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。