I was almost overcome with dread of falling into their hands, believing
that they would deliver me up to the Superior. Hastening into a room, I
got behind a bed, told the lady of the house the cause of my fear, and
calling to a little girl to bring me my child, I stood in a state of
violent agitation. Expecting them in the house every instant, and
fearing my infant might cry, and so lead them to the place of my
concealment, I put my hand upon its mouth to keep it quiet.
It was thought desirable to get the testimony of the mistress of the
house where I spent the night after my escape from the nunnery, as one
means of substantiating my story. I had been there the day before my
visit to the house of Mr. Grant, accompanied by a friend, and on my
first inquiring of her about my nunnery dress, she said she had carried
it to the Superior; speaking with haste, as if she apprehended I had
some object very different from what I actually had. It now being
thought best to summon her as a witness before a magistrate, and not
knowing her whole name, we set off again towards her house to make
inquiry.
On our way we had to pass behind the parade. I suddenly heard an outcry
from a little gallery in the rear of a house which fronts another way,
which drew my attention. "There's the nun!" exclaimed a female, after
twice clapping her hands smartly together, "There's the nun, there's
the nun!"
I looked up, and whom should I see but the Irishwoman, who had taken so
active a part, on several occasions in my affairs, on account of her
friendship for my mother--the same who had accompanied me to Longeuil
in a boat, when I set out for New York, after making arrangements for
my journey. She now behaved as if exasperated against me to the utmost;
having, as I had no doubt, learnt the object of my journey to Montreal
since I had last spoken with her, and having all her Catholic
prejudices excited. She screamed out: "There's the nun that's come to
swear against our dear Father Phelan. Arrah, lay hold, lay hold upon
her! Catch her, kill her, pull her to pieces."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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