Ihaveobtainedthismuchofmercyforherbecauseofmyfaithfulservicestothechurchandbysecretinfluence，thatwhenIgiveherthecupofwaterbeforetheworkisdone，Imaymixpoisonwithitandtouchthelipsofthebabewithpoison，sothattheirendisswift。
　　Imaydothisandyethavenosinuponmysoul。
　　Ihavemypardonunderseal。
　　Helpmethentobeaninnocentmurderess，andtosavethissinnerfromherlastagoniesonearth。’
　　IcannotsetdownthefeelingswithwhichIlistenedtothistaleofhorror，forwordscouldnotcarrythem。
　　Istoodaghastseekingananswer，andadreadfulthoughtenteredmymind。
　　’IsthiswomannamedIsabelladeSiguenza？’Iasked。
　　’Thatnamewashersintheworld，’sheanswered，’thoughhowyouknowitIcannotguess。’
　　’Weknowmanythingsinthishouse，mother。
　　Saynow，canthisIsabellabesavedbymoneyorbyinterest？’
　　’Itisimpossible；hersentencehasbeenconfirmedbytheTribunalofMercy。
　　Shemustdieandwithintwohours。
　　Willyounotgivethepoison？’
　　’IcannotgiveitunlessIknowitspurpose，mother。
　　Thismaybeabarrentale，andthemedicinemightbeusedinsuchafashionthatIshouldfallbeneaththelaw。
　　AtonepriceonlycanIgiveit，anditisthatIamtheretoseeitused。’
　　Shethoughtawhileandanswered:’Itmaybedone，forasitchancesthewordingofmyabsolutionwillcoverit。
　　Butyoumustcomecowledasapriest，thatthosewhocarryoutthesentencemayknownothing。
　　StillotherswillknowandIwarnyouthatshouldyouspeakofthematteryouyourselfwillmeetwithmisfortune。
　　TheChurchavengesitselfonthosewhobetrayitssecrets，senor。’
　　’AsonedayitssecretswillavengethemselvesupontheChurch，’I
　　answeredbitterly。
　　’Andnowletmeseekafittingdrug——onethatisswift，yetnottooswift，lestyourhoundsshouldseethemselvesbaffledofthepreybeforealltheirdevilryisdone。
　　Hereissomethingthatwilldothework，’andIheldupaphialthatIdrewfromacaseofsuchmedicines。
　　Come，veilyourself，mother，andletusbegoneuponthis“errandofmercy。“’
　　Sheobeyed，andpresentlyweleftthehouseandwalkedawayswiftlythroughthecrowdedstreetstillwecametotheancientpartofthecityalongtheriver’sedge。
　　Herethewomanledmetoawharfwhereaboatwasinwaitingforher。
　　Weenteredit，andwererowedforamileormoreupthestreamtilltheboathaltedatalanding-
　　placebeneathahighwall。
　　Leavingit，wecametoadoorinthewallonwhichmycompanionknockedthrice。
　　Presentlyashutterinthewoodworkwasdrawn，andawhitefacepeepedthroughthegratingandspoke。
　　Mycompanionansweredinalowvoice，andaftersomedelaythedoorwasopened，andIfoundmyselfinalargewalledgardenplantedwithorangetrees。
　　Thentheabbessspoketome。
　　’Ihaveledyoutoourhouse，’shesaid。
　　’Ifyouknowwhereyouare，andwhatitsnamemaybe，foryourownsakeIprayyouforgetitwhenyouleavethesedoors。’
　　Imadenoanswer，butlookedroundthedimanddewygarden。
　　HereitwasdoubtlessthatdeGarciahadmetthatunfortunatewhomustdiethisnight。
　　AwalkofahundredpacesbroughtustoanotherdoorinthewallofalonglowbuildingofMoorishstyle。
　　Heretheknockingandthequestioningwererepeatedatmorelength。
　　Thenthedoorwasopened，andIfoundmyselfinapassage，illlighted，longandnarrow，inthedepthsofwhichIcouldseethefiguresofnunsflittingtoandfrolikebatsinatomb。
　　Theabbesswalkeddownthepassagetillshecametoadoorontherightwhichsheopened。
　　Itledintoacell，andheresheleftmeinthedark。
　　FortenminutesormoreIstayedthere，apreytothoughtsthatIhadratherforget。
　　Atlengththedooropenedagain，andshecamein，followedbyatallpriestwhosefaceIcouldnotsee，forhewasdressedinthewhiterobeandhoodoftheDominicansthatleftnothingvisibleexcepthiseyes。
　　’Greeting，myson，’hesaid，whenhehadscannedmeforawhile。
　　’Theabbessmotherhastoldmeofyourerrand。
　　Youarefullyoungforsuchatask。’
　　’WereIoldIshouldnotloveitbetter，father。
　　Youknowthecase。
　　Iamaskedtoprovideadeadlydrugforacertainmercifulpurpose。
　　Ihaveprovidedthatdrug，butImustbetheretoseethatitisputtoproperuse。’
　　’Youareverycautious，myson。
　　TheChurchisnomurderess。
　　Thiswomanmustdiebecausehersinisflagrant，andoflatesuchwickednesshasbecomecommon。
　　Therefore，aftermuchthoughtandprayer，andmanysearchingstofindameansofmercy，sheiscondemnedtodeathbythosewhosenamesaretoohightobespoken。
　　I，alas，amheretoseethesentencecarriedoutwithacertainmitigationwhichhasbeenallowedbythemercyofherchiefjudge。
　　Itseemsthatyourpresenceisneedfultothisactoflove，thereforeIsufferit。
　　ThemotherabbesshaswarnedyouthatevildogsthefeetofthosewhorevealthesecretsoftheChurch。
　　ForyourownsakeIprayyoutolaythatwarningtoheart。’
　　’Iamnobabbler，father，sothecautionisnotneeded。
　　Onewordmore。
　　Thisvisitshouldbewellfeed，themedicineiscostly。’
　　’Fearnot，physician，’themonkansweredwithanoteofscorninhisvoice；’nameyoursum，itshallbepaidtoyou。’
　　’Iasknomoney，father。
　　IndeedIwouldpaymuchtobefarawayto-night。
　　IaskonlythatImaybeallowedtospeakwiththisgirlbeforeshedies。’
　　’What！’hesaid，starting，’surelyyouarenotthatwickedman？
　　Ifso，youareboldindeedtoriskthesharingofherfate。’
　　’No，father，Iamnotthatman。
　　IneversawIsabelladeSiguenzaexceptonce，andIhaveneverspokentoher。
　　IamnotthemanwhotrickedherbutIknowhim；heisnamedJuandeGarcia。’
　　’Ah！’hesaidquickly，’shewouldnevertellhisrealname，evenunderthreatoftorture。
　　Poorerringsoul，shecouldbefaithfulinherunfaith。
　　Ofwhatwouldyouspeaktoher？’
　　’Iwishtoaskherwhitherthismanhasgone。
　　Heismyenemy，andIwouldfollowhimasIhavealreadyfollowedhimfar。
　　Hehasdoneworsebymeandminethanbythispoorgirleven。
　　Grantmyrequest，father，thatImaybeabletoworkmyvengeanceonhim，andwithminetheChurch’salso。’
　　’“Vengeanceismine，“saiththeLord；“Iwillrepay。“
　　Yetitmaybe，son，thattheLordwillchooseyouastheinstrumentofhiswrath。
　　Anopportunityshallbegivenyoutospeakwithher。
　　Nowputonthisdress’——andhehandedmeawhiteDominicanhoodandrobe——’andfollowme。’
　　’First，’Isaid，’letmegivethismedicinetotheabbess，forI
　　willhavenohandinitsadministering。
　　Takeit，mother，andwhenthetimecomes，pourthecontentsofthephialintoacupofwater。
　　Then，havingtouchedthemouthandtongueofthebabewiththefluid，giveittothemothertodrinkandbesurethatshedoesdrinkit。
　　Beforethebricksarebuiltupaboutthembothwillsleepsound，nevertowakeagain。’
　　’Iwilldoit，’murmuredtheabbess；’havingabsolutionIwillbebold，anddoitforloveandmercy’ssake！’
　　’Yourheartistoosoft，sister。
　　Justiceismercy，’saidthemonkwithasigh。
　　’Alasforthefrailtyofthefleshthatwarsagainstthespirit！’
　　ThenIclothedmyselfintheghastlylookingdress，andtheytooklampsandmotionedtometofollowthem。
　　Silentlywewentdownthelongpassage，andaswewentIsawtheeyesofthedwellersinthislivingtombwatchuspassthroughthegratingsoftheircelldoors。
　　Littlewonderthatthewomanabouttodiehadstriventoescapefromsuchahomebacktotheworldoflifeandlove！
　　Yetforthatcrimeshemustperish。
　　SurelyGodwillrememberthedoingsofsuchmenasthesepriests，andthenationthatfostersthem。
　　And，indeed，Hedoesremember，forwhereisthesplendourofSpainto-day，andwherearethecruelritesshegloriedin？
　　HereinEnglandtheirfettersarebrokenforever，andinstrivingtobindthemfastuponusfreeEnglishmensheisbrokenalso——nevertobewholeagain。
　　Atthefarendofthepassagewefoundastairdownwhichwepassed。
　　Atitsfootwasaniron-bounddoorthatthemonkunlockedandlockedagainuponthefurtherside。
　　Thencameanotherpassagehollowedinthethicknessofthewall，andaseconddoor，andwewereintheplaceofdeath。
　　Itwasavaultlowanddamp，andthewatersoftheriverwasheditsouterwall，forIcouldheartheirmurmuringinthesilence。
　　Perhapstheplacemayhavemeasuredtenpacesinlengthbyeightbroad。
　　Fortherestitsroofwassupportedbymassivecolumns，andononesidetherewasaseconddoorthatledtoaprisoncell。
　　Atthefurtherendofthisgloomyden，thatwasdimlylightedbytorchesandlamps，twomenwithhoodedheads，anddrapedincoarseblackgowns，wereatwork，silentlymixinglimethatsentupahotsteamuponthestagnantair。
　　Bytheirsidesweresquaresofdressedstonerangedneatlyagainsttheendofthevault，andbeforethemwasanichecutinthethicknessofthewallitself，shapedlikealargecoffinsetuponitssmallerend。
　　Infrontofthisnichewasplacedamassivechairofchestnutwood。
　　Inoticedalsothattwoothersuchcoffin-shapednicheshadbeencutinthissamewall，andfilledinwithsimilarblocksofwhitishstone。
　　Onthefaceofeachwasadategravedindeepletters。
　　Onehadbeensealedupsomethirtyyearsbefore，andoneharduponahundred。
　　Thesetwomenweretheonlyoccupantsofthevaultwhenweenteredit，butpresentlyasoundofsoftandsolemnsingingstoledownthesecondpassage。
　　Thenthedoorwasopened，themasonmonksceasedlabouringattheheapoflime，andthesoundofsinginggrewloudersothatIcouldcatchtherefrain。
　　ItwasthatofaLatinhymnforthedying。
　　Nextthroughtheopendoorcamethechoir，eightveilednunswalkingtwobytwo，andrangingthemselvesoneithersideofthevaulttheyceasedtheirsinging。
　　Afterthemfollowedthedoomedwoman，guardedbytwomorenuns，andlastofallapriestbearingacrucifix。
　　Thismanworeablackrobe，andhisthinhalf-
　　frenziedfacewasuncovered。
　　AlltheseandotherthingsInoticedandremembered，yetatthetimeitseemedtomethatIsawnothingexceptthefigureofthevictim。
　　Iknewheragain，althoughIhadseenherbutonceinthemoonlight。
　　Shewaschangedindeed，herlovelyfacewasfullerandthegreattormentedeyesshonelikestarsagainstitswaxenpallor，relievedbythecarmineofherlipsalone。