her to trample on her vows to God, to defy the
torments of the Inquisition, to release her from bolts and bars, to
escape from a fortified and crowded city--each and every difficulty but
inflamed my ardour--every appeal of conscience but added to my willful
determination.

Although hitherto I had abhorred deceit, my first act was one of
duplicity. I wrote to her, stating that I had been permitted an
interview with her friends, and had made known to them what had passed;
that they had listened to me, and were disposed to yield; and although
it was kept a secret from her, in a few months her vows would be
dispensed with.

How cruel--how selfish was my conduct! but it answered my intention.
Buoyed up with the prospect of future happiness, Rosina no longer
struggled against the fatal passion--no longer refused to see me, and
listen to my vows of eternal fidelity. Deeper and deeper did she drink
of the intoxicating draught, until it had effaced from her mind, as it
had already done from mine, every other sensation than that of love.
Although I could have kissed the ground which she trod upon, and have
suffered the torments of a martyr for her sake, it was with the pleasure
of a demon that I witnessed my success, and hailed her falling off from
religion and from virtue.

Six months had passed away, during which, by bribes to the portress, and
the yielding of my mistress, I had contrived to obtain admittance by
night into the convent garden. One evening I informed her that her
parents, menaced by their confessor, had rescinded their promise to me,
and had decided upon not obtaining her dispensation. Every thing had
been prepared, that she might have no time for reflection: hurried away
by her own feelings, my persuasions, and my protestations, she
consented to fly with me to my own country. I bore the trembling,
fainting girl in my arms--effected my escape from the convent and the
city--embarked on board of a vessel which I had ready to weigh at a
moment's warning, and was soon far distant from the port of Cadiz.

It was near midnight when we embarked, and I bore my treasure down into
the cabin of the vessel, muffled up in my cloak. Her nun's dress had not
been laid aside; for I had not provided myself with any other change of
raiment.

Before morning it blew fresh. Rosina, who, as well as I, had abandoned
herself to that powerful love which engrossed us, lay supported in my
arms, when the captain of the vessel, coming