第16章

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。