“The great amazement that I was in took away all my senses, or the free exercise of them; for I had not liberty to think of my parents, nor of my grief, nor of the danger that was so near me. So, in this suspension of thought, the waiting-maid came, and locked the chamber-door after her, and told me, ‘Madam, let us go to bed, and only tell me at what time in the morning will you have the chocolate ready?’ ‘Mary! for heaven’s sake,’ said I, as she had told me her name, ‘tell me whether I am to die or not.’ ‘I told you, madam, that you come,’ said she, ‘to live as one of the happiest creatures in the world.’ And as I observed her reservedness, I did not ask her any more questions; so recommending myself to God Almighty, and to our Lady of the Pillar, and preparing myself to die, I went to bed, but could not sleep. I was up with the day, but Mary slept till six of the clock. She left me half an hour alone, and came back with a silver plate, with two cups of chocolate and some biscuits. I drank one cup and desired her to drink the other. ‘Well, Mary,’ said I, ‘can you give me any account of the reason of my being here?’ ‘Not yet, madam,’ said she, ‘but only have patience for a little while.’ With this answer she left me, and an hour after came again with two baskets, with a fine Holland shift, a Holland under-petticoat, with fine lace round about it; two silk petticoats, and a little Spanish waistcoat with a gold fringe all over it; with combs and ribbons, and everything suitable to a lady of higher quality than I. But my greatest surprise was to see a gold snuff-box, with the picture of Don Francisco Torrejon on it. Then I soon understood the meaning of my confinement. So I considered with myself that to refuse the present would be the occasion of my immediate death, and to accept of it was to give him, even on the first day, too great encouragement against my honour. But I found, as I thought then, a medium in the case; so I said, ‘Mary, pray give my service to Don Francisco Torrejon, and tell him that, as I could not bring my clothes with me last night, honesty permits me to accept of these clothes, which are necessary to keep me decent; but, since I take no snuff, I beg his lordship to excuse me if I do not accept this box.’ Mary went to him with this answer, and came again with a picture nicely set in gold, with four diamonds at the four corners of it, and told me that his lordship was mistaken, and that he desired me to accept that picture, which would be a great favour to him; and while I was thinking with myself what to do, Mary said to me, ‘Pray, madam, take my poor advice; accept the picture, and everything that he sends to you; for consider, that if you do not consent and comply with everything he has a mind for, you will soon be put to death, and nobody will defend you; but if you are obliging and kind to him, he is a very complaisant and agreeable gentleman, and will be a charming lover; and