bated whether
the Basket had been placed there with a view to my necessity. Hope
answered my doubts in the affirmative. Yet who could guess me to be in
need of such assistance? If my existence was known, why was I detained
in this gloomy Vault? If I was kept a Prisoner, what meant the
ceremony of committing me to the Tomb? Or if I was doomed to perish
with hunger, to whose pity was I indebted for provisions placed within
my reach? A Friend would not have kept my dreadful punishment a
secret; Neither did it seem probable that an Enemy would have taken
pains to supply me with the means of existence. Upon the whole I was
inclined to think that the Domina's designs upon my life had been
discovered by some one of my Partizans in the Convent, who had found
means to substitute an opiate for poison: That She had furnished me
with food to support me, till She could effect my delivery: And that
She was then employed in giving intelligence to my Relations of my
danger, and pointing out a way to release me from captivity. Yet why
then was the quality of my provisions so coarse? How could my Friend
have entered the Vault without the Domina's knowledge? And if She had
entered, why was the Door fastened so carefully? These reflections
staggered me: Yet still this idea was the most favourable to my hopes,
and I dwelt upon it in preference.

My meditations were interrupted by the sound of distant footsteps.
They approached, but slowly. Rays of light now darted through the
crevices of the Door. Uncertain whether the Persons who advanced came
to relieve me, or were conducted by some other motive to the Vault, I
failed not to attract their notice by loud cries for help. Still the
sounds drew near: The light grew stronger: At length with
inexpressible pleasure I heard the Key turning in the Lock. Persuaded
that my deliverance was at hand, I flew towards the Door with a shriek
of joy. It opened: But all my hopes of escape died away, when the
Prioress appeared followed by the same four Nuns, who had been
witnesses of my supposed death. They bore torches in their hands, and
gazed upon me in fearful silence.

I started back in terror. The Domina descended into the Vault, as did
also her Companions. She bent upon me a stern resentful eye, but
expressed no surprize at finding me still living. She took the seat
which I had just quitted: The door was again closed, and the Nuns
ranged themselves behind their Superior, while