endar ; I have sat ap whole nights, repeated 
 aves and rosaries without number ; I have fast- 
 ed till nature was completely exhausted ; look 
 at me, and see if my appearance does not 
 corroborate my assertion ; but it is all, all in 
 vain. I cannot bring my mind under subjec- 
 tion ; I cannot obtain the peace for which I 
 pant." The eyes of Rosa, as they were turned 
 on the poor novice, did, indeed, most painful- 
 ly convince her of the veracity of her state- 
 ment, and the reality and depth of her misery. 
 The wasted form, the hollow cheek, the wild 
 expression of the swollen eyes, the pale, lan- 
 guid, and haggard countenance, bore sad and 
 incontestable witness to the mental conflict and 
 utter wretchedness within. 
 
 " Have you confided your state of mind to 
 the confessor, sister? Father Giacomo is a 
 holy man, he might give you useful advice, and 
 assist you in overcoming these doubts and 
 temptations." 
 
 " I dare not, dearest ; how could I be explicit 
 with him on such a subject ? How could I tell 
 him that I doubted his authority, questioned his 
 power, distrusted his teaching? One thing I 
 did venture ; I entreated permission to read the 
 Holy Scriptures; but he was so angry, that I shall 
 never be able to mention the subject again."
 
 THE GARDEN. 47 
 
 " What did he say, sister ?" inquired Rosa, 
 with some eagerness. 
 
 " He said that the Bible was a most danger- 
 ous book, in the hands of unlearned people, es- 
 pecially to females ; that it was only intended 
 for the clergy ; and that it was a very great sin 
 to wish for the perusal of it, as I did. He 
 questioned me very closely, to ascertain the 
 cause and motive of my request ; but I did not 
 tell him that I had heard the heretic padre. 
 As it was, however, he prescribed me a long 
 penance for my curiosity, as he called it, and a 
 great many prayers to repeat, that I might be 
 delivered from it." 
 
 " Have you complied with his orders ?" 
 
 " I have, but I cannot see the use it. Pray- 
 ers, I should suppose, have no effect, unless we 
 really wish what we pray for. Now, I do not, 
 and cannot believe that my desire to see, from 
 God's own word, what he requires of his crea- 
 tures, is either sinful or dangerous, and, there- 
 fore, I neither repent of it, nor wish to be free 
 from it. My prayers and penance.s are, con- 
 sequently, a mockery of devotion." 
 
 " Sister, how can you act and speak thus ?" 
 " Listen to me, carissima, do you think that 
 God, who is infinite in goodness, can have re- 
 vealed His will to mankind in such a manner 
 that by far the greater part of them must re- 
 main ignorant of its meaning? or, that they
 
 48 THE GARDEN. 
 
 are required to receive implicitly whatever their 
 fellow-creatures choose to tell them concern- 
 ing it ? Is it not slandering His love, and de- 
 nying His mercy, to believe it ? Oh, that I had 
 but the means of obtaining a Bible ! I think 
 I could die in peace twenty-four hours after !" 
 
 She stopped, with her hands clasped, and her 
 eyes raised to heaven, in mute, but imploring 
 supplication ; while Rosa, distressed at her an- 
 guish, unable to oppose her arguments any fur- 
 ther, and half-alarmed at the rising doubts in 
 her own mind, walked musingly on, till a turn 
 in the walk hid her from the sight of her com-^ 
 panion. 
 
 She had gained the boundary-wall of the 
 garden, and was still absorbed in this new 
 subject of thought, when she was startled by 
 a sudden rustling above, and a sprig of orange 
 blossom fell at her feet, evidently flung down 
 by some one over the wall. Transfixed with 
 amazement and terror, she durst not look up ; 
 her first impulse was to fly, but her trembling 
 limbs seemed chained to the spot. She had 
 not time to deliberate, and scarcely to think, 
 for the rustling increased, and in an instant, a 
 young man leaped on the ground, and stood 
 before her. She attempted to scream, but the 
 power of utterance had deserted her ; and she 
 would have fallen, had not an arm encircled 
 her, while a clear, musical voice exclaimed,
 
 THE GARDEN. 49 
 
 " Cara Rosina, do not be frightened ! look 
 in my face, and recognize your own Fran- 
 cisco !" 
 
 " My brother !" gasped the trembling girl, 
 " why do you come thus ? What brought you 
 here?" - 
 
 "At that moment, sister Isabel, astonished 
 at the sound of voices, approached hurriedly, 
 to inquire the cause. She was surprised, but 
 not alarmed, at the sight of the stranger ; a 
 few words of explanation sufficed to clear up 
 the mystery ; and Rosa reiterated her question 
 to her brother. 
 
 " What brought me here, carissima ? Af- 
 fection for you, and a longing desire to see 
 you again before my departure." 
 
 "Are you, then, going abroad, Francisco ?'' 
 
 " Yes, my sweet sister, I am ordered on a long 
 cruise, and it may be many months before I 
 see you again. The one monthly visit your 
 friends are allowed to pay you is yet more 
 than a week distant, and I have vainly ap- 
 plied to your Signora Abbessa for permission 
 to bid you farewell. My heart swelled very 
 high with indignation and grief, at being com- 
 pelled to submit to such unreasonable and un- 
 natural tyranny; but you see my good fortune 
 has wonderfully befriended me." 
 
 " But, dear brother, what could induce you 
 to come hither in this unlawful manner, and at 
 5
 
 50 THE GARDEN. 
 
 this strange hour ? You could not expect to 
 find me waiting for you ?" 
 
 " I did not, indeed, expect any such thing, 
 sorella mia ; but I will tell you how it hap- 
 pened. I have just returned from a country 
 excursion, with a young friend of mine, an 
 English gentleman, who is a prisoner on pa- 
 role here. Our road home lay not far from 
 these walls, and I could not resist the tempta- 
 tion of showing him your prison. We have 
 often spoken of you, and I must tell you he 
 pities you very much ; for he is a Protestant, 
 a heretic you would call him ; and, he says, 
 that you are the victim of superstition and de- 
 lusion." 
 
 " Dear Francesco ! how can you associate 
 with such dangerous companions ?" 
 
 Oh ! are you alarmed for my Catholicity, 
 my darling sorellina ? Pray set your mind at 
 rest, for I am too good a Christian to be shaken 
 in my faith. You know what a true son of 
 the church I am, and how very devout I have 
 always been ! Nay, don't put your pretty 
 little hand on my mouth, Rosina ! Can you 
 deny what I say ?" 
 
 " For shame, Francesco ! How can you 
 talk so foolishly? I wish, indeed, you were 
 more devout. But tell me what led you to 
 scale the wall, naughty brother." 
 
 " So I would have done already, my ' pen-
 
 THE GARDEN. 51 
 
 sive nun, devout and pure,' I quote this from 
 one of my friend's English poets, if you had 
 not been all this time preventing me by your 
 lectures. You must know, that I was desirous 
 to show Henry Willoughby your prison, and 
 when we came near it, an irresistible impulse 
 urged-me to mount the wall, and take a peep 
 at the garden. An obstacle twelve or fifteen 
 feet high is not likely to deter a sailor, es- 
 pecially when there are so many convenient 
 interstices between the old stones, where he 
 may plant his feet pretty securely, and friendly 
 little bushes growing here and there, by whose 
 help he may climb up with perfect safety. 
 While I was examining the wall, with the 
 view of ascertaining where the ascent would 
 be easiest, I heard a soft murmur of voices 
 inside, and, on listening attentively, distinctly 
 recognized yours, my darling sister. This de- 
 termined me at once to mount, that I might, at 
 least, obtain a sight of you ; and, when I saw 
 you alone, I could not resist the desire of speak- 
 ing to, and embracing you once more.'' 
 
 Sister Isabel, though listening to all this con- 
 versation, felt as if she had heard but one sen- 
 tence, one expression uttered by the handsome 
 young man, whose face, beaming with anima- 
 tion and kind feeling, was fondly pressed against 
 his sister's cheek, as her head rested on his 
 shoulder, where it had fallen in the moment of
 
 THE GARDEN. 
 
 surprise and agitation. " They were a lovely 
 pair," and a great and striking resemblance 
 existed between them ; but the Spanish novice 
 scarcely noticed the interesting picture pre- 
 sented by the brother and sister, for her mind 
 dwelt on one absorbing idea, and it burst forth 
 in a wild and eager inquiry. 
 
 " You said, signor, that your friend was an 
 Englishman, a Protestant. Oh ! tell me, does 
 he know the Holy Scriptures ? Has he ever 
 read them ?" 
 
 " Know them, signora ! Oh ! yes, and reads 
 them too, I believe, every day of his life. He 
 almost forced a Testament on me, though I 
 care little about such things ; I took it to please 
 him, but I have not read much of it, except 
 where he has particularly drawn my attention 
 to some parts of it. I am, I trust, a good 
 Catholic, though I cannot say a very devout 
 one, and I do not wish to have my faith in the 
 church shaken by the arguments he brings for- 
 ward, and which are, certainly, greatly cor- 
 roborated by the sacred Scriptures. We, lay- 
 men, have nothing to do with Scripture, or 
 theology, you know, and ought to be content 
 with our ignorance. So, at least, say the holy 
 fathers, and I suppose we must believe them.'' 
 
 "Oh, that I had a Bible !" exclaimed sister 
 Isabel, with enthusiastic fervor. " Signor, do 
 you think your friend could procure me one ?'
 
 THE GARDEN. 5b 
 
 ' That I cannot say, lady, for Bibles are 
 very scarce in Sicily. I know not if my friend 
 has any besides the one he uses ; but, signora, 
 should you like to ask him ? He is waiting for 
 me, just outside the wall, and, I am sure, would 
 be most happy to answer your questions him- 
 self. Shall I make him a signal, or call him ? 
 He will soon be here, for he, too, is a sailor." 
 
 " Oh ! no, no !" exclaimed Rosa, starting 
 from his arms with terror. " Francesco, you 
 must not do any such thing. You ought never 
 to have come hither yourself, and, indeed, you 
 must go away directly. Only think, if this 
 visit were discovered, what misery and peril 
 it would bring, both upon you and us. Go, go 
 away, dearest brother, I entreat you, do not stay 
 here one minute longer !" 
 
 " I will go, my sweet sister, because I know 
 that by remaining I should compromise your 
 safety. But you must allow me to come again, 
 for I wish to set the signora's mind at rest 
 respecting the Bible ; and I know that, if I 
 cannot get her one, I can bring her a New Tes- 
 tament, for, if Henry has not one to spare, she 
 is heartily welcome to mine." 
 
 " Oh ! bless you for that word !" exclaimed 
 sister Isabel, clasping, in her rapturous grati- 
 tude, the hand of the youth between her own. 
 "You will, indeed, give me more than life! 
 5*
 
 54 THE GAHDEN. 
 
 May the God of mercy reward you, and make 
 your whole life peaceful and happy !" 
 
 " But, Francesco," remonstrated the affright- 
 ed Rosa, "you cannot, must not come hither 
 again ! Think of the danger ! You would in- 
 fallibly be thrown into a dungeon, for violating 
 the sanctity of a convent, and I know not 
 what dreadful punishment might be inflicted on 
 you. Perhaps even your life might be the for- 
 feit ! Oh ! pray, pray, do not come any more ! 
 I fancy every moment I hear steps and 
 voices ! Go, dearest brother, go !" 
 
 " Your imagination is fertile, Rosa, in conjur- 
 ing up dangers for me ; but you say nothing of 
 the consequences that would result to yourself. 
 I have not, however, forgotten the horrible 
 tales of convent barbarity which have often 
 made me tremble for you. I will not expose 
 you to such cruelties, sorellina mia, but for your 
 sake be prudent. Listen to my plan, ladies; 
 to-morrow, at this hour, I shall be outside the 
 garden, exactly opposite this spot. Do you 
 come also, and let me just hear your voices, 
 conversing in a low tone. I shall climb the 
 wall, and, from its summit, I can easily drop 
 the book to you. This method will be perfectly 
 safe, and, I promise you, I shall not attempt to 
 descend, but shall be satisfied with a look, and 
 a kind farewell." 
 
 Rosa's pale cheeks, and trembling agitation
 
 THE GARDEN. 55 
 
 still bespoke her unabated fears ; but Isabel's 
 mploring countenance was turned upon her 
 with a look which she could not resist; she, 
 herefore, gave a reluctant consent, but entreat- 
 sd her brother to conclude his visit. 
 
 "I will, my darling sister; may the saints 
 bless and keep you ! Addio, carissima ! I 
 must embrace you once more ; for I have not 
 done so, till this evening, ever since we were 
 both very little children, and, perhaps, I may 
 never have another opportunity. Can that be 
 a good system, Rosa, which thus tears asunder 
 the sweetest links of domestic affection, and 
 places an eternal barrier between a brother 
 and sister?" 
 
 She answered not, but, half-blushing, hid her 
 face on his shoulder. He raised her, fixed a 
 long and earnest gaze on her beautiful counte- 
 nance, then, clasping her in a close and fond 
 embrace, tore himself away. He was soon on 
 the top of the wall, and with another affection- 
 ate adieu, disappeared. 
 
 The two young women listened anxiously, 
 till they heard him greet his friend in a cheer- 
 ful voice, then, hardly daring to exchange a 
 word, cautiously retraced their steps to the con- 
 vent.' Sleep scarcely visited their eyes that 
 night, for the excitement of their nocturnal ad- 
 venture v/as more than sufficient to banish all 
 repose.
 
 58 THE GARDEN. 
 
 Nothing could exceed the agitation of both, 
 during the whole of the next day. They durst 
 scarcely look at each other, lest their counte- 
 nance should, in some inexplicable manner, be- 
 tray them. They were absent, nervous, and 
 almost incapable of attending to their usual 
 employments. It was well for them that they 
 were placed in different departments, and un- 
 der the direction of different nuns, or the simi- 
 larity in their conduct might have awakened 
 the suspicion of convent-vigilance. In Isabel, 
 indeed, it was not so remarkable, for she was 
 ever wayward, fitful, and morose ; but the tran- 
 quil mind and cheerful manner of Rosa had 
 never before been so altered. A few sharp 
 rebukes, however, from the presiding sister, 
 quickly recalled her from her occasional reve- 
 ries ; and gladly did she hail the approaching 
 shades of evening, which promised to relieve 
 her from observation, and brought her nearer 
 to the hour which she longed for. though an ir- 
 repressible feeling of terror made her shudder 
 as she thought of it. At length the evening 
 closed in, and the usual services and chantings 
 were concluded. Never had they appeared so 
 long, so insufferably wearisome to either ; but 
 they ceased, and, after an abstemious supper, 
 the different inhabitants of the convent retired 
 to their respective cells. An hour of anxious 
 and agitated suspense succeeded, and then Isa-
 
 THE GARDEN 57 
 
 bel softly opened Rosa's door. The young 
 girl was on her knees, hurriedly repeating the 
 Latin prayers of her rosary, while her mind 
 was evidently as absent from her occupation 
 as it well could be. She rose, on the entrance 
 of her friend, but trembled so violently that she 
 could scarcely stand. 
 
 " Rosa, cari&sima, you would not like to fore- 
 go seeing your brother, or I should beg of you 
 to let me have the key, and go alone. I have 
 not the least fear, I assure you ; and it is quite 
 needless that you should run a risk which ap- 
 pears to you so terrible." 
 
 "Nay, dear sister," said Rosa, ashamed of 
 the timidity she had betrayed, " I could never 
 consent to that ; but my prayer to you is, that 
 you will not accompany me. Why should you 
 expose yourself to danger, when there is not 
 the least necessity for it ? I shall return in a 
 very few minutes, for Francesco is too reason- 
 able and too kind to detain me ; and I feel 
 now quite courageous, and free from all alarm." 
 
 Rosa's conscience slightly tinged her pale 
 cheek, for she felt that she was uttering a 
 falsehood ; but she answered its reproof with 
 the usual sophistry, that she did it with a 
 good intention. 
 
 " What !" exclaimed Isabel, with generous 
 warmth, " can you, for one moment, imagine 
 that I would let you undergo alone the peril I
 
 58 THE GAKOKN. 
 
 am drawing on your head ? Never, Rosa, 
 never ! I know not that there is any cause for 
 fear ; but, whatever may betide, the adventure 
 is of my own seeking, the benefit to be derived 
 from it will be mine, and, if you will not allow 
 me to accomplish the object in view without 
 you. I shall, at least, share the danger with 
 you." 
 
 Each of the friends saw, that it would be an 
 idle waste of time to debate the question any 
 further ; they, therefore, stealthily crept to the 
 small postern-door, opened it as quietly as pos- 
 sible, and passed into the garden without an- 
 other word. The moon was high in the 
 heavens, but her resplendent beams were oc- 
 casionally interrupted by dense masses of 
 snow-white clouds, and this dubious and fitful 
 light seemed favorable to the clandestine pro- 
 ject they were pursuing. They stole cau- 
 tiously along the most secluded walks, in- 
 stinctively holding each other's hands. Rosa 
 trembled with agitation, but she was sustained 
 by a feeling of generous self-sacrifice, and 
 somewhat reassured by the prayers she almost 
 involuntarily breathed to the Virgin and St. 
 Rosalia. As for sister Isabel, her mind was 
 wrought up to a high pitch of fervent enthu- 
 siasm, her heart throbbed almost audibly with 
 feelings of rapturous expectation : but she ut- 
 tered no prayer, for she was conscious that her
 
 THE GARDEN. 59 
 
 present object was incompatible with the laws 
 of convent-obedience, and did not feel quite 
 sure that she was acting under the Divine 
 sanction. Devotion, therefore, at that moment, 
 appeared to her like mockery. 
 
 They were soon at the appointed spot, and 
 both unconsciously turned round, to cast a hur- 
 ried glance of searching inquiry. All was si- 
 lent and tranquil ; every object seemed sleep- 
 ing in the dreamy repose of moonlight beauty. 
 A deep-breathed sigh relieved the hearts of 
 the novices, and Rosalia, recovering some de- 
 gree of courage, softly, but distinctly, uttered 
 the name of Francesco. 
 
 The heart of each seemed to pause with in- 
 tense anxiety ; but they were not long in sus- 
 pense, for the beaming countenance of the 
 young man was soon looking over the wall, 
 and his gay, clear voice, was heard, though in 
 a suppressed tone, addressing his sister. 
 
 " Cara Rosina, I have brought the book for 
 the signora. My friend gave it me for her, 
 and requests me to say, that he hopes the Holy 
 Virgin will give her grace to understand it, 
 no, not that what a giddy fellow I am ! 1 
 believe it was the Holy Spirit, not the Virgin, 
 he said. Well, I suppose it is much the same 
 thing. But, Rosa, dearest, I hope the book 
 will not make you heretics ! " 
 
 As he spoke, he dropped it at their feet, and
 
 60 THE GARDEN. 
 
 Isabel, snatching it up with almost frenzied 
 eagerness, pressed it to her lips in uncontrol- 
 lable emotion. The youth laughed, in the 
 happy buoyancy of his spirits, at the ardor she 
 displayed, and then checking himself, resumed 
 his address to Rosa. 
 
 " You do not ask how our parents and sister 
 are ; but I will tell you that my mother, though 
 well in health, is dreadfully out of temper with 
 me, and Leonora not much less so ; for I could 
 not refrain, this morning, from telling them 
 frankly, what I have long thought and felt, that 
 it is cruel, unjust, and shameful, thus to im- 
 mure you in a convent, when you are so well 
 fitted to shine in society, and have as much 
 right to liberty and happiness as any of us. I 
 told them that you were not a free agent, or a 
 party to the sacrifice ; but a victim, immolated 
 to some imaginary duty, or visionary fancy, 
 which I can neither understand nor approve, 
 and that you must be miserable, in being thus 
 doomed to a life of gloomy seclusion, although 
 they both insist that you are and must be 
 happy." 
 
 " And so I am, dearest Francesco, and would 
 not change my peaceful lot for any other, how- 
 ever gay or brilliant." 
 
 This was a set speech, which Rosa, in com- 
 mon with other inmates of the convent, was in 
 the habit of uttering to visitors ; but its utter
 
 THE GARDEN. 61 
 
 fafsehood had never struck her till now. Her 
 heart swelled, the tears rushed to her eyes, and 
 her lip trembled, as she forced her tongue to 
 articulate the words. 
 
 " You are not speaking the truth, sister, I am 
 quite sure of that," bluntly observed Francesco, 
 " and I do not believe one word of it. How- 
 ever, I have not relinquished all hope of restor- 
 ing you to life and liberty ; for, though my 
 mother is deeply offended with me, and Leo- 
 nora seems to have an envious wish to keep 
 you out of her own way, I place great reliance 
 on the justice, humanity, and affection of my 
 father, and will certainly use my utmost influ- 
 ence with him to release you from this living 
 tomb." 
 
 " Hush, hush, dearest brother ! do not talk 
 so, and pray do not cause any strife, or make 
 me the object of any discord in my family. I 
 assure you you are mistaken " she at- 
 tempted to add, " I am quite contented ;" but 
 the effort was too great, and her tongue re- 
 fused the office. 
 
 " I may not be able to put my design in ex- 
 ecution just now," pursued the youth, without 
 noticing her abortive attempt, " for I am to sail 
 to-morrow evening ; but rest assured that it 
 shall never be absent from my thoughts, and 
 that, if the saints preserve me, you shall, one 
 day, my darling sister, be really free and happy." 
 6
 
 02 THE GARDEN. 
 
 " Dearest Francesco, are you going on any 
 dangerous service ?" inquired Rosa, feeling that 
 her heart was " bound up" in this beloved 
 brother, the only relative, besides her father, 
 who had ever inspired her with the sweet af- 
 fections of domestic life. She now felt anxious 
 for his safety, for his last observation seemed 
 to point to some anticipated danger. 
 
 "I am ordered on a cruise, Rosa, which is 
 considered to be of a rather daring nature, and 
 the result of it will be as the saints please, or 
 ' as Providence may order it,' as my friend 
 Willoughby says. But fear not, carissima, I 
 dare say I shall return, and eventually set you 
 free. In the meantime, promise me that you 
 will not set the seal to your destiny, by pro- 
 nouncing the irrevocable vow, and assuming 
 the black veil. Promise me, Rosa, that you 
 will not." 
 
 " I do," said she, in a tone of hurried agita- 
 tion, " but do not waste your thoughts upon 
 me. Think only of yourself, and your own 
 safety. And now, dearest brother, go away, 
 I beseech you ! Peril hangs on every moment 
 of your stay. Go, and may the blessed Virgin, 
 and every saint in heaven, watch over and pro- 
 tect you ! I will say an additional rosary 
 every day for your preservation." 
 
 " Thanks, dearest Rosa, and now farewell. 
 I see that your friend is too intently gazing on
 
 THK GARDEN. 63 
 
 her book to attend to what I say. Tell her 
 that my conscience was reconciled to giving 
 her the Testament, by the circumstance of its 
 being an orthodox translation, by one of our 
 holy archbishops, and, therefore, incapable of 
 doing any injury. Addio, Rosina carissima ! 
 let the sweet voice of Hope cheer your dreary 
 seclusion !" 
 
 Rosa's faltering voice could scarcely mur- 
 mur a responsive farewell, when he slipped 
 down the wall, and disappeared from her view. 
 She clasped her hands, in fervent prayer for 
 him, and then, after listening with breathless 
 anxiety to the last faint sound of his retreating 
 footsteps, she rejoined Isabel, who was still 
 rapt in the deep reverie inspired by the acqui- 
 sition of her much-coveted treasure. They 
 spoke not a word, the hearts of both were too 
 full of utterance ; but Rosa grasped her arm, 
 and Isabel obeying the impulse, glided swiftly 
 with her towards the house. As they ap- 
 proached the door, both started at the sight of 
 a retreating shadow, which instantaneously dis- 
 appeared ; but whether it had entered the build- 
 ing, or concealed itself in the garden, they 
 could not determine. A trance of terror almost 
 paralyzed poor Rosa's faculties ; her heart 
 seemed to cease its pulsations, a cold perspira- 
 tion started from every pore, and she would 
 have fallen to the ground, if the stronger-
 
 64 THE GARDEN. 
 
 minded Isabel had not supported her. It was 
 no time, however, for delay ; and her courage, 
 rising with the occasion, she almost dragged 
 the fainting girl inside the small door, locked 
 it, secured the key, and then, half led, half car- 
 ried her to her cell, though she expected every 
 moment to encounter some one along the dark 
 corridors. She laid her on her couch, and re- 
 mained with her till the morning. The terrors 
 of that dreadful night to both may be more ea- 
 sily imagined than described ; and it was not 
 without great effort that either of them could 
 meet the eyes of the convent-family at the 
 usual service of matins.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE DAWN OF LIGHT. 
 
 The entrance of Thy word giveth light . it giveth understanding unto 
 the simple. PSALM cxix. 130. 
 
 How sweet are Thy words unto my taste ! yea, sweeter than honey 
 unto my mouth. PSALM cxix. 103. 
 
 IT would be utterly impossible for those who 
 have not been similarly circumstanced, to form 
 any adequate idea of the agitation, the tremor 
 of conscious guilt, with which our two young 
 friends met the eyes of their superiors, and 
 even their companions, the following morning. 
 They expected to see suspicion in every glance, 
 and to be called upon to render an account 
 of their nocturnal rambles. They felt that it 
 would be impossible to deny the fact, and had 
 resolved to confess the truth, and endeavor to 
 palliate their offence by alleging the temptation 
 presented to them by the stray key. They 
 trusted, however, that nothing more than their 
 moonlight-walk was known, and did not for 
 one moment dwell on the possibility of their 
 interviews with Francesco having been dis- 
 covered. 
 
 But all their apprehensions seemed utterly 
 groundless, and their terrors superfluous ; noth- 
 6*
 
 66 THE 1MWN OF LIGHT. 
 
 ing but kindness and good- will appeared in the 
 looks of the superior and her assistants. They 
 had not yet learned that the true spirit of the In- 
 quisition, which pervades the convent-system, 
 often adopts the tiger-like policy of the cat, and 
 allows its victims apparent liberty, only to 
 sport with their torments, and render them 
 eventually an easier prey. This deceitful calm 
 restored some degree of confidence to the two 
 self-convicted culprits ; but Rosa determined 
 not to tempt further danger, by retaining pos- 
 session of the key. She cautiously watched an 
 opportunity, and going into the portress's cell, 
 deposited it in a small crevice, between the 
 wall and the floor, where, if found, it might be 
 supposed to have lain unnoticed, ever since the 
 illness of that important functionary. 
 
 This act necessarily precluded all future en- 
 joyment of their delightful garden- walks ; but 
 even Isabel did not object to it, for all her 
 thoughts and feeling were now diverted into 
 another channel. Her precious Testament was 
 the object of unceasing solicitude, and constant 
 study, during every moment she could secure 
 from the wearisome round of monastic observ- 
 ances. Afraid of trusting it out of her own 
 hands, she concealed it in her bosom, and pre- 
 ferred the risk of carrying it about with her 
 everywhere. "As the hart panteth after the 
 water brooks,'' so did her soul pant for the full
 
 T-HK U.UV.N" OF LIGHT. 67 
 
 knowledge of that sacred book, and the ardor 
 with which she devoured its contents was com- 
 mensurate with the misery she had endured, 
 while debarred from the enjoyment of that priv- 
 ilege. 
 
 Had she known where to look for the solu- 
 tion of her most perplexing doubt, that which 
 related to priestly authority, she would, in all 
 probability, have commenced her studies there ; 
 but having no human guide to direct, she be- 
 gan at the commencement, and read on with 
 unwearying and increasing interest. Well and 
 mercifully was it so ordered, by Him who hath 
 said, " I will bring the blind by a way that 
 they know not, I will lead them in paths that 
 they have not known ; I will make darkness 
 light before them, and croeked things straight. 
 These things will I do unto them, and not for- 
 sake them." She was thus compelled to drink 
 at the fountain-head those " living waters," 
 which must ever lose something of their Divine 
 purity by being transmitted through earthly 
 channels, how hallowed soever they may be ; 
 and having no other teacher than that Al- 
 mighty Spirit, whose peculiar office it is to 
 " guide unto all truth," and to testify of Christ 
 to the sin-burdened soul, it was evident that 
 her faith would not stand in the wisdom of men, 
 but in the power of God." 
 
 Poor Rosa, although she, too, had become
 
 68 THE DAWN OF LIGHT. 
 
 anxious to know what the Scripture said, on 
 many points to which her attention had been 
 directed by her companion, was unable, for 
 some time, to derive any information from 
 Isabel's studies ; for the fear of detection made 
 them both sensible of the necessity of extreme 
 caution in their intercourse. They scarcely 
 dared even to look at each other, lest that glance 
 should convey a meaning which might be ob- 
 served, and awaken that suspicion which they 
 feared already existed. But all remained calm 
 and serene in the convent ; there was nothing 
 but kindness and complacency on the counte- 
 nances of the superior nuns ; and their fears 
 were at length lulled to rest, and their confi- 
 dence restored. True it was, they could in no 
 way account for the circumstance which had 
 so greatly alarmed them, on their re- entrance 
 into the house on that eventful night ; but, as 
 time passed on, they almost persuaded them- 
 selves, at last, that it must have been nothing 
 more than an optical delusion, produced by the 
 over-excitement of their nervous system. 
 
 They now gradually ventured to resume 
 their evening-conferences, after the rest of the 
 inmates had sunk to repose ;. and long and in- 
 teresting were their conversations on the all- 
 absorbing topic. Isabel would read, in a low 
 and cautious voice, to the attentive Rosalia, 
 some of the parts that had struck her most, in
 
 THE DAWN OF LIGHT. 69 
 
 the course of her own study of the Gospels. 
 There was much in them which neither could 
 thoroughly understand, referring its meaning, 
 as they did, to the doctrines and practices of 
 their own church. A growing sense of its 
 utter discrepancy with these was insensibly 
 gaining ground in their minds, though they 
 neither acknowledged nor even clearly saw it 
 as yet. 
 
 " There is one thing," observed Isabel one 
 evening, " which I cannot account for ; I have 
 not hitherto met with any direct allusion to 
 those duties which our church most partic- 
 ularly enforces, such as confession, saying 
 masses, or praying for the dead. In the third 
 chapter of St. Matthew, it is said that St. John 
 the Baptist exhorted the people who came to 
 him, to ' do penance,' no doubt in order that 
 they might expiate their sins ; but it is not said 
 what kind of penance he exacted ; and, as far 
 as I have read, I do not see that our Saviour 
 Himself said any thing about it." 
 
 " You will, no doubt, find it by and by," said 
 Rosa ; " but, sister, are we sure that Francesco 
 was right, when he said that your Testament 
 was translated by an archbishop of our church ? 
 What if he had been deceived, and this book 
 were one of the pestilential heretical transla- 
 tions ?" 
 
 "Your brother was quite right, Rosa ; here
 
 70 THE DAWN OF LIGHT. 
 
 is the fact, announced on the title-page, look ! 
 ' Tradotto in Italiano, da Monsignore Antonio 
 Martini, Arcivescovo di Firenze.' You see, 
 there can be no doubt of the correctness or 
 orthodoxy of the translation ; we can, there- 
 fore, read it with perfect confidence, and with- 
 out any fear of being misled." 
 
 Rosa's apprehensions were now completely 
 set at rest, and she listened, with real interest, 
 to the inspired records of the life, doctrine, and 
 death, of the Divine Redeemer, often partici- 
 pating in the wonder expressed by her friend, 
 that there was so much in the Gospels of which 
 they had never even heard. And sweetly and 
 powerfully did many of those sacred passages 
 speak to their hearts, especially to the lacerated 
 and anxious one of Isabel. With what emo- 
 tion did she read the gracious assurances of 
 pardon that issued from the lips of Him, " who 
 spake as never man spake," when, on many 
 occasions, he healed the diseases of the soul, 
 simultaneously with those of the body. " Thy 
 sins are forgiven thee," " Oh," she would ex- 
 claim, " that such a blessing were mine ! Oh ! 
 that I could hear that Divine voice, proclaim- 
 ing my forgiveness ! But, now that the Sav- 
 iour is no longer upon earth, I must obtain that 
 blessing through his ministers ; and I long to 
 find in His word the commission by which 
 they are empowered to impart it."
 
 THE DAWN OF LIGHT. 71 
 
 Day after day, or rather night after night, 
 glided on in this new and most interesting 
 employment. They advanced but slowly, 
 as every portion they read was the subject 
 of much earnest conversation between them. 
 They often found great difficulty in reconcil- 
 ing the plain declarations of Scripture with 
 their preconceived notions, and the anti-scrip- 
 tural practices in which they were daily en- 
 gaged ; but their attempts to do so were sin- 
 cere and persevering ; and, if they did not 
 quite succeed in satisfying their own minds, 
 they, at least, struggled hard to believe that all 
 was right. 
 
 One evening, when Rosa entered her friend's 
 cell, she found her expecting her arrival, with 
 sparkling eyes, and a look of joy which she 
 had seldom seen on her countenance. " I have 
 found it, Rosa," she exclaimed, " I have found 
 the treasure I longed for ! the blessed proof 
 that our church is right, when she declares, 
 that her ministers have the power to forgive 
 sin. Look here/' she continued, pointing to 
 the sixteenth chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel, 
 eighteenth and nineteenth verses, " see what 
 our Saviour said to the blessed apostle St. 
 Peter : ' Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I 
 will build my church, and the gates of hell 
 shall not prevail against it. And I will give 
 unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven ;
 
 72 THE DAWX OF LIGHT. 
 
 and whatsoever them shalt bind on earth, shall 
 be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt 
 loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven.' 
 You see, dearest, it is just as the church says, 
 and I shall now feel quite happy in this de- 
 lightful assurance. ' Oh ! what a load, what a 
 mountain of anxiety and anguish, it has re- 
 moved from my mind ! I shall now prepare 
 with alacrily and pleasure, for the duty of con- 
 fession, to which Father Giacomo calls me to- 
 morrow morning, and against which my rebell- 
 ious heart was struggling in determined oppo- 
 sition. I can now disclose all my sins to the 
 holy father, for, Oh, blessed, blessed thought, 
 he has the power and authority to ' loose,' to 
 absolve me from them all !" 
 
 Poor Isabel ! it was thus that the great en- 
 emy of souls, by means of his masterpiece of 
 deception and falsehood, Popery, was striving 
 to lull her awakened mind into fatal security, 
 by perverting Scripture from its true and sim- 
 ple meaning. It was not the first time that he 
 thus attempted to " transform himself into an 
 angel of light ;" and if a greater than he had 
 not condescended to foil his purpose, the mind 
 of the poor novice would soon have been as 
 dark as ever. 
 
 " There is one idea," she said after a pause, 
 " which still haunts me, and prevents me from 
 enjoying all the comfort of this welcome ns-
 
 THE DAWN OF LIGHT. 73 
 
 surance. What can be the reason that our 
 spiritual guides shut up this precious book 
 from us, since it so clearly proves that what 
 they assert is true ? Could it be possible, Rosa, 
 that this is not the real meaning of the words, 
 and that they are afraid we should discover it 
 at last?" 
 
 " Oh ! no, no ! surely not," exclaimed Rosa, 
 shuddering at so horrible, an idea, " that can- 
 not be, dear sister ; but. you know, the holy 
 church considers the Bible a dangerous book ; 
 and, though we have not yet found it so, we 
 may soon discover that there is good and suf- 
 ficient cause for her prohibiting* its indiscrim- 
 inate reading." 
 
 Isabel shook her head, fully resolved not to 
 assent to this supposition of her young friend, 
 and went on with her reading. 
 
 " Did our blessed Saviour hear the confes- 
 sions of his disciples? " Rosa inquired, when 
 Isabel had finished the chapter. 
 
 " I suppose he did," replied her* friend, " but, 
 as yet, I have seen no mention of it. Of course, 
 he would not neglect so important a part of 
 the priestly office. Look here, dear Rosa, at 
 the eleventh chapter, and twenty-eighth verse, 
 of St. Matthew, what sweet words He spoke to 
 such poor burdened sinners as myself, 'Come 
 unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, 
 and I will give you rest.' Oh ! Rosa, you
 
 THE DAWN OF LIGHT. 
 
 know not, you cannot know, how precious 
 those words are to my soul." 
 
 Rosa, indeed, did not know it, for light had 
 not yet dawned on her soul ; the Holy Spirit 
 had not yet convinced her of sin, and her 
 mind lay still in the dreamy slumber of early 
 morning, before the " day-star" has fully dis- 
 persed the murky gloom of midnight, and 
 ushered in that glorious dawn, which, like " the 
 path of the just, shineth more and more, unto 
 the perfect day." She was not yet awakened 
 to the reality of her position ; but her deep, 
 midnight repose had been somewhat disturbed ; 
 and, as she listened with interest, if not anxiety, 
 to the words of eternal life, a faint ray of light 
 would occasionally break upon her darkness, 
 prophetic of the time when, before the glorious 
 beams of the " sun of righteousness," the shad- 
 ows would all " flee away." 
 
 Isabel went to the confessional the next 
 morning, with a mind considerably lightened 
 of its load, and the priest had reason to be 
 better satisfied with her disclosures of sin than 
 he had ever been before. But the poor pen- 
 itent did not derive from this unauthorized 
 ordinance of the Romish Church the comfort 
 or benefit she had anticipated. On the con- 
 trary, her conscience, which was now under 
 the enlightening influence of Divine grace, 
 severely rebuked her duplicity, and she re-
 
 THE DAWN OF LIGHT. 75 
 
 turned to her cell almost as miserable as 
 ever. 
 
 Her feelings were, as usual, communicated 
 to her friend in the evening ; for her burdened 
 heart loved to repose on the bosom of affec- 
 tion, and, though Rosa could not altogether 
 comprehend her troubles, she could sympathize 
 with her grief, counsel her, and sometimes even 
 soothe. 
 
 " All the cheerfulness," she said, " with which 
 I had approached the confessional, forsook me 
 before I had finished repeating the form of 
 confession ; for I had no sooner begun to 
 mention the names of apostles and saints, to 
 whom it is addressed, than the question sug- 
 gested itself, ' Does the Scripture authorize us 
 to confess our sins to them T This thought 
 disturbed me, and for a few moments I could 
 scarcely proceed ; and when I went on to 
 enumerate particular sins, my conscience over- 
 whelmed me with the conviction that I was 
 dealing deceitfully with the holy father, and 
 thus committing a very great crime. I could 
 not speak candidly to him, I could not dis- 
 close my thoughts and feelings as they really 
 were ; I was obliged to conceal many heart- 
 sins, many doubts and temptations, which I 
 ought to have laid open to him, but which 
 would immediately have excited his suspi- 
 cions. 1 trembled at every queston he asked
 
 76 THE DAWN OF LIGHT. 
 
 me, lest it should compel me, either to reveal 
 the truth, or to utter a falsehood. I received 
 no comfort from the absolution he gave me, 
 for I felt that, if he could have looked into my 
 heart, he would have launched the terrors of 
 the church's vengeance at my guilty head, 
 rather than the words of peace and pardon he 
 pronounced. Oh ! Rosa, what shall I do ? I 
 am, indeed, very, very miserable !" 
 
 Rosa would fain have spoken comfort, by 
 telling her that she was too scrupulous, but she 
 durst not ; for, although the Romish system 
 makes light of the sin of deception, and dares 
 to call falsehood, under certain circumstances, 
 a venial fault, it fails not to denounce it in the 
 strongest terms, when exercised towards a 
 priest ; and she had heard so much of* the 
 criminality of the slightest reserve, or want of 
 full sincerity, in the matter of confession, that 
 she shrank from countenancing it in any de- 
 gree. 
 
 The mind of Isabel was soon involved in 
 greater perplexity than ever, by reading the 
 thirteenth verse of the twenty-third chapter of 
 St. Matthew, " Woe unto you, Scribes and 
 Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye shut up the king- 
 dom of heaven against men, ye neither go in 
 yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are en- 
 tering to go in." She immediately perceived, 
 on comparing this passage with that in the
 
 Till; DAWN UF LIGHT. 77 
 
 sixteenth chapter, which had caused her so 
 much joy, that she had altogether mistaken 
 the true meaning of the latter. 
 
 " It is evident," said she to Rosa, " that the 
 ' keys of the kingdom of heaven,' cannot signify 
 the power which our Lord gave to St. Peter, 
 to admit into heaven, or exclude from it ; for 
 that power the wicked scribes and Pharisees 
 could not have had, and yet He accuses them 
 of ' shutting it up against men.' What, then, 
 could it mean ?" 
 
 "It seems to me," observed Rosa, after a 
 moment's pause, "that the question rests on 
 the precise meaning of the expression, 'the 
 kingdom of heaven.' It is very often used in 
 the chapters we have read before, and, I think, 
 not always in the same sense." 
 
 This remark was like a ray of light to Isa- 
 bel. She turned over the leaves of her Testa- 
 ment, and referred to the preceding chapters. 
 There she found, indeed, the term frequently 
 used, but seldom in the sense she had attached 
 to it. She could not always clearly define its 
 exact signification, but she could ascertain, by 
 the context, when it did not mean the state of 
 eternal blessedness ; and there was one sense 
 in which she found it most generally applied, 
 and which was so simple that she could fully 
 comprehend it. "I see it means the Gospel, 
 in the greater number of places ! " she ex- 
 7*
 
 THE DAWN OF LIGHT. 
 
 claimed with astonishment. " Look, Rosa, in 
 the thirteenth chapter of St. Matthew, the 
 ' kingdom of heaven' is, in three parables, com- 
 pared to seed, and, in the nineteenth verse, it 
 is explained to mean ' the word 'of the king- 
 dom.' I can now recollect other similar pas- 
 sages ; but these are quite sufficient to prove 
 the fact. I am, therefore, convinced that it 
 was the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures, 
 which the scribes and Pharisees had ' shut up;' 
 and, if so, the keys of the kingdom of heaven, 
 promised to St. Peter, must merely have sig- 
 nified the knowledge of the Gospel, which he 
 should receive, and the ' binding' and ' loosing,' 
 the power of explaining it. Do you not think, 
 Rosa, that seems to be the plain meaning of 
 these passages ? " 
 
 Rosa could not deny that such was her own 
 conviction, but she received it reluctantly ; for 
 she could not but see how much it militated 
 against both the doctrines and the pretensions 
 of her church. The ardent mind of the Span- 
 ish novice, however, instantly took up the clue, 
 and, without hesitation, followed it up to its in- 
 evitable termination. 
 
 " What, then, becomes," she inquired, " of 
 the lofty assumptions of our church, that she 
 has power to forgive or retain sins, to open 
 or shut the gates of heaven ? Oh ! Rosa, I 
 fear they are not supported by Scripture ;
 
 THE DAWN OF LIGHT. 79 
 
 and, in that case, she has, indeed, sufficient in- 
 ducement to conceal the Word of God from 
 the people she deceives." 
 
 "Hush ! hush ! dearest sister! how can you 
 fancy such shocking things ? You are utter- 
 ing blasphemy against the church ! Believe 
 me, you are too hasty, too impetuous. Only 
 wait a little, and, I doubt not, you will find the 
 proofs of the church's authority before long. 
 Remember, you have yet read but a very 
 small portion of the New Testament." 
 
 "You are right, carina, 1 am too impatient; 
 I will wait quietly, and study the blessed book 
 with mor$ diligence. But one thing is as clear 
 as the day, and to that I cannot shut my eyes, 
 our church is certainly guilty of the same 
 crime for which Jesus Christ denounced con- 
 demnation on the scribes and Pharisees, that 
 of shutting up the Scriptures from the knowl- 
 edge of men." 
 
 Rosa felt the full force of this inference, but, 
 unwilling to acknowledge its truth, she merely 
 said, as she rose to return to her own cell, 
 
 " Sister, you are engaged in a forbidden em- 
 ployment ; you are pursuing a course which 
 the church declares to be fraught with great 
 and awful peril ; I hope you will be incessant 
 in your prayers to our Lady and the blessed 
 saints, that they will intercede for your par-
 
 80 THE DAWN OF LIGHT. 
 
 don, and preserve you from the danger which 
 you are so rashly tempting." 
 
 " Thank you, dear Rosa, for your friendly 
 counsel ; I shall not be negligent in my duty; 
 and I hope you will also pray for me, that I 
 may be directed aright, and enabled to under- 
 stand and receive the truth, whatever it may 
 be." 
 
 Faithfully and earnestly did each endeavor 
 to propitiate heaven, by an increased number 
 of those petitions, litanies, and invocations, to 
 the multitude of intercessors whom the Church 
 of Rome has set up, to the dishonor of the " one 
 Mediator between God and man, the man 
 Christ Jesus." But fruitless were all these 
 " vain repetitions," in a language they did not 
 understand, and addressed to beings who could 
 neither hear, answer, nor help them. It might, 
 indeed, be said of them, as of too many others, 
 that " they worshipped they knew not what ;" 
 but He who was to them an " unknown God," 
 looked with pity on their ignorance, and was 
 gradually leading them by His Spirit to the 
 knowledge of His will. 
 
 Isabel, indeed, had already begun, in some 
 measure, to doubt the efficacy of prayers to 
 the Virgin and the saints ; for she had read, at 
 the end of the twelfth chapter of St. Matthew, 
 how little regard the Saviour had paid to the 
 interference of " His mother and his brethren,"
 
 THE DAWN OF LIGHT. 81 
 
 when they sought to interrupt His public min- 
 istry ; and she could not find any instance of 
 His sanctioning an application to any of his 
 apostles or friends, for their intercession in be- 
 half of any suppliant for his mercy or com- 
 passion. This reflection greatly lessened her 
 confidence in the mediation of saints ; but she 
 did not mention it to her friend, nor, indeed, did 
 she dwell much upon it herself; for her mind 
 was, just then, absorbed in the contemplation 
 of another subject, the attempt to discover, 
 in the Word of God, a warrant for the assump- 
 tions of that church which has long " cast that 
 word behind its back."
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 FEARFUL ANTICIPATIONS. 
 
 My soul is among lions. PSALM Ivii. 4. 
 
 They have prepared a net for iny steps ; my soul is bowed down 
 they have digged a pit before me. PSALM Ivii. 6. 
 
 THE tranquillity and comfort with which the 
 two friends had hitherto carried on their noc- 
 tural intercourse, were now disturbed by an 
 incident which, however trifling in itself, caus- 
 ed them no little alarm. Isabel discovered ac- 
 cidentally that a small orifice existed in the 
 wall of her cell, and that the opening extended 
 even to that of her nearest neighbor, an elderly 
 nun, whose appearance and manners she had 
 always disliked. This hole might have been 
 there prior to her occupation of the apartment, 
 but she had never observed it before ; and a 
 thrill of horror shot through her frame, as the 
 probability of its having been recently made, 
 for the purpose of watching their proceedings, 
 and listening to their conversation, presented 
 itself to her mind. The opening, indeed, was 
 very small, and could scargely be available for 
 conveying the sound of words with any dis- 
 tinctness ; but it was a terrible idea, that some 
 suspicion existed respecting her, and, perhaps,
 
 FEARFUL ANTICIPATIONS. 83 
 
 Rosa also. It was in a dark corner, almost 
 concealed by her pallet bed ; this seemed to 
 corroborate her fears ; and, if it was the effect 
 of contrivance, it would, of course, be enlarged, 
 though, no doubt, cautiously and gradually. 
 She felt very uneasy, and, after a little reflec- 
 tion, and a few stolen words of consolation 
 with Rosalia, it was agreed that their meetings 
 should be discontinued for the present, and that 
 she should carefully examine the hole every 
 day, in order to ascertain if it made any prog- 
 ress. 
 
 It occurred to her that she must no longer 
 indulge in the pleasure of studying her pre- 
 cious Testament, after retiring to her cell in 
 the evening, as the circumstance of keeping 
 her lamp burning so much longer than the 
 usual time, was, of itself, sufficient to confirm 
 suspicion, if any existed ; yet, though she had 
 no leisure during the day, and, if she had pos- 
 sessed any, would not have dared to employ it 
 in so hazardous an occupation, she felt, never- 
 theless, that she could not resign a privilege 
 which had become to her, not only all-impor- 
 tant, but inexpressibly delightful. The hour 
 for retiring to rest in the convent was nine 
 o'clock ; the nuns were compelled to rise at 
 midnight, to attend a service in the chapel, 
 and, after its termination, were permitted to 
 sleep till three, when they were again aroused
 
 84 FEARFUL, ANTICIPATIONS. 
 
 for matins. An hour's meditation and reading 
 in the refectory, followed, after which, early 
 mass was performed, and their daily round of 
 wearisome and heartless duties commenced. 
 Rosa and Isabel had lately devoted to the 
 Scriptures, and conversation, a great part of 
 the interval before midnight; but, as they 
 durst no longer do that, Isabel resolved to sit 
 up in her bed, as soon as it was light, and con- 
 tinue her study of the sacred volume, till the 
 matin-bell summoned her to the chapel. This 
 she accordingly did ; but though, from the sit- 
 uation of the suspicious hole, she could not be 
 seen in this employment by any one looking 
 through it, her nervous agitation and terror 
 were so great, that her eyes involuntarily turned 
 to it almoste very moment, and then to the 
 door, which had no fastening but a latch. In 
 such a state of mind, it was almost impossible 
 to keep her attention fixed on her reading, and, 
 after many unsuccessful efforts to do so, she 
 felt so discouraged, as to be tempted to aban- 
 don the attempt in despair. A strong feeling, 
 however, of her ignorance and spiritual neces- 
 sities, urged her to persevere in the struggle ; 
 and, as she remembered that the advancing 
 season, by shortening the days, would soon 
 deprive her of this resource, she resolved to 
 pray for more calmness and firmness of mind,
 
 FEARFUL ANTICIPATIONS. 85 
 
 to overcome the difficulties that impeded her 
 progress. 
 
 This good resolution, however, was more 
 easily formed than reduced to practice. Her 
 church had provided no form of prayer for 
 such an occasion, and she had never thought 
 of praying without one. She had been taught 
 in the convent, that the Paternoster and Ave 
 Maria would answer all purposes, and secure 
 any favor for the obtaining of which, their rep- 
 etition was intended ; for that God would look 
 to the intention and wishes of the petitioner, 
 how inappropriate or inapplicable soever the 
 words might be. On the same principle, it 
 was asserted, but with a directly contrary ar- 
 gument, that prayers, in an unknown tongue, 
 were as efficacious as if they had been under- 
 stood by the suppliant, for that God would re- 
 gard with acceptance the words of the petition, 
 though they could not be the utterance of the 
 heart, being merely repeated as a kind of mys- 
 terious charm. But these miserable subter- 
 fuges of a system, which altogether denies the 
 great fact, that, as " God is a spirit," " they who 
 worship Him must worship Him in spirit and 
 in truth," could not now entirely satisfy the 
 awakened conscience of Isabel. She knew not 
 yet the blessed declaration, that " the Spirit 
 helpeth our infirmities," and " maketh interces- 
 sion for us, with groanings which cannot be 
 8
 
 86 FEARFUL ANTICIPATIONS. 
 
 uttered ;" but that gracious Spirit, whose office 
 it is to "testify" of Christ, brought to her re- 
 membrance, the Saviour's own sweet and en- 
 couraging words, which she had recently read, 
 " Ask, and it shall be given you ; seek, and 
 ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened 
 unto you. For every one that asketh receiv- 
 eth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him 
 that knocketh, it shall be opened." She turned 
 to several instances, related in the Gospel, of 
 His readiness to grant the unstudied and ear- 
 nest petitions which on every side assailed 
 Him; and, hope spi-inging up in her depressed 
 soul, she at length ventured to breathe a few 
 fervent ejaculations to the throne of grace ; 
 and, in the holy calmness and elevation of 
 mind she subsequently experienced, was ex- 
 hibited the promised benefit to be derived from 
 such an application, the finding " grace to help 
 in time of need." 
 
 One morning, when the two friends met in 
 the garden, and were able to speak to each 
 other without being observed, Rosa, who look- 
 ed extremely pale, informed Isabel that she was 
 convinced they were suspected and watched. 
 
 " 1 was sitting at my window last night," 
 said she, " about half-past ten, for my thoughts 
 were so busy, that I was unable to sleep; and 
 I saw Father Giacomo issue from the cloisters, 
 accompanied by a nun, who, I suppose, was the
 
 FEARFUL ANTICIPATIONS. 87' 
 
 Madre Superiore, though I could not see her 
 face. They walked up the inner court, con- 
 versing in a low tone, and stopped over against 
 your window ; they paused a few moments, 
 earnestly regarding it, then advanced to where 
 they could have a full view of mine. I watched 
 them unobserved, till, being satisfied that there 
 was no light in either room, they re-entered the 
 house, in close consultation. Fearful of a visit 
 from them, I hastily took refuge in bed, and 
 had not been many minutes there, when my 
 latch was softly lifted, and some one apparently 
 peeped in, but quietly retreated, on finding 
 nothing to notice." 
 
 " Oh ! Rosa, it is very miserable to live like 
 this, subject to continual apprehensions ; and 
 we can now scarcely speak to each other, while 
 there are so many important texts of Scripture 
 that I wish to show you, and to consult you 
 about." 
 
 " Hush, hush, dearest ! here are two or three 
 of the nuns, and 1 must now be asking your 
 advice about this stupid piece of work. ' What 
 say you, sister,' she continued, holding out a 
 magnificent scarf, which she was embroidering 
 for the image of the Virgin in the chapel, ' shall 
 I make the border of lilies of the valley, or 
 white rosebuds ?' " 
 
 Isabel's mind was too much confused and be- 
 wildered, to second the artifice with a ready
 
 88 FEARFt'l, ANTICIPATIONS. 
 
 answer ; but, fortunately, her hesitation was 
 referred to a due sense of the importance of 
 the question, and one of the nuns exclaimed, 
 
 " Oh ! rosebuds, sister, rosebuds by all means ! 
 They are so beautiful, and then, you know, 
 our blessed Lady is called, in the Holy Scrip- 
 tures, ' the Mystical Rose.' " 
 
 " But she is also called ' the Lily of the Val- 
 ley,' " remarked a second, " and I think a lily is 
 so delicate, and so beautiful in its chaste purity, 
 that it best represents the spotless holiness of 
 the immaculate Mary." 
 
 " The rose, however, is the * queen of flow- 
 ers,' " eagerly resumed the first ; and a very 
 animated dispute as to the merits of the re- 
 spective emblems was about to commence, 
 when Isabel turned the current of the conver- 
 sation, by suddenly inquiring in what part of 
 Scripture those names were given to the 
 blessed Virgin ? 
 
 " I really do not know," replied sister Fran- 
 cesca, " do you, sister Clara ?" 
 
 " I have quite forgotten," the other answered ; 
 " I saw them a long time ago in some of our 
 books ; but it is of little consequence, for every- 
 body knows they are correct." 
 
 " Will you, dear sister, try to find that book, 
 and kindly show it me ? Are you sure it was 
 Scripture ?" 
 
 " Gesu Maria !" exclaimed the nun. crossing
 
 FEARFUL ANTICIPATIONS. 89 
 
 herself, " you do not, surely, mean to doubt the 
 truth of any of our holy books ? I do not 
 think I could find it now ; but what concern is 
 that of yours or mine ?" 
 
 " No concern of ours, sister Clara ! Why, 
 does not our eternal salvation depend on the 
 faith we hold ?" 
 
 " Certainly it does, but that faith consists 
 in a humble reception of the truths which we 
 are taught by our spiritual instructors. We 
 have no right to inquire any further !" 
 
 " If we are satisfied with their authority, " 
 began Isabel ; but Rosa forcibly dragged her 
 away, exclaiming, with assumed playfulness, 
 " Come now, you tiresome creature, you shall 
 not enjoy your darling pleasure, of arguing for 
 the sake of amusement ; you know I want you 
 to teach me that Spanish stitch, and you shall 
 not escape me again." 
 
 " Isabel !" she exclaimed, when they were 
 out of hearing, " you must surely have lost 
 your senses, to talk in this manner publicly. 
 Do you not know that every word you have 
 uttered will be repeated, and, then, what will 
 become of us both ? Oh, how could you be so 
 imprudent !" 
 
 The poor girl sank, half-fainting, on a gar- 
 den seat ; she trembled violently, and tears 
 came to her relief. Isabel was scarcely con- 
 scious of what she had said ; but sincerely 
 8*
 
 FEARFUL, ANTICIPATIONS. 
 
 sorry that she had alarmed her friend ; she at- 
 tempted to persuade her that her fears alone 
 had attached any importance to the words, and 
 that no one else would think them worthy of 
 notice. 
 
 "Oh ! you are greatly mistaken ! You have 
 not lived all your life in a convent, as I have. 
 Depend upon this, that nothing, however tri- 
 fling, passes unnoticed here ! You would shud- 
 der, as I do, if you knew all that I know." 
 
 The bell, at that moment, summoned them 
 away ; the trembling girl dashed the tears from 
 her eyes, and they separated, but not till she 
 had exacted a hasty promise from her friend, 
 that she would be more cautious in future. 
 
 Isabel's mind was full of anxious and per- 
 plexing thoughts, as she sat down to her ap- 
 pointed tasks, in company with several others. 
 The conversation of that morning had recalled 
 all her former doubts as to the worship paid to 
 the Virgin, and she resolved to search her Tes- 
 tament for the expressions quoted by sister 
 Clara, and for other similar titles, which she 
 saw plentifully scattered over the books of de- 
 votion authorized by her church. She did so, 
 earnestly, diligently, sincerely ; she no longer 
 read slowly and regularly, the chapters as they 
 came, but hurried on, with feverish excitement, 
 impatient to find something which would set 
 her mind at rest on the subjects that troubled
 
 FEARFUL ANTICIPATION*. 91 
 
 her. But all in vain ; she could find nothing 
 that sanctioned the errors which she wished to 
 believe, while her partially-enlightened mind 
 revolted from them. The more she read, the 
 deeper and stronger grew the conviction, that 
 the practices, and many of the doctrines of 
 Romanism, were perfectly irreconcilable with 
 Scripture. She found nothing to countenance 
 the worship of the Virgin, the invocation of 
 saints, the bowing down to images, or purga- 
 tory, but she did find what filled her heart with 
 joy, and eased it of the painful load of suspense, 
 with respect to the right and duty of reading 
 the word of God. She dwelt with rapture on 
 the command, the positive injunction of the 
 Saviour, in the 5th chapter of St. John's Gos- 
 pel, 39th verse, " SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES, 
 for they are they which testify of me." 
 
 The feast of Santa Rosalia, the patroness of 
 the convent, and of all Sicily, afforded the poor 
 nuns an agreeable holiday ; for, after the idol- 
 atrous mummery of the morning services, they 
 were allowed, during the rest of the day, to 
 choose their own employments and recreations. 
 Our two young friends contrived to spend the 
 greater part of the afternoon together, and 
 seated themselves in a small bower at the bot- 
 tom of the garden. They chose this seat, be- 
 cause it was placed against the boundary-wall, 
 and considerably elevated above the adjacent
 
 92 FEARFUL ANTICIPATIONS. 
 
 walks, no intruder could approach them un- 
 perceived, and they could, therefore, converse 
 in safety. A desire to assist each other in a 
 large piece of embroidery was their ostensible 
 object ; but greatly did they enjoy this short in- 
 terval of comparative liberty, though their con- 
 versation was many times interrupted by the 
 visits of evidently curious members of the sis- 
 terhood. Isabel had, the evening before, in- 
 trusted her precious Testament to Rosalia, re- 
 questing her to read attentively several passages 
 which she had marked for that purpose, as she 
 wished to converse with her about them, dur- 
 ing the long-anticipated opportunity which the 
 next day would afford them. 
 
 Rosa had done so, though with fear and 
 trembling ; and the book was now stealthily 
 returned to Isabel. Long and earnest was 
 their conversation on these subjects, and deeper 
 and deeper the impressions produced on their 
 minds by the inspired Word of God. 
 
 "You see, dearest Rosa," said Isabel, her ex- 
 pressive eyes beaming with indescribable joy 
 and satisfaction, "you see I was quite right in 
 thinking that we ought to read the Scriptures 
 for ourselves, in order that we may know what 
 is really the will of God. Our blessed Saviour 
 commanded all those who heard Him to 
 ' search the Scriptures.' He rebuked the 
 Pharisees constantly, by referring them to what
 
 FEARFUL ANTICIPATIONS. 93 
 
 was written in the Old Testament, and told the 
 Sadducees that they erred, because they did not 
 'know the Scriptures.' And the holy apostles 
 did the same afterwards, for they were always 
 reading and explaining them to the people ; 
 and the inhabitants of Berea are praised, be- 
 cause they 'searched the Scriptures daily, to 
 see if these things were so.' Nay, even our 
 blessed Lord Himself, when tempted by Satan, 
 always answered him by a text, and, surely, we 
 could not do better than follow His example." 
 
 " It is quite true," said Rosa, with a deep 
 sigh ; " but then, sister, what a dreadful con- 
 clusion must we draw from all this, as regards 
 our spiritual instructors ?" 
 
 " That they are deceivers," exclaimed Isa- 
 bel, with an impetuous burst of indignation, 
 " cruel, heartless, unprincipled deceivers, who 
 would lead us blindfold to destruction, in order 
 to compass their own wicked purposes." 
 
 " Hush, sister, you are too severe ; why 
 should they do it? What interest have they 
 in deceiving us ?" 
 
 " Do you not see that they conceal the Bible 
 from us, to prevent our eyes from being opened 
 to the falsehoods they teach us ? Do we not 
 detect those falsehoods, as soon as we begin to 
 read the Word of God ? I am no judge of the 
 motives which first led them to adopt such a
 
 94 FEARFUL ANTICIPATIONS. 
 
 system of imposture, but it is evident that they 
 scruple at nothing to support it." 
 
 " But, is it not possible that they may be as 
 ignorant as the poor creatures who look up to 
 them ?" 
 
 " I can scarcely conceive that," replied Isa- 
 bel, after a pause, " for they surely must have 
 it in their power to read the Bible, if they 
 choose. And, even if we give them the bene- 
 fit of such a supposition, what are we to think 
 ^of such blind teachers, who presumptuously 
 undertake to guide others as blind as them- 
 selves ? Oh ! what an awful responsibility do 
 they incur !" 
 
 " My heart sickens when I think of it," said 
 Rosa, the tears dropping through the fingers 
 of her clasped hands, as she held them tightly 
 pressed over her eyes. " Oh ! that 1 had never 
 heard these things ! Why, sister, did you tell 
 me of them ? Why did you break the peace- 
 ful slumber of ignorance in which my life had 
 hitherto been passed ? Who can ever restore 
 that confidence in my spiritual guides which I 
 once possessed, and of which these unhappy 
 disclosures have robbed me ? Not a doubt had, 
 till then, disturbed the serenity of my thoughts ; 
 but I shall never know that blessed peace 
 again !" 
 
 " Rosalia," replied Isabel in a mournful and 
 solemn voice, " do you reproach me for arous-
 
 FEARFUL ANTICIPATIONS. 95 
 
 ing you from the sleep of death ? Could you 
 wish still to slumber on the brink of the preci- 
 pice? Do not suppose that your ignorance 
 would have saved you ; for I have read, in the 
 word of everlasting truth, from the lips of the 
 Redeemer Himself, that, ' if the blind lead the 
 blind, they shall both fall into the pit.' And 
 can you blame me for calling your attention 
 to the awful reality of your danger ?" 
 
 "No, dear sister, no, forgive my foolish 
 words ! I know you are right, quite right, 
 and that your affection for me prompts this 
 anxiety for my salvation ; but I cannot help 
 feeling bitterly the hopelessness of our position. 
 Of what use can our scriptural knowledge be 
 to us, but to make us miserable ? We know 
 that we are deceived, shamefully, cruelly, 
 fatally deceived, but we cannot, in any way, 
 extricate ourselves from the toils in which we 
 are inclosed. We cannot, we dare not betray, 
 even by the slightest word, our consciousness 
 of the truth, or disavow the errors and evil 
 practices we must abhor, without incurring 
 the most dreadful consequences ! Oh ! sister, 
 what will become of us"? Must we thus drag 
 on a miserable existence, and, perhaps, after 
 all, be dragged down ourselves into everlast- 
 ing destruction, not blindfolded, but with our 
 eyes open ?" 
 
 " You draw a frightful picture, mia cara ;
 
 96 FEARFUL, ANTICIPATIONS. 
 
 but it may not be quite so hopeless as you 
 imagine. We are not, surely, compelled to 
 assume the fatal black veil ; and, if we do not, 
 we cannot be detained here against our will." 
 
 " Alas ! you deceive yourself, if you think 
 it so easy to leave a convent. We cannot, in- 
 deed, be forced to take the black veil, for that 
 must be done in the chapel, and requires us to 
 pronounce our assent before witnesses. But 
 what would be the consequence of our refus- 
 ing to do so ? We should immediately be- 
 come the objects of the most cruel, harassing, 
 and dreadful persecutions, which would only 
 cease when we yielded or died." 
 
 " But, Rosa, the law would surely protect 
 us, if we complained ; for, since this island has 
 been in the possession of France, we are under 
 a French king, and French laws, which, I have 
 been told, do not allow any one to be impris- 
 oned in a convent against her will." 
 
 " That may be true, though, of course, we 
 have heard nothing of it here. But, my dear 
 friend, how are we to claim the protection of 
 the law ? We have no friend to undertake 
 our cause, no one to whom we can ev6n 
 communicate our desire for liberty. We can- 
 not write a letter, or receive one, without its 
 being read by the superior. How, then, can 
 we possibly escape the fate to which we are 
 doomed ?"
 
 FEARFUL ANTICIPATIONS. 97 
 
 " But, you have friends and relations, Rosa, 
 who come to see you sometimes. You have 
 a father and mother, a brother and sister, to 
 whom you can speak, and who will surely as- 
 sist you. You are not, like me, alone in the 
 world." 
 
 " I have, but, alas ! I cannot hope that they 
 would remove me from this place. Did I not 
 tell you that I was devoted to the convent even 
 before my birth, in expiation of my parents' 
 marriage ? My mother would not, for any 
 consideration, retract her vow, nor would my 
 father dare. Indeed, I would rather suffer 
 any thing, than let him discover that it has ever 
 cost me one sigh or regret. He is so kind, so 
 affectionate to me, so fearful of having made 
 me unhappy, that it would forever destroy 
 his own peace. And, I think, my mother does 
 not seem to like his coining too often to the 
 convent, for it is now very long since I have 
 seen him." 
 
 " Your sister, however, who cannot be in- 
 fluenced by the same feelings, she must be 
 capable of sympathizing with you ; and, if she 
 did not actively take your part, she could men- 
 tion your case to some one, who, from mere 
 humanity, if not from any other motive, must 
 surely interfere in your behalf." 
 
 Rosa shook her head mournfully. " My 
 sister has never manifested any affection for 
 9
 
 98 FEAKFUL ANTICIPATIONS. 
 
 me, and I fear that she would be quite as averse 
 to my leaving the convent as my mother could 
 be ; for my resignation of the world greatly 
 increases her fortune, and, through it, she looks 
 forward to a splendid marriage." 
 
 " Your brother, then, your noble, disinter- 
 ested, affectionate brother ! He will not suf- 
 fer you to perish, or wither away in a prison. 
 He entreated you not to take the black veil." 
 
 " My darling Francesco !" exclaimed Rosa, 
 the tears of tenderness and love glittering on 
 her cheeks, as they were touched by a bright, 
 but momentary gleam of hope, " Oh ! he would 
 peril his own life, I am quite sure, to save me. 
 But, shall I ever see him again ? My heart 
 bleeds, when I think of the dangers to which 
 he is exposed, and I shudder as my fancy pic- 
 tures him wounded, dying, or dead." 
 
 A cold trembling seized her, and she turned 
 sick and faint. 
 
 " Your fears exaggerate the danger, carina ; 
 your brother shall be restored to you ; I feel a 
 confidence in the goodness and mercy of God, 
 which tells me that you will not be forsaken. / 
 may perish in this gloomy abode, but brighter 
 days are reserved for you. In the meantime, 
 let us return to our former subject of conver- 
 sation; for there are many things Iwish to 
 say to you, and such an opportunity as this does 
 not often occur."
 
 FEARFUL ANTICll'ATIONS. 99 
 
 '' Have you found the texts you expected to 
 find respecting the authority of the church to 
 forgive sins ?" 
 
 " I have found nothing satisfactory, nothing, 
 at least, that satisfies me. The only other pas- 
 sage I have seen, relating to the subject, is in 
 the twentieth chapter of St. John's Gospel, 
 where it is said that ' Jesus breathed on the 
 apostles, and said unto them, Receive ye the 
 Holy Ghost. Whosoever sins ye remit, they 
 are remitted, and whosoever sins ye retain, they 
 are retained.' When I first saw these words, I 
 thought they were exactly what I wanted, and 
 felt greatly delighted ; but, in reading the Acts 
 of the Apostles, and the epistles they have writ- 
 ten, I cannot find that they exercised the power 
 which I supposed was thus given them, no, 
 not in a single instance. They wrought mira- 
 cles of healing, indeed, constantly and willing- 
 ly ; but never are we told that they forgave 
 sins, heard private confessions, or gave absolu- 
 tion in any way. Saint James says, that we 
 are to confess our sins, but it is ' one tAanother' 
 and that cannot mean private confession to a 
 priest. Then, there is nothing said of any wor- 
 ship, or even homage, paid to the Virgin, or 
 of prayers to the saints ; and not a word about 
 relics. In short, Rosa, the more I read of the 
 blessed Word of God, the more I am convinced
 
 100 FEARFUL ANTICIPATIONS. 
 
 that many, if not all, of the practices of our 
 church, are incompatible with the commands 
 of our Saviour, and the example of the apos- 
 tolic church. It is true, T have not yet read 
 all through the Testament ; but I have read 
 enough, and more than enough, to make me 
 dissatisfied with the religion I have been so of- 
 ten told was infallible." 
 
 " You make me tremble, dear sister ; but, if 
 we sincerely serve God, as we have been 
 taught by the church, surely we shall be safe 
 at last !" 
 
 "7 cannot do so now, Rosa, for my eyes are 
 opened, and I see too many errors in it, to re- 
 ceive its doctrines, or obey its precepts, with 
 the confidence of faith. All those constant 
 and wearisome observances, which occupy our 
 time, are they not condemned by our Saviour's 
 words, when he said, ' Use not vain repetitions, 
 as the heathen do, for ihey think they shall be 
 heard for their much speaking.' Do we not 
 multiply our repetitions, under the idea that 
 we shall be ' heard for our much speaking ?' ' 
 
 " True, indeed, sister ; but did our Saviour 
 really say those words ?" 
 
 " He did, indeed, Rosa ; they are in the Gos- 
 pel of St. Matthew, though our priests have 
 taken care to conceal them from us. And then, 
 dearest, I begin to suspect that the doctrines of 
 our church are not less contrary to Scripture
 
 FEARFUL ANTICIPATIONS. 101 
 
 than its practices. I read nothing of expiating 
 our sins by penances, by mortifications, or self- 
 inflictions ; nothing of the meritoriousness of 
 good works, or of accumulating merits, either 
 for ourselves or others ; nothing of indulgen- 
 ces, masses, or prayers for the dead ; nothing 
 of " 
 
 " Oh ! stop, stop, dearest sister, I pray I be- 
 seech you ! Do not quite demolish the whole 
 fabric of religion ! What, then, remains to us ? 
 How, in the name of heaven, are we to be 
 saved ?" 
 
 " I am so ignorant, Rosa, that I dare not un- 
 dertake to be your teacher ; but, surely, we 
 cannot be wrong, when we keep close to God's 
 own word. There is much of it, indeed, that 
 I do not thoroughly understand ; but the great- 
 est part is so plain and simple, that it is not 
 possible to mistake it. Now, it does appear 
 to me, that the Testament teaches us a way 
 of salvation quite different from that of our 
 church. It speaks of ' being justified by faith' 
 nlone,' and says, that ' by the deeds of the law 
 shall no man be justified.' But I wish, dearest, 
 you would take my precious book, and read 
 for yourself those epistles of which I am speak- 
 ing. You would understand them much better 
 than I can explain them to you, especially if 
 you prayed for grace to do so ; for our Lord 
 Jesus Christ has promised the Holy Spirit to 
 9*
 
 102 FEARFUL ANTICIPATIONS. 
 
 all who ask it. Do, carissima, take the book ; 
 I can spare it you for a few days." 
 
 " Oh ! no, carina, I am much obliged to you ; 
 but I am so fearful of discovery, that I could 
 not read it in comfort ; the very idea makes me 
 tremble, and I am sure I could not derive any 
 benefit from it. I would much rather hear* 
 these things from you, and you can make me 
 understand them much better." 
 
 " But we can so seldom have any conversa- 
 tion together." 
 
 " I will come to you sometimes, very early 
 in the morning, and then we can talk in Safety." 
 
 " Well, do, then, for I am most anxious to 
 tell you all I think and feel ; and, when I have 
 quite finished my Testament, I shall be better 
 able to do so." 
 
 A bell now summoned all the religieuses 
 back to the house, and the two friends reluc- 
 tantly separated.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE NIGHT-WATCH. 
 
 His anger endureth but a moment ; in His favor is life ; weeping may 
 endure for a uight, but joy cometh in the morlfing. PSALM xxx. 5. 
 
 That ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you 
 out of darkness into His marvellous light. 1 PETER ii. 9. 
 
 A PERIOD of delightful quiet had been vouch- 
 safed to our poor novices, by Him who saw 
 and pitied their weakness and ignorance. 
 They needed such a calm, to enable them to 
 acquire that knowledge which alone 'could 
 make them " wise unto salvation ;" their feeble, 
 and, as yet, wavering faith, might, otherwise, 
 have been extinguished by the rude blasts of 
 persecution ; and that merciful Saviour who 
 does not " break the bruised reed, nor quench 
 the smoking flax," kindly "stayed the rough 
 wind," and tenderly guarded them from trial, 
 till their convictions had attained sufficient 
 depth and strength to resist the tempest. 
 Isabel had a kind of presentiment that evil 
 was impending over her, and that feeling led 
 her to study more and more diligently, and to 
 pray with increasing earnestness for that wis- 
 dom, courage, and fortitude, which she might 
 so soon require. And she did not pray in
 
 104 THE NIGHT-WATCH. 
 
 vain. " As thy day, so thy strength shall be," 
 is a promise which has ever been faithfully 
 fulfilled to all those who have pleaded for its 
 accomplishment ; and, though our poor Span- 
 iard had never read it, she, too, experienced 
 its benefit, in answer to her trembling and im- 
 perfect prayers, or rather to the all-prevailing 
 intercession of her compassionate Redeemer." 
 Days of sorrow, and scenes of trial, were at 
 hand ; but she was gradually prepared for 
 them, by those peaceful hours of quiet com- 
 munion with God, and girded for the conflict 
 with the two-edged " sword of the Spirit." 
 
 She had, as may be supposed, frequently 
 examined the hole in the wall of her cell, which 
 
 kA 
 
 had excited so much alarm, and found that it 
 had been gradually and cautiously enlarged, 
 till it was about the size of a Spanish dollar. 
 This, of course, confirmed all her suspicions, 
 and made it utterly unadvisable that Rosa 
 should pay her any more visits ; their inter- 
 course, consequently, became more and more 
 restricted, and, indeed, almost ceased, for they 
 could not but perceive that they were closely 
 watched, whenever they met, and wherever 
 they went ! 
 
 It has been observed, that the nun who in- 
 habited the adjoining cell was one whose ap- 
 pearance and manners Isabel had always dis- 
 liked. She was an elderly person, remarkable,
 
 THE NIGHT-WATCH. 105 
 
 not only for her strict and devout performance 
 of every conventual requirement, but for nu- 
 merous acts of self-imposed penance and mor- 
 tification. This constant exercise of unauthor- 
 ized and unscriptural " will-worship" had not 
 tended to improve her naturally harsh dispo- 
 sition, or to soften the asperity of her man- 
 ners ; on the contrary, her increasing austerity 
 had made her an object of fear, and even 
 aversion, to many of her less punctilious com- 
 panions. She was, however, a great favorite 
 with the superior and the priests, who fre- 
 quently proposed her to the others, as a bright 
 example of piety, zeal, and eminent sanctity. 
 The effect of these commendations, as might 
 be expected, was to increase the general feel- 
 ing of envy and dislike, while it puffed up the 
 poor devotee herself with pride and arrogance, 
 and urged her on to still greater, and more 
 life-destroying efforts, for the attainment of the 
 honor of saintship, which had long been the 
 object of her ambition. She scarcely allowed 
 herself any rest, but would spend the greater 
 part of the night in the chapel, on her knees, 
 before a crucifix, or the image of the Virgin, 
 with her arms extended in the form of a cross, 
 till the strained and agonized muscles could 
 not, without great difficulty, be brought back 
 to their natural position. She seldom wore 
 shoes, and frequently mnngled herself with the
 
 10t) THE NIGHT-WATCH. 
 
 scourge, till exhausted nature could scarcely 
 enable her to crawl back to her cell. She ate 
 no meat, except on festival days, and allowed 
 herself so little food of any kind, that she had 
 reduced herself to a mere skeleton. She wore 
 on her chest an iron cross, garnished with 
 small pointed spikes, which she often drove 
 into her flesh, by pressing her clasped hands 
 upon it, or striking her bosom violently, as a 
 sign of penitence, or a penance for any sin of 
 which she was conscious, till the place was 
 covered with scars thus inflicted, and never 
 attempted to be healed, or the pain they caused 
 in any degree mitigated. 
 
 All this was perfectly in accordance with 
 the doctrines of that church, which teaches 
 her deluded children that self-inflicted tortures 
 are agreeable to a God of infinite mercy, and 
 that the more the laws of nature are violated, 
 and the requirements of Divine goodness out- 
 raged, the greater is the amount of merit ac- 
 cumulated, for the purchase of that eternal 
 life which is so distinctly declared to be " the 
 GIFT of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord." 
 
 But this unnatural and unscriptural system 
 could not but lead to its natural results. Life, 
 health, and strength, how vigorous soever they 
 might have been, could not always hold out 
 against such murderous warfare. Sister Gi- 
 ovanna's constitution had been slowlv. but
 
 THE NIGHT-WATCH. 107 
 
 surely, destroyed by this long course of infat- 
 uation, and her little remaining strength now 
 sank under her still unrelaxed austerities. She 
 was several times found senseless in the cha- 
 pel, and great loss of blood, from repeated 
 ruptures of vessels in the lungs, reduced her 
 already emaciated frame to the last degree of 
 exhaustion. She could no longer drag herself 
 to the chapel or the confessional, nor even rise 
 from her hard pallet, but lay there in utter 
 helplessness, the miserable victim of a super- 
 stition as senseless and blood-thirsty as that 
 of Juggernaut, a sad and awful comment on 
 the Divine question to the self-willed Jews, 
 " Who hath required this at your hand ?" 
 
 The fame of sister Giovanna for sanctity 
 was, indeed, great throughout the convent ; 
 but, if she was reverenced as a saint, she was 
 certainly not loved ; she might have many ad- 
 mirers, and a few imitators, but she had not 
 one friend. She had, at first, been removed 
 into the infirmary ; but, her case being evi- 
 dently hopeless, she was, at her own request, 
 carried back to her cell, and there literally left 
 to die. It would seem that the deluded crea- 
 ture acted thus from a desire to increase her 
 stock of self-acquired merit, and shorten her 
 purgatorial expiation, by depriving herself of 
 the few comforts and privileges conceded to 
 the sick and dying, and by voluntarily endur-
 
 108 THE NIGHT-WATCH. 
 
 ing all the miseries of lonely suffering, and un- 
 relieved agony. The strict discipline, and 
 constant, burdensome services, which absorbed 
 the whole day, and almost the night, did not 
 admit of individual attention to the sick out of 
 the infirmary, except in a few peculiar cases, 
 to conciliate novices ; the poor creature, there- 
 fore, was only visited for a few minutes twice 
 a day, by a nun who brought her food, and at- 
 tended to what she absolutely required ; but no 
 kind hand sustained her aching head, or wiped 
 the cold dew from her throbbing temples ; no 
 pitying voice strove to soothe her anguish, or 
 spoke words of comfort and hope to her des- 
 ponding soul. 
 
 So little sympathy, or familiar intercourse, 
 existed in the convent, that it was not till her 
 absence of some weeks from the usual services 
 had excited considerable curiosity, that an anx- 
 ious and half-fearful inquiry from Rosa, elicited 
 the information that sister Giovanna was con- 
 fined to her cell by illness. Unaccountable 
 absences, of longer or shorter duration, were 
 not at all rare among the recluses, and their 
 effect was always to inspire the others with 
 dread, perhaps the more so from their never 
 being explained ; and conjecture could only 
 ascribe them to punishment, or extraordinary 
 penance required. Questions were seldom 
 asked, and, if asked, scarcely ever ans-.vered;
 
 THE NIGHT-WATCH. 109 
 
 and, as it was well known that some absentees 
 had never returned, or been heard of again, it 
 is not surprising that a feeling of irrepressible 
 terror hovered over the subject, or that Rosa's 
 voice trembled, as she ventured on so bold an 
 inquiry. Having ascertained the truth, how- 
 ever, the kind-hearted girl at once resolved to 
 visit the invalid, and to see if she could not be 
 of some use to her. She obtained permission 
 to do so during the time of recreation ; but, 
 finding her in so exhausted and distressing a 
 state, her benevolent feelings prompted her to 
 return in the evening, after bed-time, and to 
 bestow on the poor suffering creature many 
 little acts of sympathy and attention which 
 were really necessary for her, but which she 
 never would have received otherwise. The 
 invalid herself was unwilling to accept them ; 
 but Rosa would not be driven away ; and her 
 persevering kindness at length won upon the 
 heart which had long been closed to human 
 affection, till the drooping head resigned itself 
 to her supporting arm, and the long-tortured 
 frame lay in her tender embrace, with a feel- 
 ing of newly-awakened bliss, which she feared 
 it was sinful to indulge, but was too weak, and 
 too much overcome to resist. 
 
 Rosa soon found means to inform her friend 
 Isabel of her new occupation, and the latter, 
 from a sense of humanity, resolved to assist 
 10
 
 110 THE NIGHT-WATCH. 
 
 her in waiting on the invalid. Sister Giovanua 
 however, did not seem disposed to accept her 
 attentions with complacency. She received 
 her with cold, averted looks, and would evi- 
 dently, if she could, have declined her services 
 altogether. Isabel's quick and sensitive feel- 
 ings were much hurt by this evident dislike, 
 and she almost resolved not to obtrude her 
 kind offices where they were so little appre- 
 ciated ; but the word of God had reached her 
 heart, and that word, applied by the Divine 
 Spirit, taught her to imitate the example of 
 Him, who " is kind to the unthankful and to 
 the evil." She recollected her own former 
 aversion to the poor nun, and resolved to 
 make some amends for it, by persevering as- 
 siduity in the promotion of her comfort. 
 
 The two friends agreed to devote alternately 
 half the time allotted for their rest, to the in- 
 valid, so that she might not be left alone dur- 
 ing the night. Her increasing weakness made 
 this really necessary ; but it would not have 
 been allowed by the heads of the establishment, 
 and, therefore, must be carefully concealed from 
 them. It was unquestionably a breach of their 
 conventual vow of obedience, and Rosa felt it 
 to be such ; but her feelings of compassion pre- 
 vailed over every other consideration ; while 
 Isabel's more enlightened conscience saw the 
 futility of such unhallowed engagements, and
 
 THE MGHT-WATC'H. Ill 
 
 the duty of " obeying God rather than man." 
 But, in the mind of the invalid herself, there 
 was a fearful struggle between the innocent 
 infirmities of nature, and the mez*ciless spirit 
 of bondage under which she had groaned for 
 so many years ; a struggle which often shook 
 her feeble frame, and threatened suddenly to 
 extinguish her flickering flame of existence. 
 
 Restless and feverish, she lay tossing on her 
 hard bed, unable to sleep, while Isabel, with 
 ceaseless and untiring assiduity, tried every 
 ingenious contrivance that the most anxious 
 solicitude could suggest, to procure her some 
 little ease ; she raised her tenderly, changed 
 her position repeatedly, smoothed the hard un- 
 pillowed couch, wiped the cold dew from her 
 face, and gave her water to drink. It was all 
 of no use ; the sufferer could get no relief, and 
 her groans pierced the heart of her nurse. 
 Nearly two hours of wearing agony passed 
 away, and, when exhausted nature at length 
 sank into a death-like torpor, Isabel was com- 
 pelled to leave her, and hasten to her daily 
 task of heartless drudgery. 
 
 The next night she seemed in less pain, but 
 still more unwilling to receive her services, and 
 there was an expression of wild resolution in 
 her eyes, which Isabel was at a loss to account 
 for. Anxious to learn the cause of this unyield- 
 ing spirit of opposition, and evident dislike to
 
 112 THE NIGHT-WATCH. 
 
 herself, she resolved lo -attempt something like 
 conversation, and accordingly began by in- 
 quiring why she was so unwilling to be con- 
 veyed into the infirmary ? 
 
 Sister Giovanna hesitated for some minutes, 
 as if doubtful of the propriety of replying to 
 the question ; at length she said, " That would 
 be an indulgence, sister, and I need punishment 
 and penance, not indulgence." 
 
 " Have your sins, then, been so very great ?" 
 inquired Isabel, whose enlightened mind re- 
 volted from this unscriptural sentiment, although 
 she could scarcely have given a clear account 
 of her aversion to it. 
 
 " Not greater than those of many others, 
 not so great as those of some whom I could 
 name ;" replied the nun, accompanying this 
 Pharisaical declaration with a peculiar empha- 
 sis, and a look at Isabel, which startled her. 
 She, however, mastered this feeling of sudden 
 alarm, and rejoined, without appearing to per- 
 ceive or understand the innuendo. 
 
 " Your life, sister, has been one of continued 
 penance and self-infliction ; and, surely, a mer- 
 ciful God does not require that you should now 
 aggravate your own sufferings, by refusing the 
 alleviations which are provided in the infirmary. 
 You will hasten your death by such a proceed- 
 ing, and I do not think it can be right to do that.
 
 THE NIGHT-WATCH. 113 
 
 May you not then be committing sin, instead 
 of acquiring additional merit?" 
 
 The brow of the poor devotee became con- 
 tracted with displeasure at this suggestion, 
 which seemed like an attempt to rob her of 
 a hoarded treasure ; and her indignation was 
 about to burst forth on the audacious speaker. 
 A distressing fit of coughing, however, which 
 threatened to shatter her feeble frame, gave her 
 time for reflection, and an involuntary misgiv- 
 ing softened the tone of her reply. 
 
 " You cannot require to be reminded, sister, 
 that the greater the pain we voluntarily endure, 
 the more merit we acquire ; we offer it to God, 
 in expiation of our own sins ; and if it should 
 be more than is necessary for that purpose, the 
 surplus remains in the hand of the church, to 
 be applied in indulgences to those whose defi- 
 ciencies require it." 
 
 ' Such, I know, is the doctrine we are 
 taught," said Isabel, thoughtfully, "but, ..." 
 find she was about to express her doubts of 
 its Divine authority, when the recollection of 
 the nun's suspicious look, and implied censure, 
 checked her tongue, and she attempted, though 
 not without considerable embarrassment, to in- 
 troduce another subject. 
 
 It was the middle of the night, and silence 
 had long reigned in the convent ; but a stealthy 
 step was now faintly heard, and the door of 
 " 10*
 
 114 THE NIGHT-WATCH. 
 
 the cell, which, according to monastic rules, 
 had no fastening, was quietly opened a little, 
 then hastily reclosed, before the alarmed Isabel 
 could perceive who the intruder was. She, 
 however, started up, sprang to the door, and, 
 taking the light, endeavored to obtain a view 
 of the retreating figure, but all to no purpose. 
 The corridor was deserted, and the stillness so 
 great, that her hasty opening of the door re- 
 echoed through it with almost frightful distinct- 
 ness. 
 
 "Can you account for this interruption, sis- 
 ter?" inquired she of the nun. "Who can be 
 wandering about the house at this hour, and 
 with what motive could they come hither ?" 
 
 But sister Giovanna was not disposed to an- 
 swer ; she only shook her head, and intimated 
 by signs that she did not wish to be spoken to. 
 Isabel felt annoyed at her obstinacy ; but, as it 
 was invincible, she sat in silence by her bed- 
 side, deeply absorbed in conjecture, till Rosa 
 arrived to relieve her watch. The cheek of 
 the young novice became pale as marble, when 
 she heard of the night's occurrence ; and she 
 expressed her conviction that they were ex- 
 posed to a secret surveillance which threatened 
 them with impending peril. 
 
 " Leave these night- watchings to me, carina? 
 said Isabel ; " you know I have no fear what- 
 ever ; I am not naturally timid, and I care little
 
 THE NIGHT-WATCH. 115 
 
 for penance, or punishment of any kind. You 
 are too gentle, my Rosa, too delicate and fee- 
 ble to withstand the storm, and why should you 
 expose yourself unnecessarily?'' 
 
 " You must, indeed, think me weak, Isabel," 
 exclaimed Rosa, reproachfully, " to fancy for* 
 one moment, that I could desert you in the hour 
 of danger, or shrink from the performance of 
 a duty, through fear or cowardice. No ! I will 
 neither leave you nor sister Giovanna ; but may 
 the holy Virgin and Santa. Rosalia watch over 
 and protect us !" 
 
 The invalid gave Rosa sufficient employ- 
 ment, the rest of the night, to prevent her from 
 dwelling long on the danger of her position. 
 She was distressingly restless and uneasy ; her 
 respiration seemed obstructed by violent pal- 
 pitations of the heart, and the cold perspiration 
 which bathed her face, neck, and hands, bore 
 witness to some inward and agonizing struggle. 
 She groaned dreadfully, but spoke not a word, 
 although she several times grasped the hand of 
 her patient nurse with a convulsive force, which 
 almost extorted a cry : and when the early 
 matin-bell summoned Rosa away, she left her 
 in a state of exhaustion which seemed little 
 short of dissolution. 
 
 It is scarcely necessary to observe, that Isa- 
 bel and Rosa watched, with intense anxiety, 
 the countenances of all the nuns, but especially
 
 116 THE NIGHT-WATCH. 
 
 those of the superiors, with the view of discov- 
 ering indications of that anger or suspicion 
 which they had reason to believe existed with 
 regard to themselves. But their penetration 
 was completely baffled ; not the slightest shade 
 of displeasure, or coldness, could be discerned 
 on the smooth, well-practised brow, in the sub- 
 dued, downcast eye, or on the perfectly disci- 
 plined lip. Nothing but kindness, affection, and 
 confidence, was expressed by look, word, or 
 action; and the anxious .hearts of the novices 
 almost felt re-assured, and ashamed of their 
 fears. Rosa, who was better read in the an- 
 nals of convent-duplicity than her friend, had 
 less confidence in these appearances ; but even 
 she, though brought up from infancy in its nox- 
 ious atmosphere, had been sedulously kept in 
 ignorance of those mysteries of falsehood, 
 treachery, and refined wickedness, which were 
 never disclosed to novices, and into which, in- 
 deed, only a few even of the elder nuns were 
 fully initiated. 
 
 When the sisterhood were assembled that 
 day at dinner, the superior, with much appa- 
 rent feeling, spoke of sister Giovanna; and, 
 while announcing her approaching dissolution, 
 eulogized, in the highest terms, her patience, 
 self-denial, and extraordinary devotion. " Her 
 humility is so great," continued the abbess, 
 " that she refuses any thing that could alleviate
 
 THE NIGHT-WATCH. 117 
 
 her sufferings, because she thinks that her sins 
 require the utmost degree of agony to expiate 
 them ; but our holy lather confessor assures 
 me that she is thus laying up a store of super- 
 erogatory merit, which will be of infinite value 
 to this our blessed community. Let us all pray 
 for her, my children, and assist her by repeat- 
 ing two extra rosaries on her behalf this even- 
 ing." 
 
 One of the younger nuns here ventured to 
 inquire, " if they might hope to see sister Gio- 
 vanna again ?" 
 
 " Certainly, my daughter," replied the supe- 
 rior, "although she is now indulged in her 
 wish for extraordinary mortification, by being 
 allowed to remain in her cell, the community 
 must not be deprived of so edifying an exam- 
 ple as her death is likely to be. When her 
 final hour arrives, and it becomes necessary to 
 administer the last sacraments, she will be 
 brought into the infirmary, and the whole sis- 
 terhood, as usual, summoned to the spectacle." 
 
 Rosa knew, from long experience, that this 
 practice was customary ; yet the cold-hearted 
 selfishness of the whole proceeding now struck 
 on her heart like ice. She thought of the lonely 
 sufferer, wearing out her last hours in unre- 
 lieved, unsoothed, unpitied anguish, and the 
 tears rushed to her eyes. She raised them to 
 the countenance of Isabel. ;md the glance of
 
 118 THE NIGHT-WATCH. 
 
 indignation which she saw, flashing from her 
 magnificent Spanish orbs on the 'hypocritical 
 face of the superior, thrilled her with terror. 
 She could not, however, ascertain whether that 
 look had been seen or read ; all was calm, com- 
 posed, and benignant in the features she was 
 scrutinizing, as calm as the volcano just before 
 an eruption, as still as the awful hush that 
 precedes an earthquake. Rosa felt uneasy, 
 restless, and apprehensive ; for she could not 
 believe that Isabel's look had been altogether 
 unobserved ; and she trembled for the conse- 
 quences of her friend's imprudence. 
 
 The whole of the day was passed by her in 
 a state of indescribable anxiety ; and, during 
 her two hours' watch by sister Giovanna, a 
 nervous terror made her start at every sigh of 
 the breeze that moaned around the ivied walls. 
 The invalid was excessively feeble, and not 
 disposed to speak ; bat she seemed to suffer 
 much, and occasionally uttered a deep groan. 
 Rosa felt something like relief when Isabel 
 came to take her place, although she was un- 
 willing to leave her in what she could not but 
 consider a dangerous occupation. Isabel, how- 
 ever, smiled at her fears, and assured her that 
 she herself entertained no apprehension. 
 
 Rosa had scarcely departed, when the in- 
 valid made a sign that she wished to be raised 
 to a recumbent posture, and Isabel hastened to
 
 THE NIGHT-WATCH. 119 
 
 assist her. There were no pillows with which 
 to prop her up ; the Spanish novice, therefore, 
 sat on the pallet, and supported the emaciated 
 frame. This she had never before allowed her 
 to do, and it seemed a mark of new-born friend- 
 liness which gratified Isabel. The panting nun 
 remained some moments silent; then, after a 
 struggle to recover her breath, she, with some 
 difficulty, articulated, 
 
 " Sister, I am in great pain of body, and dis- 
 tress of mind, can you not say something to 
 comfort me?" 
 
 " You have, hitherto, rejected every thing 
 from me, sister," replied Isabel, with some sur- 
 prise, " but heaven is my witness, that I would 
 gladly do any thing in my power for you, if you 
 would only direct my endeavors." 
 
 " I know that I have been rude and ungrate- 
 ful to you, sister Isabel. I entertained a preju- 
 dice against you, which nothing but your un- 
 wearied and persevering kindness could have 
 overcome ; but your patient goodness, and your 
 generous devotedness in exposing yourself to 
 danger and punishment, in order to relieve my 
 sufferings, have completely triumphed over me, 
 and I now beg your forgiveness and friend- 
 ship." 
 
 This speech was uttered at intervals, and 
 with great apparent difficulty. Isabel's heart 
 was touched by the confession, and her warm
 
 120 THE NIGHT-WATCH. 
 
 affections, which had been, as it were, frozen 
 up by the nun's former coldness and dislike, 
 now flowed towards her with all their natural 
 freedom and fulness. She assured her of her 
 entire forgiveness for the past, and begged to 
 know in what way she could contribute most 
 to her comfort. 
 
 " I feel, sister," replied the invalid, " that 
 my time in this world is rapidly drawing to a 
 close, and that I must very soon enter upon that 
 eternity which I have always dreaded. The 
 church, you know, engages to secure our sal- 
 vation, if we are obedient and faithful, yet she 
 forbids us ever to feel sure of it. This uncer- 
 tainty is very dreadful, when we are standing, 
 as I now am, on the brink of the grave ; and, 
 besides, if I may hope for ultimate rest in 
 heaven, I know there must be first a period of 
 awful purgatorial suffering, how long, how 
 severe, I cannot even guess. Oh ! sister, these 
 thoughts make me very miserable, they haunt 
 me day and night ; and I shrink with horror 
 from the approach of death, lest it should plunge 
 me into greater torments than I now endure." 
 
 The unhappy creature's groans bore witness 
 to her misery, and pierced the heart of the 
 sympathizing Isabel. She could, indeed, feel 
 for her distress, for her own soul had often 
 been steeped in the same " deep waters" of an- 
 guish and terror^; and she longed to impart the
 
 THE MGHT-WATCIt. 121 
 
 soothing comfort she had herself experienced 
 from the study of her precious New Testament. 
 But prudence restrained her tongue, and she 
 merely attempted to administer the feeble opi- 
 ates prescribed by her church ; yet her voice 
 faltered, as she uttered words which her own 
 convictions told her were false and delusive. 
 
 " Have you not, sister, done all, and more 
 than all, that 'our church requires? Are not 
 all your penances, fastings, mortifications, and 
 acts of piety, sufficient to quiet your apprehen- 
 sions, satisfy your conscience, and insure you 
 a peaceful end ? Will not this extraordinary 
 self-denial of yours, in refusing your poor suf- 
 fering body every comfort to which a dying 
 person is entitled, even in a convent, will not 
 
 all this avail to " " expiate your sins ?" 
 
 she was going to say, but the inspired declara- 
 tion, " By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be 
 justified," flashed on her mind with such force 
 that she could not finish the sentence. 
 
 " Alas ! sister, I thought so formerly ; but 
 the near approach of death seems to have set 
 every thing in a stronger light, and I feel 
 afraid to trust to what might be an unsafe de- 
 pendence. Besides, I do not really suffer all 
 the inconveniences I intended, for you and sis- 
 ter Rosa -frustrate my penance by your kind- 
 ness ; and yet, strange as it is, I cannot resolve 
 to forego the comfort of your attentions, and 
 It
 
 122 THE NIGHT- WATCH. 
 
 drive you away from me. I fear our holy 
 mother, the blessed Virgin, will treat me as a 
 reprobate, for not performing my vows to their 
 utmost." 
 
 " Can you suppose her so very severe and 
 unfeeling ?" exclaimed Isabel. " She would 
 not, then, be like her Divine Son ; for he was 
 more kind and tender-hearted than any other 
 man. Remember how He seized every occa- 
 sion of healing pain and sickness, of allevia- 
 ting sorrow, and showing indulgence to the 
 wants and weaknesses of his followers ; how 
 kindly he felt for the famishing crowds in the 
 wilderness, and supplied them with food by a 
 miracle, expressing His fears lest they should 
 faint by the way. And, when His disciples 
 were hungry, and plucked the ears of corn to 
 eat, He sternly rebuked the Pharisees for find- 
 ing fault with them, and reminded them that 
 God had said, ' He would have mercy rather 
 than sacrifice.' Indeed, sister, I think we 
 wrong God, by looking upon Him as severe in 
 exacting from us more than our feeble bodies 
 are able to bear." 
 
 " Your words are very agreeable, sister, but 
 I am afraid to dwell upon them; for they 
 might lead to self-indulgence and slothfulness. 
 You know we are to ' work out our own sal- 
 vation with fear and trembling ;' therefore we 
 ought not to be too confident, nor ever to think
 
 THE NIGHT-WATCH. 123 
 
 that we have done, or can do, enough to se- 
 cure it." 
 
 This Romish perversion of a much abused 
 text grated upon the heart of Isabel ; yet she 
 knew not what to reply, and, had her ideas on 
 the subject been even clearer than they were, 
 she would not have dared to give them utter- 
 ance. She, therefore, exerted herself to soothe 
 the sufferer's fears, by promising to repeat 
 many extra prayers for her benefit, and urging 
 her to keep her own mind as much employed 
 in prayer as her state of weakness and pain 
 would permit. But when Rosa's arrival re- 
 leased her, she felt so much depressed, dis- 
 turbed and uneasy, that, instead of seeking the 
 short rest which her frame required, she threw 
 herself on her knees beside her pallet, and 
 wept unrestrainedly. 
 
 The feeling which thus overpowered her 
 was a deep and distressing sense of her spir- 
 itual ignorance. Notwithstanding her anxious 
 study of the New Testament, she had not yet 
 clearly perceived the way of salvation by 
 Christ. Her reading had, indeed, enlightened 
 her on the errors of her former system ; it 
 had demolished, one by one, almost all the 
 refuges of lies," to which the Romish church 
 directs her children ; she could no longer trust 
 lo its doctrines, nor repose her hopes on its 
 sandy foundations, nor yield her soul to the
 
 124 THE NIGHT-WATCH. 
 
 treacherous fanning of its vampire-wings. 
 But, though she had renounced all false de- 
 pendence, she had not yet found that stay for 
 her soul which consists in being firmly fixed on 
 the everlasting rock. The Holy Spirit had not 
 yet led her to that full reliance on the Saviour 
 which alone can produce joy and peace in be- 
 lieving. Her mind was painfully tossed on 
 the waves of doubt and uncertainty, and her 
 inability to offer substantial comfort to a soul 
 shuddering on the brink of eternity, forcibly 
 reminded her of her own helpless condition, 
 and the awful perplexity that would distract 
 her under similar circumstances. She felt 
 that she could not, without equal misery and 
 danger, continue in this state ; hope whispered 
 that there must be in the word of God, a solu- 
 tion to all her doubts ; and the cry of her soul 
 burst forth in deep, earnest, impassionate sup- 
 plication to the Father of mercies, for pardon, 
 light, and peace. 
 
 Such a petition is never left unanswered by 
 the Hearer of "prayer. A feeling of confi- 
 dence arose in her mind, that she would find 
 her answer in His own word, and, as the first 
 streaks of early dawn began to dissipate the 
 total darkness which had hitherto surrounded 
 her, she arose from her knees, placed herself at 
 the casement, and opening her treasured book,
 
 THE NIGHT-WATCH. 125 
 
 strove to decipher the first epistle of St. John, 
 which she had not yet read. 
 
 It may, perhaps, be said, that she had al- 
 ready perused more than enough of the New 
 Testament to give her a clear and satisfactory 
 view of the plan of salvation ; but when the 
 former darkness of her mind, the circumstances 
 of her case, and the natural blindness of the 
 human heart to spiritual things, are considered, 
 it cannot appear strange that she should be, as 
 yet, but as the partially-enlightened man who 
 " saw men as trees walking." She had, in- 
 deed, read, and deeply pondered, the Divine 
 declaration, " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 and thou shalt be saved," with many others 
 equally important and unequivocal ; but she 
 did not clearly understand the nature of the 
 faith required ; and, as one great object of her 
 Scripture-reading had been the hope of finding 
 the Romish dogmas authorized, or, at least, 
 sanctioned in the Word of God, its effects had 
 been the demolition of her former belief, rather 
 than the establishment of her mind in the truth. 
 
 Now, however, she was thoroughly humbled 
 and stripped of all dependence on aught save 
 the mercy of a compassionate God ; and the 
 Holy Spirit, having thus brought her to a deep 
 and heartfelt sense of her utter helplessness, 
 was now about to reveal to her soul those 
 blessed, saving truths, which can only be " spir- 
 11*
 
 126 THE NIGHT-WATCH. 
 
 itually discerned." It would be impossible to 
 describe the joy, the transport, with which she 
 read those precious words: "The blood of 
 Jesus Christ cleanseth us from ALL SIN." " If 
 we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to 
 forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all 
 iniquity." " If any man sin, we have an Ad- 
 vocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the right- 
 eous, and He is the propitiation for our sins." 
 A ray of heavenly light seemed to rest on 
 these words, and she felt that she understood 
 and could believe them. So great was the ef- 
 fect they produced, that she laid down the 
 book, took it up again, ascertained, by a second 
 and a third perusal, that it was no illusion, then 
 clasped her hands, sank on her knees, and, ut- 
 terly unable to express her feelings, even by 
 prayer or thanksgiving, remained for some 
 minutes in a silent ecstasy of joy and grati- 
 tude. A few incoherent words of praise then 
 issued from her lips, and again she returned to 
 the study of the blessed words. 
 
 A flood of light had burst upon her soul, 
 and she now recollected how many similar 
 passages she had read before, which ghe had 
 never distinctly understood. She felt that the 
 great truth they contained had now been di- 
 vinely applied to her heart ; that she could 
 trust to the blood of atonement for the pardon 
 of all her sins ; and that that precious word,
 
 TIIK xifiiiT-WATcu. 127 
 
 ALL, liad forever swept away every doubt 
 and misgiving, as well as every false depend- 
 ence. 
 
 She rose at the sound of the matin-bell, "a 
 new creature," in the Scripture sense of the 
 word. The burden of misery which had so 
 long weighed her down was gone, and her 
 emancipated spirit seemed to tread the courts, 
 and breathe the air of heaven. She was 
 scarcely conscious of the soul-blighting at- 
 mosphere that surrounded her ; and, while 
 mechanically performing her usual routine of 
 employments, enjoyed the ineffable sweetness 
 of heartfelt communion with God. Her only 
 wish now was to communicate her happiness 
 to Rosa : and this she resolved to do the fol- 
 lowing night, by accompanying her to her 
 cell, and conversing with her for half-an-hour, 
 before she supplied her place, by sister Gi- 
 ovanna's bedside. This recalled the invalid 
 to her thoughts, and her heart rose in grat- 
 itude to God, that she could now tell that for- 
 lorn and desponding one of a free and full 
 salvation, of a " hope which would not make 
 her ashamed." That heart now overflowed 
 with love to her Saviour, and the beneficent 
 stream, with its natural tendency, sought to 
 impart its cheering and fertilizing influence to 
 all around. No thought of prudence, no sus-
 
 1*28 THE .\K;HT-\VAT<JH. 
 
 picion of danger, laid its chilling touch on 
 the new-born ardor of Christian charity ; she 
 could only feel, with the beloved St. John, 
 that " if God so loved us, we ought also to 
 love one another."
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE DYING NUN. 
 
 Save me, O God ! for the waters are come in unto my soul. 
 I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing ; I am come into deep 
 waters, where the floods overflow me. PSA.LM Ixix 1, 2. 
 
 IT was Rosa's turn to watch by the invalid 
 the first part of the ensuing night ; and, when 
 Isabel joined them, instead of taking her place, 
 she followed her young friend back to her cell, 
 and, in the fulness of her overflowing heart, 
 communicated to her the " glad tidings of great 
 joy," with which she had herself become ac- 
 quainted. Rosa listened, and wondered, and 
 scarcely knew whether she ought to believe 
 what she heard ; but she could not question 
 the authority of Scripture, warranted as its 
 authority was, by the translation of an arch- 
 bishop of her own church. Her convictions 
 being less deep than those of her friend, and 
 her perceptions of personal sinfulness and dan- 
 ger less acute, the message of free and uncon- 
 ditional pardon, of sovereign grace, and all- 
 atoning blood, did not affect her to the same 
 rapturous degree ; but it was sweet and pleas- 
 ant to excKange the " spirit of bondage" for 
 even a foretaste of the "glorious liberty of the
 
 130 THE DYING NUN. 
 
 children of God," and to feel that she might 
 draw near to God in " the spirit of adoption, 
 crying, Abba, Father." 
 
 Perhaps, however, the feeling which, at that 
 moment, most occupied her mind, was that of 
 unbounded surprise at the deceptions which 
 she now saw were practised by her church 
 and its ministers, on the unhappy creatures, 
 whose blind confidence intrusted their eternal 
 concerns to such unfaithful hands. She had 
 hitherto persisted in evading the force of 
 Isabel's animadversions on that subject ; she 
 had striven hard to maintain her trust in her 
 spiritual guides ; she had, as it were, clung to 
 delusion, and, with desperate resolution, re- 
 fused to be undeceived. But she could now 
 do this no longer ; her eyes were forcibly 
 opened, and the spell that had hitherto sealed 
 them destroyed forever. Her indignation 
 burst forth in vehement exclamations ; and 
 she now requested from her friend the tem- 
 porary loan of the Testament, that she mighl 
 by means of its perusal, retrace her steps from 
 the maze of error in which she felt herself al- 
 most inextricably involved. Isabel was loth 
 to part with her treasure, which had now be- 
 come more than ever precious ; but she con- 
 quered this motion of selfishness, and, resign- 
 ing it to the hands of Rosa, departed to resume 
 her watch. She found her patient in a state
 
 THK I)Yl\(i JS'IJN. 131 
 
 of extraordinary excitement, and apparently 
 much distressed by her absence. She started 
 up with an exertion of strength of which Isabel 
 had not thought her capable, and stretching 
 out her emaciated arms towards her, exclaimed, 
 with wild vehemence, 
 
 " Sister ! dearest sister ! come to me ! Oh ! 
 why have you left me alone so long ? I have 
 had such frightful visions ! They were not 
 dreams, sister, for I have not slept, but I saw 
 Costanza ! the murdered Costanza ! You start 
 sister, but I did not murder her ! Why, then, 
 did she come to reproach me ? to torture my 
 dying moments ? She looked so pale ! Oh ! 
 so frightfully wan and emaciated ! and she said 
 I could have saved her ! But how could I ex- 
 pose myself to the same fate ? Surely, it would 
 have been madness ! and then, it would not 
 have saved her effectually, while I should have 
 been involved in her ruin. But her looks of 
 reproach were dreadful ! and she stretched out 
 her wasted arms to clasp me ; and I saw the 
 image of Santa Rosalia in that corner, and I 
 ran to her, and embraced her knees, imploring 
 her protection. But she took no notice of me. 
 and looked so utterly powerless ! Then I raised 
 my eyes to heaven, and saw the blessed Ma- 
 donna sitting on a cloud. I shrieked to her for 
 help : but she turned her eyes away, and the 
 ghastly spectre seized me, and T sank in its icy
 
 132 THE DYING NU,V. 
 
 embrace. Oh ! sister, I know not what would 
 have become of me, if your coming had not 
 dispersed the horrid illusion!" 
 
 She clasped the hand of Isabel with convul- 
 sive force ; every nerve in her frame shook 
 with irrepressible terror, arid the cold dew of 
 agony bathed her pallid face. Nature seemed 
 completely exhausted by the struggle it had 
 endured, and she sank back on her comfortless 
 pallet, looking so much like a corpse, that Isabel 
 for some moments thought her spirit had de- 
 parted. The horror of a death under such cir- 
 cumstances terrified her beyond description, 
 and she strove by every effort to recall the de- 
 parting soul, and, at last, by bathing her face 
 and hands plentifully with water, (the only 
 restorative at her disposal,) succeeded in reviv- 
 ing her to consciousness. The terror of her 
 immediate dissolution being thus removed, 
 Isabel reflected that the recent occurrence had 
 laid on her conscience a heavy responsibility. 
 If she had before thought it her duty to direct 
 this poor benighted creature to the only way 
 of salvation for perishing sinners, how greatly 
 was that obligation increased by what she had 
 just witnessed ! It was evident that the 
 wretched nun had been, either directly or in- 
 directly, concerned in some fearful deed, some 
 crime, or perhaps series of crimes, of the dark- 
 est and most awful dye ; and that, not with-
 
 THE DYING NUN. 133 
 
 standing all the moral opiates which had no 
 doubt been administered, to lull and stupefy her 
 conscience, it would still occasionally assert its 
 Divine commission, and " shake its scorpion 
 whips," before her guilty eyes. Isabel, there- 
 fore, resolved in obedience to what seemed an 
 intimation from above, to probe this rankling 
 wound, and, with the blessing of God, to apply 
 to it the only balm that could heal it, even that 
 blood of atonement which she had so recently 
 learned " cleanseth from all sin." The miser- 
 able creature, however, was now too weak for 
 conversation ; she was lying in a state of ap- 
 parent torpor, but she held with both her hands 
 that of her watchful nurse, and every attempt 
 to remove it produced a convulsive shudder. 
 It was, therefore, necessary to defer every at- 
 tempt till the next night, and it was not with- 
 out considerable difficulty that she was induced 
 to acquiesce in the propriety of Isabel's de- 
 parture in the morning. 
 
 A solemn sense of the important duty she 
 had to perform rested on Isabel's mind that day, 
 and led her to much earnest prayer for the 
 guidance and assistance of the Holy Spirit in 
 her proposed undertaking. These petitions, 
 indeed, were entirely mental, for she durst not 
 utter them ; but they ascended to heaven in 
 fervent aspirations, while her lips were me- 
 chanically repeating the Latin invocations 
 12
 
 134 THE DVING NUN'. 
 
 which constituted a very considerable part of 
 her daily routine. She had quite discontinued 
 the private repetitions which were regularly 
 enjoined, but the public ones she knew not how 
 to refuse, although she felt them to be mere 
 mockery when addressed to God, and blasphe- 
 mous in their application to any created object. 
 
 She had not, indeed, seen or heard the se- 
 cond commandment, which so plainly de- 
 nounces all image-worship ; for the Church of 
 Rome, with the true wisdom of the serpent, 
 has unceremoniously blotted out that com- 
 mandment from the decalogue which she puts 
 into the hands of her young and ignorant mem- 
 bers, dividing the tenth into two, in order to 
 complete the required number. By this auda- 
 cious presumption, indeed, she has subjected 
 herself to the curse, divinely pronounced 
 against those who dare to " take away from 
 the words" of the sacred book ; but, alas ! the 
 apostate church cares little for that, as long as 
 she can retain her usurped dominion over the 
 minds and consciences of her victims. 
 
 Of this, however, Isabel was ignorant ; but 
 she had learned that there is but " one Media- 
 tor between God and men, the man Christ 
 Jesus ;" and having, in consequence, discon- 
 tinued all prayers to saints and angels, she 
 could not descend so low as to pay any homage 
 to the senseless images which she had felt were
 
 THE DYING Nl'X. 135 
 
 only calculated to etnangle the senses, and in- 
 terpose a veil of obscurity between the grovel- 
 ling soul and the only real object of spiritual 
 worship. She, therefore, turned with loathing 
 from the convent-idols, while she was com- 
 pelled to bend the knee before them, and occa- 
 sionally to assist in decorating them for some 
 superstitious solemnity. 
 
 One of those festivals was now approaching ; 
 it was the day on which the Church of Rome 
 celebrates the Assumption, or fabulous ascen- 
 sion of the blessed Virgin into heaven : and the 
 whole convent was busy in the preparation of 
 artificial flowers, for bouquets, garlands, and 
 other fanciful devices, to adorn the chapel, the 
 altars, and the image of the Madonna, on the 
 important day, which was always one of great 
 eclat at Santa Rosalia, as all the nobility, the 
 gentry, the authorities of the island, and a large 
 concourse of the people, after having heard 
 high mass in the morning, at the principal 
 church in Palermo, invariably attended ves- 
 pers in the chapel, where a gorgeous exhibi- 
 tion, and an exquisite musical entertainment, 
 presented attractions not to be resisted. 
 
 Isabel had diligently sought in her Testament 
 for some account of an event which she had 
 always heard mentioned as a Scripture-fact, 
 and had never thought of doubting. But, to 
 her inexpressible astonishment, she found not a
 
 136 THE DYING NUN. 
 
 syllable on the subject, nor, with all her search- 
 ing, could she discover even the most dis- 
 tant allusion to any such occurrence. It 
 was strange, she thought, most inexplicably 
 strange, that it should have been omitted ! 
 There were accounts of the deaths of John the 
 Baptist, of Stephen, and of James ; of the im- 
 prisonment and miraculous escape of Peter, 
 and the persecutions and sufferings of the other 
 apostles ; but, though many of these circum- 
 stances occurred and were related at a time 
 which must have been subsequent to this al- 
 leged event, not one of the sacred writers 
 seemed to be acquainted with it. Even John, 
 the beloved disciple, to whom the care of His 
 mother had been especially committed by the 
 dying Saviour, who was spared to outlive all his 
 fellow apostles, and wrote his last solemn admo- 
 nitions, and glorious prophetic visions, for the 
 benefit of the church, long after all his brethren 
 had been called to their rest, even he had not 
 recorded a single line respecting his precious 
 charge ; her removal, whenever and however 
 effected, had not been thought of sufficient im- 
 portance to occupy the smallest nook in the 
 pages of inspiration. Isabel felt convinced that 
 such a miracle could not have been abandoned 
 to tradition or profane history, while others, of 
 much less general interest and consequence, 
 were minutely related ; she was for some time
 
 THE DYING NU.V. 137 
 
 bewildered by the difficulty which thus pre- 
 sented itself; but at last came to the natural 
 and inevitable conclusion, that the whole story 
 was an invention, for what purpose she could 
 not at the moment divine. She soon, how- 
 ever, recollected the additional dignity it 
 seemed to confer on the Virgin ; the sanction 
 it gave to the worship which was paid her, and 
 the intercession she was' supposed to exercise 
 in heaven, and the scope it presented for the 
 fabrication of miracles said to have been 
 wrought by her in former times, and even then 
 occasionally repeated. This at once cleared 
 up the mystery ; and the heart of the enlight- 
 ened novice turned with sickening abhorrence 
 from the falsehood and duplicity of the system 
 in which she was entangled. 
 
 It was under the influence of these feelings 
 that she took her usual place by the pallet of 
 her suffering charge, whose restless agony, both 
 of mind and body, excited her tenderest com- 
 passion. She was now reduced to a state 
 of weakness which was truly distressing, yet 
 Isabel discovered that she had, in the course 
 of the preceding day, adopted an additional 
 means of self-torture, by fastening around her 
 waist a broad, rough, prickly band of horse- 
 hair, the irritating effects of which were further 
 aggravated by the small iron cross, with sharp 
 edges, which, tightly bound on her chest, must 
 12*
 
 138 THE DYING NUN. 
 
 have caused excruciating pain. Isabel's first 
 impulse of indignant horror was to remove it, 
 but the infatuated creature, though writhing 
 under the infliction, only pressed it closer to 
 her bosom, with a desperate energy, which 
 made the blood gush from her mouth, as well 
 as from the lacerated part. The alarmed no- 
 vice desisted, and with tears endeavored to 
 soothe her ; then, seeing her too weak to con- 
 verse, and feeling that her time must be very 
 short, she resolved, in spite of every risk, to 
 lay before her the truths and consolations of 
 the Gospel. Having lent her New Testament 
 to Rosa, she could not read from it, as she 
 otherwise would have done ; but having, under 
 the impression that it might one day be taken 
 from her, committed a great deal of its pre- 
 cious contents to memory, she was now able 
 to repeat the first and third chapters of St. 
 John's Gospel. This she did in a low voice, 
 and with much feeling ; and her exhausted au- 
 ditor seemed to listen with deep and rapt atten- 
 tion. Some parts of it she had read and heard 
 before, and, therefore, recognized as Scripture ; 
 but the rest she was, of course, utterly unac- 
 quainted with ; and, as soon as she was able to 
 speak, she eagerly inquired what it was. Isa- 
 bel replied that it was the Word of God, and, 
 as such, entitled to the most implicit credit. 
 " But where did you find it, sister? It is not
 
 THi: DYING NI T N. 139 
 
 all in oar holy books : are you sure it is Scrip- 
 ture ?" 
 
 " Quite sure, sister Giovanna ; but you must 
 excuse my telling you where I found it, as that 
 is not at all necessary." 
 
 " Then, how am I to know that it is true, 
 since you refuse to acquaint me with your 
 sources of information ? I have heard that the 
 devil may transform himself into an angel of 
 light, and this may be a device of his to en- 
 snare me, and, perhaps, you also. Sister Isa- 
 bel, there have been strange rumors about you. 
 in the house, and I was at one time greatly in- 
 fluenced by dislike and dread of you. What 
 am I now to think of this strange proceeding ? 
 You repeat to me something which you say is 
 the Word of God, and yet you refuse to tell me 
 how it came to your knowledge, although I 
 am sure you can only have acquired it by su- 
 pernatural means. Avaunt, Satan !" she ex- 
 claimed, suddenly crossing herself, and then 
 holding out a crucifix towards the startled Isa- 
 bel. 
 
 " Alas ! poor sister," replied the latter, smiling 
 with compassion at this pitiable exhibition of 
 ignorance and superstition, ' are these the fa- 
 bles you have been taught? Are these silly 
 legends the ground of dependence on which a 
 dying creature can rely ? Oh ! sister, cast away
 
 140 THE DYING NUN*. 
 
 all those vain confidences, and come to the 
 Lord Jesus ^alone for pardon and salvation !" 
 
 " What do you call fables and legends, sister 
 Isabel ? I trust to nothing but what my church 
 teaches me, and, surely, I cannot be wrong in 
 so doing: Explain yourself, for the love of 
 God, and do not thus distress a dying crea- 
 ture." 
 
 " I will, dear sister," exclaimed Isabel, yield- 
 ing to her deeply-excited enthusiasm, " I will 
 speak to you without reserve, and open your 
 eyes, if I can, to the awful delusions which 
 have so long surrounded you. May the God 
 of Mercy enable you to see the truth, before it 
 be too late ! The church, to which you trust 
 for salvation, has fearfully departed from the 
 Word of God, both in her doctrines and prac- 
 tices ; and, in order to avoid all confutation, she 
 has dared to conceal and prohibit that blessed 
 word. A copy of the New Testament has, 
 however, through Divine interposition, fallen 
 into my hands ; I cannot tell you how, nor is it 
 necessary; but of this I solemnly assure you, 
 that it has not been through any supernatural 
 agency, and, therefore, you may dismiss your 
 superstitious fears. In perusing it. I have dis- 
 covered how shamefully we have been de- 
 ceived ; and the blessed truths it contains have 
 set me free from spiritual bondage, and may 
 also be the means of making you ' wise unto
 
 THE DYING NUN. 141 
 
 salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus.' Oh, 
 sister ! you will very soon be called to appeal- 
 before God ; refuse not the opportunity of 
 learning what His will really is, for our blessed 
 Saviour Himself declared, that ' the word 
 which He has spoken shall judge us at the last 
 day.' Is it not, then, of the utmost importance 
 that we should know what that word is ?" 
 
 "But how are we to know it, sister," in- 
 quired the invalid, whose attention seemed tho- 
 roughly roused, " if, as you say, it is purposely 
 hidden from us ? The blessed Virgin and saints 
 have pity upon us ! What are we to do ? And 
 what will become of me, if, now that I am at 
 the point of death, I have to begin the work of 
 my salvation all over again, and must lose the 
 benefit of all I have done and suffered to se- 
 cure it?" The unhappy creature groaned 
 aloud, in real distress of mind, at this fearful 
 idea. 
 
 " Dear sister, I have not told you this to 
 make you miserable, or to deprive you of hope 
 in your dying moments ; but to destroy your 
 false confidence, and set your trust on the only 
 true foundation, the only Scriptural one, 
 and that you may enjoy that peace and assur- 
 ance which will never fail or deceive you. All 
 you have done and suffered is utterly insuffi- 
 cient to secure your salvation, for nothing that 
 we can do wil! ever justify us before God, you
 
 142 THE DYING NUN. 
 
 start, sister, but the Scripture says so, but you 
 may be saved by a humble faith in the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, and a simple dependence upon 
 Him; for 'His blood cleanseth from all sin,' 
 and ' by Him all that believe are justified from 
 all things.' ' In him we have redemption 
 through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, ac- 
 cording to the riches of His grace.' ' To Him 
 give all the prophets witness, that through His 
 name, whosoever believeth in Him shall receive 
 remission of sins.' " 
 
 " But, sister, you say nothing of penances, 
 mortifications, or acts of self-chastisement ; 
 you forget that we must acquire some merit to 
 enter heaven, and that the merits of the blessed 
 saints are necessary, to make up for the defi- 
 ciency of our own." 
 
 " There is no such doctrine in the New Tes- 
 tament, I assure you, nor even any mention of 
 the merits or intercession of any saint whatso- 
 ever. No ! not even of the blessed Virgin her- 
 self, nor of any worship paid to her ; but we 
 are told, that, as there is but one God, so also 
 there is but one Mediator between God and 
 men, the Man Christ Jesus. There is not one 
 word, either about the use of pictures, cruci- 
 fixes, or images, or of any respect or reverence 
 to be paid to them." 
 
 " Gesu, Maria ! Sister Isabel, how can we, 
 poor sinners as we are, approach God in that
 
 THE DYING NUN. 143 
 
 way ? He is too great, and too holy, even to 
 listen to our prayers, unless they are recom- 
 mended to His notice by some one who, feel- 
 ing for our weaknesses, and sympathizing in 
 our miseries, will interpose a claim of merit 
 between Him and our sinfulness. Oh ! do not 
 rob me of the hope that the holy mother of God 
 and Santa Rosalia are interceding for me ! Do 
 not drive me to despair !" 
 
 " I only wish to fix your attention on a far 
 greater and far better Intercessor, even the 
 blessed Saviour Himself, who, the Scripture 
 tells me, is much more merciful and compas- 
 sionate, as well as more powerful, than any 
 other could be. He is not one who ' cannot 
 have compassion on our infirmities, but was 
 tempted like us in all things, except sin.' Let 
 me repeat to you some of His own gracious 
 words, and you will see that He is most will- 
 ing to receive all poor sinners who come to 
 Him by prayer and faith. ' Come unto me, all 
 ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will 
 give you rest.' ' I am the way, the truth, and 
 the life ; no man cometh unto the Father but 
 by me.' ' Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father 
 in my name, He will give it you.' ' Him that 
 cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.' 
 These are His own words, and you see there 
 is nothing in them about saints or angels, or 
 any other created being."
 
 144 THE DYIXG NUN. 
 
 " They are sweet words," murmured the 
 poor invalid, " most consoling words, if I could 
 but believe them. But are they true ? Oh ! 
 sister Isabel, are they really the words of 
 God ? You spoke of free and unconditional 
 forgiveness, of blood which cleanses from all 
 sin, Oh ! might it avail for me ! You do not 
 know what my sins have been ! nor what rea- 
 son I have to dread the horrors of purgatory ! 
 Oh ! that I could, by any sufferings here, es- 
 cape that dreadful place !" 
 
 " I am very ignorant myself, dear sister, I 
 cannot presume to teach you further than the 
 New Testament teaches me, and I do not un- 
 derstand it all ; but, as far as I can judge, there 
 is no mention in its pages of any such place as 
 purgatory. I have found but two states de- 
 scribed as being the portion of the dead, they 
 are, heaven and hell ; but there is no allusion 
 whatever to a third, nor to any possibility of 
 change after death. The only instance men- 
 tioned, of a petition being presented to a glo- 
 rified saint, is in the parable of the rich man 
 and Lazarus ; and that was unsuccessful, even 
 for the poor alleviation of a drop of water ; 
 and Abraham then announced the utter impos- 
 sibility of any interference or change in the. 
 lost soul's condition." 
 
 " No purgatory ! no expiatory state after 
 death !" exclaimed the poor nun. starting up
 
 THE DYING NUX. 145 
 
 wildly on her couch, ' ; Oh ! sister, do you 
 know what you are saying ? Dreadful as the 
 idea of that awful place is, it is still more fright- 
 ful to think of there being none ! What, then, 
 is to become of our remaining sins and corrup- 
 tions ? How can we ever enter heaven, with- 
 out their being removed ?" 
 
 " I have told you, that the Redeemer's blood 
 purifies from all sin. ; do you think that is not 
 sufficient? The sacred writers all represent 
 the death of a believer as being immediately 
 followed by eternal blessedness. St. Paul says 
 that, to be ' separated from the body' is to be 
 ' present with the Lord.' Christians are every- 
 where represented as longing for, and desiring, 
 their departure, which, surely, could not be the 
 case, if they expected an indefinite period of 
 purgatorial suffering ; and the blessed spirits 
 in heaven are described as having ' washed 
 their robes, and made them white in the blood 
 of the Lamb ;' and, ' therefore, being before the 
 throne of God.' Their songs of praise are to 
 Him ' who redeemed them to God by his 
 blood ;' and there is not one word about mer- 
 its, intercession of saints, or purgatory." 
 
 " And is it enough, then, to trust in the Sav- 
 iour for pardon ? May I hope that his blood 
 alone will wash away all my sins, and procure 
 me an entrance into heaven ? Oh ! sister, do 
 13
 
 146 THE DYING NUX. 
 
 not deceive a dying sinner ! Is it really so in 
 the Word of God, and may I believe it ?" 
 
 " I will show it you in the blessed book it- 
 self, and then you can judge if I am right," re- 
 plied Isabel, endeavoring to calm the agitation 
 of the poor creature ; but the violence of her 
 conflicting feelings had been too great for her 
 worn-out frame ; she clasped her arms wildly 
 about Isabel's neck ; then, falling back sud- 
 denly, the fresh rupture of a blood-vessel al- 
 most suffocated her. The opportune arrival 
 of Rosa was a great relief to the terrified nov- 
 ice ; but it was not till the night was nearly 
 past that she could leave their almost expiring 
 charge, who, however, seemed composed, and 
 remarkably tranquil ; and, though unable to 
 speak, pressed her hand at parting, with. a 
 look of unutterable gratitude and affection. 
 
 Isabel hurried to her own cell, and, instead 
 of seeking rest, threw herself on her knees, 
 and spent the rest of the time in alternate 
 thanksgiving and supplication. She blessed 
 God that she had been enabled to speak frank- 
 ly and faithfully to her dying charge, and that 
 her eyes seemed to be, in some measure, open- 
 ing to the truth ; while a deep-felt conviction 
 of her own ignorance led her, with almost ago- 
 nized earnestness, to implore pardon for every 
 mistake she might have made in instructing 
 her, and Divine direction in her future pro-
 
 THE DYING NUN. 147 
 
 ceedings, in order that she might not deceive, 
 or in any way mislead, a fellow sinner in so 
 awful a situation. Tremblingly alive to the 
 responsibility she incurred, both in a spiritual 
 and temporal point of view, she clung, with 
 trusting faith, to the promises of Divine sup- 
 port, and felt that she durst not advance one 
 step without Divine guidance. 
 
 Desirous of performing her promise to sister 
 Giovanna, she went to Rosa's cell, before the 
 matin-bell rang, and obtained from her the 
 Testament, but without informing her of the 
 use she intended to make of it, for she neither 
 wished to encounter her fears and remon- 
 strances on the hazardous step she was about 
 to take, nor to involve her in the danger that 
 might attend it. She then softly entered the 
 invalid's cell, with the intention of putting it 
 into her hands ; but, as she appeared to be in 
 a state of profound repose, she felt unwilling 
 either to disturb her, or expose her precious 
 book by leaving it in the apartment, and, there- 
 fore, turned towards her own cell, in order 
 again to secure it about her person. 
 
 She watched the whole morning, for an op- 
 portunity of returning to accomplish her ob- 
 ject, but could find none, till just before the 
 dinner-hour, when, being sent on a message to 
 the chapel, she hastily turned aside into sister 
 Giovanna's cell. She was so struck, however,
 
 148 THE DYING NUX. 
 
 on her entrance, with the changed counte- 
 nance, and ghastly look, of her charge, that 
 she stood by her bed, unable to utter a word. 
 The hand of death was evidently upon her ; 
 but no sooner did the glazing eyes rest upon 
 Isabel, than a sudden gleam of reviving en- 
 ergy illumined them, a flush of emotion re-an- 
 imated the livid complexion, and she seized 
 the hand of her visitor with a trembling, but 
 almost convulsive, grasp. 
 
 "Sister! dearest sister!" exclaimed she, in 
 a hollow and agitated voice, " I know why 
 you come, and what your object is. But, say 
 not one word about the book, and let me not 
 see it, as you value your life ! Listen ! come 
 near to me, and let me whisper important 
 truths into your ear, before death stop my 
 tongue. I love you with inexpressible affec- 
 tion ; my heart is bursting with overwhelming 
 gratitude to you, for you have taught me 
 what, in all the course of my long and wear- 
 isome life, I never heard of before, and should 
 never have known but for you, the true way 
 of salvation. I know, I feel, that it is the 
 right way, for the words you have repeated to 
 me have come home to my heart with an effi- 
 cacy which nothing but Divine power could 
 give them. I can rest my soul upon them, 
 even though I do not see them " 
 
 " But let me show them to you, dear sister !"
 
 THE DYING NU\. 149 
 
 " No, no, not for the world ! Listen, and 
 you shall know why. I need scarcely tell 
 you that I was once greatly prejudiced against 
 you, I almost hated you ; for I thought it my 
 duty to do so. You and Rosa were suspected 
 of unlawful practices, and had been long 
 watched, to discover the purpose of your 
 nightly meetings. A hole in the wall between 
 this cell and yours was carefully made during 
 the day, through which I was directed to over- 
 hear, if possible, your conversation. I entered 
 willingly into what I considered a meritorious 
 scheme, but was only able to ascertain that you 
 read in some book, which you cautiously con- 
 cealed. The afflicting hand of God stopped 
 my proceedings, and I was not a little vexed 
 and irritated, that you should unconsciously 
 insist on returning good for evil, by nursing 
 and comforting me, who had always been act- 
 ing as your worst enemy. My mind was im- 
 bittered, not softened, by all your kindness ; I 
 considered you as little better than a heretic, 
 and was determined to keep my heart closed 
 against you. The superior saw you here a 
 few nights ago, and questioned me closely res- 
 pecting your visits. I expected that she would 
 punish you for such a breach of discipline ; 
 but, on the contrary, she and Father Giacomo 
 commanded me to encourage your attendance ? 
 and so to deceive you, by appearing to feel an 
 13*
 
 150 THE DYING NUN. 
 
 interest in your conversation, that you might 
 be induced to impart your real sentiments to 
 me, and thus disclose the secret they have 
 hitherto been unable to penetrate. They laid 
 it on my conscience, as a sacred duty required 
 by my vows of obedience, and promised me a 
 considerable remission of purgatorial suffering? 
 if I succeeded. 
 
 " You see, then, dearest sister, that I have 
 been acting the part of a deceiver and a hyp- 
 ocrite towards you ; but, believe me, when I 
 solemnly assure you, that the interest I only 
 feigned at first, I soon began really to feel. 
 Your untiring patience and kindness melted 
 my heart in spite of me, and the deep, earnest 
 fervor of your exhortations aroused my con- 
 science to a feeling of distress and alarm for 
 my eternal state. I cast from me with loath- 
 ing the perfidious task I had undertaken, and 
 received from you with thankfulness the blessed 
 truths of the Gospel. They have dispersed 
 the dark clouds of fear and horror from the 
 prospect of eternity, and are now gilding the 
 portals of the grave with the sweet light of 
 hope and glory. You have taught me that 
 the blood of the Saviour cleanseth from ALL 
 sin, and that blessed assurance has taken away 
 the sting from death. 
 
 " But let me, if I can, explain to you the 
 present state of affairs. The superior and the
 
 % THE DYING NUN. 151 
 
 father have questioned me every day, respect- 
 ing our nocturnal conversations, and 1 have 
 not dared to utter any falsehoods ; but I have 
 told them as little as possible about your sen- 
 timents. They have been very anxious to 
 see, or know where you kept your book, their 
 utmost researches in your cell have failed to 
 discover it, and, in answer to a pointed ques- 
 tion this morning, I have been compelled to 
 acknowledge that you had promised to intrust 
 me with your treasure. They were delighted, 
 and gave me strict orders to retain it, under 
 any pretext whatever, till to-morrow morning, 
 when I was to put it into their hands. I felt 
 greatly distressed at this, and prayed that God 
 would avert this great danger from you. He 
 has granted my petition, for I feel that I am 
 dying, and have only sufficient strength left to 
 put you on your guard. Let me warn you, 
 therefore, to secure your precious book, if you 
 have the means of doing so ; if not, as you 
 value your life, bury or burn it, and trust to 
 your memory for remembering its contents. 
 You know not the peril you incur by keeping it. 
 " And now farewell, my best and dearest 
 friend and benefactress. Hasten back to your 
 occupations, that no one may know of this 
 visit ; then, as I have not seen the book, I can- 
 not betray you any further. They must soon 
 transport me into the infirmary, for I shall not
 
 152 THE DYING NL'\. 
 
 see another day. But go, go, carissima, and 
 hide or burn your precious book ! Adieu, do 
 not stay to answer me ! we shall meet in 
 heaven." 
 
 It was in vain that Isabel attempted to re- 
 ply, or to prolong the conversation' by a single 
 sentence ; an impatient wave of the hand, or a- 
 gesture imploring her to be gone, was all she 
 could obtain ; and, observing that the dew of 
 death was fast gathering on the sufferer's pallid 
 brow, she at length yielded to her mute en- 
 treaties, and, with a last long look of affection- 
 ate interest, and a warm pressure of her clam- 
 my hand, she reluctantly took her departure. 
 
 Conscious that she had exceeded the time 
 necessary for the performance of her allotted 
 task, and was. consequently, liable to suspicion, 
 she flew to the chapel, and hastily set about 
 accomplishing her work. This consisted in 
 dusting and re-arranging the altar and its or- 
 naments, removing the faded flowers, taking 
 off the veil and scarf from the figure of the 
 Virgin, and carefully wiping her face and neck. 
 This was all she was allowed to do, for the 
 dressing and undressing were intrusted only 
 to the elder nuns. On the approaching festi- 
 val, the image was to be splendidly attired, and 
 hints had been given, that it was expected to 
 work some miracle, for a novena, or nine days' 
 extraordinary act of- devotion, was being per-
 
 THE DYING NUN. 153 
 
 formed in the convent, with the view of ob- 
 taining that favor. 
 
 While engaged in cleansing the neck from 
 the dust which had settled on it, she found it 
 necessary to unfasten a costly necklace of ori- 
 ental pearls, the gift of a late Queen of Na- 
 ples, which was clasped with a magnificent 
 sapphire, of uncommon size and beauty. In 
 so doing, she was startled by the silver thread, 
 on which it was strung, suddenly breaking, and 
 the pearls falling around her in various direc- 
 tions. She hastily gathered up all those she 
 could find, and replaced them ; but they did not 
 nearly fill up the vacant space, and it was evi- 
 dent that several of them were still missing. 
 Greatly dismayed at the accident, she sought 
 anxiously for them, but without success ; and, 
 as if to increase her distress, the unwelcome 
 sound of the refectory-bell summoned her 
 away. What was she to do ? The ceremony 
 of dressing the image was to take place the 
 next evening, and she dreaded the discovery 
 of the mischance. After a moment's hesita- 
 tion, however, she contrived so to tie up the 
 necklace as to conceal the deficiency from mere 
 casual observation, resolving to return in the 
 night, and search for the stray pearls till she 
 found them, if by any possibility they were to 
 be found. 
 
 She took her usual 'place, but had some dif-
 
 154 THE DYING NUN. 
 
 ficulty in concealing the agitation that still 
 shook her frame. The attention of the whole 
 sisterhood, however, was soon attracted by the 
 superior, who announced, in set phrase, that 
 sister Giovanna, being at the point of death, 
 had just been removed to the infirmary, where 
 the last rites of the church were to be admin- 
 istered to her ; and all the community were in- 
 vited to witness her truly Christian and edify- 
 ing departure, and to aid her with their prayers 
 in the moment of extremity. The information 
 was received in solemn silence ; and the meal 
 was scarcely finished, when the lugubrious 
 tolling of the passing-bell induced every one to 
 repair to the infirmary. 
 
 Isabel took her place among the others, but 
 contrived to get as near the bed as possible, 
 that she might have a view of the dying nun's 
 countenance ; and deep was her anxiety to as- 
 certain its expression, and fervent the mental 
 prayers she offered up to the God of all grace, 
 that He would vouchsafe the trembling pilgrim 
 light and comfort in the dark valley she was 
 now entering. One glance, however, showed 
 her that sister Giovanna was insensible, and 
 that the priest's mummeries were all wasted on 
 an unconscious object. Nevertheless, the con- 
 secrated wafer was put into her mouth, and 
 apparently swallowed, though mechanically, 
 and with great difficulty ; and the usual anoint-
 
 THE DYING NUN. 155 
 
 ing was performed, interrupted only by a few 
 convulsive gasps. 
 
 The lugubrious chanting of the Miserere, 
 however, which was performed alternately by 
 the priest and the nuns, seemed at length to 
 arouse the departing soul for a moment. Sis- 
 ter Giovanna opened her eyes with a start, but, 
 after fixing her gaze an instant on the mourn- 
 ful array that surrounded her, she was about 
 to close them again, when they met the anxious 
 and tearful glance of Isabel. She slightly 
 raised her hand, with a beckoning motion, and, 
 regardless of every other consideration, the 
 Spanish novice was instantly bending over her. 
 The dying eyes beamed on her with inexpres- 
 sible affection, and, while her lips were finally 
 pressed to the cold forehead, she caught the 
 feebly-murmured accents, which dropped on 
 her heart like balm, " Jesus ! Jesus alone ! 
 His blood !...." but the tongue was unable 
 to utter more ; the tight clasp of the hand, 
 however, as it seemed to expend its last ener- 
 gies in pressing that of Isabel, spoke with un- 
 mistakable eloquence ; a few deep breathings 
 succeeded, and the long-wearied spirit was at 
 rest forever. 
 
 Isabel's heart rose to heaven, in one raptu- 
 rous mental ejaculation of thankfulness ; then, 
 extricating her hand, with some difficulty, from 
 the death-pressure, she mechanically joined in
 
 156 Tin: DYI.VG NUN. 
 
 the doleful " De Profundis/' and requiem, chant- 
 ed by the whole sisterhood, while her mind 
 was tracking the joyful flight of the emanci- 
 pated spirit to the throne of Him who had re- 
 deemed it, and whose Spirit had introduced it 
 into " the glorious liberty of the children of 
 God." 
 
 The whole community at length dispersed, 
 leaving the body to the care of the lay-sisters, 
 who were to array it for lying in state before 
 the high altar, preparatory to its being interred 
 the next day. Isabel returned to her cell, and, 
 after offering up her grateful acknowledgments 
 to the God of all grace, who had thus abun- 
 dantly crowned her feeble efforts for the poor 
 nun's benefit, she sat down to reflect on two 
 subjects, which, at that moment, imperatively 
 demanded her attention. The first was, how 
 she could secure her precious Testament, for 
 she had no doubt, from sister Giovanna's warn- 
 ing, that active steps would soon be taken to 
 deprive her of it, and she felt that its usual con- 
 cealment about her person would no longer be 
 safe. The other question, which seemed even 
 of more immediate moment, was, how she 
 could secure an opportunity of visiting the 
 chapel unobserved, in order to repair the unfor- 
 tunate accident which had befallen the pearl 
 necklace, and which, she feared, if discovered, 
 would draw upon her some heavy penance.
 
 THE DYING N'UN. 157 
 
 She knew that the chapel would not be unten- 
 anted till after the funeral, as it was a rule of 
 the convent that some of the sisters should 
 always be kneeling at the side of the coffin, 
 sprinkling the corpse with holy water, and re- 
 peating prayers for the repose of the departed 
 spirit. 
 
 As it was considered a meritorious act to 
 spend some part of the night alone, in these 
 mournful offices, some of the nuns always re- 
 quested it as a favor : and a thought occurred 
 to Isabel, that she might thus contrive to ac- 
 complish her purpose. But there was some- 
 thing in the idea, from which her newly-ac- 
 quired feelings of truth and conscientiousness 
 recoiled. She must assign, as a reason for the 
 request, a motive of devotion which did not 
 actuate her ; and the hypocrisy of such a pre- 
 tence at once deterred her from the attempt. 
 Yet, how was she to attain her object ? and, 
 if she did not succeed before the obsequies 
 were performed, she knew that the dressing of 
 the image would disclose the mischance im- 
 mediately after, for it would then be the eve 
 of the Assumption, and every thing must be in 
 readiness for the important festival. She felt 
 greatly perplexed, and the summons of the 
 supper-bell did not lessen her distress. She 
 was inexpressibly relieved, however, after the 
 repast, by hearing her friend Rosa request, and 
 14
 
 158 THE RVING NUN. 
 
 obtain from the superior, the privilege of 
 watching by the body, during two hours, in 
 the dead of night ; and, though she had not an 
 opportunity of speaking to her, this providen- 
 tial interposition in her favor filled her heart 
 with thankfulness and joy.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE MIRACLE. 
 
 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall con- 
 sume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness 
 of his coming ; 
 
 Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power, 
 and signs, and lying wonders. 2 THESS. U. 8, 9. 
 
 ISABEL was at a loss to determine, in her 
 own mind, what might be Rosalia's motives 
 for the request she had preferred, of being al- 
 lowed to watch beside the corpse of their de- 
 parted charge. Was her understanding still 
 so dark, that she imagined any benefit could 
 possibly arise from the vigil, either to herself 
 or the deceased ? Or was it merely that natu- 
 ral feeling of affection which she could not but 
 experience, for a creature so long the object of 
 her unceasing care, which made her desirous 
 to linger still near the relics of one for whom 
 she had risked a great deal ? The Spanish 
 novice pondered those questions on her sleep- 
 less couch, till she heard the hour strike, at 
 which her friend's watch was to begin. She 
 waited a few minutes, in feverish impatience, 
 then rising, took her way, in the dark, to the 
 chapel, and, having ascertained that <all was
 
 160 THE MIRACLE. 
 
 quiet, and the preceding watcher retired to 
 her cell, she gently opened the small door of 
 communication, and entered the chapel with a 
 noiseless step. 
 
 The blaze of light from the chancel, con- 
 trasted with the total darkness of the surround- 
 ing edifice, struck her with a kind of involun- 
 tary awe, and she paused a moment, to recover 
 her dazzled sight, and contemplate the scene 
 before her. The high altar was covered with 
 a gold-embroidered veil, and the splendor of 
 its magnificently-chased silver candlesticks, 
 filled with burning wax tapers four feet in 
 height, beamed on the gilded crucifix that sur- 
 mounted it, and threw a softened lustre on the 
 masterly paintings around it. Two similar 
 tapers were placed before the Madonna ; and 
 in front of this array stood the coffin, open, 
 and displaying the corpse, dressed in the robes 
 of a nun, the face lightly covered with a curi- 
 ously and delicately cut lace-paper, and the 
 head encircled with a long-faded and withered 
 wreath of everlasting, which, having been first 
 assumed on the day of monastic profession, 
 was called the bridal crown, and carefully pre- 
 served to adorn the lifeless remains in the grave. 
 On the bosom was laid a small silver crucifix, 
 of exquisite workmanship, which the thin, 
 emaciated hands had been made to clasp ; the 
 sweetest flowers, nnd most fragrant herbs,
 
 THE MIRACLE. 161 
 
 were profusely strewn over and around the 
 body, and the fumes of incense, burning with- 
 out intermission, were so powerful as to be felt 
 quite oppressive." In front of the bier, with her 
 head resting on its side, knelt the youthful 
 form of Rosalia; and, as she looked up, with 
 a sudden start, when Isabel's approaching foot- 
 step fell upon her ear, perhaps a more interest- 
 ing face and figure had seldom met the admir- 
 ing gaze of a spectator. Her complexion, of 
 almost English fairness, was pale as marble, 
 and the brilliancy of her speaking eyes was 
 softened, and almost dimmed, by the tears that 
 glistened on her long, drooping lashes. " She 
 is, indeed, a lovely victim," thought Isabel, as 
 she fondly stooped to kiss her cold forehead ; 
 and an involuntary flush of pleasure irradiated 
 the poor girl's countenance, at the unexpected, 
 but most welcome appearance of her friend. 
 
 " You here, dearest sister !" exclaimed she, 
 " what can induce you to come at this hour ? 
 I know it is not any purpose of devotion, and 
 you are aware that you run no slight risk, in 
 disturbing the funeral vigils." 
 
 " Rather let me ask, dear Rosa, what brings 
 you here? You cannot, with your present 
 knowledge of Scripture, believe that any of 
 these things can now, if ever they could, benefit 
 the departed spirit ? Nor does it need such 
 mockery !" she continued, with enthusiasm, 
 14*
 
 t 
 
 162 THE MIRACLE. 
 
 lifting the thin covering from the pallid face on 
 the bier, and gazing with mournful pleasure on 
 the shrunk but placid features ; " I have just 
 read, in the Word of God, tfiat ' Blessed are 
 the dead who die in the Lord, from henceforth ; 
 and our once-suffering sister is now resting from 
 all her sorrows, in the presence of that Saviour 
 ' who loved her, and gave Himself for her." 
 
 Isabel's eloquent countenance was lightened 
 up with the feelings of holy triumph, which 
 seemed, for the moment, to raise her above all 
 sublunary considerations. 
 
 " Dearest sister," said Rosa, in a tone of deep 
 dejection, " my mind is sadly bewildered, and 
 I neither know what to think, nor how to act. 
 My former belief is thoroughly shaken, yet I 
 cannot see the way of salvation clearly, as you 
 do. I requested the privilege of this vigil, that 
 I might spend it in prayer, and hoped by it to 
 regain some degree of peace and tranquillity ; 
 but I cannot compose my mind to devotion, or 
 still the tumult of my thoughts. But tell me, 
 Isabel, why do you express so much confidence 
 in sister Giovanna's present happiness, when 
 you have so often condemned the system on 
 which her hopes were built?" 
 
 "That system she relinquished, fully and 
 finally relinquished, and died trusting to the 
 blood of Jesus Christ alone. You did not hear 
 her dying whisper, Rosa, but it will never pass
 
 Tin: MIRACLE. 163 
 
 from my memory. I cannot now give you 
 any particulars, but you shall know all at the 
 first opportunity. 1 must now attend to the 
 immediate object of my visit." 
 
 She then informed her young friend of the 
 accident she had met with, in dropping the 
 pearls, and Rosa, notwithstanding her professed 
 intention of spending the time in devotion, rose 
 to assist her in disrobing the figure of the Ma- 
 donna, though she did not do so without a feel- 
 ing of superstitious awe. On removing the 
 different articles of the dress, they found, to 
 Isabel's great relief, several of the precious 
 beads, which had lain concealed amidst the 
 folds ; they were carefully gathered up, and the 
 necklace was nearly completed. But what 
 was their astonishment, however, on finding, 
 as they stripped the figure, that it was a piece 
 of machinery, exhibiting a number of springs, the 
 intention of which they could not possibly con- 
 jecture. Curious, however, to solve the mys- 
 tery, they touched first one, and then another, 
 and discovered that their effect was to produce 
 various movements of the figure, such as open- 
 ing and shutting the eyes, bending the head, 
 extending or raising the hand, and contracting 
 the face into what might be taken for a smile ! 
 On tracing these springs to their termination, 
 Isabel discovered that they were conducted 
 from the pedestal on which the statue stood,
 
 164 THE MIRACLE. 
 
 through the whole depth of the high altar, till 
 they met in a small recess on the other side, 
 which was concealed by a square piece of 
 marble, which being pressed with the finger in 
 a particular spot, slipped backwards and for- 
 wards in a groove provided for the purpose. 
 By means of this contrivance, the priest, while 
 kneeling at the altar, could, with the greatest 
 ease, manage the lifeless puppet in such a man- 
 ner as to produce, at will, the different move- 
 ments which excited the awe and wonder of 
 the deluded spectators. 
 
 It would be difficult to describe the aston- 
 ishment and indignation of the two novices, 
 when they had fully investigated this shameful 
 deception. 
 
 " This, then, exclaimed Isabel, " accounts for 
 all the miracles and false wonders which we 
 have so often heard related, and a repetition of 
 which all this mockery of a novena was insti- 
 tuted to invoke ! The day after to-morrow, no 
 doubt, the cheat will again be practised, on the 
 poor deceived votaries of a senseless supersti- 
 tion. Come to my cell as soon as you can, 
 Rosa, and I will show you several passages in 
 the holy book of God, in which such proceed- 
 ings as these are described as ' lying wonders,^ 
 and declared to be the work'of some ' evil one,' 
 whose character is most awfully portrayed, 
 and who is denounced as the object of fearfully
 
 THE MIRACLE. 165 
 
 appalling judgments. I should not dare to ven- 
 ture on too rash an interpretation of the mys- 
 terious truths ; but there are descriptions in that 
 blessed word, which cannot apply more closely 
 or exactly to any thing, than they do to the 
 whole system of our church, her doctrines, her 
 practices, and her pretensions. And, oh ! Rosa, 
 there is a terrible warning to God's people, to 
 come out of her, that they be not partakers of 
 her sins, nor receive of her plagues." 
 
 Poor Rosa, pale and dejected, was leaning 
 against the coffin, scarcely able to support her- 
 self, while her fast-dropping tears fell profusely 
 on her clasped hands. 
 
 " Isabel," she said at length, " I would to 
 heaven I were stretched on this bier, beside 
 her whose bodily sufferings and mental woes 
 are all ended ! Oh ! what will become of us, 
 my friend ? How shall we, how can we, en- 
 dure the long, long life of consuming misery 
 that awaits us ? How spend year after year, 
 in the dull, monotonous, wearisome round of 
 useless observances, in which we can no longer 
 place any reliance, and hypocritical acts of de- 
 votion, from which our hearts recoil ? How 
 submit to the lingering agony of constant re- 
 straint, and concealment of our every feeling, 
 and the daily death of such a living tomb as 
 now incloses us ? Formerly, if I had to suffer 
 from inflicted penance, or prescribed mortifi-
 
 166 THE MIRACLE. 
 
 cations, I had the sweet confidence that I was 
 thus advancing my eternal salvation, and the 
 comfort of reflecting that, if I had a life of dis- 
 comfort here, I was thereby securing everlast- 
 ing happiness hereafter ; but now ! Oh ! Isa- 
 bel, to be miserable here, to waste our whole 
 life in slow consuming wretchedness, and yet 
 to feel, at the same time, that we are only in- 
 volved in the mazes of irretrievable error, and, 
 perhaps, being irresistibly dragged down to 
 hopeless and endless perdition !" And the poor 
 girl wept in unrestrained anguish. 
 
 " You are too desponding, dear Rosa," said 
 her more sanguine friend, tenderly embracing 
 her, and drying her tears, " I cannot believe 
 that the God who has so wonderfully opened 
 our ey^es, will abandon us to the evils that sur- 
 round us. His word assures us that ' He will 
 not suffer us to be tempted beyond our power,' 
 and that if we * ask any thing of the Father in 
 the name of the Son, He will give it us.' Let 
 us, therefore, commit our cause to Him, in ear- 
 nest, simple prayer, and He will doubtless have 
 pity upon us. But, now help me, carina, to 
 dress up again this poor senseless idol, the un- 
 conscious tool of these wicked deceivers. I 
 think I have all the pearls, and can put on the 
 necklace again. In the meantime,, Rosa, tell 
 me, are these exhibitions of pretended mira- 
 cles frequent in this chapel ?"
 
 THE MIRACLE. 167 
 
 " Oh ! no ; I have only witnessed a few, and 
 I dare say, after that which is intended for As- 
 sumption-day, there will not be another for 
 some years. I suppose they are afraid of mak- 
 ing them too common, or, perhaps, even of ex- 
 citing doubts and suspicion." 
 
 The pearl necklace was now complete, the 
 image again arrayed in its usual robes, and Is- 
 abel, perceiving that the time allotted for Rosa's 
 vigil was almost expired, returned to her own 
 room, and endeavored to obtain a little repose, 
 before the matin-bell again summoned her to 
 the chapel. She could not sleep, however, for 
 a plan had occurred to her, on which her mind 
 dwelt with persevering tenacity. In examin- 
 ing the recess in which the springs connected 
 with the statue met, she had observed that the 
 space inside of it, being intended for the free 
 admission of a man's hand, was quite large 
 enough to receive and conceal her precious 
 little Testament. It was a bold idea, to think 
 of appropriating it for that purpose, but the 
 more she pondered the scheme, the more feas- 
 ible did it appear. Such exhibitions as that 
 now preparing were' but seldom resorted to ; 
 the springs, therefore, after this contemplated 
 use of them, might remain untouched for years, 
 and the recess, being as it was supposed, alto- 
 gether unknown, except to a very few, who 
 were necessarily initiated into its mysteries,
 
 168 THE MIRACLE. 
 
 would, consequently, be entirely exempt from 
 suspicion. She felt a conviction, that an at- 
 tempt would soon be made to deprive her of 
 her treasure ; and it seemed to her as if a 
 providential indication had thus been given 
 her, of a method by which she could secure 
 it from discovery. She would always, she 
 thought, have free access to the chapel, and 
 could, therefore, easily secrete it when neces- 
 sary, and even then sometimes snatch an oc- 
 casional peep at its contents. The more she 
 ruminated on the idea, the more she was 
 pleased with it, and there was something de- 
 lightful in the thought of thus outwitting the 
 deceivers, by making their own artifices the 
 means of foiling themselves, and effectually 
 thwarting their own deep-laid plans for the in- 
 jury and destruction of their victims. 
 
 The next morning witnessed the celebration 
 of sister Giovanna's obsequies, when, after the 
 funeral ceremony, a discourse was delivered 
 by Father Giacomo, to the whole community, 
 in which her monastic virtues were highly ex- 
 tolled, and her former companions strongly ex- 
 horted to imitate her acts of voluntary mortifi- 
 cation, self-denial, and self-infliction, that they 
 might, like her, acquire a large stock of merit, 
 to purchase exemption from purgatorial suffer- 
 ing. A solemn mass was then 'performed, to 
 promote the repose of her soul, and an injunc-
 
 THE MIRACLE. 169 
 
 tion laid upon each religiosa, that she should 
 repeat an additional " De Profundis" every 
 morning and evening, to assist in the same 
 charitable object. 
 
 This business being disposed of, the whole 
 sisterhood were actively employed the rest of 
 the day in gathering, arranging, and making 
 up flowers into garlands, crowns, and every 
 imaginable kind of fanciful device, to ornament 
 the chapel for the next day's exhibition. The 
 pillars were wreathed round with the most 
 splendid floral gems, the statues crowned with 
 roses and lilies, and a diadem of the rarest and 
 most exquisite beauties prepared for the head 
 of the Madonna. The whole was to be a dis- 
 play of consummate skill, ingenuity, and taste. 
 An elegant robe, of the finest cambric, richly 
 embroidered by several of. the nuns, was pre- 
 pared for the Virgin ; Rosa's beautiful scarf, 
 of violet-colored satin, spotted with small sil- 
 ver stars, and bordered with lilies of the valley, 
 was to be thrown over her shoulders, and a 
 magnificent lace veil, the produce of Isabel's 
 industry, was to fall carelessly over the floral 
 crown on her head, which was intermixed with 
 rubies and sapphires, and intwined with strings 
 of small pearls. A diamond cross, of great 
 value, was attached to the royal pearl neck- 
 lace, and was to rest on a bouquel of the most 
 15
 
 170 THE MIRACLE. 
 
 exquisite rosebuds, which, glittering with morn- 
 ing dew, was to be placed in her bosom. 
 
 Father Giacomo, the superior, her assistant, 
 and the two oldest nuns, who alone were per- 
 mitted to take part in these last arrangements, 
 spent a long time in the chapel, with closed 
 doors, the evening of that day, and were there 
 again, in the morning, before three o'clock, as- 
 certaining, no doubt, that all their machinery 
 was in proper order, and every preparation 
 duly completed, for their profane scheme of 
 fraud and hypocritical imposition. 
 
 The morning-festival was ushed in with the 
 ringing of bells, and every demonstration of 
 public joy and solemnity. The early mass 
 was attended by multitudes of worshippers ; 
 but it was not till the ceremony of high-mass 
 that the altar and its gorgeous furniture were 
 displayed, and the protecting coverings re- 
 moved from the principal objects of attraction. 
 The chapel was crowded, almost to suffocation, 
 by throngs of curious and eager spectators, 
 among whom an indefinite expectation of some- 
 thing unusual had been excited. The magnif- 
 icent coup d'ceil which the chapel presented, 
 and the elegance of the Virgin's attire, evi- 
 dently produced an admiration which the so- 
 lemnity of the service could scarcely control ; 
 and when the rch tones of the organ, blending 
 with the melting sweetness of female voices,
 
 THE MIRACLE. 171 
 
 swelled into one burst of almost unearthly mel- 
 ody, and then died away in lingering caden- 
 ces of inexpressible softness, one simultaneous 
 murmur of irrepressible rapture echoed through 
 the fretted aisles, as the kneeling spectators 
 relieved their oppressed bosoms with sighs of 
 luxurious delight. 
 
 The music ceased, and the usual service 
 proceeded. The long litany to the Virgin was 
 chanted with great fervor, and, during a pause 
 of thrilling effect, only varied by the low ac- 
 cents of supplication from the nuns surround- 
 ing the altar, and a few occasional notes of 
 plaintive sweetness from the organ, the eyes 
 of the whole multitude were fixed, with almost 
 aching intensity, on the face of the Madonna. 
 A suppressed cry of astonishment announced 
 the realizing of their, desires ; for, lo ! the 
 beautiful head was gently inclined, and then 
 raised again, while a gracious smile appeared 
 on the countenance ! 
 
 It would be utterly useless to attempt a de- 
 scription of the scene that followed. The tu- 
 multuous expressions of surprise, rapturous 
 joy, and awe, not unmingled with terror, ut- 
 tered^ with all the wild fervor of Italian feel- 
 ing ; the rushing towards the image, and 
 prostrating themselves at its feet, till they fell 
 in confused heaps over each other ; the faint- 
 ing of women, the emotion of the men, and
 
 172 THE MIRACLE. 
 
 the confused cries of " miracolo !'" that echoed 
 through the chapel ; formed an indescribable 
 tout-ensemble, which could only be understood 
 by those who witnessed it. 
 
 At length, though with great difficulty, some- 
 thing like quiet was restored ; and Father Gi- 
 acomo, marshalling the sisterhood, with the 
 superior at their head, conducted them in front 
 of the statue, round which he had made them 
 kneel, while a solemn hymn of praise to the 
 Virgin was sung, and another burst of choral 
 harmony breathed its entrancing spell over the 
 deluded hearers. At the close of its ravishing 
 strains, the whole monastic train withdrew, 
 and the vast multitude gradually dispersed, to 
 blazon abroad the wonders of the morning's 
 performance ; all but a few. whose enthusi- 
 astic devotion induced them to remain, in the 
 vain hope that some further favor would be 
 vouchsafed by the Virgin ; while, during the 
 whole day, crowds of curious gazers continued 
 to pour in, and numerous devotees brought of- 
 ferings of money, trinkets, and other valuables, 
 to propitiate the favor, and secure the good 
 graces of the miraculous Virgin of Santa Ro- 
 salia. 
 
 But what, during all this exhibition, had been 
 the feelings of our two undeceived novices ? 
 Horror and disgust, indignation and dismay, 
 had filled their minds, at the audacity and dar-
 
 THE MIRACLE. 173 
 
 ing wickedness, of the infamous performers in 
 this blasphemous and profane farce. Isa- 
 bel, more courageous than Rosa, had closely 
 watched all the movements of the priest ; and, 
 instructed by what she already knew, had 
 found no difficulty in following all his proceed- 
 ings, how unintelligible soever to the uninitia- 
 ted, and unlikely to excite any suspicion where it 
 did not already exist. Her flashing eyes could 
 scarcely conceal their indignant glances be- 
 neath her shrouding veil ; and it required all 
 the self-control she could exercise, to enable 
 her to repress the vehement feelings that 
 prompted her to start from her kneeling posi- 
 tion, and at once unmask the shameless cheat. 
 The whole affair, however, seemed to have 
 succeeded, greatly to the satisfaction of the 
 projectors ; and, during the rest of the day, 
 which was a holiday in the convent, little was 
 heard, among the nuns, but expressions of joy 
 and gratitude to the Madonna, for the signal 
 favor she had that morning vouchsafed their 
 house; mingled with anticipations of the nu- 
 merous and rich presents which would be 
 brought by multitudes, as acknowledgments 
 and bribes, to bespeak particular favors for the 
 donors. Isabel sought in vain to converse with 
 Rosa, who seemed to avoid her ; and, not 
 being on terms of much friendliness with any 
 one else, she amused herself with watching 
 15*
 
 174 THE MIRACLE. 
 
 very closely the countenances of the different 
 speakers, to detect, if possible, any lurking 
 signs of acquaintance with the imposition that 
 had been practised. She could not, however, 
 perceive any such indication ; all appeared to 
 be in blissful ignorance on the subject, and to 
 receive the whole monstrous farce with the 
 most unwavering confidence, and unsuspicious 
 delight. Their pride, also, was highly gratified 
 by the distinction thus con^rred on their house, 
 and a general feeling of increased self-impor- 
 tance pervaded the whole community. It was 
 evident that the secret was confined to a very 
 few individuals, and that the rest were all 
 dupes, in the most comprehensive sense of the 
 word. 
 
 The shades of evening had begun to fall on 
 the garden, and the greater number of the 
 nuns had re-entered the convent ; but, Isabel, 
 lost in thought, was still sitting in a small 
 bower of acacias, waiting for the bell that was 
 to summon them to the refectory, when a slight 
 rustling in the branches behind her made her 
 start ; and, before she could even inquire the 
 cause, the voice of Rosa, in a low and cau- 
 tious, but distinct and earnest, whisper, fell on 
 her ear. 
 
 " Isabel, dearest, if you value yopr precious 
 book, hide it, hide it instantlv ! we are in
 
 .. 
 
 THE MIRACLE. 176 
 
 great danger; but hush 4 for heaven's sake, be 
 silent and circumspect !" 
 
 Isabel started up, and, while the blood 
 rushed, in a suffocating current, to her heart, 
 attempted to ask for some explanation ; but 
 the youthful novice had disappeared, and so 
 swiftly, that she could not even catch a glimpse 
 of her form. The purport of her words still 
 rang in her ears ; and, after pausing but one 
 moment, to collect ,her bewildered thoughts, 
 she hurried, almost instinctively, to the chapel. 
 Meeting several of the nuns, however, in her 
 path, she was compelled to wait till the refec- 
 tory-bell had had the effect of summoning 
 them all away. She then cautiously glided 
 through the door which opened upon the chan- 
 cel, pressed back the spring in the small mov- 
 able block, hastily deposited her treasure in the 
 cavity behind, re-closed it, and, with an im- 
 ploring aspiration for Divine assistance and 
 protection, returned with all speed, to join the 
 community. 
 
 Notwithstanding her haste, however, she 
 knew that she had transgressed the strict law 
 of punctuality observed in a convent, and, 
 therefore, fully expected the punishment usually 
 inflicted ; nor was she disappointed. A frown 
 from the superior arrested her progress, the 
 moment she appeared, and a sign of her hand 
 fixed her, on her knees, in the door-way.
 
 176 THE MIRACLE. 
 
 There she remained, *vith arms folded on her 
 bosom, till, the repast being over, she was re- 
 quired, by invariable custom, to come up to 
 the superior, humbly confess her fault, and en- 
 treat for penance and forgiveness. She did 
 so, and a short, but severe lecture, was fol- 
 lowed by a prohibition of food till the next 
 day, as the punishment due to her crime. She 
 bowed her head, in meek acquiescence, and 
 was then suffered to depart. 
 
 The whole of the evening was taken up 
 with the usual routine of services ; but it 
 would be impossible to describe the tumul- 
 tuous emotion, the instinctive terror, that made 
 Isabel's heart palpitate with so much violence, 
 every time the officiating priest approached 
 that part of the altar where her secret treas- 
 ure was deposited. She felt like the miser, 
 who, while the spoiler is searching for his 
 gold, beholds him treading on the very stone 
 that conceals the vault in which his coffers lie 
 hidden, and trembles at every step that may 
 discover the opening. Her secret, however, 
 was evidently safe, and she poured out her 
 gratitude in mental thanksgiving, as she left 
 the chapel with the others. 
 
 On retiring to her cell for the night, how- 
 ever, an irrepressible feeling of sadness and 
 apprehension overwhelmed her. She had 
 parted with her precious Testament ; she
 
 THE MIRACLE. 177 
 
 could no longer search its pages for those 
 blessed words of encouragement which had 
 always imparted comfort to her soul, in every 
 moment of despondency ; and, in the deep 
 dejection that now oppressed her, she taxed 
 her memory in vain for some of those stores 
 which she had committed to its keeping. The 
 soul's remembrancer seemed, at that moment, 
 unfaithful to its trust ; and, as the hurried 
 warning of Rosa recurred to her mind, in all 
 its alarming indistinctness, her faith and cour- 
 age gave way, and she wept in utter helpless- 
 ness and anguish. She was not, however, of 
 a character to sink quietly into the depths of 
 despair ; her native energy rose under the 
 weight of depression, and springing up with 
 sudden resolution, she extinguished her lamp, 
 and cautiously glided to the cell of Rosalia. 
 
 Her low and gentle tap at the door was not 
 answered, and she softly entered the little 
 apartment. She spoke, but there was no re- 
 ply ; she approached the pallet, passed her 
 hand over it, and felt all round the wall, and 
 in every corner ; but her friend was evidently 
 absent. Where could she be ? Half-alarmed, 
 she took her way hastily to the chapel, fancy- 
 ing that Rosa's agitated mind might again 
 have led her to undertake some vow or vigil. 
 She gained the door, and, looking in, saw a 
 form kneeling before the altar ; but it was a
 
 178 THE MIRACLE. 
 
 black-veiled nun, whose hurriedly muttered 
 Paternosters indicated that she was anxious 
 to complete her task. Isabel turned away, in 
 wondering disappointment, and, fearful of en- 
 countering the penitent, or some other dev- 
 otee, in her retreat, took her way in another 
 direction, which would conduct her back by a 
 more circuitous path to her own cell. She 
 was not, however, familiar with that part of 
 the building, and groping her way in the dark- 
 ness, with her mind bewildered by perplexing 
 doubts respecting this unaccountable absence 
 of her friend, she was not aware that she had 
 strayed from the usual track, till a rush of cold, 
 damp air made her start, and convinced her 
 that she was near the entrance to the vaults, 
 and that the gate, for some reason to her un- 
 known, was ajar at that unusual hour. She 
 paused, and was about to retrace her steps ; 
 but the distant sound of low, faint sobs, struck 
 her ear, and she listened anxiously for their 
 repetition. Again the mournful wailing met 
 her ear, and she felt convinced that it was the 
 voice of Rosalia, and that it proceeded from 
 the vaults beneath the chapel. Without a 
 moment's hesitation, the courageous novice 
 prepared to descend ; for, though her heart 
 throbbed with foreboding fears, she was to- 
 tally free from all superstitious terrors, and the 
 voice of affection silenced every other feeling.
 
 THE MIRACLE. 179 
 
 She pushed the heavy door open with some 
 difficulty, and, as cautiously as her agitation 
 would permit, began to thread her way down 
 the dark, damp, and, to her, dangerous de- 
 scent. As she proceeded, not without many a 
 hazardous slip, she looked anxiously for some 
 gleam of light to dispel the obscurity, but none 
 met her view ; the sobs, however, which be- 
 came more audible, and which she now dis- 
 tinctly recognized, or fancied she recognized, 
 as proceeding from her friend, every moment 
 quickened her steps, and she thought she must 
 now be near the bottom of the dreary descent. 
 At length, after feeling her way for some 
 distance further, she ascended two steps, and 
 pushing back a half-opened gate, perceived by 
 the dank, earthy, sepulchral smell, that she had 
 entered the receptacle of the dead. She lis- 
 tened for the voice whose sobs she had heard ; 
 but all was deathlike silence, and she began 
 to suspect that she had been deceived by an 
 excited imagination. Her feelings, however, 
 were too highly wrought up, to admit of her 
 returning, without satisfactorily ascertaining 
 the fact ; and, therefore, though prudence pre- 
 vented her speaking, she listened in breathless 
 expectation, while her heart beat with such 
 violence, that she felt as if it must be audible. 
 About a minute of indescribable suspense suc- 
 ceeded : and then a long, deep, heavy sigh
 
 180 THK MIMACLE. 
 
 sounded through the gloomy vault, and the 
 voice of Rosalia feebly exclaimed, 
 
 "Oh, God of mercy ! have pity upon meJ 
 doom not Thy helpless creature to such pro- 
 tracted and hopeless misery ! Forgive all my 
 sins, and shorten my wretched existence !" 
 
 " Rosa ! dearest Rosa !" said Isabel, in a low, 
 but cheerful voice, " I am here, beloved one, to 
 comfort and help you ; tell me in what corner 
 you are, that I may join you, without stumbling 
 against all the coffins in the vault." ' 
 
 A smothered shriek burst from the lips of the 
 startled girl ; but, recovering herself, she gladly 
 indicated to her friend the spot on which she 
 was kneeling, which was at the side of sister 
 Giovanna's newly-placed coffin. Guided by 
 this direction, Isabel was soon near her, and 
 clasping her to her bosom, almost started on 
 finding her as cold as a corpse. 
 
 " Rosina, carissima ! how came you here, at 
 this hour, and in this state ? You, surely can- 
 not have made the senseless vow of passing 
 the night in this horrid place ?" 
 
 " No, Isabel, no ; but I am condemned to it 
 as a penance." 
 
 " A penance ! is it possible ? but what can 
 you have done to draw down so barbarous an 
 infliction ?" 
 
 " According to my vows, Isabel, I ought not 
 to tell you ; but, alas ! I am no longer a fmn in
 
 THE MIRACLE 181 
 
 heart, and affection for you supersedes every 
 other consideration. Sit down then, with me, 
 on this coffin, and I will relate the occurrences 
 of the last six or eight hours." 
 
 ' I avoided joining you in the garden, because 
 I felt sure some cloud was gathering over our 
 heads ; for I had seen the Madre- Superior e and 
 Father Giacomo in close conference, and de- 
 tected some of their dark glances directed to- 
 wards you. I was walking with sister Lucia, 
 trying to converse on indifferent subjects, when 
 the sub-superior, Madre Monica, joined us, and 
 putting her arm into mine, drew me away from 
 my companion. I felt alarmed, for I knew her 
 to be a treacherous woman, and mentally 
 prayed that I might be endued with wisdom 
 and strength for the approaching trial. She 
 drew me towards the superior's apartments, 
 telling me that the holy mother had sent her for 
 me ; but being called away by the portress, she 
 left me for two or three minutes, and, seeing 
 you seated in a bosquet, I contrived to give you 
 the warning about your Testament. I hope 
 you attended to it?" 
 
 " I did, dearest, but go on, go on : let me hear 
 what followed." 
 
 " I had scarcely stolen back to the place 
 
 where Madre Monica had left me, when she 
 
 joined me again, and conducted me to the su- 
 
 perior, who was sitting with Father Giacomo. 
 
 18
 
 182 THE MIRACLE. 
 
 They both received me with their blandest 
 smiles,- and sweetest manner; and, had I not 
 lived all my life in the convent, I might have 
 been deceived by their false professions of affec- 
 tion and interest ; but I knew the serpent- 
 treachery that lurked beneath, and resolved to 
 be on my guard. Nothing could be more cau- 
 tious than their approaches to the subject on 
 which they intended to question me ; nothing 
 more tender, than the way in which they spoke 
 of you and me. At length, they asked me what 
 I knew of your book, where you kept it, and 
 what use you made of it. I replied, with all 
 the prudence I could command, by evading 
 their questions as well as I could, affecting 
 ignorance whenever it was possible, and, with- 
 out direct falsehood, misleading them to the ut- 
 most of my power. They were not, however, 
 to be so easily foiled ; and, not being satisfied 
 with my answers, and finding me firm in deny- 
 ing all knowledge of the place in which you 
 kept your book, they accused -me of duplicity 
 and disobedience, and condemned me to spend 
 the night in this horrible vault, repeating pray- 
 ers over sister Giovanna's coffin, telling me that 
 they hoped this penance would bring me to re- 
 flection, and incline me to be more sincere in 
 the morning." 
 
 " Dearest Rosa ! and you are here on my 
 account ! Oh ! the cruel wretches, who could
 
 THE MIRACLE. 183 
 
 thus torment you ! But, to a rational mind, 
 there are no terrors here but those of cold, 
 damp, and unhealthy air. You cannot fear 
 any thing else, Rosa ?" 
 
 "I know there is nothing to dread," replied 
 the trembling girl, " but, dearest Isabel, I have 
 neither your faith nor your courage. I could 
 not overcome the foolish terrors that haunted 
 me, in this frightful place, and, as the sense of 
 our miserable situation recurred to my mind, in 
 all its real horror, I yielded to the agony of 
 my feelings, and, I think, should scarcely have 
 been alive to-morrow morning, if you had not 
 come, like my guardian-angel, to dispel my 
 fearful visions." 
 
 " I think we are safe here from all danger 
 of being overheard, especially when I have 
 closed this gate, as I am going to do ; for I 
 wish to have some conversation with you, and 
 shall sit here till the matin-bell begins to sound, 
 when a few gleams of the morning-light will 
 penetrate through the upper gratings of these 
 gloomy vaults, and you will feel less terrified, 
 while I shall endeavor to regain my cell unob- 
 served." 
 
 She felt her way back to the gate, which she 
 closed ; then, returning to Rosa, gave her, in a 
 low tone, a succinct account of the last mo- 
 ments of sister Giovanna, and, in conclusion, 
 inquired if she knew how it. happened thnt. she
 
 184 THE MIRACLE. 
 
 should be buried in the vaults, when the usual 
 place -of interment for the nuns was a small 
 cemetery, at the back of the chapel ?" 
 
 "It was a mark of honor," replied Rosa, 
 " which is seldom bestowed on any but the su- 
 periors and other heads of the establishment. 
 Sister Giovanna, you know, was long renowned 
 in this house for her peculiar sanctity, her ex- 
 traordinary penances, and numberless acts of 
 devotion and voluntary self-denial. She was 
 so, I believe, before I came hither, and, from 
 my earliest childhood, I was taught to regard 
 her with reverence, as an eminent saint, and 
 one whose example we all ought to follow." 
 
 " All these merits, however," observed Isa- 
 bel, " were insufficient to give her peace of 
 mind, or assurance of salvation, in the near 
 prospect of death. Nothing but the blessed 
 Gospel could do that ! But, Rosa, I have often 
 thought that sister Giovanna had some bur- 
 den on her conscience, even greater than that 
 which must belong to every sinful creature. 
 I found her once in great terror, and raving 
 about some crime which had been committed, 
 and in which she seemed to have borne a share. 
 She said she had had a vision, in which she 
 had seen some one whom she called Costanza, 
 and spoke incoherently about her, protesting 
 that she did not murder her. Dp you know 
 any thing of this dark affair ?"
 
 THE MIRACLE. 185 
 
 " Oh ! it is a dismal story !" said Rosalia, 
 shuddering ; " it happened before I was born ; 
 there are but few now in the convent who re- 
 member it, and all I know about it has been 
 gathered from unconnected hints, and tradi- 
 tional allusions, communicated, however, with 
 the greatest caution. 
 
 "Costanza, it seems, was an Italian lady, 
 whose parents had attempted to force her into 
 a marriage she disliked. Her affections were 
 fixed on a cousin of hers, who, besides having 
 no fortune, was within the degrees of relation- 
 ship in which the church prohibits any matri- 
 monial connection. The two cousins, however, 
 disregarded all these considerations ; and with 
 the assistance of Costanza's nurse, contrived 
 to be privately married. Her parents discov- 
 ered it, and as she was only nineteen, and the 
 marriage was clearly illegal, they succeeded 
 in separating her from her husband, and shut- 
 ting her up in this house, unknown to him. 
 She, however, steadily refused to take the 
 vows, though her union was annulled by the 
 Pope ; and, though her liberty was offered her, 
 on the condition of yielding to the wishes of 
 her family, she was inflexible in her resolution. 
 This obstinacy so enraged her parents, that 
 they gave her up entirely to the power of the 
 convent, endowing it with a handsome remu- 
 16*
 
 186 THE MIRACLE. 
 
 neration, and transferring the rest of their 
 property to a nephew. 
 
 " In the meantime, Costanza had formed 
 many plans of escape, which she had hoped to 
 be able to put in execution. It happened that 
 sister Giovanna was the aunt of her chosen 
 husband, and she had succeeded in inspiring 
 her with some interest in her cause. She had, 
 "by tears and entreaties, prevailed on her to 
 take charge of a small note, written in pencil, 
 which was to be conveyed to her husband, 
 through his sister, who occasionally visited her 
 aunt in the parlor. Sister Giovanna bore so 
 high a character for piety, and had always 
 seemed so to identify herself with the interests 
 of the house, that she was not distrusted ; and 
 she, therefore, found no difficulty in slipping 
 the note to the young lady, through the grat- 
 ing, without being perceived. 
 
 "Poor Costanza was kept in close confine- 
 ment, and compelled to endure penances, pri- 
 vations, and misery of all kinds, under which 
 she must have sunk, but for the cheering hope 
 that upheld her. Giovanna was one of the 
 few privileged to see her, and she played her 
 part with great skill, by pretending to exhort 
 her continually to obedience, while, in reality, 
 she encouraged her in her expectations of ulti- 
 mate freedom, and, consequently, her resist- 
 ance to what was required of her. Some
 
 THE MIRACLE. 187 
 
 weeks passed away in torturing suspense, 
 when Giovanna's niece again visited the con- 
 vent, and contrived to squeeze through the 
 grating, into her hand, a fig, in which was con- 
 cealed a very small note for Costanza. In it 
 she was told that her husband, on learning the 
 place of her confinement, had hastened to 
 Sicily, and lost not a moment in arranging a 
 plan for her liberation. He had, after great 
 difficulty, succeeded in bribing the portress, 
 who was fond of indulging in private in many 
 little luxuries and enjoyments denied by a con- 
 vent life. This woman had promised, on a 
 certain evening, to leave her keys on the table 
 in her cell ; sister Giovanna was to unlock 
 Costanza's door, and the latter was then di- 
 rected to make her way to the portress's room, 
 and select a certain small key, which would 
 open the side-door into the garden (the key, 
 Isabel, which you and I have several times 
 used) ; her husband would, in the meantime, 
 find a way of scaling the wall, and would be 
 ready to carry her away immediately, without 
 any danger of her being retaken, for he had 
 secured a small vessel, which would be wait- 
 ing at the landing-place, to convey them far 
 away from the possibility of pursuit, and he 
 intended to fix their future residence in France 
 or England. 
 
 " You may suppose how delightful this in-
 
 188 THE MIRACLE. 
 
 telligence was to the poor, suffering Costanza ; 
 but it required great persuasion and much en- 
 treaty, to induce sister Giovanna to perform 
 her part of the scheme. She promised at last, 
 however, and would, perhaps, have been faith- 
 ful to her word, had not the Argus eyes of 
 monastic vigilance detected her in the act of 
 burning the torn fragments of the fatal note at 
 the kitchen fire. It was too late to ascertain 
 its contents by snatching it from the flames ; 
 she was, therefore, summoned before the supe- 
 rior and the confessor, and strictly questioned 
 as to the circumstance. Terror overcame her, 
 and she disclosed the whole arrangement ; but, 
 instead of the severe penances she expected, 
 she was promised exemption from all punish- 
 ment, on condition that she assisted in enticing 
 the doomed victims into the snare. This heart- 
 less betrayal of her friends she had not cour- 
 age to refuse, and, though she could not carry 
 her baseness so far as to see Costanza again, 
 the scheme was executed on the appointed 
 evening. The perfidious nun unlocked the 
 prisoner's door, according to agreement ; the 
 betrayed Costanza repaired to the portress's 
 cell, found the keys, and, her heart no doubt 
 bounding with delightful hope, entered the 
 garden, and found her way to the appointed 
 spot. There she was rudely seized, and from 
 thence conveyed to a dungeon ; while her un- 

 
 THE MIRACLE. 
 
 fortunate husband, apprehended in the act of 
 scaling the wall, by a party of sbirri, who had 
 been stationed in ambush for that purpose, was 
 conveyed to the prisons of the Inquisition in 
 Italy, and, I believe, was never heard of after- 
 wards. 
 
 " This is sufficiently dreadful, Isabel ; but 
 something still more horrible remains to be told. 
 The unhappy Costanza was delirious for a long 
 time after, and it was thought that confirmed 
 insanity would rescue her from all conscious- 
 ness of future misery ; but she at length recov- 
 ered her reason, and was dragged from her 
 dungeon, the shadow of her former self, to un- 
 dergo the solemn mockery of a trial before the 
 bishop, and the superiors of all the convents 
 in the island, in one of the subterranean apart- 
 ments of the house. Her mind had settled into 
 a state of gloomy apathy, and, with utter indif- 
 ference to her future fate, she refused to answer 
 a single question, or say a word in her own de- 
 fence ; but one of her judges, more compassion- 
 ate than the rest, pleaded in her favor that she 
 had never taken the last decisive vows, and 
 ought not, therefore, to be considered liable to 
 the frightful sentence pronounced on perjured 
 nuns. That merciful advocate for the un- 
 happy victim was the kind-hearted Abbess 
 Maddalena, who was subsequently superior of 
 this convent ; but, alas ! her pitying efforts to
 
 190 THE MIRACLE. 
 
 save Costanza were of no avail. Her opinion 
 was overruled by all the others ; and the 
 wretched victim was condemned to be bricked 
 up alive in a niche in this very vault, and thus 
 given up to the most horrible death ! 
 
 " The same sentence was passed on the of- 
 fending portress ; but her terror was so over- 
 whelming that it brought on a fit of apoplexy, 
 which terminated in her death, and thus released 
 her from the worst part of the inhuman punish- 
 ment, for they laid her a corpse in the niche pre- 
 pared for her. As to Costanza, she exhibited 
 to the last an appearance of most extraordinary 
 and unnatural calmness. The whole sister- 
 hood were assembled to witness her horrid 
 execution ; and while many wept and sobbed, 
 and almost all covered their eyes with their 
 hands, in shuddering abhorrence of the scene, 
 her tearless eyes glanced but upon one coun- 
 tenance, that of her perfidious friend, who, 
 pale and cold as a marble statue, was com- 
 pelled to witness the tragedy which her own 
 treachery had caused. That eye-beam pene- 
 trated through the thick folds of her veil, and 
 the clasped hands that covered her eyes, it 
 pierced to the inmost recesses of her heart ; 
 and the wretched Giovanna was carried back 
 to her cell, shrieking and raving like a maniac. 
 In the meantime, the hapless -Costanza was 
 placed, unresisting, in her living tomb ; and
 
 THE MIRACLE. 191 
 
 when the masons, hired for the purpose, under 
 the most awful vows of secrecy, had bricked 
 up the opening, and concealed the victim from 
 the view of mortal sight, the spectators rushed 
 from the fatal spot, with feelings which I nei- 
 ther can describe, nor wish to understand." 
 
 Rosa's tears had flowed freely during this 
 dreadful recital, and she had pressed closer and 
 closer to Isabel, whose arms were clasped 
 around her, as if she could bestow protection, 
 though the cold chill of horror that succeeded 
 her burning indignation, but too painfully 
 proved the utter helplessness of both. 
 
 "And what followed, after these murders 
 had been perpetrated ?" she at length inquired, 
 breaking the deathlike pause that succeeded 
 Rosa's horrid narrative. 
 
 " I only know that the superior died soon 
 after, and was succeeded by the Abbess Mad- 
 dalena, whose kind and gentle sway-made the 
 house very comfortable. It was to her care 
 that I was given by my parents, at the tender 
 age of four years, and I do not think any 
 mother could have loved or reared a child more 
 tenderly than she did me. With her I was, in- 
 deed, happy, and her sudden death almost over- 
 whelmed me with grief, which, I believe, was 
 shared by every member of the community ; 
 for all sincerely loved her, and felt that, under 
 her government, no cruelties could ever be
 
 192 THE MIRACLE. 
 
 practised in the house. I fear, however, the 
 same thing cannot be said of the present su- 
 perior." 
 
 " But Giovanna, the unhappy betrayer of her 
 friend, tell me of her ?" 
 
 " I feel sure that she was very wretched ever 
 after ; indeed, for a long time, she was afflicted 
 with partial insanity, which was far worse 
 than if she had entirely lost her reason, for the 
 horror of mind she endured was truly frightful, 
 and she entirely destroyed her health by the 
 penances, privations, and sufferings, of every 
 kind, she inflicted upon herself, in order to ex- 
 piate her perfidy. Father Giacomo, I believe, 
 did all he could to convince her that her con- 
 duct on that occasion had been meritorious, 
 and that she would be rewarded for it by a 
 very considerable remission of purgatorial 
 pains ; but I do not think she could ever feel 
 sure of it herself." 
 
 *' Oh ! no, dearest, she never could believe it, 
 though she labored hard to obtain the assur- 
 ance. Poor creature ! her mental torments 
 must indeed have been great, until she heard, 
 and was enabled to feel, that ' the blood of 
 Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin.' But how 
 blessed was the change which then took place 
 in her soul ! and how sweet and peaceful it 
 made her last hours ! Oh ! Rosa ; what a mercy 
 it is to possess the Holy Scriptures ! God him-
 
 THE MIRACLE. 193 
 
 self tells us that ' they are able to instruct us 
 unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ 
 Jesus.'"* 
 
 " Isabel, carissima, are you quite sure that 
 we are right in reading them, contrary to the 
 most positive and express commands of the 
 church ? I ask this question, because it is 
 clearly evident that we shall have to suffer for 
 it ; and we ought, therefore, to be fully per- 
 suaded that we are not exposing ourselves to 
 unknown perils, without a cause of sufficient 
 importance." 
 
 " Dearest Rosa ! how can we be wrong in 
 obeying the commands of God himself? Our 
 blessed Saviour, you know, exhorted the Jews 
 to investigate the Scriptures, because they bore 
 testimony of Him ; and the inhabitants of Berea 
 were praised by the Holy Ghost, because they 
 'examined the Scriptures daily.' I showed 
 you these passages in the Testament, and also 
 that where St. Paul congratulates Timothy on 
 his having ' learned the Holy Scriptures from 
 his childhood.' "f 
 
 " I dare say you are quite right ; but, alas ! 
 I have not your faith or courage, and I greatly 
 fear I shall never be able to endure persecu- 
 tion." 
 
 " Both faith and courage come from God, 
 dearest, Rosa, and you should pray earnestly 
 
 * Martini's Translation f IWd- 
 
 17
 
 194 THE MIRACLE. 
 
 for them. But I confess I am not so apprehen- 
 sive as you are on this subject. I do not see 
 what great dangers we can be exposed to, for 
 merely reading the Word of God. Besides, it 
 is I who am the offender, not you ; and I am 
 quite ready to take all the blame upon myself; 
 and, whatever punishment they may inflict 
 upon me, I know I shall soon be free from their 
 power ; for nothing shall ever induce me to 
 pronounce the fatal vows, or assume the horrid 
 black veil." 
 
 " Oh ! you do not understand the convent- 
 system ! If the superiors suspect you of un- 
 willingness to take the vows, they will never 
 bring you to the public test. You will either be 
 compelled to do it in private, or remain a novice 
 all your life, but with no more liberty than you 
 have now. It is a fearful thing to disobey or 
 offend the authorities of such a place as this !" 
 
 " All my life,- Rosa ! nay, that cannot be ! 
 you forget that they can have no more legal 
 power over me than I choose to give them. My 
 brother, indeed, has exercised a tyrannical con- 
 trol in placing me here ; but, in less than a year, 
 I shall be of full age, and, consequently, my 
 own mistress, to go when and where I please." 
 
 " Alas ! poor sister ! how you deceive your- 
 self! How can you assert your liberty in a 
 prison ? Who will listen to you, or heed your 
 complaints ? The superior is in possession of
 
 THE MIRACLE. 195 
 
 absolute and irresponsible power. How can 
 you resist her authority, or throw off her 
 yoke ?" 
 
 " I will appeal to the civil authorities," ex- 
 claimed Isabel, her whole frame strung up to a 
 feeling of undaunted resolution, *' I will expose 
 the tyranny that would coerce me ! I will ob- 
 tain redress, and my liberty ; and so shall you, 
 too, Rosina mia, if you do not wish to be bu- 
 ried alive." 
 
 " Alas, alas ! your imagination misleads you ! 
 Even if you could apply to the civil authorities, 
 it would be of no use ; for they would not in- 
 terfere with the power of the church ; but you 
 will never have an opportunity of making that 
 appeal. Do you not know that all correspon- 
 dence passes through the hands of the superior ? 
 that not a single written syllable is either re- 
 ceived in the house, or sent out of it, till she 
 has first seen it ? Oh ! no, sister, it is not pos- 
 sible to do what you intend. We are effectu- 
 ally cut off from all communication with the 
 world, and must submit to our fate, whatever it 
 may be." 
 
 These words of Rosa, which she felt to be 
 but too true, fell like a leaden weight on the 
 buoyant spirit of Isabel. She might have known 
 all this before ; she did, in fact, know it ; but 
 never had it sunk with such a depressing power 
 into her heart ; and she felt too much saddened
 
 THE MIRACL.K. 
 
 to reply. A painful silence ensued, but it was 
 broken by the faint echo of the matin-bell from 
 above ; and the two friends found that they 
 must immediately part. Isabel clasped the 
 trembling Rosa in a fond embrace, and whis- 
 pering, "Fear not them which kill the body, 
 but are not able to kill the soul," reluctantly tore 
 herself away, and glided back as swiftly as she 
 could, through the dark and devious passages, 
 to the upper part of the convent. She had 
 gained the corridor on the ground-floor, when 
 she suddenly encountered the sub-superior, 
 who instantly inquired, in a tone of harsh au- 
 thority, 
 
 "Whence come you, sister Isabel?" 
 
 Isabel, however, did not choose either to tell 
 the truth, or invent an excuse ; she, therefore, 
 remained silent, and the nun repeated her ques- 
 tion. 
 
 " What brings you into this part of the house, 
 sister ? Whither have you been, and what was 
 your business ?" 
 
 Isabel was still silent. 
 
 " You will not answer ? Well, then, it be- 
 comes my duty to order you to your cell, until 
 such time as you have disclosed your secret to 
 the Madre Superiore ; or, at least, until her 
 pleasure is known. I shall report your disobe- 
 dience to her ; in the meantime you Will re- 
 main in your own room."
 
 THE MIRACLE. 197 
 
 Isabel obeyed, without uttering a single 
 word ; and, returning to her cell, prostrated 
 herself in prayer before the God who alone 
 could protect her, for she now felt, indeed, that 
 her hour of trial was at hand. 
 17*
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 
 
 Without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which, with- 
 out cause, they have digged for my soul. PSALM xxxv. 7. 
 
 THREE days of solitary confinement, during 
 which she was visited only by an old nun, who 
 brought her bread and water in the morning 
 three days of wearisome inactivity, in which 
 her mind was left to prey upon itself and, not- 
 withstanding the resources of prayer, medita- 
 tion, and reflection, felt the time creep with in- 
 expressible slowness, had already reduced the 
 mental, as well as the bodily vigor of Isabel ; 
 and she experienced a feeling almost like re- 
 lief, when, on the third evening, she was sum- 
 moned to the presence of the superior. That 
 lady was seated in her chair of state, and on 
 each side of her were the sub-superior, and 
 Father Giacomo. Their countenances were 
 dark and threatening ; and yet there was evi- 
 dently an attempt to assume an air of kindness 
 and compassion, which, however, was not 
 likely to deceive an observant and anxious eye. 
 
 " Daughter," said the Abbess, after a pause, 
 during which she had been intently scrutinizing
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 199 
 
 the pale but calm countenance of Isabel, "it 
 grieves me much to see you brought before me 
 under the charge of disobedience and obsti- 
 nacy. Our sister, the sub-superior, reports that 
 she found you wandering about the house, early 
 in the morning, in a direction towards which 
 no duty could have called you ; and that, on 
 being questioned by her, you refused to give 
 her any information as to your proceedings." 
 
 " I acknowledge the truth of the charge, 
 holy mother," replied Isabel, while the word 
 holy, which she felt to be sadly misapplied, cost 
 her no little effort to utter. It was, however, 
 the usual and indispensable mode of address to 
 all ecclesiastical superiors, and she durst not 
 withhold it. 
 
 "You acknowledge your fault; that is, so 
 far, well, and shows that your penance has not 
 been in vain. You will now, of course, make 
 due reparation, by soliciting the pardon of the 
 sub-superior, and then frankly communicating 
 the information you before withheld ; after 
 which, you will receive from Father Giacomo 
 what further penance he may see fit to inflict, 
 preparatory to final absolution." 
 
 " I cannot disclose now what I then refused 
 to tell ; the same reasons which actuated me 
 still exist in all their force." 
 
 The Abbess's eyes flashed with suppressed 
 anger, at the unwonted presumption which thus
 
 200 THE EXAMINATION. 
 
 dared to thwart her will. "What do you 
 mean, daughter, by this extraordinary lan- 
 guage ? Dare you question our authority, and 
 defy our power? What can the reasons be, 
 of which you speak ? There must have been 
 something very reprehensible in your conduct, 
 to render such mystery requisite." 
 
 " There was nothing wrong in what I did, 
 reverend mother." 
 
 " Then why do you wish to conceal it ? But 
 this will not do, daughter. You must under- 
 stand that, in a house like this, you can have no 
 will of your own, and that no concealment 
 whatever can be permitted. Your unwilling- 
 ness to answer the questions put to you shows 
 a spirit of insubordination which must be sub- 
 dued, or severe punishment will be necessary. 
 I command you, therefore, once more, without 
 a moment's delay, to tell us instantly where 
 you had been on the morning in question, what 
 you had been doing, and, in short, the object 
 of your secret excursion." 
 
 Isabel remained silent. She would have had 
 no hesitation in avowing her visit to the vaults, 
 and her motive for entering them, had there 
 been nothing to dread but the punishment 
 which that confession would draw upon her- 
 self; but she was resolved not to compromise 
 Rosa, who would equally have been exposed
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 201 
 
 to the cruel severity of her unscrupulous ty- 
 rants. 
 
 The superior waited a few moments, though 
 with evident impatience, for Isabel's compli- 
 ance with her injunctions ; but, receiving no 
 answer, she repeated them in a still more im- 
 perious tone, while every feature of her face 
 was convulsed with passion, which seemed 
 greatly increased by the calm self-possession 
 of the offending novice. Isabel stood before 
 her with her arms meekly folded on her bosom, 
 but her beautiful countenance, though pale and 
 wan, wearing an expression of high and lofty 
 resolution, which resulted from the simple, 
 child-like confidence, and humble, prayerful 
 faith, with which she had committed her cause 
 into the hands of God. Her heart was raised 
 to Him, in silent supplication, and she felt that 
 He not only could and would protect her, but 
 that He was even then enduing her with a 
 strength superior to her own. 'During the 
 pause which succeeded the Abbess's fruitless 
 commands, she glanced for a moment at the 
 countenances of her judges, and was struck by 
 their different expressions. That of the sub- 
 superior exhibited an air of triumphant malice, 
 which strongly contrasted with the enraged 
 violence of the Abbess, and the deep, myste- 
 rious, and impenetrable coolness of the priest's 
 appearance.
 
 202 THE EXAMINATION. 
 
 The superior, having again waited in vain 
 for an answer, began to lose all self-possession, 
 and would probably have proceeded to some 
 violent measure, had not Father Giacomo in- 
 terposed, and laying his hand, respectfully but 
 significantly, on her arm, mildly observed, 
 
 " This refractory conduct, my dear daughter, 
 must deeply wound and grieve your feelings ; 
 but let it not too much disturb your mind, for 
 I trust this unhappy child will, in lime, be 
 brought to a proper sense of her sin and dis- 
 obedience. I presume not to interfere with 
 whatever measures you may think fit to adopt, 
 in order to vindicate your just authority ; but 
 you know we have another question, of still 
 greater importance, to put to this our mis- 
 guided daughter. Let me beg of you, there- 
 fore, to enter with me into a calm and patient 
 investigation of the subject." 
 
 The lady, thus rebuked, endeavored to 
 smooth her ruffled brow, and to resume her air 
 of official dignity ; while the priest, in a tone 
 of gentle and friendly inquiry, addressed the 
 silent Isabel. 
 
 "It has come to our knowledge, daughter, 
 that you have lately been engaged in studies 
 not enjoined by your vows, nor even sanc- 
 tioned by the church. You have in your pos- 
 session a book which was not given you by
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 203 
 
 your spiritual guides. Is it not so ? Answer 
 me truly." 
 
 "If you mean the New Testament, father, it 
 is true that I have read it. But, surely it can- 
 not be a crime to study the Word of God." 
 
 " That is not a question for your decision, 
 daughter, neither is it the matter at present un- 
 der discussion. You confess that you have 
 been reading the New Testament ; it now be- 
 comes your duty to inform us how and from 
 whom you received it." 
 
 " I am truly sorry, father, that I cannot com- 
 ply with either of your injunctions." 
 
 " Is this your serious determination, daugh- 
 ter ? Reflect upon the probable, or, I should 
 rather say, the inevitable consequences of your 
 disobedience, before you give your final an- 
 swer." 
 
 " I have reflected, father, and feel that I can- 
 not act otherwise." 
 
 Father Giacomo's piercing eyes were fixed 
 steadily on Isabel's countenance, as if he could 
 penetrate into her very thoughts ; but she 
 shrunk not from his gaze, as he had expected ; 
 for, though her frame trembled with emotion, 
 the native energy of her mind, supported by a 
 feeling of confidence in God, which surpassed 
 even her hopes, enabled her to stand firm and 
 collected before her inquisitors. 
 
 After a few moments' further scrutiny of her
 
 204 THE EXAMINATION. 
 
 
 
 pale but resolved aspect, the priest repeated 
 his question, 
 
 " Is this your fixed determination, daugh- 
 ter?" 
 
 " It is, reverend father," she replied, respect- 
 fully, but firmly. 
 
 He looked at the superior, whose counte- 
 nance betrayed the rage she could scarcely sup- 
 press. A slight frown contracted his brow ; 
 then, turning again towards Isabel, with an air 
 of mildness, which she could not but consider 
 Jesuitical, he addressed her in a tone of com- 
 passion. 
 
 " You do, indeed, grieve us, daughter, by 
 your obstinacy and disobedience ; but, as I can- 
 not yet resign the hope, that you may be re- 
 stored to a better state of mind, by the judi- 
 cious measures which your spiritual mother 
 will know how to employ for your recovery, I 
 must now ask you one or two other questions, 
 which, I trust, you will not refuse to answer. 
 Did you not transgress the rules of the convent, 
 by frequently visiting at night, and without per- 
 mission, the departed sister, Giovanna ?" 
 
 " I did, father ; I freely confess it ; and you 
 will not find me backward in answering your 
 questions, when they relate only to myself." 
 
 " What was your object in visiting her, and 
 even spending hours by her bedside ? Did you 
 seek for edification, that you might-imitate her
 
 THi: EXAMINATION. '205 
 
 sanctity, her voluntary humiliation, and extra- 
 ordinary self-denial?" 
 
 " I cannot lay claim to any such motive, 
 father ; I merely sought in the first instance, to 
 alleviate, in some little measure, her distressing 
 sufferings." 
 
 " And did she encourage or desire your at- 
 tendance," inquired the superior, " after she 
 had voluntarily chosen the merit of an unre- 
 lieved death-bed, in preference to the comforts 
 of the infirmary ?" 
 
 " No, reverend mother, she did not ; on the 
 contrary, she used every means in her power 
 to drive me from her, and persisted in her sys- 
 tem of self-inflicted tortures, till my persever- 
 ance, and her own overwhelming weakness, 
 rendered any further resistance unavailing, and, 
 indeed, impossible." 
 
 " And did she persist to the last in reprobat- 
 ing your interference, and refusing your per- 
 fidious soothings ?" 
 
 " I cannot say that she did, for I had, at last, 
 the pleasure of perceiving that her sufferings 
 were somewhat mitigated by constant atten- 
 tion, and her mind very greatly relieved and 
 comforted." 
 
 A glow of holy gratitude lighted up the pal- 
 lid cheek of Isabel, as she thought of the Di- 
 vine blessing which had so remarkably rested 
 on her feeble endeavors to enlighten the be- 
 18
 
 206 THE EXAMINATION'. 
 
 nighted mind of the poor nun. She saw the 
 angry kindling of the superior's countenance, 
 and the dark, portentious frown of the priest ; 
 but her heart remained undismayed, for she 
 knew that Giovanna was beyond their power, 
 and for herself she felt no fear. 
 
 "Daughter," asked Father Giacomo, " was 
 it your consolations and encouragements which 
 thus relieved and comforted the mind of sister 
 Giovanna ?" 
 
 " Not mine," she exclaimed, with fervent en- 
 thusiasm, " Oh ! no, not mine, but those of a 
 Divine Comforter ! To God, and God alone 
 be all the praise !" 
 
 " But how was it that you were the instru- 
 ment of imparting all this consolation ? you who 
 were even transgressing your duty, and break- 
 ing your vows of monastic obedience, as well 
 as placing obstacles in her path of meritorious 
 self-infliction?" 
 
 This was an insidious question, and evident- 
 ly intended to entangle her ; she sought not, 
 however, to evade it, but replied, without a 
 moment's hesitation, 
 
 "I was but the humble instrument in con- 
 veying to her mind the precious truths and 
 promises of the blessed Gospel. She found 
 them sufficient for all her wants, and, the sting 
 being thus taken from death, she entered the
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 207 
 
 dark valley without fear, and with perfect 
 peace and confidence." 
 
 " You must, certainly, be a wonderful preach- 
 er !" exclaimed the priest in a sneering tone, 
 " and your instructions must have been very 
 superior to any she had before received ! May 
 I ask, if you displayed your eloquence in ex- 
 tempore peaching, or if you merely read to her 
 from your heretical Bible ?" 
 
 " I did neither," replied Isabel, with a look 
 of calm and serious dignity, which seemed like 
 a rebuke of the sarcastic levity of the priest ! 
 " I had not an opportunity of reading to her 
 from the New Testament itself, but I was en- 
 abled to repeat several portions of it from 
 memory, and they went to her heart with the 
 authority and force of Divine truth." 
 
 " But what could you tell her, daughter, that 
 was new to her, living, as she had been, al- 
 most all her life, under the influence of the 
 Scripture-principles, inculcated and enforced 
 by the authority and teaching of holy mother 
 church ?" 
 
 " I repeated to her what the Bible says, that 
 ' the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all 
 sin,' and she was enabled to rest upon that 
 precious truth for pardon and peace." 
 
 " Wherein did that assertion differ from what 
 she had always been taught ? Does not holy 
 church inculcate the same thing ?"
 
 208 THK EXAMINATION. 
 
 " I never knew it, father, till I saw it written 
 in the New Testament; nor had sister Gio- 
 vanna ever been told of it. We had always 
 understood that we could only obtain pardon 
 by our repentance, penances, and mortifica- 
 tions, and could only be sure of it through 
 priestly absolution." 
 
 The priest bit his lip in evident, though sup- 
 pressed rage, but replied, with the same un- 
 varied gentleness of tone and manner, 
 
 " Daughter, you already display the fearfully 
 perverting effects of unauthorized Scripture- 
 reading. The sacrifice of the Redeemer is 
 certainly the great atonement for sin, and it is 
 the only source from which the church derives 
 her power to forgive the sins of her penitent 
 members. But this is a matter for further pri- 
 vate conversation, during the solemn ordinance 
 of confession, at which I shall expect you the 
 day after to-morrow. In the meantime, I trust 
 your mind will be so much benefited by the 
 preparatory exercises, as to give me, readily 
 and obediently, whatever information I may 
 require. The holy mother, I believe, has an- 
 other question to propose to you, which you 
 will, doubtless, answer with perfect sincerity." 
 
 The superior, whose countenance wore an 
 expression of concentrated rage, made a sign 
 to her deputy, and that lady, with^a look of 
 malignant triumph, drew from her pocket a
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 209 
 
 gentleman's diamond breastpin, and held it up 
 before Isabel, asking, in a taunting tone, if she 
 recognized it. 
 
 The novice slightly glanced at it, and unhes- 
 itatingly replied that she did not recollect ever 
 having seen it before. 
 
 " It is false !" exclaimed the superior, with a 
 burst of passion. 
 
 Isabel replied not, but the sub-superior im- 
 mediately resumed, 
 
 " Do you mean to say, do you dare to as- 
 sert, that you do not know this pin, and its 
 owner ? that you are not aware how it came 
 within these walls ?" 
 
 " I do mean to say it, and can most consci- 
 entiously assert it. But if you have any accu- 
 sation to make against me, connected with that 
 pin, let me hear what it is in plain language, 
 and without any insinuations or inuendoes." 
 
 There was a proud dignity in Isabel's man- 
 ner which was not calculated to benefit her 
 cause, where abject submission and unbounded 
 servility were the only qualities likely to se- 
 cure favor; but the moment for punishment 
 was not yet come, and the sub-superior, after 
 receiving a*ermissive look from the Abbess, 
 continued the interrogatory. 
 
 " Did you think yourself unobserved, and 
 your wickedness unknown, when you visited 
 the garden at night, to have interviews with a 
 18*
 
 210 
 
 THE EXAMINATION'. 
 
 lover? Answer this vile hypocrite, and deny 
 it if you dare !" 
 
 A cold trembling ran through Isabel's whole 
 frame, as she suddenly perceived the abyss 
 which was opening before her ; but, sending 
 up to heaven a fervent mental prayer for guid- 
 ance and protection, she was able to answer 
 with perfect calmness. 
 
 " I never visited the convent-garden to meet 
 or converse with any lover, nor has such an 
 idea ever entered my mind, since I have been 
 an inmate of this house." 
 
 " You would act more wisely in not attempt- 
 ing to prevaricate," exclaimed the superior, 
 while the priest's eyes were riveted upon her 
 as if he could read her thoughts. She bore 
 the look, however with unshrinking firmness, 
 and did not deign to answer the superior's ob- 
 servation. 
 
 " Can you deny," resumed her questioner, 
 " that you have met a man in the garden, and 
 thus broken your vows in the most flagrant 
 manner ?" 
 
 Isabel was silent. 
 
 " You refuse to answer ! you dare not deny 
 it ! your silence is an acknowledgment of 
 your crime !" exclaimed the superior, her eyes 
 flashing with the passion she could no longer 
 repress. ' I ask you, then, and I insist upon 
 an answer, who is the wretch who dared thus
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 211 
 
 audaciously to invade the sanctity of this 
 house ?" 
 
 Isabel still remained silent, and the question 
 was repeated, with increased vehemence sev- 
 eral times, by each of her interrogators, till, 
 enraged beyond all bounds at her determined 
 silence, they ordered her back to her cell, and 
 condemned her to increased penances and pri- 
 vations, in order to overcome her obstinate 
 resolution. 
 
 A similar proceeding had before taken place, 
 with the view of obtaining the same infor- 
 "mation from the youthful Rosa, but with no re- 
 sult more satisfactory to the convent-inquisi- 
 tors. They had, indeed, to deal with a much 
 more timid and yielding spirit ; but, though 
 Rosa could not deny that she had seen the 
 pin before, (for it was one which her brother 
 constantly wore, as being the gift of a de- 
 ceased aunt, to whom he had been fondly at- 
 tached,) yet the certainty that, by giving the 
 least clue to the name of its owner, she would 
 inevitably draw down fearful peril on the head 
 of her beloved Francesco, nerved even her 
 gentle and subdued mind to the most heroic 
 and inflexible resolution. All fear for herself 
 was swallowed up in terror for the safety of 
 this dear and affectionate brother ; and she felt 
 that she could die a thousand deaths rather than 
 involve him in any danger. Her nerves, how-
 
 212 THE EXAMINATION'. 
 
 ever, were not equal to the trial of her strength, 
 and she was taken back to her cell in a swoon 
 so alarming, as almost to make her tormentors 
 fear that they might prematurely lose their 
 victim. 
 
 Shut up in unrelieved solitude, she wept day 
 and night, and was unable either to eat, sleep, 
 or collect her thoughts. The dread that Isa- 
 bel (who, she felt convinced, would be ques- 
 tioned as well as herself) might be compelled 
 to discover what she was so anxious to keep 
 secret, preyed incessantly on her mind, and 
 she saw, in imagination, her idolized brother 
 seized, and conveyed to the horrid dungeons 
 of the Inquisition, and, while the diabolical 
 treatment experienced by its unhappy victims 
 haunted her bewildered thoughts, she became 
 a prey to the most deplorable mental agony. 
 
 Her fears, however, were entirely ground- 
 less, for the strong mind of Isabel, supported 
 by that grace which is promised to the tried 
 believer, in every " time of need," and which 
 she had learned where and how to seek, bore 
 her up amidst every trial, and preserved undi- 
 minished the native energy of her character, 
 notwithstanding all the means which were used 
 to crush and unnerve it. A miserable and 
 scanty diet of bread and water, the want of 
 exercise, confinement in a small, ctose cell, the 
 unvarying monotony of total solitude, and the
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 218 
 
 want of books, or employment for either mind 
 or body, except the tedious routine of count- 
 less Latin prayers which she was enjoined to 
 repeat, were certainly well calculated to de- 
 press the mind, wear out the mental powers, 
 and destroy the very springs of life. But she 
 found an unfailing resource in prayer, and in 
 the constant recollection of the blessed truths 
 the had imbibed from her former study of the 
 Scriptures. Now that she was deprived of 
 her precious Testament, she could not but be 
 thankful that it was deposited in a place of 
 safety, and that she had been led to transcribe, 
 as it were, so much of its contents on the tab- 
 let of her memory. Its well-remembered 
 truths were now to her like " a well of water 
 springing up to everlasting life ;" and the con- 
 tinual refreshment she derived from them pre- 
 served the elasticity of her spirits, and the 
 vigor of her mind, even under the pressure of 
 corroding anxiety, and the apprehension of cer- 
 tain and impending evil. 
 
 She had every reason to rejoice that she had 
 secured her Testament, instead of continuing 
 to carry it about with her ; for her cell had 
 been repeatedly searched for it during her ab- 
 sence, and some one had twice stolen in at 
 night, in the darkness, and when she was sup- 
 posed to be asleep, to feel in the pockets of her 
 garments for the missing book. She had heard
 
 214 THE EXAMINATION'. 
 
 the intruder, and was quite aware of the ob- 
 ject of these nocturnal visits ; but prudence 
 had kept her silent, and she was delighted thus 
 to ascertain that her treasure was undiscov- 
 ered. She felt the want of it, indeed, but 
 could scarcely regret that it was thus provi- 
 dentially placed out of the reach of those who 
 would, perhaps, have destroyed it, and cer- 
 tainly deprived her of it altogether. How 
 long were these miseries to last ? How long 
 should she be exposed to the tyranny that now 
 oppressed her ? When might she hope to be 
 released ? The possibility of this eventual de- 
 liverance she never suffered herself for one 
 moment to doubt, the thought would have 
 been insupportable, and she carefully banished 
 it: the smiling charmer, Hope, illumined every 
 cloud with the brilliancy of her rainbow-hues, 
 and her voice of angel-sweetness was heard, 
 even amidst the thunder of the raging storm. 
 
 Six days elapsed before she was summoned 
 to confession, and she had thus abundant op- 
 portunity of preparing herself, by prayer and 
 reflection, for the coming trial. She doubted 
 not that every attempt would be made to shake 
 her faith, and every kind of sophistry used, to 
 entangle her again in the mazes of error ; and 
 feeling deeply her own weakness, and the in- 
 sufficiency of her religious knowledge, she bit- 
 terly regretted the loss of her precious New
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 215 
 
 Testament. She, however, treasured up in her 
 mind the inspired declarations she had com- 
 mitted to memory, and earnestly prayed that 
 she might experience the fulfilment of that 
 gracious assurance, " When they deliver you 
 up, take no thought how or what ye shall an- 
 swer, for it shall be given you in that same 
 hour what ye shall speak ; for it is not ye that 
 speak, but the Spirit of your Father which 
 speaketh in you." Relying on this recollected 
 promise, she awaited, with trembling confi- 
 dence, the ordeal that was approaching. 
 
 Slowly and sadly had the hours crept on to 
 poor Rosa ; only marked by her tears, and by 
 the burdensome penances imposed upon her. 
 She had seen no one but an old deaf nun, 
 whose duty it was to bring bread and water 
 every morning to the captives, and who obsti- 
 nately refused to exchange a word with her ; 
 when, suddenly, one morning, the sub-superior 
 entered her cell, and accosted her with a tone 
 and manner of most unexpected kindness. 
 She sat down by the drooping girl, and, notic- 
 ing her pale, wan cheeks, and the alteration 
 so visible in her whole appearance, exclaimed, 
 in a voice of winning blandness, 
 
 " Why, my dear child, you are looking quite 
 ill ! You have been, perhaps, too closely con- 
 fined, and have certainly given way to exces- 
 sive sorrow. Come, come, you must not take
 
 216 THE EXAMINATION. 
 
 every little thing so much to heart, carissima f 
 This penance was only intended to bring you 
 to reflection, but certainly not to make you un- 
 happy." 
 
 " Alas ! madam," replied Rosa, bursting into 
 tears, " how can I be otherwise than unhappy, 
 in my present situation? Shut up in this dis- 
 mal cell, cut off from all society, under the dis- 
 pleasure of my superiors, and not knowing 
 what further miseries may be inflicted upon 
 me. Oh ! I am, indeed, very wretched !" 
 
 " But, carina, you know it is entirely your 
 own fault. Why do you not openly confess 
 your faults, and submit, like a dutiful child, to 
 the discipline of our holy mother ? You would 
 then immediately be restored to favor, and 
 your punishment would, at least, be greatly 
 lightened." 
 
 " I have confessed my faults, reverend 
 mother, as far as I am conscious of any. I 
 have concealed nothing that relates to myself; 
 but," she added, a ray of generous enthusiasm 
 breaking through her tears, " I cannot, I 
 never will, whatever sufferings it may cost me, 
 draw down peril upon the heads of others !" 
 
 The young novice's heroic resolution seemed 
 to transform her almost into another being ; 
 her cheeks glowed, her eyes sparkled, and the 
 elevation of her feelings imparted" its lofty ex- 
 pression to her hitherto dejected countenance.
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 217 
 
 The nun frowned, and a gleam of unspeakable 
 malignity for a moment flitted across her face ; 
 but it was quickly banished, and, with a cares- 
 sing smile, she laid her hand on her poor vic- 
 tim's arm, and drew her gently to herself. 
 
 " Hush, hush, carissima ! Do not allow 
 yourself to be so excited ! Your pulse beats 
 frightfully, and you are really quite ill and 
 feverish. I must order you some calming 
 medicines. In the mean time, we will not 
 speak any more of what so greatly agitates 
 you. A little quiet reflection, and the godly 
 counsel of our holy father confessor, will, I 
 have not the least doubt, soon make your duty 
 clear, and remove all obstacles to its perform- 
 ance. But listen, figlia mia, I have news for 
 you, which must soon restore your disturbed 
 nerves to tranquillity, and make SOITOW give 
 way to pleasure. The Signora Contessa, your 
 mamma, has just sent word that she would 
 drive round this way, on her return from a 
 visit to the country, and would call to see you 
 this afternoon, with your sister, the Signorina 
 Leonora. So, now, dry your eyes my child, 
 put on your most cheerful looks, and prepare 
 yourself to receive her ladyship with smiles. 
 You would not, of course, vex and disquiet her 
 by any appearance of sadness ?" 
 
 The question which concluded this hyp- 
 ocritical speech was insinuated with winning, 
 19
 
 218 THE EXAMIXATIUX. 
 
 almost affectionate softness ; but there was a 
 lurking expression of cunning and malice in 
 the treacherous smile, which could scarcely 
 escape the observation of Rosa. Her mind, 
 however, was immediately occupied with one 
 idea, which seemed to flash, like a sudden sun- 
 beam, across the lurid darkness of her troubled 
 sky. 
 
 " Is my father coming, too ?" she inquired, 
 in a tone of such eagerness, that the nun in- 
 stantly divined her thoughts. 
 
 "There was no mention of his lordship in 
 the message," she replied, " but calm yourself, 
 my dear child ; I will myself be present at the 
 interview to assist and support you." 
 
 Rosa's heart sunk within her at this an- 
 nouncement, though she might have expected 
 it, for she knew that no religiosa was ever 
 allowed to see a visitor without the watch- 
 ful presence of a superior nun ; but, in the 
 momentary excitement of fancied hope, she 
 had entirely forgotten it. She had formed a 
 sudden resolution, to disclose her real situation 
 to her family, hoping that their humanity, if 
 not any warmer feeling, would lead them to 
 release her from the thraldom she now suf- 
 fered, and the still greater evils she dreaded. 
 From her mother and sister, indeed, she had 
 little to expect ; the fanatical bigotry of the 
 one, and the instinctive jealousy of the other,
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 21J> 
 
 presented insurmountable obstacles to their in- 
 terference in her favor. Her beloved, affec- 
 tionate, and generous-minded brother was far 
 away, and could give her no help ; but her 
 father was a man of feeling, and had not dis- 
 carded her from his affections. She would 
 appeal to his justice ; she would cast herself 
 on his compassion, and implore him to break 
 her bonds ; or, at least, allow her to remove 
 to some other convent, where she might hope 
 to live under a mild and equitable sway. 
 These thoughts darted like lightning through 
 her mind ; but soon came the discouraging 
 reflection, how was this to be accomplished ? 
 She could only speak in the presence of a 
 spy ; and to write would be equally hopeless, 
 for no letter could be conveyed out of the con- 
 vent without the superior's knowledge and pe- 
 rusal. The sub-superior's announcement, that 
 her father was not likely to be of the party, 
 completed her discouragement ; yet she could 
 not altogether relinquish the hope thus awak- 
 ened, but resolved to reserve the project for 
 further consideration, and felt that the very 
 idea acted like a cordial on her sinking spirits. 
 Little was she aware how completely she was 
 understood, and how skilfully the serpent-craft 
 of monastic vigilance was already working to 
 circumvent her ! 
 
 In pursuance of the system of conciliation
 
 220 THE EXAMINATION. , 
 
 which it was now thought proper to exercise 
 towards her, she was permitted to leave her 
 cell, and to walk in the garden, until she was 
 called to receive her mother and. sister. The 
 sub-superior then came to fetch her, and with 
 hypocritical caresses, accompanied her into 
 what was called the parlor, a small room, 
 divided in the centre by a double grating, to 
 one side of which visitors were admitted, 
 while, on the other, sat the nun or novice, 
 conversing with them, under the watchful su- 
 perintendence of an elder or superior one. 
 
 The Contessa greeted her daughter with but 
 little expression of maternal tenderness ; but 
 Rosa felt it not, for she had never experienced 
 any thing but indifference from her mother. 
 Her sister, also, was scarcely more than a 
 stranger to her, for she had never shown her 
 any thing like sisterly affection, and the cold- 
 ness of her manner had always prevented all 
 familiar intercourse. There was one individual 
 of the party, for whom Rosa felt a warm in- 
 terest, a little orphan girl, of seven years old, 
 the child of her father's only brother, whose 
 parents had appointed Mr. Melville her guar- 
 dian, and who usually spent her school-holidays 
 at his house. She had been taken several 
 times to see Rosa, and had imbibed a very 
 great affection for the gentle novice. The 
 formal interchange of commonplace expres-
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 221 
 
 sions, which invariably formed the only con- 
 versation at these interviews, was greatly en- 
 livened by the ingenuous prattle of little Maria, 
 and, on this occasion, the child was even more 
 than usually talkative. 
 
 "Look here, Rosa," she exclaimed, then, 
 glancing at the listening nun, she corrected her- 
 self, " Sister Rosa, they say I must call you, 
 I have brought you a little present, such a 
 beautiful illuminated mass-book ! but how can 
 I give it you ? It is very small, but not small 
 enough to pass it through these bars ; oh ! this 
 horrid grating ! it looks so much like a prison! 
 You look exactly like my pretty linnet in its 
 cage, only that his has but one grating to it, 
 instead of two, and that his slight wires are 
 very different from those great iron railings. 
 Besides, I take my linnet out to play with it, 
 twenty times a day ; but you, poor bird, never 
 come out of your cage." 
 
 The Contessa frowned at this awkward 
 speech, and told the child, angrily, that if she 
 said such foolish things she would send her out 
 of the room, and never bring her to the con- 
 vent again. To the surprise of every one 
 present, how*ever, the sub-superior, who might 
 naturally have been expected to feel displeased, 
 only smiled, and kindly requested that the child 
 might not be checked. 
 
 " Well, signora, I will not say any thing more 
 10*
 
 222 THE EXAMINATION. 
 
 to displease you," resumed little Maria, "but 
 do tell me how I can give this pretty little book 
 to Rosa." 
 
 " You shall give it her at the door, my little 
 darling," observed the nun, with peculiar gra- 
 ciousness. " But tell me, carina, do you not 
 think your linnet is very happy, although he is 
 in a cage; when you feed him, and caress him, 
 and attend to all his wants ? In the same way, 
 our blessed Lord and husband lavishes all His 
 tenderness upon us, whom you call prisoners, 
 but who are, in reality, His secluded spouses ; 
 and we enjoy in His favor, a happiness of which 
 the world can form no idea." 
 
 "I suppose that is true," said the child, 
 thoughtfully, "for every- body says so; and I 
 hope, yes, I think, my linnet is happy. But 
 then, he is so tame, that I do not shut him up 
 much, yet, when I take him into the garden, and 
 he sees and hears the other birds, hopping about 
 so freely, and chirping so merrily, I always 
 fancy he must feel sad that he cannot fly away 
 like them ; and, when he flutters his wings, and 
 stretches out his little neck towards the sky, I 
 think he is longing to join his happy fellows, 
 and to swell their songs of joy, while roving 
 at liberty among the trees and blossoms. I do 
 not like to make the pretty creature unhappy, 
 and so I was going to let him fly away, if he 
 liked ; but my nurse tells me that he could not
 
 THE EXAMINATION-. 223 
 
 now live like the wild birds, and that he would 
 soon die from hunger or cold, after being so 
 long petted and taken care of. I love him 
 dearly, and I am sure he loves me, for he chirps 
 so gayly, when he sees me, and kisses me so 
 prettily ! Rosa, should you not like to have a 
 bird to amuse you ? I think you want some- 
 thing to cheer you, cara mia, for you look so 
 pale and sad ! so unlike yourself ! Shall I bring 
 you a bird, the next time I come ?" 
 
 Rosa thanked the youthful prattler, but de- 
 clined her offer, observing, that she had not 
 time to attend to such things ? In spite, how- 
 ever, of every effort to check her, Maria ex- 
 claimed, 
 
 " Oh, then you have a great deal of work to 
 do, and I suppose it is that which makes you 
 look so pale ! Poor Rosina ! how I pity you ! 
 Look at her, Contessa ! don't you think she 
 looks very ill ?" 
 
 " Be quiet, you little plague !" exclaimed the 
 signora Leonora. " Of what consequence is it 
 how a nun looks?" 
 
 This speech was accompanied by a spiteful 
 push, which intimidated and silenced the child ; 
 but the Contessa, feeling that her maternal char- 
 acter required it, now made a few common- 
 place inquiries, as to the cause of Rosa's al- 
 tered looks." The sub-superior immediately 
 replied, that her dear young friend had for some
 
 224 THE EXAMI.VATIO:.'. 
 
 days been suffering from a nervous headache, 
 bat that she trusted the remedies which had 
 been administered would very soon restore her 
 former health and bloom. The mother was 
 easily satisfied with this account ; and Rosa, 
 whatever might be her indignation at the false- 
 hood, durst not contradict it. The conversa- 
 tion now turned upon the news of the day ; 
 and the Contessa asked her daughter if she was 
 acquainted with the Signora Teresa di Sorelli, 
 who, after finishing her education at the con- 
 vent, was about to assume the novice's veil. 
 Her father, the Duca di Sorelli, was most anx- 
 ious to dissuade her from a monastic life, as 
 she was his only daughter, and his state of 
 widowhood and advancing age rendered her 
 society peculiarly desirable to him ; but the 
 young lady was so fascinated by the attractions 
 of the convent, that she could not be prevailed 
 upon to relinquish her project. Rosa had never 
 seen her but at the, chapel, for a complete sepa- 
 ration was kept up between the sisterhood and 
 the few young ladies who, as a very great fa- 
 vor, were educated at Santa Rosalia. Their 
 instruction was presided over by three of the 
 elder nuns, whose zeal and discretion could be 
 trusted ; and these ladies were so skilful in se- 
 curing the affections of their pupils,, and in set- 
 ting before them the mysterious charms, and ail 
 but celestial happiness, of a life of religious se-
 
 THE K.X A.M1XA TIu.V. 225 
 
 elusion, that it was no uncommon thing to see, 
 as in this instance, a deluded young creature, in 
 the very bloom and ardor of inexperienced 
 youth, devoting herself, not only without reluc- 
 tance, but cheerfully and joyfully, to a living 
 tomb, a life of hopeless, loveless, heart- wither- 
 ing, solitary imprisonment ; lonely, without the 
 freedom of solitude, and deathlike, without the 
 peace and repose of the grave ! 
 
 The Contessa and her younger daughter gave 
 Rosa a very full and detailed account of the 
 splendid fetes which were to be given by the 
 Duca, with a view of either winning his daugh- 
 ter from her purpose, by surrounding her with 
 all the enchantments of worldly pleasure, or 
 investing her retirement from the world with 
 all the lustre and eclat that could be thrown 
 around it. Poor, indeed, was the consolation 
 which could thus be imparted to the wounded 
 feelings of the heart-stricken, deserted father ; 
 but it would, at least, soothe and gratify his 
 pride, to see the only hope of his age disappear 
 from the world amidst a blaze of splendor, and 
 the admiring gaze of an unthinkingcrowd. 
 
 " My dear," said the Contessa to Rosa, " we 
 have been thinking, and it is the unanimous 
 opinion of all our friends, that this will be a 
 very proper and suitable occasion, for you to 
 assume the black veil, at the same time that the 
 Signora Teresa receives the white. The gran-
 
 226 THE EXAMINATION. 
 
 deur of the ceremony, and the illustrious rank 
 of the young devotee, will reflect honor to our 
 family ; and, as it is now high time that you 
 should set the final seal to your religious pro- 
 fession, you will do well to employ the few in- 
 tervening weeks in preparing yourself for the 
 important day." 
 
 These words, pronounced with heartless in- 
 difference by her mother, fell on the ear of 
 Rosa like the knell of a death-doomed victim ; 
 a mist seemed to descend on her sight, like the 
 heavy folds of a funeral curtain ; a fainting sick- 
 ness sent the rushing blood to her heart ; an 
 icy coldness overspread her whole frame ; she 
 clasped her hands, in involuntary supplication, 
 and made a strong effort to speak ; but the feel- 
 ing of suffocation in her throat rendered the at- 
 tempt abortive, and she would probably have 
 swooned, had not her failing energies been 
 recalled by the cold and cruel apathy of the 
 Contessa, who, observing her emotion, and 
 wishing to avoid what she called a scene, has- 
 tily rose to depart, and thus converted her men- 
 tal anguish into a feeling of indignant resent- 
 ment. The unhappy girl aroused herself to 
 bid her callous relatives a calm farewell. Be- 
 ing permitted to approach the open door, in 
 order to receive little Maria's present, she 
 fondly kissed the interesting child, who clung
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 227 
 
 around her with undisguised affection, and 
 whispered in her ear, before she released her, 
 
 " I will tell Signor Melville, carissima, how 
 pale and ill you look, and I am quite sure he 
 will come and see you." 
 
 The warm-hearted little girl was almost 
 dragged away by her impatient companions ; 
 but her whisper acted like a charm on the 
 sinking spirits of Rosalia. She had, just before, 
 timidly inquired when she might hope to see 
 her father, and been almost reduced to despair 
 by the announcement, that he was so deeply 
 occupied with diplomatic affairs, that it was 
 not probable he could spare any time to visit 
 her, before the day when she would pronounce 
 the final and irrevocable vow. Her courage 
 revived, however, at the assurance of little 
 Maria, for she trusted the affectionate child 
 would keep her word, and she felt that her 
 father's heart would not be proof against her 
 pleading, and the description of his daughter's 
 evident indisposition. He had always treated 
 her with the utmost tenderness ; and often 
 evinced towards her, a degree of feeling 
 amounting to regret, and even almost to re- 
 morse, at the recollection of her being an in- 
 voluntary victim, sacrificed to expiate the faults 
 of her parents. It had, hitherto, been her con- 
 stant endeavor to persuade him, that she was 
 not only contented with her lot, but happy in
 
 .-1 
 
 228 Till: EXAMINATION. 
 
 the mode of life to which she was destined-; 
 but she would now .practise the deception no 
 longer. She would tell him the truth, and en- 
 treat him to remove her from the convent. 
 But how was this to be effected ? She could not 
 do it openly, for the least expression of discon- 
 content would, she well knew, only rivet more 
 strongly the bars of her prison, and neither her 
 father's influence, nor any other secular power, 
 could tear her from the iron grasp of the church. 
 Mr. Melville's interference might, and certainly 
 would draw down peril on his own head, but 
 could never release her. She had not grown 
 up from infancy in the convent, without hav- 
 ing acquired a considerable knowledge of the 
 fearful arts, and irresistible power, by which 
 monastic tyranny could, at all times, make sure 
 of its victims. True, she had, till lately, been 
 so fortunate as to live under the mild govern- 
 ment of a kind and benevolent superior ; she 
 had seen but little of practical despotism, and no 
 harshness had, during that happy time, been 
 exercised towards herself; but she had often 
 shuddered at the tales of former years, and at 
 the artifices, cruelties, and even barbarities for- 
 merly practised, and afterwards related with 
 approbation and pleasure. All these horrors 
 now recurred to her memory with terrible dis- 
 tinctness, and she trembled to think of what 
 not only could, but, under existing circumstan-
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 229 
 
 ces, certainly would be perpetrated, if it were 
 necessary to avert either exposure, or loss to 
 the convent. Were she but once outside those 
 hated walls, she might, indeed, have some 
 chance of deliverance ; but the very idea was 
 wild and impracticable. At all events, the only 
 possible ray of hope depended upon the strict- 
 est secrecy ; and she retired to her cell to brood 
 over a thousand projects, resolved to struggle 
 against despair to the very last, and to weary 
 every saint in heaven with prayers for assist- 
 ance. She soon recollected, however, that 
 what she had heard and read of the Word of 
 God proved the invocation of any created be- 
 ing to be, not only unauthorized, but unscrip- 
 tural ; and, amidst the distress and bewilder- 
 ment of her mind, she was compelled to throw 
 herself at the feet of Him who, she knew, had 
 said, " If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I 
 will do it." 
 
 20
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE CONFESSIONAL. 
 
 I acknowledge my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid 
 I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord ; and Thou for- 
 gavest the iniquity of my sin. PSALK xxxii. 5. 
 
 THE day of trial at length arrived ; and 
 Isabel was summoned to attend Father Gi- 
 acomo at the confessional. She went with 
 trembling steps, but more courage and con- 
 fidence than she had dared to expect. The 
 sense of the Divine presence, and of her Sav- 
 iour's promised support, seemed to bear up 
 her mind above all apprehension ; and, as she 
 knelt in the usual place, a firm conviction of 
 what was her duty on this trying occasion, 
 imparted a calmness to her manner which 
 somewhat surprised the priest. He waited in 
 silence for her to begin, with the usual exor- 
 dium, " to Almighty God, to the blessed Mary, 
 always a virgin, to St. Michael the Archangel, 
 St. John the Baptist, St. Joseph, St. Peter, St. 
 Paul, and all the saints, &c. ;" but what was 
 his astonishment, when she merely said, 
 
 " I confess to Almighty God, .and to
 
 T11K CONFESSIONAL. 231 
 
 you, my father, that I have greatly sinned, in 
 thought, word, and deed ; " 
 
 " Stop, daughter," he exclaimed, in a voice 
 of thunder, that made her start, prepared as 
 she was for a burst of anger from him, " what 
 can .you mean, by this insolent mockery of the 
 sacrament of confession ?" 
 
 " 1 mean no mockery, father, I assure you," 
 she mildly replied, " but I cannot utter the 
 words you wish me to repeat." 
 
 " And pray, why can you not ?" 
 
 " Because I think it is insulting God, to as- 
 sociate any of His creatures with Him, as if 
 they were His equals." 
 
 " Where have you learned to make such 
 wise distinctions, and to set up your own judg- 
 ment in opposition to that of your superiors ?" 
 
 " I do not think it is my own judgment, 
 father, but that of Scripture. In the New 
 Testament, we never find any created being 
 thus associated with God : we are never told 
 to pray to the saints or angels, or even to the 
 blessed Virgin ; there is not one instance of its 
 e^ver being done ; nor are we led to believe 
 that they either interfere in any worldly affairs, 
 or that they can even hear the petitions pre- 
 sented to them." 
 
 "Cease your blasphemies, unhappy creature, 
 and let me see that false Bible upon which you 
 so daringly found them.''
 
 232 THE CONFESSIONAL. 
 
 "It cannot be false, father, or in any way 
 erroneous, for it is translated by a prelate of 
 our own infallible church, the Archbishop of 
 Florence." 
 
 " It is false, I tell you ! it is a diabolical 
 invention of the heretics, to which they have 
 dared to attach the Archbishop's name ! But 
 let me see the vile fabrication, daughter, and I 
 will soon convince you of the truth." 
 
 " I have it not, father," said Isabel, half smil- 
 ing at the snare he was setting for her ; " but 
 perhaps you will be so kind as to give me a 
 correct translation of the Scriptures, and then 
 I shall be able to detect the errors of the 
 other." 
 
 " Away with these subterfuges !" exclaimed 
 the priest, impatiently, " and do not attempt to 
 deceive me, or to evade my questions. How 
 did you obtain that book? Who gave it to 
 you ? What have you done with it ? And 
 where is it now ?" 
 
 He paused some minutes for a reply, but 
 Isabel gave him none. With folded hands, 
 and downcast eyes, she calmly waited till the 
 explosion of his wrath should subside. 
 
 " Answer me, I command you !" he again 
 thundered out, " give me that book instantly, 
 or you may be compelled to it by measures 
 which would be any thing but agreeable. Will 
 you not answer ?''
 
 THE CONFKriSIuNAL. 233 
 
 "I have told you already, father, that I can- 
 not comply with either of your injunctions, 
 and I can say no more, nor could tortures, or 
 even death itself, elicit more from me." 
 
 The priest fixed his keen gaze upon her 
 face ; it was pale as marble, but the expression 
 was firm and resolved, and he saw that she 
 was not to be easily intimidated. He, there- 
 fore, changed his mode of attack, and in a 
 tone of mild remonstrance, resumed, 
 
 " You are young, daughter, and you have 
 entered upon a dangerous path. Reflect, I 
 beseech you, on your ignorance and inex- 
 perience, and I am sure your own good sense 
 will show you the folly and presumption of 
 your present conduct. Return to the practice 
 of pious humility, the only safe and becoming 
 state of mind for your age and circumstances, 
 and submit your sinful pride to the instructions 
 of the holy mother to whom God has intrusted 
 the care of your soul. It is thus alone that 
 you can be safe and happy." 
 
 " I humbly desire, father, and sincerely seek, 
 the teaching of the church ; and it is for that 
 purpose that I am now kneeling before you. 
 I beseech you to instruct my ignorance, and 
 enlighten my dark mind, by giving me the 
 pure Word of God. You will find me most 
 anxious to profit by its teaching, and to bow 
 with implicit obedience to all its decisions." 
 20*
 
 234 TIIK CONFESSIOXAL. 
 
 " Before so great a favor can be granted 
 you," replied the wily priest, " you must first 
 of all, give up the pernicious book which has 
 perverted you. The church is willing to show 
 all reasonable indulgence to an obedient child, 
 but it can concede nothing to the obstinate and 
 refractory." 
 
 Isabel shook her head. " If these are the 
 only terms, father, I have already told you 
 that I cannot comply with them. But if the 
 heretics have indeed, as you say, affixed the 
 name of the Archbishop of Florence to a false 
 translation of the Bible, why has he not pub- 
 licly contradicted it? Surely, he ought to 
 have done so, and I must still believe the book 
 to be genuine, until I see his solemn denial of 
 it, or until I am convinced of its errors, by the 
 perusal of a faithful and orthodox translation." 
 
 The priest could hardly restrain his anger, 
 at this bold and explicit declaration ; but, feel- 
 ing that violence would 'not forward his object, 
 he, by a strong effort, preserved the assumed 
 mildness of his tone and manner, and said, 
 
 " Unhappy child ! Deeply indeed are you 
 seduced by the wiles of the evil one !" " As 
 you are so conversant with that heretical book, 
 you no doubt remember what the blessed St. 
 Peter says to you, and all those who like you 
 attempt to read the Scriptures without inter- 
 pretation, ' that they contain many things hard
 
 Till: COMT.SSION'AL. 235 
 
 lo be understood, which they that are un- 
 learned and unstable, wrest to their own de- 
 struction.' " 
 
 " I have read that passage, father ! But I 
 have also read that the Holy Spirit will en- 
 lighten and instruct the minds of the ignorant ; 
 and in humble dependence on His teaching 
 alone, have I studied that blessed volume, 
 which, I believe, is able to make me wise unto 
 salvation ; and as the youthful Timothy knew 
 those sacred truths from a child, I humbly 
 trust that the same spirit of knowledge may 
 be granted to me." 
 
 " Daughter, your presumption is indeed 
 great ! How can you, who are acting in di- 
 rect disobedience to those who are in authority 
 over you, and to whom you have promised 
 obedience, how can you expect the blessing 
 of that Holy Spirit, who is of purer eyes than 
 to behold iniquity ?" 
 
 " It deeply grieves me, father, to be com- 
 pelled to rebel, and in all lawful things it is my 
 sincere desire to submit myself to you and the 
 superior ; but my conscience will no longer 
 permit me, to follow blindly any guides where 
 my eternal salvation is at stake. Forgive me, 
 father, when I say there are many things in 
 the practice of our church, which I cannot re- 
 concile with my knowledge of Scripture, such
 
 236 THE CONFESSIONAL. 
 
 as the Invocation of Saints, the sacrifice of the 
 Mass, the " 
 
 " Peace ! blasphemer !" interrupted the en- 
 raged confessor, " I will hear no more : no 
 longer shall you pollute this place with your 
 heretical notions. Retire instantly to the 
 chapel, and pass the night before the image 
 of the blessed Virgin ; there, on your knees, 
 implore her pardon for the wickedness of 
 which you have been guilty perhaps fasting 
 and penance may yet restore you, as a wan- 
 dering sheep, to the fold of our Shepherd. At 
 eight o'clock to-morrow morning I shall expect 
 you here, when I hope a more proper spirit of 
 humility will pervade your mind." 
 
 Isabel arose, meekly bowed her head, and 
 bent her steps to the chapel, not, as she had 
 been ordered, to repeat prayers to a senseless 
 image, but to pour out her soul in thankfulness 
 to her heavenly Father, who had thus Jar sup- 
 ported her, and enabled her to speak the truth, 
 according to her conscience, and to implore 
 that He, who told His disciples, when they 
 ware delivered up, to " take no thought what 
 they should say, as whatsoever they required 
 should be given them in that hour," would be 
 with her in the coming trial, for greatly did 
 she fear the storm which she saw gathering 
 around her ; but her trust was not in man, and 
 u feeling of child-like confidence gradually
 
 THE CONFESSIOJfAL. 237 
 
 stole over her, as passage after passage of her 
 much-loved Testament recurred to her mem- 
 ory. 
 
 It was with difficulty Father Giacomo com- 
 manded his temper sufficiently to order the 
 poor novice from his presence. That he had 
 not been able to elicit from her the hiding- 
 place of the hated volume, was, in itself, mor- 
 tification sufficient ; but, that she dared to 
 question the doctrines of the church, was al- 
 most maddening to the bigoted priest. Deeply 
 did he regret that she had not yet assumed the 
 black veil. The vows once taken, nothing 
 could have saved Isabel from his fury ; but he 
 felt that, to succeed at last, he must dissemble 
 now. Her noviciate was nearly expired ; he 
 would bear with her, and not excite any un- 
 necessary fears in her mind till that time. The 
 ceremony of renouncing the world forever, 
 once passed, then should the daring novice ex- 
 perience the full weight of the vengeance of 
 the church, and his own. 
 
 Filled with these revengeful thoughts, he 
 hastily paced the small parlor adjoining the 
 confessional, when suddenly he remembered 
 that another penitent had been ordered to at- 
 tend him, and, peeping through the curtain, he 
 perceived the unhappy Rosa already kneeling 
 at the accustomed place. 
 
 " There." said he, mentallv, " is another ac-
 
 238 THE CONFESSIONAL. 
 
 cursed heretic ! though she has not the courage 
 and nerve of her companion, and will be more 
 easily subdued ; but should she prove refrac- 
 tory, then with her also I must dissemble ; a 
 few short weeks, and she, too, will be in my 
 power ; then shall she feel that the church has 
 the right, and the will, to punish her erring and 
 disobedient children. Aye ! not only to punish, 
 but to exterminate, if need be. She will not 
 be the first who has perished for her obstinacy 
 within these walls." 
 
 The irritated father took a few more strides 
 across his apartment, then smoothing his ruffled 
 brow, entered the confessional, and, in the mild- 
 est tone imaginable, intimated to the agitated 
 Rosa that he was ready to hear her confession. 
 
 The frembling girl was not so fully con- 
 vinced as her companion of the sin of address- 
 ing created beings as mediators, though her 
 faith in their intercession was shaken ; neither 
 had she the courage to avow her sentiments 
 openly to the priest. Besides this, she had de- 
 termined to outwit her rulers, if possible, by a 
 system of deceit, which might enable her the 
 better to carry into effect a plan for escape 
 which she had formed. In pursuance, there- 
 fore, with this object, she commenced her con* 
 fession in the usual form, and then awaited any 
 interrogations which it might please Father 
 Giacomo to put to her. Th? reverend father
 
 THE CONFEtiSIOXAL. 239 
 
 was rather surprised, for he had expected a 
 repetition of Isabel's refractory conduct, as he 
 termed it. as the superior had informed him of 
 Rosa's obstinate refusal to name the owner of 
 the pin. 
 
 " Daughter," said he, " I trust you have per- 
 formed, punctually, the penances enjoined you 
 by the holy mother, and that they have re- 
 stored you to a sense of your duty to her." 
 
 " Holy father ! I have performed them, and 
 humbly confess to you my sin in disobeying 
 the holy madre, and profess my willingness to 
 submit to any penance for my offence." 
 
 " I am glad, daughter, to find you thus hum- 
 bled, as I trust it is a proof of your willingness 
 now to atone, for a former disobedience, by a 
 full confession, and that you will tell me how, 
 and when, you became acquainted with the 
 o\vner of that diamond pin which was shown 
 you by the madre:' 
 
 The heart of Rosa shrank from this much- 
 dreaded question, as she answered, " Pardon 
 me, holy father, that question I cannot answer ; 
 I will submit to any penance, but no torture 
 shall ever draw it from me ; any thing con- 
 cerning myself I will communicate freely ; but 
 that relates to another I cannot, therefore, 
 obey you." 
 
 " Refractory child !" exclaimed the priest, 
 forgetting for an instant, his intended duplicity,
 
 240 THE CONFESSIONAL. 
 
 " Will y<pu likewise dare thus to trifle with the 
 holy sacrament of confession ? This arises 
 from companionship with that heretic ; but 
 both she and you shall be brought to a more 
 humble spirit. I command you instantly to 
 obey me- Answer my question without pre- 
 varication." 
 
 " Holy father, spare me ! I beseech you to 
 forgive my disobedience ! I cannot answer 
 you." 
 
 The tremulous and scarcely audible tones of 
 the poor novice recalled the exasperated father 
 to his former intention, and vexed with himself 
 for having for an instant, betrayed his violent 
 feelings, he addressed his penitent in a milder 
 manner. 
 
 " You have hitherto been an obedient daugh- 
 ter to holy church ; you have been a much- 
 loved child of your mother the superior ; some 
 evil influence must have possessed you thus to 
 change your usual line of conduct. I am un- 
 willing to adopt harshness towards you, and 
 would treat you with all tenderness, in consid- 
 eration of your former obedience, trusting that, 
 in a short time, you will see the sin of your 
 present conduct, and will submit yourself with- 
 out reserve to your spiritual guides ; but, 
 daughter, until that period, your penances 
 shall be severe, as the natural will must be 
 brought under the guidance of holy feelings,
 
 THE CONFESSIONAL. 241 
 
 which cannot be obtained while you are act- 
 ing in disobedience to your appointed rulers. 
 I therefore enjoin you a double portion of daily 
 devotional exercises, besides such additional 
 duties as your holy mother may see fit to lay 
 upon you ; and must deprive you of the ben- 
 efit of absolution, until a full, free confession, 
 and perfect submission have entitled you to it." 
 
 This sentence was so much more lenient 
 than the terrified novice anticipated, that she 
 could scarcely restrain herself from pouring 
 out her thanks, but the father seeing her about 
 to speak, motioned her to depart. 
 
 A few weeks before this period, such a sen- 
 tence, far from filling Rosa with joy, would 
 have overwhelmed her with terror ; then to be 
 deprived of the priest's absolution would have 
 beeu an almost insupportable trial ; but, from 
 Isabel's inspired volume, she had learnt that 
 the forgiveness she needed was " not of man, 
 but of God," and to Him she sought for par- 
 don of all her sins, and even entreated His as- 
 sistance in her projected attempt to escape, for, 
 though intending to practise deceit, in order to 
 attain her end, she felt no fear in praying for 
 His blessing on her endeavors. 
 
 The poor novice had been nurtured in that 
 
 Church, one of whose maxims is, that the end 
 
 sanctifies the means, and although the light o, 
 
 Gospel-truth was beginning to gleam in her 
 
 21
 
 242 THE CONFESSIONAL. 
 
 soul, her mind was like a spacious chamber 
 illumined by a single taper, whose feeble ray 
 only served to render the darkness more ap- 
 parent. 
 
 But He who had begun a good work in her 
 soul, would not " break the bruised reed, nor 
 quench the smoking flax ; He did not " despise 
 the day of small things ;" and having com- 
 menced the work, would carry it on to the 
 end. 
 
 He has said, that " His word shall not re- 
 turn unto Him void, that it shall accomplish 
 that whereto He sends it." 
 
 The contents of that small volume were 
 commissioned to open the eyes of two poor 
 blind novices, and, though priest and abbess 
 may punish and torture their deluded victims, 
 they have no power to stay that word which 
 is " sharper than any two-edged sword." 
 
 The wily priest proceeded to the apartments 
 of la Madre Santa Teresa immediately after 
 the departure of his refractory novice. 
 
 He found that lady impatiently awaiting his 
 arrival ; and, though confesssions to a priest 
 are considered sacredly secret, he allowed her 
 to infer from his manner, if not from his words, 
 that he had not succeeded any better in the con- 
 fessional than in her apartment, in his endeavors 
 to subdue the determination of the -daring nov- 
 ices. The haughty Abbess could scarcely con-
 
 THE CONFESdIONAL. 243 
 
 tain her indignation, and terrible indeed would 
 have been the punishments inflicted, had the 
 unhappy offenders been then before her. 
 
 Gradually, Father Giacomo quelled the storm 
 of passion which had burst from her on receiv- 
 ing this information, and they then mutually 
 concerted a plan of pretended moderation to- 
 wards Isabel and Rosa, by which they should 
 be lulled into security ; and, while their former 
 liberty should be allowed them, it should only 
 be with a view of secretly watching their pro- 
 ceedings, in order that the charges against 
 them should be more fully substantiated, and 
 that the vengeance of the church, priest, and 
 superior, might fall with greater certainty on 
 their devoted heads, after they had assumed 
 the black veil, and by that act, had placed 
 themselves entirely at the mercy of their per- 
 secutors. 
 
 While this scheme was preparing in the su- 
 perior's apartment, Isabel was pouring out her 
 soul to Him who has said, " Ask and it shall be 
 given you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it 
 shall be opened to you." 
 
 The unhappy girl prayed for grace to sup- 
 port her in the coming trial ; she felt that she 
 could no longer keep silence, that the time was 
 come when she must answer for the new doc- 
 trines she had adopted. Much did she wish 
 she could enjoy the society of her beloved
 
 244 THE CONFESSIONAL. 
 
 Rosa, during that long, dreary night, and still 
 more did she hunger and thirst for her pre- 
 cious Testament, which she could almost see 
 from the spot on which she knelt. Many times 
 did she feel tempted to rise from her knees and 
 steal one glance at her cherished treasure, but 
 the dread that she might even then be watched 
 deterred her, and she resolved to wait another 
 opportunity, rather than risk detection. 
 
 And well was it for the kneeling novice that 
 she acted in this resolution, for, from time to 
 time, during that long, wearisome night, the 
 sharp, twinkling eyes of the holy Padre Gi- 
 acomo might be seen peering through the eye- 
 balls of St. Peter, whose figure, in a massive 
 frame, was suspended at some little distance 
 from the spot where Isabel knelt, unconscious 
 that the dreaded priest was so near her, though 
 suspecting that she was not alone in the cha- 
 pel. The weary night at length closed, inter- 
 rupted only by the usual nocturnal services, 
 and a lovely morning dawned on the convent 
 of Santa Rosalia, that, as the world imagined, 
 happy abode of peace and love ! Ah ! little 
 did they suspect that so many heavy hearts 
 resided within its precincts, and how many 
 were there, who would have submitted wil- 
 lingly to all the ills of poverty, loss of friends, 
 and almost any privation, to be^allowed to 
 leave those hated walls.
 
 THE CONFESSIONAL. 245 
 
 Poor Isabel was weak and faint from fast- 
 ing, and kneeling so many hours, but she had 
 received that support from her heavenly Father 
 which she had so earnestly entreated, and He, 
 who is a " very present help in trouble," had 
 refreshed her fainting spirit, with heavenly 
 manna. 
 
 With a beating heart Isabel heard the con- 
 vent clock strike the hour of eight ; for an in- 
 stant, her courage forsook her, and she fell, 
 almost fainting, against the rails of the high 
 altar, and the tempter suggested to her, that 
 she had better submit herself to her spiritual 
 guides, as she, a poor, lonely, defenceless nun, 
 could expect nothing but defeat and punish- 
 ment, perhaps even death, should she deter- 
 mine still to brave the anger of those who 
 were in authority over her ; but Scripture, 
 blessed Scripture, which has a word of com- 
 fort and support for every trial, came to her 
 assistance. 
 
 " Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing, 
 and one of them shall not fall on the ground 
 without your father." 
 
 " But the very hairs of your head are all 
 numbered." 
 
 " Fear ye not, therefore, ye are of more value 
 than many sparrows." 
 
 This consolatory passage, gave her fresh 
 energy ; her faith in Christ was augmented, 
 21*
 
 246 THE CONFESSION 1 AL. 
 
 and she determined to confess Him before 
 men, trusting that He would give her ade- 
 quate strength. 
 
 Isabel fell once more on her knees, and put- 
 ting up one more fervent petition for heavenly 
 guidance and support, arose strengthened and 
 decided on the course she would pursue. 
 
 As the trembling nun approached the con- 
 fessional, her steps tottered from bodily weak- 
 ness and fatigue, caused by fasting and want 
 of repose, and she felt relieved on finding that 
 Father Giacomo had not entered, and that a 
 few minutes' respite was thus granted her, to 
 compose her agitated thoughts. 
 
 When the holy father's footsteps were heard 
 approaching, they were quick and impatient, 
 and Isabel's heart sank within her, as she 
 thought of his dreaded anger. 
 
 The priest closed the door, but, instead of 
 the violent tones she expected, he addressed 
 her in his mildest accents ; trusted that the in- 
 flicted penance had produced contrition, and 
 that the novice was fully prepared to confess 
 her fault, and receive his absolution, by which 
 she might again be considered a favored 
 daughter of holy mother church. This was a 
 pleasant prospect to the exhausted, worn-out 
 spirit of the poor girl, but her sense of duty 
 forbade her to accept it. 
 
 "I feel sincerely grateful, holy father, for
 
 THE CONFESSIONAL. 
 
 your promised leniency, and most truly do I 
 confess that I have been guilty of many faults, 
 and among them that of involuntary disobe- 
 dience to my superiors, for which I humbly 
 beg your forgiveness, and that of the Madre 
 Superior e" 
 
 " I am glad, daughter, to find you thus pen- 
 itent, and trust you will now recall the blas- 
 phemous speech you made yester-even." 
 
 " Pardon me, holy father, I am not sensible 
 that I have committed this horrible sin." 
 
 " Do not prevaricate, daughter, without full 
 and free confession, you can receive no ab- 
 solution. Is it not blasphemy to doubt the 
 efficacy of the Mass, and the Invocation of 
 Saints ? Recollect yourself, daughter, and al- 
 low that you were under the influence of the 
 evil one, when you expressed those unholy 
 sentiments." 
 
 " Forgive me, father, for displeasing you, 
 but I cannot unsay those words. I have read, 
 that ' Christ was once offered.' 
 
 " The Apostle to the Hebrews says : 
 
 " ' Then, said he, lo, I come to do thy will f 
 OGod. 
 
 " ' By the which will we are sanctified 
 through the offering of the body of Jesus 
 Christ, once for all. 
 
 " ' And every priest standeth daily minister-
 
 248 THE CONFESSIONAL. 
 
 ing and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices 
 which can never take away sins. 
 
 " ' But this man aft^r He had offered one 
 sacrifice for sin, forever sat down on the right 
 hand of God. 
 
 " ' From henceforth expecting till His en- 
 emies be made his footstool. 
 
 " ' For by one offering he hath perfected for- 
 ever them that are sanctified.' " 
 
 A fine study for an artist would that confes- 
 sional have presented ! In the centre sat the 
 reverend father, his whole frame convulsed 
 with suppressed fury, for such daring conduct 
 was scarcely anticipated by him ; at his left 
 hand knelt the beautiful novice, her face lighted 
 up with holy ardor, her dark expressive eyes 
 beaming with love to Him, who had offered 
 Himself once for her sins, and was, as she felt, 
 a sufficient atonement for them. 
 
 For some seconds Father Giacomo could not 
 trust himself to utter a syllable, as he was un- 
 willing that Isabel should know how deeply he 
 was agitated, and did not desire to pour out the 
 full measure of his wrath upon her, at that mo- 
 ment. 
 
 At length, though still with the half-stifled 
 voice of a person striving to conceal his cha- 
 grin and anger, he said, 
 
 " Daughter, I fear your obstinacy is too great 
 for any reasoning to be available ; you are evi
 
 THE CONFESSIONAL. 249 
 
 dently under the influence of an evil spirit; 
 therefore, I shall prescribe such penances, as 
 may, with the blessing 'of the holy Virgin, be 
 beneficial to you ; to her altar retire, and, 
 while repeating to her the prayers of our most 
 holy church, may she vouchsafe to deliver you 
 from the spirit of blasphemy which has pos- 
 sessed you." 
 
 " Pardon me, holy father, but I cannot feel 
 that the blessed Virgin possesses that power 
 which you ascribe to her ; I believe that to 
 God alone belongs the forgiveness of sins." 
 
 " True, daughter, God does forgive sin ; but 
 He is too great, too holy, too terrible, to be ap- 
 proached by sinful mortals ; therefore our holy 
 mother, compassionating her penitent children, 
 intercedes with her son on their behalf." 
 
 " Why then, father, do the Scriptures speak 
 of Christ as the only mediator ? St. Paul says, 
 ' For there is one God, and one mediator be- 
 tween God and men, the man Christ Jesus.' " 
 
 " Beware, daughter, you are on dangerous 
 ground. Have I not already told you that you 
 have an heretical translation of the Scriptures, 
 and I now tell you, you will inevitably go to 
 eternal perdition, if you do not give up that 
 pernicious book ; its baneful effects are even 
 now visible, as you already doubt the efficacy 
 of the prayers of the holy mother of God. I 
 sincerely pity yon. daughter, and would desire
 
 250 THE CONFESSIONAL. 
 
 to be the instrument of restoring you to peace 
 and happiness*. You know that I have the 
 power to punish you, and deeply do you de- 
 serve punishment, but I forbear ; I would wil- 
 lingly convince you of your errors, by gentle 
 means. Go, then, daughter, give up the study 
 of the Scriptures, if you still possess them ; 
 return to your usual avocations, repeat the 
 prayers I have prescribed, and I trust, in a few 
 days, to find your mind prepared for the argu- 
 ments I will then bring forward to convince 
 you of your error, should that be still neces- 
 sary." 
 
 " Holy father," replied Isabel, really softened 
 by the apparent kindness of the Jesuitical 
 monk, " I feel deeply grateful, and will en- 
 deavor, with God's assistance, to bring my 
 mind to the state of humility you require, and 
 will, so far as my duty to my heavenly Father 
 allows, submit myself willingly to the Madre 
 Superiore and yourself." 
 
 " "Tis well, daughter ; let me not have cause 
 to repent my leniency ; and may the saints 
 watch over you, and guide you aright, in spite 
 of the heretical notions which you have 
 adopted." 
 
 Isabel arose, and, obeying a waive of the 
 hand from the priest, returned to the chapel, 
 where, kneeling before the altar of the Virgin, 
 as she had been ordered, she poured out her
 
 THE CONFESSIONAL. 251 
 
 whole soul in gratitude to Him who had not 
 forsaken her, arid who had, as she believed, put 
 into the heart of Father Giacomo a sentiment 
 of compassion, and who had, for His own wise 
 purposes, whatever they might be, delayed the 
 manifestation of that fierce anger which, she 
 felt convinced, burned within the breast of the 
 father. The bell for the early convent-dinner 
 soon relieved Isabel from her duty of kneeling 
 at the altar, and she took her accustomed place 
 at the table, without exciting any visible at- 
 tention. It so frequently occurred that a nun 
 or novice was absent for prescribed penance, 
 or other cause, known only to the superiors, 
 that such absences never occasioned any sur- 
 prise ; neither the pale, worn appearance of 
 Isabel, nor the absence of Rosa, elicited any 
 remark. 
 
 Poor Isabel was faint and weak from long 
 fasting, but scarcely could she partake of the 
 food placed before her, so anxious was she re- 
 specting the fate of her beloved friend, whom 
 she had not seen since she left her by the side 
 of sister Giovanna's coffin. 
 
 What might the dear girl be even now suf- 
 fering ? what penances enduring ? perhaps 
 even something more terrible than spending 
 the night in the gloomy abode of the dead. 
 Had she even quitted that sepulchral vault? 
 Isabel remembered the dreadful state of terror
 
 252 THE CONFESSIONAL. 
 
 in- which she had found her, and feared that she 
 might have relapsed into the same condition 
 after her departure, and that she was, perhaps, 
 even now, lying deprived of health, if not of 
 reason, the effect of the cruel treatment she 
 had received. 
 
 " Oh !" exclaimed Isabel, mentally, " can that 
 
 * system be true or right, which requires such 
 
 degrading punishments, in order to keep its 
 
 votaries in that state of slavish subjection so 
 
 necessary to the belief of its tenets ?" 
 
 As the day wore away. Isabel's anxiety in- 
 creased to such a degree, that a violent ner- 
 vous headache, and universal trembling seized 
 her, and she was so evidently ill, that the sub- 
 superior ordered her to her cell, and prescribed 
 a composing draught. 
 
 And where was the youthful Rosa? A 
 lonely inmate of her secluded cell, burdened 
 with penances, but not deprived of hope. 
 
 The occurrences of the last few weeks had 
 materially changed the novice i much of her 
 natural timidity was gone, and in its place a 
 spirit of determination had sprung up. 
 
 The solitude in which she had been left, far 
 from inducing that spirit of subjection which 
 her rulers desired, had given her more time for 
 reflection, and greater opportunity for maturing 
 a plan of escape which had entered her mind, 
 as she had resolved to die rather than pro-
 
 THK CONFESSIONAL. 253 
 
 nounce the irrevocable vows, which would 
 consign her forever to the power of her tor- 
 mentors. But much circumspection would be 
 necessary ; and earnestly did she desire if it 
 were but for a few minutes' conversation with 
 her much-loved friend, but how obtain this 
 boon ? 
 
 The offending novice had been deprived of 
 the privilege of attending the service called 
 " nocturnes" having, instead of it, a number of 
 prayers to repeat in her own cell ; and, think- 
 ing this would be the time when she was least 
 likely to be discovered, she determined to steal 
 cautiously to Isabel's cell, and see whether she, 
 too, were, like herself, a prisoner. 
 
 In the meantime a private conference was 
 held by the Father Giacomo, and the Madre 
 Superiore. 
 
 Ill indeed could that lady endure the system 
 of duplicity which the holy father enjoined ; 
 her natural disposition was hasty and passion- 
 ate in the extreme, and it would have suited 
 her state of mind far better, to make the of- 
 fending novices feel at once the weight of her 
 displeasure. 
 
 Father Giacomo's wishes were, however, 
 considered by the Abbess as commands, and, 
 as he decided that his plan would be most fa- 
 vorable to their ulterior object, she was com- 
 pelled, though very unwillingly, to promise that 
 22
 
 254 THE CONPES4IOXAL. 
 
 nothing in her demeanor should make the 
 young girls fancy themselves more than usu- 
 ally the objects of suspicion. 
 
 " Well, then, holy father," exclaimed the Ab- 
 bess, " you propose that the obstinate novice, 
 sister Rosa, shall, in the morning, be allowed to 
 resume her place in the sisterhood, after you 
 have once more exhorted her to obedience." 
 
 " Yes, daughter, such is my wish ; I know 
 that you must feel justly indignant and dis- 
 pleased with her ; but, from the symptoms of 
 determination she has lately shown, I think 
 there is some danger that, should she be too 
 much exasperated, she may complain to the 
 Count her father, who you tell me intends to 
 visit her previously to her assuming the black 
 veil, and, although the Contessa would never 
 hear of her leaving a convent for the world, 
 she might be persuaded to allow her devoted 
 daughter to quit Santa Rosalia, and pronounce 
 her abjuration of the world, in some other re- 
 ligious house. 
 
 " This you are aware, daughter, must be 
 averted by any means, for her dower must not 
 be lost to us, after having expected it for so 
 many years, nay, almost considered it as our 
 own ; for, till the arrival of that heretical Span- 
 ish novice, who has bewitched her, sister Ro- 
 salia was ever the most devoted and obedient 
 child in this house."
 
 THE CONFESSION A I,. 255 
 
 " I am willing to submit to your decision, 
 holy father, and shall immediately give direc- 
 tions to sister Mariana never to lose sight of 
 sisters Isabel and Rosalia until they have taken 
 the Vows. 
 
 " I shall each night require of her an account 
 of any thing she may have noticed in their con- 
 duct which may give rise to suspicion; each 
 incident shall be carefully noted down, and 
 hereafter can be brought forward as evidence 
 against them ; they being left apparently at 
 liberty, will act in their usual deceitful manner, 
 and we shall, doubtless, by these means, dis- 
 cover the hidden volume, so strangely, hitherto, 
 kept from us by that hypocritical novice." 
 
 The priest assented to this arrangement, and 
 left the Abbess, to retire to his own apartments, 
 in order to commune with himself as to the 
 mode in which he would proceed with Rosa in 
 the morning ; he felt assured that it would be 
 useless, at present, again to question her on the 
 subject of their last discussion ; he, therefore, 
 determined to reprimand her kindly, and then 
 allow her to leave her cell, and resume her 
 usual employments. 
 
 Isabel had not been long on her couch be- 
 fore the sister Mariana entered, bearing the 
 draught prescribed, and, at the same time, told 
 the novice that the Madre Superiors com-
 
 256 THE CONFESSIONAL. 
 
 manded that she should not rise for any of the 
 services in the chapel until she had visited her. 
 
 The novice expressed her thanks ; drank 
 the medicine, which, in a few minutes, threw 
 her into a deep, feverish slumber. 
 
 From this, she was aroused by the convent- 
 bell, sounding for nocturnes, and, almost at the 
 same instant, the sister Mariana entered, and 
 inquired how she was. 
 
 Isabel thanked her for her attention, and ex- 
 pressed herself as feeling better, but suffering 
 much from thirst. 
 
 " I will fetch you something, carina, which 
 will allay that painful sensation. I will excuse 
 your absence to the superior, and hope you 
 will arise quite restored in the morning." 
 
 In a few minutes the old nun returned with 
 a cooling draught, and then, giving the novice 
 her blessing, left her, to perform her own du- 
 ties in the chapel. 
 
 Narrowly had Rosa escaped detection ; 
 eagerly she had listened for the bell, and anx- 
 iously watched till the last receding footstep 
 made her aware that the whole community 
 had retired to the chapel : silently opening her 
 door, she was on the point of leaving her 
 room, when the returning steps of sister Ma- 
 riana startled her; she listened almost breath- 
 lessly, and found that the old nun entered her 
 friend's cell ; this, while it alarmed her for
 
 THE CONFE^IONAL,. 257 
 
 Isabel's health, convinced her that she was in 
 her room. 
 
 Rosa then closed her door, threw herself on 
 her knees, and commenced repeating half audi- 
 bly the prayers prescribed her at that hour. 
 And fortunate was it for her that she was thus 
 engaged, as the sister Mariana, on her way to 
 the chapel, stealthily opened her door, and see- 
 ing her thus properly employed, cautiously 
 closed it again, and passed on without making 
 any observation. 
 
 No sooner was the sound of her footsteps 
 lost, than Rosa started from her knees, and 
 glided swiftly, though cautiously, to Isabel's 
 cell, and after listening a moment at the door 
 to ascertain that no one was with her, she 
 slowly opened it, and in another instant, the 
 novices were clasped in each other's fond em- 
 brace. 
 
 " Dearest Isabel !" " Dearest Rosa !" es- 
 caped from each, almost involuntarily. 
 
 " Thank God ! that I hear your dear voice 
 once more, my own loved friend," said Isabel. 
 '* I cannot express the agony I have suffered 
 this day on your account ; God be praised you 
 are safe. But, tell me, dearest, where have 
 you been since that dreadful night ?" 
 
 "In my own cell, dear sister ; our superiors 
 hope to compel me to submission by this treat- 
 ment, but Isabel, they will not succeed ; I feel 
 
 00*
 
 258 THE CONFE3SIO.VAL. 
 
 myself endued with new energies, and I will 
 exert them to the utmost to leave this place, 
 even if I die in the attempt. If I fail, death 
 will terminate my sufferings here, and I trust 
 my parents will cause a sufficient number of 
 masses to be performed to free my soul from 
 purgatory." 
 
 " Dearest Rosa, do not talk thus, you shock 
 me inexpressibly ; the idea of death is in itself 
 very awful, bat with your views on the sub- 
 ject it is doubly so ! Have we not read, car- 
 ina, that it is through the blood of Christ alone 
 we can be saved ? there is no mention in Scrip- 
 ture of purgatorial fires." 
 
 "I am bewildered, dear Isabel, with these 
 new doctrines ; at present 1 cannot say I be- 
 lieve in them, neither do I disbelieve, but I can- 
 not give up at once my religious opinions ; 
 though I should be most thankful to trust as 
 you do,' to the truths your Scriptures have 
 taught you ; but, dear sister, bear with me, and 
 try to dispel my ignorance. 
 
 " I am fully convinced that our church must 
 have fallen into many errors, my slight knowl- 
 edge of the Word of God has taught me that ; 
 and, if I escape from this place, I will devote 
 myself to the study of that word, and I pray 
 that the Lord Jesus may teach me to under- 
 stand it." 
 
 " He will, dear Rosa ; for you have heard
 
 THE CONCESSIONAL. 259 
 
 me read His own promise, that if we ask, we 
 shall receive. 
 
 " But, dear Rosa, you talk of escape as 
 though you had some hope, some plan for such 
 a blessed deliverance ; tell me, dearest, to 
 what do you allude ?" 
 
 " I can scarcely do so, Isabel, for my plans 
 are very vague ; but on one thing I am deter- 
 mined, I will never assume the black veil in 
 this house. They may torture me, they may 
 confine me, they may even kill me, but they 
 shall never force me to take the vows ;" and 
 the weeping girl threw her arms around her 
 friend, in an agony of grief, which threatened 
 almost to deprive her of reason. 
 
 " Calm yourself, carissima, I entreat you ; 
 this excitement will unfit you for exertion, so 
 necessary at this trying moment. Oh ! that 
 we could escape ! but we will pray for grace 
 to act ; we will pray that God himself will 
 guide us ; say, dearest Rosa, shall we do so ? 
 shall we pray to God, for his dear Son's sake ; 
 not to the Virgin, not to saints, Rosa, but to 
 God Himself?" 
 
 The friends agreed that their petitions to 
 this effect should be fervent and frequent ; and, 
 as they became more calm, Rosa said, 
 
 " I cannot think, Isabel, that my dear father 
 will allow me to be immured here forever, 
 without once more seeing me. I am convin-
 
 260 TIU: CONFESSIONAL. 
 
 ced that he will come, and then I will endeavor 
 by some means to inform him of my unwilling- 
 ness to remain here. Oh ! that my beloved 
 brother were in Sicily ! he, I know, would do 
 his utmost to save me ; he is so kind, so affec- 
 tionate, dear, dear Francesco ; but I do not 
 know when he will return ; perhaps, ere that 
 period arrives, they may compel me to assume 
 the veil ; but no, they shall not succeed ! I 
 will remember my promise to him, as well as 
 my own determination." 
 
 "Dearest Rosa, much do I wish to detain 
 you ; yet I fear that the service in the chapel 
 must be nearly over, and probably sister Ma- 
 riana will be here again. I cannot account 
 for the change in her conduct ; she is become 
 so kind and attentive to me she who is usually 
 so harsh." 
 
 " It is to answer some end of their own, be- 
 lieve me ; beware, dear sister, do not be over- 
 come by her pretended affection ; she hopes to 
 discover your precious book, or some, similar 
 cause makes her act as she is now doing. Oh 
 Isabel, what a system of deceit is theirs, from 
 beginning to end all the same ; and we also, 
 Isabel, though feeling it to be sinful, must act 
 with the greatest duplicity if we wish ever to 
 be free from the influence of the pernicious 
 doctrines we are taught ; but I think I hear 
 footsteps our sisters, poor deluded victims,
 
 THE CONFESSIONAL. 
 
 are leaving the chapel addio. carissima ;" 
 and Rosa sprang from the room, and in a few 
 seconds, had any prying eye observed her, she 
 would have been found kneeling before a print 
 of the Virgin, apparently in deep devotion. 
 
 At an early hour the following morning, 
 Rosa was summoned to attend Father Gia- 
 como. 
 
 " May the saints ever bless you, my daugh- 
 ter," said he, as the trembling girl fell on her 
 knees before him. " Much has your recent 
 conduct, daughter, grieved me and your kind 
 mother ; your late behavior has been so differ- 
 ent from your former dutiful conduct, that we 
 are quite at a loss to account for the change. 
 It is for this, daughter, that we have considered 
 it expedient to forbid your leaving your cell 
 during the last few days, in order that you 
 might have time to reflect on the consequences 
 likely to attend the continuation of such a re- 
 fractory spirit as you have lately shown ; and 
 we sincerely hope that the holy Virgin has 
 listened to your prayers, and that she will now 
 restore you to her favor. You have doubtless 
 performed the penances prescribed ?" 
 
 " I have, holy father," replied Rosa, half- 
 suffocated by contending emotions. 
 
 " It is well, daughter." 
 
 The priest then pronounced the usual ab
 
 262 THE CONFESSIONAL. 
 
 solution, and desired her to present herself be- 
 fore the Abbess. 
 
 With a palpitating heart Rosa left the pres- 
 ence of the priest, and proceeded to obey his 
 command. Slowly she ascended the staircase 
 leading to the superior's apartment, and trem- 
 blingly requested the attendant nun to conduct 
 her to the much-dreaded presence of the 
 Mad re-Superiore. 
 
 She scarcely dared raise her eyes when 
 brought before her, but the kind tone in which 
 the lady inquired whether the holy father Gi- 
 acomo had sent her, somewhat restored her 
 self-possession, and she collected her thoughts 
 sufficiently to kneel before the Abbess and beg 
 her forgiveness for her past undutiful conduct. 
 
 *' I need not tell you, daughter, that I have 
 been greatly pained by your disobedience ; 
 but, as you are sent here by the holy father, 
 you have doubtless received his absolution. 
 I will not, therefore withhold my forgiveness, 
 and trust that your future behavior will be 
 such as to prove to us that you feel grateful 
 for our present leniency towards you. Go, 
 daughter, resume your usual employments, and 
 may the blessed Virgin watch over you." 
 
 Rosa arose, made a profound obeisance, 
 and, conducted by the nun in waiting, left the 
 presence of the superior. 
 
 Isabel was much refreshed from the night's
 
 THE CONFESSIONAL. 263 
 
 repose, and the consciousness that her beloved 
 friend was in health ; she therefore descended 
 at the accustomed hour, though not before the 
 sub-superior had entered her apartment, and 
 expressed her gratulation. 
 
 " You are much better, sister, and, as all the 
 feverish' symptoms are abated, you may leave 
 your cell, in perfect safety." 
 
 Isabel thanked her for her kindness and 
 sympathy, and repaired to her usual tasks. 
 She did not see Rosa till the dinner-hour, their 
 employment being in different rooms ; but 
 their eyes met as each took her seat at the 
 table, though both felt that they were under 
 strict surveillance, and therefore no other sign 
 of recognition was allowed to escape them. 
 Yet each felt happy that the other was restored 
 so far to favor as to be allowed to mix once 
 more with the convent-family.
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 THE ESCAPE. 
 
 Our soul Is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers : the 
 snare is broken, and we are escaped. PSALM cxxiv. 7. 
 
 A FEW days after the incidents narrated in 
 the preceding chapter, a fete-day occurring, 
 gave the novices some hope of being able to 
 converse without exciting more suspicion than 
 usual. 
 
 These days had passed over in the ordinary 
 manner except that both the girls felt instinct- 
 ively that their actions were all observed, and 
 this rendered them very cautious. The morn- 
 ing before the fete-day, Isabel being sent into 
 the chapel to perform some duty, had contrived 
 to take her treasure from its hiding-place. Its 
 thick covering of dust showed palpable evi- 
 dence that it had remained perfectly secure 
 and undiscovered. Her heart rose in thankful- 
 ness to her Heavenly Father for this mercy, 
 and carefully concealing her precious book, she 
 sought her friend on the morning of the fete 
 with renewed hope. " Dear siste'r," said Rosa 
 on meeting her, " I told you it would be so ; I
 
 THE ESCAPE. 265 
 
 knew my dear father would not abandon me. 
 The sub-superior has just informed me that he 
 intends to visit me the day after to-morrow ; 
 how shall I act ? What shall I contrive to let 
 him know my misery 1" 
 
 " Cajm yourself, Rosa ; sister Mariana's eyes 
 are fixed upon us ; we shall excite suspicion." 
 
 " Oh ! that I could procure materials for 
 writing, I think I could slip a note into my dear 
 parent's hand unobserved." 
 
 " I have been thinking, dear Rosa, whether 
 we could trace some words with our hair. A 
 short time since I discovered a small cambric 
 pocket-handkerchief, which, by some accident 
 had been overlooked when I came here, and 
 has ever since remained in my possession. I 
 considered it as mere chance, and thought no 
 more of it ; but now, dear Rosa, it strikes me 
 as a direct interposition of Providence on our 
 behalf. This, dear sister, will serve instead of 
 paper, and my black hair will be a substitute for 
 ink. But, should it fail ! should you be dis- 
 covered ! oh, dear Rosa, I cannot bear to think of 
 the dreadful punishment which would await us ! 
 however it is our only chance of success. And 
 now, dearest, let us separate till the afternoon ; 
 I will walk with sister Mariana for a time, and 
 so lull her suspicions, for I am fully convinced 
 that she is placed as a spy on our actions." 
 Thp dinner-bell soon sounded to the great re- 
 23
 
 266 THE ESCAPE. 
 
 lief of all parties, after which the whole com- 
 munity went to the garden. Isabel and Rosa 
 retired to their favorite bower, the one with 
 her embroidery frame, the other with materials 
 for sketching, hoping to escape the vigilance 
 of the sab-superior and enjoy a little quiet un- 
 interrupted conversation. From the command- 
 ing situation of their retreat they knew they 
 could not be approached without warning, and 
 their frames hid from sight the precious Tes- 
 tament, which Isabel had taken from its hid- 
 ing-place, that they might together read some 
 of the texts which perplexed her. 
 
 She felt perfectly convinced, that Scripture 
 contained no warrant for praying to angels or 
 saints, and she was anxious, that her dear Rosa 
 should also see the sinfulness of complying 
 with the custom. 
 
 " It has often struck me, Rosa, that in the 
 lives of the saints, which we are in the habit 
 of reading, are many things which prove them 
 to have been great sinners, how then can we 
 hope that their mediation will be available for 
 our salvation ? I should think, that, if we re- 
 quire a mediator at all, he should be one, who 
 has not incurred the displeasure of our Heav- 
 enly Father, for if he is or was as much under 
 the influence of sinful passions as ourselves, 
 wherein are his prayers likely to be more effi- 
 cacious than our own ?
 
 THE ESCAPE. 267 
 
 " This was a doubt which often occurred to 
 my mind even before reading the Holy Scrip- 
 tures, and now I am convinced, that they never 
 could offer prayers for us. Are the saints om- 
 nipresent and omniscient, dear Rosa, if not, how 
 can they hear our prayers, and how know what 
 we require ?" 
 
 " You know," dear sister, " that our church 
 teaches us, that God, who possesses the at- 
 tributes of which you speak, makes known to 
 each blessed saint the subject of the prayers 
 and applications of the votaries, and then he 
 or she presents the petition to God in behalf 
 of the sinner." 
 
 " But, carissima, does it not appear very ab- 
 surd, that God Almighty should first receive 
 the petitions Himself, then repeat them to the 
 saint, in order that he or she may again address 
 them to Him ?" 
 
 " It never occurred to me before, though it 
 does seem very strange ; but tell me dear Isa- 
 bel, what do your Scriptures say on this point ?" 
 
 " They tell us, dear Rosa, that there is but 
 One Mediator : here is the passage, 1 Timothy 
 ii. 5. : 
 
 ' For there is one God, and one mediator be- 
 tween God and men, the man Christ Jesus ; 
 
 ' Who gave himself a ransom for all to be 
 testified in due time.'
 
 THE KdCATE. 
 
 " And again in the first Epistle of St. John, 
 the second chapter, and first verse : 
 
 ' And if any man sin, we have an advocate 
 with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.' 
 
 " These passages prove, that Jesus Christ is 
 our mediator certainly, but, dear sister, they do 
 not forbid other mediators." 
 
 " Do you think, sister, we should have been 
 told, that there was one mediator, if it were 
 not intended to show, that there was but one ? 
 besides, I find numerous portions of Scripture, 
 in which Christ is represented as the ' Way,' 
 the mode of ' access' to the Father, but I never 
 read of any saints as fulfilling this office. The 
 Apostle Paul, in writing to the Romans, says, 
 ' We have peace with God, through Jesus 
 Christ our Lord, by whom we have access by 
 Faith.' 
 
 " And our blessed Lord himself says, ' I am 
 the way, and the truth, and the life, no man 
 cometh unto the Father, but by me? 
 
 " And another, to me, very convincing proof 
 of the sinfulness of ' worshipping of angels' or 
 saints, is, that neither angels nor apostles per- 
 mitted it when they were on the earth. 
 
 "In the book of Revelation, St. John tells 
 us, ' And I fell at his (the angel's) feet to wor- 
 ship him. And he said unto me, See thou do 
 it not ; I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy
 
 THE r.ar APE. 269 
 
 brethren that have the testimony of Jesus : 
 worship God.' 
 
 " St. Peter likewise as positively prohibited 
 such worship, ' And as Peter was coming in, 
 Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, 
 and worshipped him.' 
 
 " But Peter took him up, saying, ' Stand up, 
 I myself am also a man.' 
 
 " Now, my dear Rosa, do you think, that 
 these apostles, who would not be worshipped 
 when on earth, would wish, if they were con- 
 scious of it, to receive the adorations of Chris- 
 tians after their death ?" 
 
 " Dear sister, I am, indeed, unable to answer 
 you, my knowledge of Scripture is, as you 
 know, very limited. I have from infancy been 
 taught to venerate and worship the blessed 
 saints, yet, my faith in them is shaken ; I feel, 
 that, what you have read, is the Word, not of 
 man, but of God ; I seem compelled to believe 
 what 1 hear, though every sentiment you read 
 pulls down, as it were, one or other of my pre- 
 conceived opinions. 
 
 " But, dearest Isabel, how, how shall we 
 gain more light, more knowledge, debarred as 
 we are from the pursuit of it? and yet our 
 eternal salvation depends on our reception or 
 rejection of true religion : oh, that I could have 
 an answer to the question, What is true re- 
 ligion ?" 
 
 23*
 
 270 THE ESCAPE. 
 
 " This book," said Isabel, " contains the 
 Word of God ; the very sayings and actions 
 of our Saviour Himself are related in it, He 
 tells us, that He is the Way, and that He will 
 send His Holy Spirit to guide us. See here, 
 dear Rosa, what He says in the 14th of St. 
 John, 26th verse, ' But the Comforter, which 
 is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send 
 in my name, he shall teach you all things, and 
 bring all things to your remembrance, what- 
 soever I have said unto you.' 
 
 " Here, dear sister, is a teacher to whom we 
 may apply at all times, and He is one, who 
 will teach us all things ; no mention is here 
 made of any intervention of saints, but Jesus 
 Himself says : 
 
 'And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name ; 
 that will I do, that the Father may be glorified 
 in the Son. 
 
 ' If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will 
 do it/'" 
 
 " What more can we require ? Oh, dearest 
 sister, may that Holy Spirit vouchsafe to be 
 our teacher ! This is, indeed, a blessed re- 
 ligion, 1 feel almost lifted from earth to heaven 
 with the thought, that Jesus is alone the way, 
 that He is exalted a ' Prince and a Saviour, to 
 give repentance' that ' He died for our sins,' 
 and that ' His blood cleanseth from all sin.' " 
 
 So absorbed was Isabel in the delightful
 
 THE USi; APE. 271 
 
 subject on which she was conversing, so over- 
 joyed to find that " Christ is all, and in all," 
 that the Gospel scheme of salvation was so 
 free, so independent of man's deserts, so com- 
 pletely of grace alone, that she had not ob- 
 served the approach of the sister Mariana. 
 
 The old nun had been for some time hidden 
 behind a group of orange-trees, but loo dis- 
 tant to catch the subject of their conversation, 
 or to see the Testament, which the novices 
 ^held carefully between them, hidden beneath 
 the folds of Rosa's embroidery : several times 
 had she changed her position, till at length, 
 perceiving by Isabel's heightened color and 
 emphatic gestures, that the conversation was 
 of more than common interest, she cautiously 
 approached the bower, and stood before the 
 startled girls, almost before Isabel could con- 
 ceal her precious volume in the loose sleeve 
 of her dress. 
 
 She was first made aware of the nun's ap- 
 proach, by an exclamation from Rosa. 
 
 " I assure you, sister, that acacia is not suf- 
 ficiently drooping ; just look at the flowering 
 shrubs below it, and you will perceive that the 
 lower branches fall completely over some 
 parts of them, whereas in your copy of the 
 tree, they are far above them." 
 
 " I thank you sister,'' said Isabel, immediately 
 understanding the hint, " your eye is generally
 
 272 THE ESCAPE. 
 
 more correct than mine, I am surprised that 
 you do not practise drawing more than you 
 have lately done." 
 
 At this moment the sister Mariana entered 
 the bower, and smilingly inquired in what 
 they were engaged. 
 
 Isabel presented her group of trees for her 
 inspection, at the execution of which the old 
 nun expressed herself pleased, and then pro- 
 ceeded to examine Rosa's embroidery. 
 
 Though apparently occupied with the ob- 
 jects before her, it was evident to a close ob- 
 server, that her suspicions were aroused, as 
 with a scrutinizing gaze she stealthily watched 
 every movement of the novices. 
 
 Isabel trembled from conscious deception, 
 and almost feared the nun's searching eyes 
 would pierce through the folds of her dress to 
 the volume beneath. 
 
 " You are very fond of this bower, sisters, 
 and I always remark that you, sister Isabel, 
 are particularly animated when seated here." 
 
 " How can I be otherwise, sister, when, 
 from this lovely spot, such beautiful scenery is 
 so invitingly spread before me : look around 
 sister, and tell me if your heart does not ac- 
 knowledge its influence ?" 
 
 "It is all very pretty sister, hill and dale, 
 trees, flowers, and here and, there glimpses of 
 a stream, but these things do not affect me, as
 
 THE ESCAPE. 
 
 they appear to do you, if I may judge from the 
 expression of your countenance, and your an- 
 imated gestures as I approached." 
 
 Isabel blushed, as the falsehood she was act- 
 ing occurred to her, but she had not been 
 taught, that to make a lie, as it is expressed in 
 the last chapter of the Revelation, is equally 
 sinful, and will merit the same punishment as 
 shall be inflicted on those who telllies, namely, 
 banishment forever from the presence of God 
 and the Lamb. Oh ! that my youthful read- 
 ers, who are not, like these poor novices, de- 
 prived of the Word of God, may remember, 
 that God looks at the heart, the source from 
 which their actions arise, and that though they 
 may deceive their rulers by prevarication, as 
 in the case before them, yet they cannot de- 
 ceive Him, to whom all thoughts are known, 
 for " all things are naked and open unto the 
 eyes of Him with whom we have to do." 
 
 But Isabel did not reason in this manner, she 
 knew that if the true subject of their conver- 
 sation had been known, they would both have 
 met with the severest penances, and feeling that 
 it was God's command to study the Scriptures, 
 she thought with the Apostle, that she ought 
 " to obey God, rather than man," but, not suf- 
 ficiently understanding the spirit of that blessed 
 word, she did not scruple to deceive her supe- 
 riors. .
 
 274 THE ESCAPK. 
 
 Before retiring to rest, Isabel had given Rosa 
 a part of her cambric handkerchief, with a 
 quantity of hair ; and, with the first dawn of 
 day, the unhappy girl began her fearful task, 
 trembling at every sound, lest some unwelcome 
 intruder might discover her thus employed. 
 She had spent the night in a state of feverish 
 excitement, longing for the day, and unable to 
 decide upon what words should be written, 
 sufficiently to alarm her father, yet so brief as 
 to be quickly executed. 
 
 At length she determined to state her wishes 
 plainly, though 'briefly, and sat down to her 
 task to delineate the words, " Take me from 
 this house, or I die." 
 
 Two days elapsed ere Rosa completed this 
 undertaking, and tremblingly concealed it in 
 her dress ; she had marked the words as small 
 as possible, in order that it might be put into 
 her father's hand secretly. 
 
 At noon on this eventful day, the Count, ac- 
 companied by Francesco, who had unexpect- 
 edly arrived in Sicily the evening previous, 
 visited the convent Santa Rosalia ; and Rosa 
 was conducted by the sub-superior to the so 
 much-wished for, and yet so much-dreaded in- 
 terview. Her heart bounded with joy, when 
 she heard that her dear brother was in the par- 
 lor ; her agitation was so great, a^ she ad-
 
 THE ESCAPE. 275 
 
 vanced to the room, that the nun noticed it, 
 and inquired what disturbed her so greatly. 
 
 "The arrival of my dear brother is so unex- 
 pected," said Rosa, " that it has almost over- 
 come me, but I am better now sister, and we 
 will if you please hasten to my dear relatives." 
 
 The old nun eyed her suspiciously, and Rosa, 
 feeling that her very life depended on her cau- 
 tion, exerted herself to appear gay and uncon- 
 cerned. Early in the morning, Isabel had been 
 sent to the chapel, to re-arrange some bouquets 
 of flowers on the altar, and, after cautiously 
 examining every part of the edifice, and, think- 
 ing herself unnoticed, deposited her precious 
 book again in its former niche. 
 
 Most reluctantly did she part with it, but she 
 was fully convinced that she was sedulously 
 watched ; and, therefore, that if kept in either 
 her cell or about her person, it would inevitably 
 be discovered. 
 
 The two friends had been unable to have a 
 minute's private conversation, since the after- 
 noon spent in the arbor. Isabel knew not, 
 therefore, whether Rosa had put her intention 
 into effect, or whether she had abandoned the 
 scheme ; most anxious was she on this point, 
 as it appeared to her the only chance they had 
 of success ; and fervently did she pray, that 
 He, who had protected them thus far, would 
 continue His care over them.
 
 THE ESCAPE. 
 
 A look from Rosa, as she passed her friend 
 on the way to the parlor, informed Isabel that 
 she had not abandoned her project. 
 
 The poor novice was in a state of dreadful 
 anxiety until the family met at supper. Rosa 
 was there, and her happy look conveyed to 
 Isabel's troubled heart the knowledge of her 
 success. 
 
 What would she have given for five minutes' 
 conversation, but that small boon was denied 
 by convent-discipline. 
 
 If two of the inmates of that house were 
 seen in earnest conversation, suspicion was im- 
 mediately awakened, and the poor victims of 
 it were watched, questioned, and punished. 
 
 Our novices were well aware of this, and 
 that, if they did meet to communicate their in- 
 tentions and hopes to each other, it must be 
 clandestinely. 
 
 As Isabel passed Rosa, on leaving the table, 
 the latter contrived to whisper, " Expect me 
 after nocturnes." 
 
 During the remainder of the day, the friends 
 studiously avoided each other. The nocturnal 
 service being concluded, each retired to her 
 own cell, and a few minutes after, Isabel's door 
 was cautiously opened, and then closed. The 
 novice, expecting her friend, started up in her 
 bed, but the instantaneous closing of the door
 
 THE ESCAPE. 277 
 
 convinced her thnt it was only one of those 
 visits which of late had become so frequent. 
 
 Isabel trembled lest Rosa should be met in 
 the passage, by the unwelcome intruder, but 
 the youthful novice had deemed it prudent to 
 remain quietly in her own room for a short 
 time, judging it probable that she would be 
 watched, for she feared, that her feeling of ex- 
 ultation, after she had put her piece of cambric 
 into her brother's hand, had been noticed by 
 her companion, who had eyed her with jealous 
 suspicion on her return from the door to which 
 she had gone to summon the portress, in order 
 to send her on a message to the Abbess. 
 
 Rosa had availed, herself of this momentary 
 absence to convey her note through the grat- 
 ing. Francesco, quick as light, deposited it in 
 his pocket, before either the nun or his father 
 perceived the manoeuvre. 
 
 The sister Mariana had received fresh or- 
 ders to increase her watchfulness, as the book 
 had not yet been discovered, much to the cha- 
 grin of Father Giacomo and the Abbess, who 
 had frequent conversations on the subject, after 
 the daily examinations to which the sister Ma- 
 riana was subjected. 
 
 She had related to her superiors the manner 
 in which the afternoon of the fete-day had 
 been passed, but providentially she had made 
 24
 
 278 THE ESCAPE. 
 
 no discoveries, and had nothing but her own 
 suspicions to bring her employers. 
 
 As she passed Rosa's room, she gently un- 
 closed the door, and seeing the novice appa- 
 rently sleeping, and feeling very drowsy her- 
 self, the old nun thought as her charges were 
 both so well employed, sleeping quietly in 
 their cells, she could not do better than follow 
 their example, and accordingly repaired to her 
 own cell, when a very few minutes sufficed to 
 render her quite incapable of any further sur- 
 veillance. 
 
 When Rosa thought time enough had elapsed 
 for this purpose, she arose, traversed the cor- 
 ridor rapidly, and almost breathless, from the 
 palpitation of her heart, and threw herself into 
 the arms of her friend. 
 
 " Dearest sister, we are saved ! we shall not 
 be sacrificed, my noble brother is here, he will 
 save us ; I feel new hope, new life within me, 
 since I have seen him." 
 
 " God grant that it may be so, my beloved 
 Rosa," exclaimed Isabel, almost as much over- 
 come by the delightful prospect -as Rosa was 5 
 " but, dearest girl, did you speak to the Count, 
 your father ? did you give him the cambric ? 
 has he promised to take you from this dreadful 
 place ? Tell me all, dearest." 
 
 " I will, dear sister, but I am so flurried that 
 I scarcely know where to begin.
 
 THE ESCAPE. 279 
 
 " I was so delighted when told that my 
 dearest brother was in the parlor, that I al- 
 most betrayed myself; and, perhaps, should 
 have done so completely, had not the piercing, 
 malicious features of the sub-superior taught 
 rne that I was giving her cause for suspicion. 
 
 " My dear father is looking very ill ; he was 
 evidently anxious about me, as the Contessa, 
 he said, had informed him that I was unwell ; 
 he inquired most affectionately about my pre- 
 sent state of health, while I, desiring to relieve 
 him of a load I saw he was not able to bear, 
 assumed a gayety I was far from feeling. 
 
 " My brother was frank, cheerful, and affec- 
 tionate, as usual, and we had a very delightful 
 chat, but my heart almost died within me, 
 when my father spoke of the preparations 
 which were being made at home, for my tak- 
 ing the veil ; and turning to the sub-superior, 
 told her that his little protege, Maria, had as- 
 sisted in embroidering the pocket-handkerchief 
 to be used on the occasion, that she was most 
 desirous of presenting it to Rosa herself, and 
 he begged to know whether it would please 
 the Abbess to favor him, by allowing his family 
 one more interview with his beloved Rosa, 
 previously to her assuming the veil, as, in that 
 case, the child's earnest desire should be com- 
 plied with. 
 
 " The nun expressed in strong terms her af-
 
 280 THE ESCAPE. 
 
 fection for the child, and hoped the Madre 
 Superiors would not refuse the request, if it 
 were only that she might again have the pleas- 
 ure of embracing her little favorite ; as she 
 finished this flattering 'speech, the nun arose, 
 aryi opened the door to call the portress, while 
 I, watching every step she took, slipped my 
 note into Francesco's hand, resumed my seat, 
 and continued the conversation, without ap- 
 parently exciting her notice. 
 
 " Oh, Isabel ! I cannot describe the feeling 
 of hope and joy which took possession of my 
 heart, when* this object was obtained, when I 
 saw my precious note securely placed in the 
 pocket of my beloved brother's vest. I fancied 
 myself already free ; nay, Isabel, do not sigh ! 
 do you not think we shall succeed ? Oh ! do 
 not crush me with despair. I know not what 
 means can be adopted, but I rely on my 
 brother's love, and my father's affection, and, 
 surely, I shall not trust in vain. Oh, no ! the 
 thought is too horrible ! and the tone in which 
 Francesco whispered, as he bade me adieu, 
 * Sperate, carissima,' assured me that he has 
 some plan, and I cannot help fancying that 
 my father's request to the Abbessa, for the 
 whole family to visit me, is in some measure 
 connected with it. I forgot to tell you, sister, 
 that the Madre Superiore, from respect to the 
 Count and Contessa, has consented to depart
 
 THE ESCAPE. 281 
 
 from the usual custom of the house, and to al- 
 low the visit on this day-week, only one day 
 before the awful ceremony should be per- 
 formed. 
 
 " How I shall exist till that time I know not, 
 for my heart throbs so violently that I almost 
 fancy its pulsations can be heard ; but, dear 
 sister, why do you weep ?" 
 
 " Dearest sister," said the weeping girl, clasp- 
 ing Rosa to her heart, " I will not pain you by 
 expressing a doubt of your affection, it has 
 been too well tried ; but your family, what 
 claim have I on their sympathy ? what right 
 have I to depend, or even hope, for their as- 
 sistance on my behalf !" 
 
 " Calm yourself, dearest Isabel, be assured 
 that I will avail myself of no deliverance of 
 which you are not a partaker ; we will to- 
 gether leave this dreadful place, or together 
 suffer whatever tortures our unfeeling rulers 
 may see fit to make us undergo ! but, courage, 
 sister, this will not happen, we shall yet be 
 happy ; and now, addio carina, the first dawn 
 of day warns us to part." 
 
 Rosa reached her room without detection, 
 and, throwing herself on her couch, endeavored 
 to obtain a little rest, before the matin-bell 
 summoned her to the regular round of wear- 
 isome duties ; but to sleep was impossible ; her 
 imagination was too much excited, her feelings 
 24*
 
 282 THE ESCAPE. 
 
 had ~been over- wrought ; so finding the effort 
 ineffectual, she arose, and threw herself on 
 her knees, to beseech that God would guide 
 her during the trying week before her. 
 
 Isabel, too, was similarly employed, when 
 sister Mariana entered, to summon her to at- 
 tend father Giacomo in the chapel. 
 
 The poor girl trembled at the call, for, know- 
 ing herself to be guilty of deceit and hypoc- 
 risy in her present conduct and proceedings, 
 she always feared a discovery would be made. 
 
 In the present instance she was relieved by 
 the confessor, in his kindest tones, telling her, 
 that, as the term of her noviciate was on the 
 point of expiring, he and the Abbess considered 
 that it would be advisable for her to pronounce 
 her vows at the same time as her friend the 
 sister Rosa. 
 
 Though Isabel had been expecting some 
 such announcement for several days, it came 
 upon her now like the shock of an earthquake, 
 her mind was in so disturbed a state ; deter- 
 mined, as she was, not to adopt the black veil, 
 yet not daring at present to refuse, she scai-cely 
 knew what answer to return. 
 
 At length, collecting her scattered thoughts, 
 she answered, bowing submissively before the 
 priest, that she would in that particular submit 
 herself to the direction of her holy Another, af- 
 ter having conversed with her on the subject.
 
 THE ESCAPE. 283 
 
 Father Giacomo was well pleased to find the 
 hitherto refractory novice so tractable, and, be- 
 stowing his blessing on her, allowed her to re- 
 tire. 
 
 Poor Isabel was very unhappy I the system 
 of hypocrisy and deceit she was practising was 
 painful to her naturally ingenuous disposition ; 
 it would have been unpleasant to her at any 
 time ; but now that her mind was partially 
 enlightened, she felt that her mode of acting 
 towards her superiors was sinful, and, there- 
 fore, she could not expect the blessing of God 
 on her endeavors. 
 
 True, these superiors were not of her own 
 choosing, she had not voluntarily placed her- 
 self under their control : her brother had sent 
 her to Santa Rosalia, without consulting her 
 inclination ; she had, certainly, pronounced the 
 vows of a novice, but, at the same time, her 
 senses were scarcely under her own command, 
 she was almost driven to despair. 
 
 Would these palliating circumstances remove 
 her guilt, in the eyes of a heart-searching God ? 
 She feared not ; yet what else could she do ? 
 how resolve to pass the remainder of her life 
 in the dreary abode of sinful superstition in 
 which she was then immured, how submit to 
 the loss of her invaluable book, and again pray 
 to senseless paintings and images ? 
 
 This she knew was the only alternative, for
 
 THE ESCAPE. 
 
 she was convinced that harsher measures 
 would be adopted towards her, when once that 
 barrier, between herself and the outer world, 
 the black veil, was adopted. 
 
 After much conflicting feeling, and much un- 
 happiness, she at length determined that she 
 would cast in her lot with her friend, that to- 
 gether they would escape, if God blessed their 
 endeavors ; or together they would suffer and 
 die, if discovered. 
 
 When Isabel was summoned to attend the 
 superior, she had, in some degree, recovered 
 her accustomed firmness. 
 
 The Madre Santa Teresa received the nov- 
 ice with much kindness of manner, and re- 
 peated what she had already heard from Father 
 Giacomo. 
 
 " Before giving my consent to pronounce the 
 vows," said Isabel, " may I be allowed to ask, 
 holy mother, whether you have lately heard 
 from my brother ?" 
 
 " Yes, daughter," replied the Abbess, " and 
 it is chiefly from the contents of that letter that 
 I, in accordance with your brother's desire, 
 wish to hasten the ceremony. Here, daughter, 
 read for yourself." 
 
 Isabel took the offered epistle, in which the 
 writer requested that the ceremony of renounc- 
 ing the world might be performed ae speedily 
 as possible, as he had determined his sister
 
 THE ESCAPE. 285 
 
 should never return to that home, rendered so 
 miserable by her disobedient and sinful con- 
 duct ; and to prevent any possibility of it, he 
 wished her to pronounce the vows, which 
 would bind her forever to a convent-life, be- 
 fore he left his country, which he intended to 
 do for a few years, and only waited to hear 
 from the holy Abbess that the ceremony was 
 performed, before he set out. 
 
 " Cruel, persecuting tyrant," exclaimed the 
 unhappy girl, passionately, " he wishes to feel 
 that there can be no possibility of my demanding 
 the property of which he has robbed me, and 
 which he now enjoys ; but let him beware ; 
 the time may come when " 
 
 " When what, daughter ?" inquired the Ab- 
 bess, in a soothing tone. 
 
 " Pardon me, holy mother, I scarcely know 
 what I say ; but my brother has behaved most 
 unkindly, most ungenerously to me, and, as I 
 believe, chiefly from the wish to augment his 
 own possessions." 
 
 " Daughter, you will soon be of age, and it 
 will then be in your power to dispose of your 
 own personal property ; to you it would be un- 
 availing, except as a means of purchasing par- 
 don from the pains of purgatory : Make it 
 over to the church, my child ; you will thereby 
 perform a meritorious action, and defeat the 
 unjust projects of your brother."
 
 286 THE ESCAPE. 
 
 Isabel would have answered that the Scrip- 
 tures spoke of no such place as purgatory ; 
 that Christ had told the thief on the cross, 
 " To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise ;" 
 that the Apostle Paul had expressed a wish 
 " to depart, and be with Christ? that " to die 
 was gain," and many similar passages ; but 
 this was not the time to excite her suspicion ; 
 she therefore merely answered, 
 
 " I thank you, holy mother, for your pious 
 advice, and will request your assistance when 
 the time arrives ; and, in the meanwhile, I sub- 
 mit myself to your guidance, as to the prepara- 
 tions necessary before pronouncing the vows." 
 
 The superior saw, with much pleasure, the 
 change in the novice's manner and conduct, 
 and attributed it to the penances she had form- 
 erly prescribed, and her subsequent kindness 
 towards her. 
 
 " I rejoice, daughter, to find you in so humble 
 a spirit ; I will consult our reverend confessor 
 on the subject of your property, and will in- 
 form you of the result of our conversation ; and 
 now retire, and prepare yourself with all so- 
 lemnity for the happy event so soon to take 
 place." 
 
 Isabel left the Abbess's apartment, almost 
 overwhelmed with a sense of her duplicity. 
 
 " My God, forgive me !" burst in real an- 
 guish from her overcharged heart, and a vi-
 
 THE ESCAPE. 287 
 
 olent flood of tears in some measure relieved 
 her oppressed feelings. 
 
 Many were the prescribed forms and prayers 
 laid upon the novices during the following im- 
 portant week, all in the house was excitement 
 and preparation for the imposing ceremony 
 about to be performed. 
 
 The poor nuns looked forward to any such 
 event with pleasure, as it was to them a hol- 
 iday, and procured some relaxation from their 
 burdensome duties. 
 
 Daily Father Giacomo, or the Abbess, ex- 
 horted the novices to perform the duties im- 
 posed, and endeavored to render the obser- 
 vance of them less burdensome, by setting 
 before them the merits of storing up, as it 
 were, a superabundance of prayers and good 
 works for their souls' future benefit 
 
 Isabel remembered that it is written, "So 
 likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those 
 things which are commanded you, say, We 
 are unprofitable servants ; we have done that 
 which was our duty to do." And, again, in 
 Gal. ii. 16, " Knowing that a man is not jus- 
 tified by the works of the law, but by the faith 
 of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in 
 Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the 
 faith of Christ, and not by the works of the 
 law ; for by the works of the law shall no flesh 
 be justified."
 
 288 THE ESCAPE. 
 
 To the watchful eyes of sister Mariana the 
 novices' conduct appeared most exemplary ; 
 they omitted no duty, appeared to repeat all 
 the prescribed prayers, spent some time each 
 day in the chapel before the image of the Vir- 
 gin, and, in fact, left no room for reproof, or 
 fault of any kind. 
 
 The dreadful state of torturing suspense, in 
 which the unhappy novices were kept, may be 
 more easily imagined than described. 
 
 Each day, as it passed and brought no in- 
 timation from Francesco, added to their dis- 
 tress, for, although Rosa still fancied the in- 
 tended visit was in some way connected with 
 her wish to escape, yet, she continued to hope, 
 almost against hope, that each day would 
 bring some alleviation to their sufferings ; but 
 they were destined to find the truth of the 
 proverb, that " Hope deferred, makes the heart 
 sick ;" for, night succeeded night, and all 
 things remained in their usual state. 
 
 Isabel crept to Rosa's cell, after nocturnes, 
 as they found, from experience, that that was 
 the hour when sister Mariana slept most 
 soundly, on the night preceding that day on 
 which their hopes hung. 
 
 " Dear sister," said Rosa, " my courage al- 
 most fails, the events of this-week.have nearly 
 overpowered me ; 1 could not sustain another 
 such, and you, dear Isabel, are quite exhausted.
 
 THE ESCAPE. 289 
 
 Oh ! what will become of us, if my dear 
 brother be unable to liberate us ?" 
 
 " The thought is distraction, dear Rosa ; but 
 keep up your spirits, carina. I trust that God 
 will not desert us ; true, we are all unworthy 
 of his protection, but I have prayed, fervently 
 prayed, for the sake of Jesus Christ, that our 
 sin may be forgiven us ; and I do feel a con- 
 fidence, that He, who has said, ' If ye shall 
 ask any thing in my name, I will do it,' will 
 not forsake us now at our utmost need. 
 
 " Dear Rosa, what a blessed thing it will be, if 
 ever we escape, and are allowed to worship God, 
 according to God's Holy Word, and the dic- 
 tates of our own conscience ; my heart bounds 
 with joy at the bare idea of it. Courage, dear 
 sister ; let us renew our supplications to God, 
 for Jesus Christ's sake, that He may guide and 
 assist us, through this dreadful trial." 
 
 The violent closing of a distant door alarmed 
 the novices ; Isabel rushed from her friend's 
 cell, and, trembling with terror, reached her 
 own without meeting with any obstacle. 
 
 The few minutes they had passed together, 
 had availed to relume the spirit of hope in 
 Rosa's heart. Hers was naturally a timid 
 disposition, not calculated for the stormy life 
 she had now entered on ; yet, she was not 
 destitute of fortitude, now that circumstances 
 25
 
 290 THE ESCAl'E. 
 
 had occurred to render it necessary for her to 
 act with decision. 
 
 A lovely morning dawned on the day that 
 Rosa so much dreaded, yet so much desired, 
 that day which was to be the harbinger of 
 hope, or of the deepest despair ; how fervent 
 were her prayers and those of Isabel, few can 
 picture to themselves, unless they have been 
 somewhat similarly circumstanced. 
 
 Isabel and Rosa were both kneeling in the 
 chapel, when the sub-superior entered, and 
 beckoned the latter to follow her, as some of 
 her family had called to see her. 
 
 " Some ! are they not all here ?" exclaimed 
 she, forgetting her caution in her anxiety lest 
 her beloved brother, on whom her very life 
 appeared to hang, should be absent. 
 
 " Dear sister, how nervously irritable you 
 have become ; pray do not alarm yourself 
 thus, for so trifling a circumstance ; the Con- 
 tessa, your mamma, is rather indisposed, but 
 only slightly so, and as she will see you to- 
 morrow, in a situation most gratifying to so 
 pious a lady, she would not venture out to-day, 
 fearing to unfit herself from being present at 
 the ceremony.'' 
 
 Rosa was much relieved when she heard 
 who was the absent one, for her mother had 
 always shown her less affection than the other
 
 TJIL; ESCAPE. 291 
 
 part of her family, and they were in con- 
 sequence much dearer to her. 
 
 The poor girl almost fainted when she en- 
 tered the parlor, but a timid glance at Fran- 
 cesco reassured her ; she saw that he had not 
 come to crush her hopes, but to fulfil them. 
 
 Oh! the rush of joy, which overwhelmed 
 her at this certainty ! again she felt that ul- 
 timate success would follow, and, though not 
 knowing the plan to be adopted, she was sure, 
 that, with the blessing- of God on her dear 
 brother's endeavors, all would yet be well. 
 
 The sub-superior was delighted with little 
 Maria ; and indeed she was a most engaging 
 child, so exceedingly artless and unaffected. 
 
 " See Rosa, sister Rosa, I have embroidered 
 all this side of the handkerchief myself, I hope 
 you will like it, as I have tried very much to 
 do it well, and Leonora was very kind to teach 
 me, was she not ?" 
 
 " The handkerchief is very handsome my 
 darling, and were it not so, I should equally 
 value it, as your gift, and your work, but will 
 you not pass it through the grating to me, that 
 I may examine it more closely ?" 
 
 " No Rosa, I have to beg a favor of that kind 
 lady, I am so glad she is here to-day, some of 
 the sisters look so cross, that I should be afraid 
 to ask them, but the last time I came to see 
 you I was allowed to kiss you at the open door ;
 
 292 THE ESCAPE. 
 
 and now I have brought you a basket of fruit, 
 and one for that kind sister who opened the door ; 
 will you, madam, let me give them to you my- 
 self, I should so much like to put my arms round 
 Rosa's neckband embrace her once more ?" 
 
 " You shall my little darling," said the sister, 
 much gratified, by the high opinion of herself 
 the little girl h'ad expressed. " I will open the 
 door, and you shall embrace your cousin." 
 
 " You are a cunning little puss," said Fran- 
 cesco, " this, then, is the reason why the fruit 
 was not te be packed in a small basket, you 
 feared it might pass through this envious grat- 
 ing. I wish that I had brought sister Rosa a 
 large present, that I too might have had the 
 door opened for me.'' 
 
 All the party laughed, much to the discom- 
 fort of little Maria, who did not expect her 
 plan to be so easily discovered. 
 
 The sub-superior then arose, and desiring 
 Rosa to precede her, walked to the door. 
 
 As soon as it was opened, the child rushed 
 into her cousin's arms, embraced her most af- 
 fectionately, and then threw her arms around 
 the nun, who was much delighted, for she had 
 really a feeling of affection for the child. 
 
 Maria then presented her with the two bas- 
 kets of fruit, begging she would choose that 
 she preferred, saying, " I am sure cousin Rosa 
 would" like you to choose first."
 
 TUT. K.^f'APE. 
 
 The old nun thanked her, and while she was 
 admiring the fruit, Maria presented Rosa with 
 hers, and then saying, " now dearest Rosa, one 
 more kiss," pressed into her hand a small piece 
 of paper, and again embracing the nun drew 
 off her attention from Rosa, while the latter, 
 scarcely knowing what she did, hurriedly hid 
 the much-prized note in her dress. 
 
 Maria then rejoined her uncle and cousins, 
 nnd Rosa and the sub-superior resumed their 
 seats. 
 
 The conversation now turned chiefly on the 
 to-morrow's ceremony. Leonora and the sub- 
 superior spoke of the splendid preparations 
 which were made, and the number of influen- 
 tial families in Sicily who were to be present. 
 
 " You will have a goodly company of Brit- 
 ish officers, too, T am told," said Francesco, " for 
 the admiral never having witnessed this impos- 
 ing ceremony, intends being present with his 
 officers, so I was informed on my way hither, 
 therefore, sorella mia, conduct yourself with all 
 due dignity, for our family's credit." 
 
 " Yes," answered his father, " and I am glad 
 of it, as the English in general, have a very 
 great contempt for our religious ceremonies ; 
 but this will be one so unusually splendid and 
 attractive, that it may perhaps cause those who 
 witness it, to change their opinion, as I know 
 the duke will spare no expense to add eclat to
 
 294 THE ESCAPE. 
 
 his daughter's renunciation of the world, and I 
 should wish my own dear child's profession to 
 be as imposing as possible." 
 
 The old gentleman's lips quivered as he ut- 
 tered the last words, and all there present sus- 
 pected that, were it not for the Contessa's un- 
 bounded influence over him, that 'profession 
 would never be made at all. 
 
 Leonora, tossing her head proudly, could 
 not imagine why such heretics should dare to 
 pollute their chapels with their presence ; they 
 never came to worship, and most frequently 
 only to scoff; if she could act as she would 
 like, she would forbid the officers' entrance-. 
 
 " But my dear daughter forgets that at pres- 
 ent our island is under British government, and 
 therefore it would be rather an imprudent ac- 
 tion, to shut them out, or to exclude them from 
 any ceremony, much less from one of so public 
 a nature as the assumption of the veil." 
 
 " True," said Leonora, " I had forgotten that 
 circumstance, which, though it renders forbear- 
 ance necessary, does not make it more agree- 
 able." 
 
 The sub-superior had warmly joined Leo- 
 nora in her outcry against heretics, and, in the 
 heat of the discussion, Francesco contrived to 
 whisper, " Fear nothing, throw yourself on the 
 protection of the British commander, to-mor- 
 row."
 
 THE ESCAPH. 295 
 
 After a little more affectionate intercourse 
 with her father, the visitors arose to depart, 
 and, with a beating heart, Rosa bade them 
 adieu. 
 
 Was it forever ? She knew not; for, should 
 her attempt to escape be suspected, measures 
 would certainly be adopted to prevent it. Did 
 not her rulers already suspect her? Was she 
 not, even now, jealously watched and guarded ? 
 Her heart sank at the idea of the bold step 
 proposed by her brother. Could she, a poor 
 timid girl, dare, before an assembled multi- 
 tude, renounce her allegiance to the church ? 
 And even if she did assume sufficient courage 
 to act as directed, would the English Admiral 
 trouble himself about so unimportant an indi- 
 vidual as herself? 
 
 How did Rosalia long for night to close over 
 them, that she might propose the scheme to 
 Isabel ; the hours appeared interminable ; and 
 a long exordium, which was delivered to Isa- 
 bel and herself, by Father Giacomo, on the 
 blessed state they were about to enter on the 
 morrow, appeared to her as though it would 
 never fend. 
 
 It was fortunate for the novices that they 
 had not to render any account of this discourse 
 afterwards, for had they been compelled to do 
 so, the reverend father would certainly have 
 discovered that his words had passed unheeded.
 
 296 THE ESCAPE. 
 
 They had but one more trial to undergo with 
 the priest, and that was, a confession on the 
 next morning ; but this was not much dreaded 
 by either ; they thought their pretended obe- 
 dience had been accepted, and that their con- 
 fessor, as well as the superior, had been com- 
 pletely blinded by it : though both felt assured 
 that ultimate vengeance was contemplated, and 
 they thought truly that it only slumbered until 
 they had placed themselves unreservedly, and 
 forever, under the power of their spiritual 
 guides. 
 
 What a fearful thing is absolute power ! To 
 the commission of what deeds of sin does it 
 not lead, even in temporal affairs ; and how 
 much more dreadful is it, when it extends not 
 only over the Jives, but also the consciences 
 of those who are under its sway ? Yet is this 
 power committed to men and women, in the 
 Church of Rome ; and many a dungeon, many 
 a vault, in that day when " all shall stand be- 
 fore the judgment-seat of Christ," who has 
 said, " There is nothing covered (hat shall not 
 be revealed, and hid that shall not be known," 
 shall testify to their cruel use of that au- 
 thority. 
 
 On the night preceding the day of their Pro- 
 fession, the novices were commanded to pass 
 the greater part of it in the chapel, prostrate 
 before the Virgin.
 
 THE ESCAPK. 297 
 
 Rosa's anxiety to read the contents of Fran- 
 cesco's note was almost overwhelming ; she 
 had already become so much excited from her 
 previous sufferings that she really feared her 
 senses would abandon her, before she could 
 put her project into execution. 
 
 In a few brief words she begged Isabel to 
 contrive some excuse to detain sister Mari- 
 ana, when they left the refectory, after supper ; 
 and then, hurrying to her cell, tore open the 
 letter, and read as follows : 
 
 "DEAREST ROSA, 
 
 " I will not now waste your precious time 
 by expressing my indignation at the sufferings 
 I know you must have undergone, before writ- 
 ing the words I received ; but will hasten (o 
 congratulate you that any thing has occurred 
 to cause you to quit your present dreary abode. 
 But I lose time, to the point, then. Allow 
 the ceremony to proceed, on the day appointed 
 for you to become a nun, as though you were 
 perfectly willing to complete the sacrifice of 
 yourself, until the pi'iest asks whether 'it is of 
 your own free-will that you renounce the 
 world ;' then answer boldly, No ! and imme- 
 diately throw yourself on the protection of the 
 British Government. Your friend would do 
 well to follow your example. 
 
 "Fear not the result, carissima. you may not
 
 298 THE ESC API:. 
 
 see me, but I shall watch over you ; and now, 
 sorrella mia, may God, in His infinite mercy, 
 protect you, and assist you through this trial. 
 Not to the saints, but to His care do I commit 
 you, my darling sister. 
 
 " FRANCESCO." 
 
 Rosa's heart beat tumultuously as she clasped 
 this affectionate letter ; and her next impulse 
 was to hide it securely about her dress ; she 
 then prostrated herself at the foot of the cru- 
 cifix, and prayed earnestly that God would not 
 cast her off; the consciousness of her own sin- 
 fulness and unworthiness compelled her to ap- 
 peal to a Mediator ; and now, in her distress- 
 she realized the insufficiency of aid from cre- 
 ated beings, and, turning from angels and 
 saints, prayed to be forgiven, for Jesus Christ's 
 sake alone ; she felt that He was the Interces- 
 sor she required, and her prayers were not 
 left unanswered ; for a holy calm succeeded 
 her mental agony, and she arose from her 
 knees refreshed in spirit, and determined that, 
 cost what it might, henceforth she would pray 
 to no other mediator than to Him who " ever 
 liveth to make intercession for us." 
 
 On meeting Isabel in the way to the chapel, 
 Rosa intrusted her precious letter to her care ; 
 but it was not till she retired for the night that 
 she could decipher it.
 
 THE ESCAPE. 299 
 
 Gratitude filled her heart, when she found 
 that her escape was also meditated by Fran- 
 cesco, and the plan appeared to her quite 
 feasible. 
 
 She knew that British officers were not at 
 all likely to pass the cry of distress unheeded ; 
 she knew, also, that liberty, especially liberty 
 of conscience, was dear to every Englishman, 
 whatever his grade ; and she felt convinced 
 that if the ceremony proceeded in the usual 
 way, they should succeed ; but much she 
 dreaded lest the priest might suspect her de- 
 sign, and counteract it, by omitting that im- 
 portant part of the ceremony, the question as 
 to their free consent. 
 
 At nocturnes the novices met, and Rosa again 
 received her letter ; fearful of keeping it, lest 
 its discovery should inculpate her beloved 
 brother, she took the earliest opportunity to 
 destroy it, which she did by first soaking it in 
 water, and then rubbing it between her hands 
 till it was completely pulverized, so much was 
 she afraid that a single letter of it should re- 
 main legible. 
 
 Instead of retiring to her cell, Isabel had 
 been ordered to pass the next two hours in the 
 chapel, when Rosa was to replace her. 
 
 She remained for some time in prayer ; 
 when, thinking that all was now quiet in the 
 house, she determined to take her beloved
 
 300 THE ESCAPE. 
 
 Testament from its nook ; before doing so, she 
 cautiously examined the chapel, and seeing no 
 cause for alarm, went to the hiding-place, and 
 took from it her treasure, being determined 
 that this solace of all her troubles should ac- 
 company her on her pilgrimage, wherever it 
 might please her heavenly Father to direct her 
 steps. 
 
 The novice's wide sleeve once more re- 
 ceived the Testament, and Isabel, thinking 
 herself unnoticed, returned to her appointed 
 station before the altar. 
 
 Narrowly as the novice had searched the 
 chapel, her eye had not penetrated the folds 
 of a damask curtain, placed before a small gal- 
 lery at the side of the altar : behind this screen 
 sat the sister Mariana, by Father Giacomo's 
 orders, watching Isabel. 
 
 The poor old nun, fatigued with her daily 
 duties, had fallen asleep ; but, awaking sud- 
 denly, started from the recumbent posture into 
 which she had fallen, and looking through a 
 small glass, inserted in the curtain, though 
 invisible from the chapel, she missed her 
 charge from the altar, but at the same moment 
 perceived her at the pedestal, and, to her hor- 
 ror and amazement, saw her put her hand into 
 the cavity, supposed to be entirely unknown 
 except to a few of the initiated, and draw from 
 it a small book.
 
 THI: K.SCAPE. 301 
 
 No doubt existed in her mind as to the na- 
 ture of that volume, she was convinced it 
 was the heretical book, so long and so vainly 
 sought. 
 
 Her first impulse was to rush upon the un- 
 suspecting novice, seize the Testament, and 
 convey both to the superior's apartment, but 
 at the same time remembering the line of pol- 
 icy lately adopted towards the novices, she 
 thought it better to inform the superior of it 
 immediately, and then to act from her orders. 
 
 On coming to this decision, she hurried to 
 the Abbess's apartment, and there, in a tone 
 of horror, related the circumstance. 
 
 The Madre Santa Teresa commended her 
 prudence and zeal, and desired her immediately 
 to request that Father Giacomo would do her 
 the favor to visit her. 
 
 As she went to the apartments, occupied by 
 the father, she met Rosa on her way to the 
 chapel ; she scowled upon her most malig- 
 nantly, and passed on without even a blessing. 
 
 Rosa trembled, and hurried to the chapel. 
 
 " Something has occurred, dear sister," she 
 whispered to Isabel, " I am certain of it : oh ! 
 if our project should have been discovered, 
 what will become of us ?" 
 
 " What has alarmed you, dearest ? you are 
 pale with agitation." 
 
 " I have just met sister Mariana, who passed
 
 302 THE ESCAPE. 
 
 me with such a malicious look, that I frit quite 
 terrified." 
 
 " Is that all, carina ? oh ! do not fear, you 
 know it requires very little to make her look 
 very ill-tempered : but what could she be doing 
 about the house now, where did you meet 
 her?" 
 
 " She had just left the superior's room, and 
 was on her way to Father Giacomo ; for, feel- 
 ing anxious, I watched her to his door : but, 
 dear sister, how have you decided to act ?" 
 
 " As your kind brother recommends, I shall 
 not hesitate to intrust myself to the honor of 
 a British officer ; I have but little fear of suc- 
 cess ; I feel a confidence that we shall not be 
 deserted in this hour of peril : bear up, my 
 Rosa, all will yet be well, and see, dearest, I 
 have my invaluable book, once more, in my 
 possession ; it shall accompany us on our jour- 
 ney, wherever that may be." 
 
 " Hide it, hide it, conceal it carefully, dear 
 sister, perhaps, even now, our proceedings are 
 watched. I fancied that curtain moved ; do 
 not look up, dear sister, but hasten to your 
 cell, be assured we shall be visited to-night." 
 
 Isabel reluctantly left the trembling girl, and 
 whispered, " ' Be not afraid of them that kill the 
 body, and after that, have no more that they 
 can do,' but trust in Him, 'who is ablevto save
 
 THE ESCAPE. 303 
 
 them to the uttermost, that come unto God by 
 him.' 
 
 ' To-morrow, dearest, I hope we shall be 
 free, oh, charming -word. Be firm, speak au- 
 dibly, and all will be well." 
 
 Father Giacomo, much perplexed at the 
 cause of this .unseasonable disturbance, arose 
 hastily, and soon entered the superior's apart- 
 ment. 
 
 " What has occurred, daughter ; has any 
 fresh circumstance arisen to perplex you?" 
 
 " Holy father, I am almost overpowered by 
 indignation; that heretical, sacrilegious novice 
 has discovered our most cherished secrets ; has 
 dared to desecrate the pedestal, by placing her 
 Scriptures in the very cavity containing the 
 miraculous springs." 
 
 It would be difficult to describe the effect 
 produced on the priest by this burst of anger 
 from the Abbess. 
 
 He started from his seat, clenched his hands, 
 and stamped with rage ; and then rushed to- 
 wards the affrighted Mariana, apparently, in 
 his anger, mistaking her for sister Isabel. 
 
 The terrified creature shrank from his ap- 
 proach, when, recollecting himself, he turned 
 to the Abbess, and, in a fierce tone, demanded, 
 " What does she here ? why is she not at her 
 post?"
 
 304 . THE ESCAPE. 
 
 " It is sister Mariana, holy father, who has 
 just made the discovery." 
 
 "Tell me instantly," exclaimed the irritated 
 priest, " all you know on the subject ; on peril 
 of eternal perdition hide nothing from me." 
 
 The nun, pale and trembling, related all she 
 had seen, suppressing, however, the circum- 
 stance of her having slept nearly an hour. 
 
 " It is enough, daughter. Where is the in- 
 corrigible novice now ? Let her be instantly 
 summoned hither ; we will teach her to pry 
 into the secrets of the church." 
 
 " But, reverend father," interposed the Ab- 
 bess, " will it not be better to delay our well- 
 merited punishment another day ? We have 
 spared sister Isabel hitherto, to be more secure 
 respecting her hereafter. One day more, holy 
 father, let her enjoy her fancied security : this 
 day is her triumph ; to-morrow shall be ours !" 
 
 " True, daughter, this affair has so much ex- 
 cited me, that I had almost forgotten the pru- 
 dence necessary ; and now, daughter, allow 
 sister Mariana to retire. Be watchful, and in- 
 form us of every suspicious circumstance ; and, 
 above all, endeavor to ascertain whether sister 
 Rosa is a participator in her friend's guilt; if 
 she is so, then death, a lingering death, to both ; 
 thus shall they expiate the crimes of heresy, 
 curiosity, and disobedience." 
 
 Sister Mariana returned to her post in the
 
 THE ESCAPE. 305 
 
 chapel ; but nothing further occurred during 
 the night ; the novices were too much alarmed 
 to seek each other's society again. 
 
 The priest and Abbess soon after retired 
 to their respective apartments ; and Father 
 Giacomo scarcely succeeded in subduing his 
 angry feelings, when Isabel and Rosa present- 
 ed themselves before him, to listen to his last 
 directions for the important ceremony, and re- 
 ceive his blessing. 
 
 The latter was pronounced in a hurried tone ; 
 and Rosa trembled beneath the flashing expres- 
 sion of his eyes, as, rising from her kneeling 
 position, she raised hers to his face, for the first 
 time since her entrance. 
 
 Several of the elder nuns had been engaged, 
 from the earliest dawn of day, in decorating 
 the chapel ; and it certainly presented a most 
 sumptuous and splendid appearance ; every 
 thing costly and elegant was scattered in pro- 
 fusion over the -altars. The Virgin Mary, in 
 her richest robes, looked benignantly on her 
 votaries ; gold, precious stones, and plate, daz- 
 zled the eyes in every direction ; the seats for 
 the most distinguished visitors were covered 
 with crimson velvet ; all that the mind can 
 imagine of gorgeous splendor was there. 
 
 At an early hour visitors began to arrive. 
 It was generally known that the daughter of 
 the Duca di Sorrelli was to enter on her no- 
 2f>*
 
 30G THE ESCAPE. 
 
 viciate, and that Rosa was to make for profes- 
 sion, as assuming the black veil is called. 
 
 Two ladies from the principal families in the 
 island retiring from the world together, natur- 
 ally excited a great degree of interest. 
 
 The chapel was soon crowde.d to excess, 
 and it was with difficulty that seats could be 
 reserved for the immediate friends of the nov- 
 ice and her companion. 
 
 A burst of the most exquisite music, an- 
 nounced the approach of the inmates of the 
 convent ; every voice was hushed, and every 
 eye intently fixed on the door, by which the 
 procession was to enter. 
 
 The Duca di Sorrelli, attended by a circle of 
 friends, sat in one of the principal situations, 
 his features wore an expression of melancholy 
 resignation ; and a close observer would have 
 seen that the tear unbidden frequently started 
 to his eye. The loss of his beloved child was 
 to him a most dreadful and unexpected blow ; 
 and many, who saw him on that day, pre- 
 dicted, that the daughter would soon weep 
 over the grave of that parent she had so un- 
 naturally deserted. 
 
 Nearly opposite to him sat Rosa's family, 
 except Fi'ancesco ; he had boldly expressed his 
 disapproval of the whole proceeding, upbraided 
 his parents as unjust, in thus condemning one 
 of their children to perpetual imprisonment,
 
 THE ESCAPE. 307 
 
 not for any fault of her own, but merely to 
 fulfil a sinful vow, which ought never to have 
 been made. But finding all his arguments un- 
 availing, he had declared he would not sanc- 
 tion by his presence so barbarous a sacrifice. 
 
 This conversation occurred a few days pre- 
 viously to his receiving Rosa's note, and he 
 still determined to adhere to his resolution, 
 thinking he could the better assist her by ab- 
 senting himself from the chapel. 
 
 The door slowly opened, a band of children 
 tastefully dressed entered, strewing the floor 
 in front of the altar with the most fragrant 
 flowers ; the nuns followed, then the novices, 
 each bearing a lighted taper and chanting a 
 hymn. 
 
 The candidates were then brought forward, 
 and placed in front of the altar ; their appear- 
 ance inspired deep interest. The intended no- 
 vice, a beautiful young creature, whose laugh- 
 ing eyes seemed ill able to assume the solem- 
 nity necessary on the present occasion, was 
 placed on Isabel's right hand, while Rosa was 
 on her left. 
 
 Isabel's countenance assumed that haughty 
 expression so common to her nation ; her beau- 
 tiful black eyes almost flashing with suppressed 
 indignation ; yet her whole form trembling vis- 
 ibly from the excitement caused by her pecu- 
 liar situation.
 
 308 THE E3CAPK. 
 
 Poor Rosa cast one glance towards the 
 chapel, and seeing many officers present, but 
 not her beloved Francesco, sank on the seat 
 prepared for her, and was only kept from 
 fainting by Isabel's imploring looks ; the hag- 
 gard face, and the expression of ill-concealed 
 misery, with which she turned towards her 
 parents, was more than her unhappy father 
 could endure ; he was compelled to retire, and, 
 hastening to his carriage, reproached himself 
 with his inhuman conduct in suffering so fair a 
 flower to be reared in so uncongenial a soil. 
 
 As the ceremony of " taking the veil" is fully 
 described in a former work,* it is needless for 
 me here to repeat it, suffice it to say, then, the 
 ceremony proceeded in the usual form ; the 
 prayers were repeated, the hymns chanted, 
 and the time arrived when the novices should 
 have repeated the vow of poverty, chastity, 
 and obedience ; that irrevocable vow, which 
 would bind them forever to seclusion per- 
 petual seclusion. 
 
 Father Giacomo blessed the black veils, 
 which were lying on a table before him, and, 
 approaching the novices, asked them, "Daugh- 
 ters, is it by your own free will that you now 
 devote yourselves to God?" 
 
 "No!" burst simultaneously from the lips of 
 the agitated novices, and, before the reverend 
 
 * " The Rchool-Oirl in France."
 
 THE KdCAI'E. 309 
 
 father had recovered from his surprise, they 
 rushed to the railing which separated the 
 chapel from the altar, and, throwing them- 
 selves on their knees, Isabel exclaimed, ' Eng- 
 lishmen, help us, deliver us from this cruel 
 bondage ;" then rising up, emphatically begged 
 the interference of the British Government on 
 their behalf. 
 
 It is impossible to describe the scene of tu- 
 mult that followed. 
 
 The incensed priest rushed upon the terri- 
 fied girls, and, seizing each by the arm, at- 
 "tempted to drag them from the rails, to which 
 they clung in desperation ; while, at the same 
 moment, two lieutenants, by the admiral's or- 
 der, leapt over the slight barrier, and, in the 
 name of the British Government, demanded 
 that the young ladies should be given up to 
 them ! 
 
 The priest, rendered furious by this inter- 
 ference, stamped and stormed, but unavail- 
 ingly ; other officers had now surrounded the 
 trembling novices. Even the admiral himself 
 was at their side. Hope began to spring up 
 in their hearts, at finding their call thus 
 promptly responded to. 
 
 The priest advanced towards' the admiral, 
 and inquired " by what right he interfered in 
 ecclesiastical matters ?" 
 
 ' This is not exactlv an ecclesiastical mat-
 
 310 THE ESCAi'K. 
 
 ter," he replied. " These ladies are asked 
 by you, ' whether it is of their own will that 
 they assume the veil ?' They answer, it is 
 not. They are therefore free from your ju- 
 risdiction, as your own question proves that 
 you have no right to compel them, against their 
 will, to renounce the world. The British Gov- 
 ernment permits no slavery in its dominions, 
 and this is slavery of the worst kind. I, there- 
 fore, as its representative here, order you to 
 release these ladies. They shall be immediately 
 conveyed on board my ship, until the matter 
 has been properly investigated. Then it will 
 be decided by competent judges, whether they 
 return to Santa Rosalia, or follow their own 
 inclinations. To you, Mr. Willoughby, and 
 you, Mr. St John, I intrust the duty of escort- 
 ing the ladies to my carriage." 
 
 In an instant the novices were lifted over 
 the barrier, and surrounded by the officers ; 
 and, without any further opposition, were con- 
 ducted to the carriage, whither the admiral 
 immediately followed them. 
 
 " Drive to the Porta, Felice," said the Ad- 
 miral. The door closed, the wheels rattled, 
 and, almost before the bewildered novices 
 could believe themselves really free, the streets 
 of Palermo resounded to the clattering of the 
 horses' hoofs. 
 
 " Thank God !" ejaculated Isabel, " dear,
 
 THE ESCAPE. 311 
 
 .dear Rosa, we are then indeed free ! really 
 free!"' "Oh, sir, how can we express the 
 gratitude we feel to you, as our deliverer. 
 You know not the misery from which you 
 have rescued us !" And the poor girl, totally 
 overcome by a sense of the happiness of free- 
 dom, burst into an uncontrollable flood of tears. 
 
 The Admiral was much affected by the 
 grateful thanks which the poor girls continued 
 to express. 
 
 "My dear ladies," said he at length, " pray 
 be calm. I trust I shall be able to protect you. 
 But I scarcely merit all these thanks ; any 
 Englishman, in my situation, would have acted 
 as I have done. Your brother, young lady, 
 informed me of the perilous situation in which 
 you were placed, and begged my assistance. 
 Right glad was I, then, to hear you, madam, 
 (turning to Isabel,) so boldly claim our protec- 
 tion. I feared, when I saw the assembled 
 multitude, and all the pomp and splendor of 
 Romish superstition, that you would be over- 
 awed that your courage would fail then 
 could I have done nothing ; but, thank God, 
 you have ' escaped as a bird from the snare of 
 the fowler.' May you long live to enjoy the 
 freedom you now possess." 
 
 " But where is my beloved brother ?" said 
 Rosa. " No evil, I trust, will happen to him 
 on my account ; better, far better, would it
 
 312 THE ESCAPE. 
 
 have been for me to linger out a long and 
 wretched life in my cell !" 
 
 " Fear not, my dear young lady, Francesco 
 is well, but we thought it better for him not to 
 appear in this matter; we shall find him on 
 board. And now we must alight. Wrap 
 yourselves around in these cloaks, to elude ob- 
 servation." " Willoughby !" he exclaimed 
 as that gentleman appeared at the door, " es- 
 cort this lady ; I will take charge of sister 
 Isabel for by this name only do I know you 
 at present," added he, bowing politely to her. 
 
 Rosa trembled exceedingly ; she never re- 
 membered being outside of the con vent- walls 
 before ; and the noise and bustle of embarking 
 nearly overcame her. 
 
 The sail was hoisted, and less than half an 
 hour brought them to the side of the gallant 
 ship to which the officers belonged. 
 
 Francisco received his sister in his arms, but 
 totally senseless. He conveyed her to a cabin 
 which had been prepared for her reception ; 
 and with the assistance of Isabel, who, though 
 much excited, possessed more strength of mind 
 tham her friend, applied the proper restoratives. 
 
 Gradually she recovered, and a violent flood 
 of tears relieved her, as she clasped her brother 
 round the neck, exclaiming, " Dear, dear, Fran- 
 cisco, what do I owe you ? ObrJ I am too
 
 THE ESOAI'K. 313 
 
 happy ! Can it be true that I am free ? or is 
 it some tantalizing dream ?" 
 
 " No dream, dear sister, all is pleasing reality. 
 And now, dear madam, allow me to congratu- 
 late you, also, on your escape. I thought that, 
 if you had perused the Testament I gave you, 
 Santa Rosalia was no abode for you ; for I am 
 fully convinced that the more the Word of God 
 is studied, the greater will be our distaste to the 
 sinful doctrines of that church in which we 
 have all been educated. I have, blessed be 
 God, been likewise led by His Spirit to lay 
 hold of the truths of that inspired volume, and 
 have renounced my allegiance Jx> the Roman 
 Catholic Church." 
 
 The ladies were much surprised at this bold 
 avowal, but both rejoiced that henceforth they 
 should have an assistant in their search after 
 truth; for both were fully determined that to 
 " Search the Scriptures," should be their con- 
 stant employment. 
 
 In the evening, after having enjoyed a few 
 hours' repose, the Admiral, Mr. Willoughby, 
 and Mr. St. John, were formally introduced 
 by Francesco, when the most grateful thanks 
 were renewed ; and they learned some of the 
 occurrences of the day. 
 
 Two of the officers, who had remained in 
 the chapel, stated, that the priest raved like a 
 madman, after their departure ; that the supe-
 
 314 THE ESCAI'K. 
 
 rior had retired with all her household ; and, in 
 consequence of the disturbance, the remainder 
 of the ceremony had not been completed, and, 
 from some expressions which fell from the poor 
 old duke, they hoped it never would be. so far 
 as his daughter was concerned. 
 
 It was long before the tumult in the chapel 
 ceased. The Contessa and her daughter had 
 been overwhelmed with condolences from one 
 party, and execrations from the other, who 
 called her an unnatural parent, thus to sacri- 
 fice her child. 
 
 The whole town was quite in an uproar, 
 from the different views of the circumstances 
 taken by various parties ; the one considering 
 the novices as girls of spirit and determina- 
 tion ; the others, the bigoted part of the com- 
 munity, regarding them as under the influence 
 of some evil spirit ; but how few knew the real 
 motive of their conduct a sincere desire to 
 serve God in the way which He himself has 
 commanded. This they could not do while in 
 communion with that church which, to sanc- 
 tion its unholy practices, hesitates not to alter 
 Scripture, and even to erase entirely some of 
 the most positive commands from its pages ; 
 and even then forbids the study of the sacred 
 volume, though the command to do so is posi- 
 tive. 
 
 The Sicilian authorities of the town did not
 
 THE ESCAPE. 315 
 
 presume to interfere with the decision of the 
 Admiral ; and it was, therefore, agreed that the 
 novices should be allowed to go where they 
 pleased. 
 
 Francesco did not consider that his beloved 
 sister would be safe in Sicily ; he knew that 
 the priests would exert themselves to regain 
 possession of her ; he therefore hired a small 
 vessel to transport them to England, whither 
 Isabel was also to accompany them. Before 
 leaving the Island, Rosa received a visit from 
 her father and little Maria. The child was 
 half wild with joy at being able to embrace 
 her beloved Rosa, without the horrid bars be- 
 ing between them ; her grief at their separa- 
 tion was most poignant, till the Count promised 
 that, when she was old enough, she should visit 
 Rosa in England. 
 
 Rosa embraced her father, again and again, 
 while he assured her of his forgiveness for the 
 step she had taken ; he was unwilling to own 
 it to his children, but he felt more happy than 
 he had done for many years ; as Rosa's incar- 
 ceration had been a frequent subject of dispute 
 between himself and his lady, though he was 
 too much under her influence to be able to act 
 contrary to her will, even when his beloved 
 child's happiness was at stake. 
 
 The Contessa was too highly offended with 
 her daughter to visit her, or send her any mes-
 
 316 THE ESCAPE. 
 
 sage. A fine breeze and favorable winds 
 prospered their voyage. Isabel and Rosa much 
 regretted leaving the kind-hearted Admiral ; 
 they had spent some happy hours in his ship, 
 and his generous attention to them was ever 
 gratefully remembered. Francesco purchased 
 a cottage in one of the most romantic spots in 
 Devonshire, where the three friends resided for 
 some years. 
 
 Isabel recovered some portion of her prop- 
 erty, and the name of Mrs. Morton, will be 
 long remembered by many humble individuals 
 with gratitude, as the means employed by Di- 
 vine Providence for their conversion. She and 
 Rosa were indefatigable in their endeavors to 
 impress upon their neighbors the benefits aris- 
 ing from the study of the Holy Scriptures, and 
 the danger of trusting to any thing short of the 
 infinite merit of Christ for salvation. Fran- 
 cesco had for some time been betrothed to the 
 sister of his friend Willoughby, and the society 
 at the cottage was much enlivened by the ad- 
 dition of this amiable lady to their party, as he 
 married her a few months after their arrival in 
 England. 
 
 Nothing could exceed the consternation that 
 reigned in the convent ; the priest and su- 
 perior, fancying that Isabel and Rosa might 
 have had some accomplices, and confided to 
 them the secret of the springs, redoubled their
 
 THE ESCAPE. 317 
 
 vigilance ; penances, privations, and punish- 
 ments, were heaped on the poor nuns to such 
 a degree that their lives were burdensome to 
 them. At length the priest was removed to 
 another station ; and the Madre Superiors 
 worn out with anxiety and bodily infirmity, 
 died, regretted by none of the inmates of Santa 
 Rosalia. 
 
 As time partially erased these events from 
 the public mind, Rosa, accompanied by her 
 brother and friend, visited her parents. The 
 Contessa had been prevailed on to forgive her 
 daughter, but she never received her cordially. 
 
 Although the friends frequently visited other 
 countries, they still considered England as 
 their home. 
 
 They prized the religious toleration of this 
 favored land, where the Bible is within the 
 reach of the poorest individual ; where the 
 minister of the Gospel, far from requiring 
 blind submission to his word, says boldly, 
 " Search, and see whether these things be so," 
 and requires nothing to be believed but what 
 is agreeable to the Word of God. 
 
 Happy, happy England ! well would it be for 
 thy sons and daughters, if they valued, as they 
 should, the blessed privilege of being allowed 
 free access to the Holy Scriptures. 
 
 THE END.


 
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