By my fig! said she, swearing, I'll go no further--And if I do, replied
the other, they shall make a drum of my hide.--

And so with one consent they stopp'd thus--

Chapter 4.III.

--Get on with you, said the abbess.

--Wh...ysh--ysh--cried Margarita.

Sh...a--shu..u--shu..u--sh..aw--shaw'd the abbess.

--Whu--v--w--whew--w--w--whuv'd Margarita, pursing up her sweet lips
betwixt a hoot and a whistle.

Thump--thump--thump--obstreperated the abbess of Andouillets with the
end of her gold-headed cane against the bottom of the calesh--

The old mule let a f...

Chapter 4.IV.

We are ruin'd and undone, my child, said the abbess to Margarita,--we
shall be here all night--we shall be plunder'd--we shall be ravished--

--We shall be ravish'd, said Margarita, as sure as a gun.

Sancta Maria! cried the abbess (forgetting the O!)--why was I govern'd
by this wicked stiff joint? why did I leave the convent of Andouillets?
and why didst thou not suffer thy servant to go unpolluted to her tomb?

O my finger! my finger! cried the novice, catching fire at the word
servant--why was I not content to put it here, or there, any where
rather than be in this strait?

Strait! said the abbess.

Strait--said the novice; for terror had struck their understandings--the
one knew not what she said--the other what she answer'd.

O my virginity! virginity! cried the abbess.

...inity!...inity! said the novice, sobbing.

Chapter 4.V.

My dear mother, quoth the novice, coming a little to herself,--there are
two certain words, which I have been told will force any horse, or ass,
or mule, to go up a hill whether he will or no; be he never so obstinate
or ill-will'd, the moment he hears them utter'd, he obeys. They
are words magic! cried the abbess in the utmost horror--No; replied
Margarita calmly--but they are words sinful--What are they? quoth the
abbess, interrupting her: They are sinful in the first degree, answered
Margarita,--they are mortal--and if we are ravished and die unabsolved
of them, we shall both-but you may pronounce them to me, quoth the
abbess of Andouillets--They cannot, my dear mother, said the novice,
be pronounced at all; they will make all the blood in one's body fly up
into one's face--But you may whisper them in my ear, quoth the abbess.

Heaven! hadst thou no guardian angel to delegate to the inn at
the bottom of the hill? was there no generous and friendly spirit
unemployed--no agent in nat