StillitwasthesamefacethatsomeeightmonthsbeforeI
hadseenliftedinentreatytoherfalselover。
Nowhertallshapewaswrappedaboutwithgraveclothesoverwhichherblackhairstreamed，andinherarmssheboreasleepingbabethatfromtimetotimeshepressedconvulsivelytoherbreast。
OnthethresholdofhertombIsabelladeSiguenzapausedandlookedroundwildlyasthoughforhelp，scanningeachofthesilentwatcherstofindafriendamongthem。
Thenhereyefelluponthenicheandtheheapofsmokinglimeandthemenwhoguardedit，andsheshudderedandwouldhavefallenhadnotthosewhoattendedherledhertothechairandplacedherinit——alivingcorpse。
Nowthedreadfulritesbegan。
TheDominicanfatherstoodbeforeherandrecitedheroffence，andthesentencethathadbeenpasseduponher，whichdoomedher，’tobeleftalonewithGodandthechildofyoursin，thatHemaydealwithyouasHeseesfit。’*
Toallofthissheseemedtopaynoheed，nortotheexhortationthatfollowed。
Atlengthheceasedwithasigh，andturningtomesaid:
’Drawneartothissinner，brother，andspeakwithherbeforeitistoolate。’
*Lestsuchcrueltyshouldseemimpossibleandunprecedented，thewritermaymentionthatinthemuseumofthecityofMexico，hehasseenthedesiccatedbodyofayoungwoman，whichwasfoundimmuredinthewallsofareligiousbuilding。
Withitisthebodyofaninfant。
Althoughtheexactcauseofherexecutionremainsamatterofconjecture，therecanbenodoubtastothemannerofherdeath，forinadditiontootherevidences，themarksoftheropewithwhichherlimbswereboundinlifearestilldistinctlyvisible。
Suchinthosedayswerethemerciesofreligion！
Thenhebadeallpresentgatherthemselvesatthefarendofthevaultthatourtalkmightnotbeoverheard，andtheydidsowithoutwonder，thinkingdoubtlessthatIwasamonksenttoconfessthedoomedwoman。
SoIdrewnearwithabeatingheart，andbendingoverherIspokeinherear。
’Listentome，IsabelladeSiguenza！’Isaid；andasIutteredthenameshestartedwildly。
’WhereisthatdeGarciawhodeceivedanddesertedyou？’
’Howhaveyoulearnthistruename？’sheanswered。
’Noteventorturewouldhavewrungitfrommeasyouknow。’
’IamnomonkandIknownothing。
IamthatmanwhofoughtwithdeGarciaonthenightwhenyouweretaken，andwhowouldhavekilledhimhadyounotseizedme。’
’AttheleastIsavedhim，thatismycomfortnow。’
’IsabelladeSiguenza，’Isaid，’Iamyourfriend，thebestyoueverhadandthelast，asyoushalllearnpresently。
Tellmewherethismanis，forthereisthatbetweenuswhichmustbesettled。’
’Ifyouaremyfriend，wearymenomore。
Idonotknowwhereheis。
Monthsagohewentwhitheryouwillscarcelyfollow，tothefurthestIndies；butyouwillneverfindhimthere。’
’ItmaystillbethatIshall，andifitshouldsochance，sayhaveyouanymessageforthisman？’
’None——yes，this。
Tellhimhowwedied，hischildandhiswife——
tellhimthatIdidmybesttohidehisnamefromthepriestslestsomelikefateshouldbefallhim。’
’Isthatall？’
’Yes。
No，itisnotall。
TellhimthatIpassedawaylovingandforgiving。’
’Mytimeisshort，’Isaid；’awakeandlisten！’forhavingspokenthussheseemedtobesinkingintoalethargy。
’IwastheassistantofthatAndresdeFonsecawhosecounselyouputasidetoyourruin，andIhavegivenacertaindrugtotheabbessyonder。
Whensheoffersyouthecupofwater，seethatyoudrinkanddeep，youandthechild。
Ifsononeshalleverdiemorehappily。
Doyouunderstand？’
’Yes——yes，’shegasped，’andmayblessingsrestuponyouforthegift。
NowIamnomoreafraid——forIhavelongdesiredtodie——itwasthewayIfeared。’
’Thenfarewell，andGodbewithyou，unhappywoman。’
’Farewell，’sheansweredsoftly，’butcallmenotunhappywhoamabouttodiethuseasilywiththatIlove。’
Andsheglancedatthesleepingbabe。
ThenIdrewbackandstoodwithbenthead，speakingnoword。
NowtheDominicanmotionedtoalltotaketheplaceswheretheyhadstoodbeforeandaskedher:
’Erringsister，haveyouaughttosaybeforeyouaresilentforever？’
’Yes，’sheansweredinaclear，sweetvoice，thatneverevenquavered，soboldhadshebecomesinceshelearnedthatherdeathwouldbeswiftandeasy。
’Yes，Ihavethistosay，thatIgotomyendwithacleanheart，forifIhavesinneditisagainstcustomandnotagainstGod。
Ibrokethevowsindeed，butIwasforcedtotakethosevows，and，therefore，theydidnotbind。
Iwasawomanbornforlightandlove，andyetIwasthrustintothedarknessofthiscloister，theretowitherdeadinlife。
AndsoIbrokethevows，andIamgladthatIhavebrokenthem，thoughithasbroughtmetothis。
IfIwasdeceivedandmymarriageisnomarriagebeforethelawastheytellmenow，Iknewnothingofit，thereforetomeitisstillvalidandholyandonmysoulthererestsnostain。
AttheleastIhavelived，andforsomefewhoursIhavebeenwifeandmother，anditisaswelltodieswiftlyinthiscellthatyourmercyhasprepared，asmoreslowlyinthoseabove。
Andnowforyou——Itellyouthatyourwickednessshallfindyouout，youwhodaretosaytoGod’schildren——“Yeshallnotlove，“andtoworkmurderonthembecausetheywillnotlisten。
ItshallfindyououtIsay，andnotonlyyoubuttheChurchyouserve。
BothpriestandChurchshallbebrokentogetherandshallbeascorninthemouthsofmentocome。’
’Sheisdistraught，’saidtheDominicanasasighoffearandwonderwentroundthevault，’andblasphemesinhermadness。
Forgetherwords。
Shriveher，brother，swiftlyeresheaddstothem。’
Thentheblack-robed，keen-eyedpriestcametoher，andholdingthecrossbeforeherface，begantomutterIknownotwhat。
Butsherosefromthechairandthrustthecrucifixaside。
’Peace！’shesaid，’Iwillnotbeshrivenbysuchasyou。
ItakemysinstoGodandnottoyou——youwhodomurderinthenameofChrist。’
Thefanaticheardandafurytookhim。
’Thengounshrivendowntohell，you——’andhenamedherbyillnamesandstruckherinthefacewiththeivorycrucifix。
TheDominicanbadehimceasehisrevilingsangrilyenough，butIsabelladeSiguenzawipedherbruisedbrowandlaughedaloudadreadfullaughtohear。
’NowIseethatyouareacowardalso，’shesaid。
’Priest，thisismylastprayer，thatyoualsomayperishatthehandsoffanatics，andmoreterriblythanIdieto-night。’
Thentheyhurriedherintotheplacepreparedforherandshespokeagain:
’Givemetodrink，forwethirst，mybabeandI！’
NowIsawtheabbessenterthatpassagewhencethevictimhadbeenled。
Presentlyshecamebackbearingacupofwaterinherhandandwithitaloafofbread，andIknewbyhermienthatmydraughtwasinthewater。
ButofwhatbefellafterwardsIcannotsaycertainly，forIprayedtheDominicantoopenthedoorbywhichwehadenteredthevault，andpassingthroughitIstooddazedwithhorroratsomedistance。
Awhilewentby，Idonotknowhowlong，tillatlengthIsawtheabbessstandingbeforeme，alanterninherhand，andshewassobbingbitterly。
’Allisdone，’shesaid。
’Nay，havenofear，thedraughtworkedwell。
Beforeeverastonewaslaidmotherandchildsleptsound。
Alasforhersoulwhodiedunrepentantandunshriven！’
’Alasforthesoulsofallwhohavesharedinthisnight’swork，’I
answered。
’Now，mother，letmehence，andmaywenevermeetagain！’
Thensheledmebacktothecell，whereItoreoffthataccursedmonk’srobe，andthencetothedoorinthegardenwallandtotheboatwhichstillwaitedontheriver，andIrejoicedtofeelthesweetairuponmyfaceasonerejoiceswhoawakesfromsomefouldream。
ButIwonlittlesleepthatnight，norindeedforsomedaystocome。
ForwheneverIclosedmyeyesthererosebeforemethevisionofthatbeauteouswomanasIsawherlastbythemurkytorchlight，wrappedingraveclothesandstandinginthecoffin-
shapedniche，proudanddefianttotheend，herchildclaspedtoherwithonearmwhiletheotherwasoutstretchedtotakethedraughtofdeath。
Fewhaveseensuchasight，fortheHolyOfficeanditshelpersdonotseekwitnessestotheirdarkdeeds，andnonewouldwishtoseeittwice。
IfIhavedescribeditill，itisnotthatIhaveforgotten，butbecauseevennow，afterthelapseofsomeseventyyears，Icanscarcelybeartowriteofitortosetoutitshorrorsfully。
Butofallthatwaswonderfulaboutitperhapsthemostwonderfulwasthateventothelastthisunfortunateladyshouldstillhaveclungtoherloveforthevillainwho，havingdeceivedherbyafalsemarriage，desertedher，leavinghertosuchadoom。
Towhatendcansoholyagiftasthisgreatloveofhershavebeenbestowedonsuchaman？
Nonecansay，butsoitwas。
YetnowthatIthinkofit，thereisonethingevenstrangerthanherfaithfulness。
Itwillberememberedthatwhenthefanaticprieststruckhersheprayedthathealsomightdieatsuchhandsandmoreterriblythanshemustdo。
Soitcameabout。
Inafteryearsthatveryman，FatherPedrobyname，wassenttoconverttheheathenofAnahuac，amongwhom，becauseofhiscruelty，hewasknownasthe’ChristianDevil。’
ButitchancedthatventuringtoofaramongaclanoftheOtomiebeforetheywerefinallysubdued，hefellintothehandsofsomepriestsofthewargodHuitzel，andbythemwassacrificedaftertheirdreadfulfashion。
Isawhimashewenttohisdeath，andwithouttellingthatIhadbeenpresentwhenitwasuttered，I
calledtohismindthedyingcurseofIsabelladeSiguenza。
Thenforamomenthiscouragegaveway，forseeinginmenothingbutanIndianchief，hebelievedthatthedevilhadputthewordsintomylipstotormenthim，causingmetospeakofwhatIknewnothing。
Butenoughofthisnow；ifitisnecessaryIwilltellofitinitsproperplace。
Atleast，whetheritwasbychance，orbecauseshehadagiftofvisioninherlasthours，orthatProvidencewasavengedonhimafterthisfashion，soitcameabout，andIdonotsorrowforit，thoughthedeathofthispriestbroughtmuchmisfortuneonme。
ThisthenwastheendofIsabelladeSiguenzawhowasmurderedbypriestsbecauseshehaddaredtobreaktheirrule。
SosoonasIcouldclearmymindsomewhatofallthatIhadseenandheardinthatdreadfulvault，IbegantoconsiderthecircumstancesinwhichIfoundmyself。
InthefirstplaceIwasnowarichman，andifitpleasedmetogobacktoNorfolkwithmywealth，asFonsecahadpointedout，myprospectswerefairindeed。
ButtheoaththatIhadtakenhunglikeleadaboutmyneck。
IhadsworntobeavengedupondeGarcia，andIhadprayedthatthecurseofheavenmightrestuponmetillIwassoavenged，butinEnglandlivinginpeaceandplentyIcouldscarcelycomebyvengeance。
Moreover，nowIknewwherehewas，oratleastinwhatportionoftheworldImightseekhim，andtherewherewhitemenarefewhecouldnothidefrommeasinSpain。