A short time after the bell rang for vespers, the carriage being ready,
my father and the confessor with myself and one small trunk got into the
best seats inside, and rode off at a rapid rate. I kept my veil over my
face, and said not a word neither did I shed a single tear; my sorrow,
and indignation was too deep for utterance or even for tears. The priest
and my father uttered not a word. Perhaps my father's conscience
made him ashamed of such vile work--that of laying violent hands on a
defenceless girl of eighteen years of age, for no crime whatever, only
the love of liberty and pure Bible religion. But if the priest was
silent, his vile countenance indicated a degree of hellish pleasure and
satisfaction. Never did piratical captain glory more in seeing a rich
prize along side with all hands killed and out of the way, than my
reverend confessor; yet a short time before he said he loved me as a
daughter. Yes, he did love me, as the wolf loves the lamb, as the cat
loves the mouse and as the boa constrictor the beautiful gazelle. To
my momentary satisfaction we entered the big gate of St. Ursula, for
although I knew I should suffer there perhaps even death, there was some
satisfaction in seeing a few faces that I had seen in my gay and happy
days, now alas! forever gone by! I was somewhat grieved by the cold
reception I received. All seemed to look upon me with horror. But none
of these things moved me; I looked to God for strength, for I felt that
He alone could nerve me for the conflict. The hardest blow of all was,
my dear father left me at the mercy of the priest without one kind look
or word. He did not even shake hands with me, nor did he say farewell.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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