This Discourse she ended with abundance of Tears, and it was resolv’d,
since she was devoted for ever to a Holy Life, That it was best for her
to make it as easy to her as was possible; in order to it, and the
banishing this fond and useless Passion from her Heart, it was very
necessary, she should see _Henault_ no more: At first, _Isabella_ was
afraid, that, in refusing to see him, he might mistrust her Passion; but
_Katteriena_ who was both Pious and Discreet, and endeavour’d truly to
cure her of so violent a Disease, which must, she knew, either end in
her death or destruction, told her, She would take care of that matter,
that it should not blemish her Honour; and so leaving her a while, after
they had resolved on this, she left her in a thousand Confusions, she
was now another Woman than what she had hitherto been; she was quite
alter’d in every Sentiment, thought and Notion; she now repented, she
had promis’d not to see _Henault_; she trembled and even fainted, for
fear she should see him no more; she was not able to bear that thought,
it made her rage within, like one possest, and all her Virtue could not
calm her; yet since her word was past, and, as she was, she could not,
without great Scandal, break it in that point, she resolv’d to dye a
thousand Deaths, rather than not perform her Promise made to
_Katteriena_; but ’tis not to be express’d what she endur’d; what Fits,
Pains, and Convulsions, she sustain’d; and how much ado she had to
dissemble to Dame _Katteriena_, who soon return’d to the afflicted Maid;
the next day, about the time that _Henault_ was to come, as he usually
did, about two or three a Clock after Noon, ’tis impossible to express
the uneasiness of _Isabella_; she ask’d, a thousand times, ‘What, is not
your Brother come?’ When Dame _Katteriena_ would reply, ‘Why do you
ask?’ She would say, ‘Because I would be sure not to see him’: ‘You need
not fear, Madam, (reply’d _Katteriena_) for you shall keep your
Chamber.’ She need not have urg’d that, for _Isabella_ was very ill
without knowing it, and in a Feaver.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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