The Thrilling Mysteries of a Convent Revealed!

Mr. Peterson, 1835.

This work is a most fascinating account that
keeps you spellbound. The occult ritual of
installing the Jesuit General for the United
States, including drinking fresh blood from
a human skull, the burning of the Bible and
the trampling of the American flag under foot,
is enough to make any Bible believing Calvinist’s
blood boil! Fear? Rather rage over these acts of
blasphemy and high treason as we reach for our
Swords of Just Defense! The account is found in
Chapter IX.
 THE .

THRILLING

'~"Y S T E:R:I E S

_ OF A.

CONVENT REVEALED r

PHILADELPHIA:
(Page 96 of Book Text is Blank)
 LITERARY NOTICE.

.. ThIs book will be eagerly sought for and appreciated by aU those oin-
cere!}" and conscientiously opposed to the worst of tyrannies-tA. tyran-
ng 01 relipidft. It is unquestionably one of the best works that has been
issued durillg the nineteenth century. Mr. Peterson has been at consider-
able expense in getting up this interesting book; and we feel assured that
it will have a rapid sale, as there are few persons of the present day, but
who wish to be made fully acquainted with this Important subject. Tbe
author grapples his sUbject with a keen, determined intellect, and all the
bigotry, fanaticism, practises, and doings in a Convent, are here exposed.
to the light of the noon-day BUD. It is a work of especial interest at the
present time. The author is one of the most celebrated Methodist preach..
era now living, and what he exposes and narrates he does from the heart.
All should read and study it. It III a rieb, highly intereatlng work, and
the low price at which it is published, will, as it should, bring it within -..
the reach of the tans of thousands in every section of our country that
should read. it/'- TrIH Sun..
(Page 98 of Book Text is Blank)
 THE MYSTERIES OF A CONVENT.
-_0'::«:0'.'- -
CHAPTERL
Anl1que mansion-Family portraits-Conn~ of st. Aubyn-1P:lther and
daughter.

Towards the clos. of the last centnry, there stoOd, within a few
miles of Paris, an ancient, moss-grown chateau, embosomed iu
oaks, whose ~Darled limbs, covered with mistletoe, gave eviden~e.
of their antiquity, and showed that they had battl.d against
many a fierce onset of the elements.
This venerable pile, with the ampl. and handsome d.mesn. in
whose midst it stooa, was the family seat of the'Connts of St.
Aubyn, through whoseloug line of snccession it had deeeended
from sire to SOD, in spite of political convulsioDs which bad shaken
the State to it very fonndations. Every thing about the build-
ing wore the impress of time. The furniture, throu~hout its al.
most numberless rooms, was of the most antique fashion, aDd
had been preserved with great care, indeed witll a sort of super-
stitiou8 reverbnce. Over the spacioDs fire· place iu the great din-
ing hall, which had so often rung with the voice of revelry, was
sus~ended the once brilliantly illuminated, but DOW discoloured,
pedIgree of the famill:; while npon the oaken panelled walls,
were hung suits of mai , and implements of war and of the chase,
maoy of which were of the mORt primitive and ourious oonstrue...
tion. In various parts of the building were to be found portraits
of those members of the family~who had beeu remarkable for
aohievements on the battle field, or in the tournament; for learn-
ing, for statesmaoship, or for personal beauty: the mailed war..
rior, the tilting kui~ht, the I(rave councillor of atate, the robed
priest, and the lovely belle of her day. In the ohape4 the lIoors
and walls were covered with marble tablets and monuments.
whoso bass-reliefs aud inscriptions declared the hononrs of the
race in bygone days; while in tbe library was carefully preserv..
ed an ancient volume of vellum, heavily bound, and clasped with
brass, upon whose brond pages the chaplaius of the family had
been wont to record the history of the IU"'-";V8 connta. ,An old
oaken chest, which stead in oue corner of this room, was filled
with musty rolls aud moth-eaten parchm~uts, that told mllnya
curious tale, aud contained the evidenoe of many a dark trau....
action.
Charles, the Count of St. Aubyn, at the period when our story
opens, had distinguished himself in the' wars at France, and hall
fonght many': well-contested battl.; but having, in thel.st of
those, roceivecl a daugeroos wonnd which wholly incapacitated
him for the further sorvice of his country, in the army, h. had .....
tired to his patrimonial residence, where he IDent much of hi.
t.iJu. iu superwtending the e.!uC;ltiun of his only daughter. Luw..u,
93
 100 Mysteries of a. Conv~nt.
.. beautiful girl, now in her eighteeuth year; his remaining lei·
sure being devoted to the management of his estate, and to court
intrigue. .
Natorally of a cold, haughty, and tyrannical disposition, which
his long career as a military leader had by no means abated, but,
on the contrary, had greatly aggravated; excessively vain of his
ancestry; impatient of all contradiction, and ambitious of power
and preferment; Count St. Aubyn was but ill prepared for the
accomplishment of a task which had been early devolved upon
him by the death of the couutes" soon after givioi( birth to Lo.
uise; and this task was rendered the more difficult by her in-
heritance of her father's traits of cbaracter; and by the fact that,
while absent from home in the service of his country, hahad con.
fided his daughter to the care of a maiden 8Unt, who was too in.
dolent to take any interest in what SO nearly concerned her neice,
and to the chaplain of the family-a Roman Catholic priest-whO'
thought that any knowledge beyond that of the breviary was
<wholly usele,s for a young aud beautiful girl, sale heiress to a
Doble name and princely estate. Possessing, however, an inquir-
ing mind aud great natural talents, Louise spent much of her
time, from the age of twelve years, in her father's libt:ary ; read-
iug such books as suited her fancy, and especially delighting in
the perusal of the volume of vellum which contained the his-
tory of her ancestors. Finding, too, the key which unlocked the
old oaken chest, she ea.gerly pored over the contents of its time-
rusted parchments. At other times, she would ramble over the
~loomy pile, passing from room to room, spending bours in look-
ing at the family pictures which smiled or frowned upon her from
the walls, and in examining the curiously wrought.tapestry with.
which some of the rooms were dra.ped; or, going forth into the
fore,t near the chateau, she would stroll from place to place, as
her faucy dictated, or sit by the side of the ripplini( stream, lost
in bright musings, engendered by the works of fiction she had
. read. Companionship she had none, save when, after supper, she
entered the servant's hall, where she would sit until midnight,
listening to the lei(ends whic'- were recited to her by the old re-
tainers of the family, who had spent more than half a century in
the household, and by those who had accompanied her father to
the wars. Then, retiring to her room, with ber imagination
wrought up to the bighest pitch, she would lie awake for hours.
Thus raised until she had passed her seventeenth year, it is not
wonderfnl that when Count St. Anbyn, himself, undenook to su·
perintend the education of bis danghter, he should find her mind
in chaotic confusion, and ber disposition wilful and impatient of
all restraint. <
Fortunately for both of them, the protracted illness consequent
npon the severe wound that he had received in his last battle, and
during which Louise had nursed her father with the greatest af.
fection and tenderness, scarcely ever leaving his bedside,had serv..
ed greatly to attach them to each other, preparatory to<those <
collisions of temper which were sure to be the result of the ....0.
ciation, as teacher and pnpil, of two persons so unhappily can.
stitutett as Louise and the Count. In spite of this, however,
scenes frequently occurred in the Library, durini( the three yeara
which were spent by them, in this relation, which would heg<~er
discription; the father in a storm of wrath; and the daughter
 Mysteries of a Convent. 101
altemately weeping p..sionately, and then tnmlng upou her po.
rent, with all the fory of au uUl:ovemable spirit. Indomitable
in his purpose, however, the Count had at lenKth l!Iucceeded, to
some extent at least, in bringing Louise into 8ubjection to hisirou
will, when events occurred which changed the whole tenor of ber
life, and marvellously shaped her future destiny. A. recital of
these wo.hall defer 10 tbo next chapter.

CHAPTER II.
El'enta foreshadowed-A daughter's aoxietr-A seens of terror-Tbe vic.
tim's doom-The daughters horror.

CA.USES had been in operation, for ye&l'8, tending to revolution and

bloodshed in France :-C&U8ea which it is the"province, not 'of the
writer,' but of the historian, to trace and to record. The trem..
blinga aDd ominous mutterings of the glaciers had long boen felt
and heard :-good men, and there were a fow, had Btood a~bastt
as the earth reeled beneath tbeir feet, in fearful expectation of
sudden and dire oa.ta.strophe; bad meo, and their name was le-
gion, had, with malicious exultation, looked forward to mighty
. npbeavings of popular exci~ment, wbich sbould benefit tbem by
.the change they should effect, be that cbange what it might, and
ruin whom it would. At length, the mountain masses are loosen-
ed ; the avalanche descends, crashiDg, crushing', destroying, in its
downward rusb, life, hODour, fortune,-all that it had coat the
labourers of centuries to rear :-at one fell blow, civil government,
the rights of mao, religion, are overwhelmed in ODe undistingoish- .
able mass of utter ruin: while anarchy. cruelty, and impiety, ait
enthroned in gloomy gra.ndeur and the wide-spread desolation,
wearing 8. triple crOWD,. baptized in the blood of more than a mil.
lion of victims ;-fit emblem of that worn by "Ba1Jywn tM Feat,
tM Mother of "arlol3, and ahominatioM of tke earth;" which
would exalt thus to sit gloating upon the ruins, not of oue pro-
vince or .tate only but of all the world; while the wailing.. not
of infidel France alooe, but of Protestantism every where, should
come welling up a8 sweetest melody in her ea.rs.
Count St. Aubyn,-Count DO longer, for titles of honour bad
been abolisbed,-w:u not one of those who could be inert or in-
active at such a crisis as this i and soon rendered himself obnoxi-
ous to the fUfy of the Ie Infernal Trium.vira.te." He bad, of late,
boon frequently absent from home, dnriug the day, bnt had al.
ways returned, at night, for the protection of his daugbter. At
length, however, he came not, as usua.l; ,and Louise felt greatly
alarmed, for. she was apprised of pa8sing events, as they occurred
from day to day. Sho went to tbe great hall door, and, looking
out upon the darkness, waited Jon~ and anxiously for her father·.
return but he came not. She sent messengers to the city, that
ebo might, if possible, learn what had befallen him. Tho old
clook. wbich slood iu the ball, and whose tickings seemed 10 vi.
brate through her e.ery nerve, at last told the hour of midnight.
Still he came Dot, nor had her messengers returned. She knew
not what 10 do, nor where 10 send; sbo feared the worat, yet hop-
ed hourly for her fatber's ani.oJ. Wearied aud exhausted by
102 Mysteries of a Convent.
, anxiety, .... well .... chilled by the damp nigbt air, abe went to ber
room, and tried to compose herself, but in vain; the old clock
coutinued to Bound forth, from ita iron throa.t, hour after hour,
a,nd still her fathor,-whom sbe loved, in spite of their outbursts
of temper in the past.-her father came not. Hastily summon-
ing ber maid, she bade her descend to the servants' hall, and or-
der the coachmau to get ready the carriage; and, just .... the day·
broke, she threw herself into it,&nd, saying', "To the city:' le&D-
ed heavily upon the cushious, iu a perf~t fever of excitement.
It was already seven o'clock when she reached the gates ofPa-
ria; and here fresh difficulties arose in her path. She was refused
ndmittanoe; but, opportunely for her, 8 friend of her father, who
bad BOme influence with the guard, arrived just at the moment,
and succeeded in bribing him to let her pUB; the stipulation be-
ing made, however, that the carriage should remain outside the
barrier, and tbat Ihe Ihould enter the city, alone and oil foot, 10
as to attraot no observation.
What a scene met her gaze, on her entrance into the thorough-
fares through which Ihe had repeatedly passed before, a light.
hearted ma.iden, richly appareled, seated in the old family ooaoh,
by the side of her father, the Couut; of whose dignified and oom-
manding appearance she was so justly proud. Now, alone, on
foot, aud, happily for ber own safety, but indifferently clad, with
her heart palpitating under the iufWence of fear aDd anxiety, abe
had to make her way through a deuse mass" of human beings,
heaving and rollinR like the waves of the ocean, when moved by
the storm. Here were men, drunken with excitement and iutox...
icated with power, for the mob ruled-drunken mell uttering the
most awful blasphemief'., and crying, in tones which called the
Yery BOul within ber," BWod I Blood. More Blood /' Here
were woman with"dishevelled hair; torn aud ragged dresses, be..
smeared with blood; countenances haggard and pale for want of
food ;womell blasphemin~, and crying, in acceuts of despair-
.. Bread! Bread. Down with the Ariatacrat. - give us boread, ""
toe dt'e." There the infuriated crowd was makiug a bonfire of
the elegant but broken fnrniture which had just been taken ttom
& neighbouring mansion-that mansion in flames; while another
party was draggioK to the guillotine the late owu~ of this prince_
ly establishment-his only crime, perhaps, his wealth. A few
steps further on, and she beheld some unfortunate being hanging,
lueness, from a lamp-post i and advancing but a short distance
beyond, she encounters a dead body, lying upon the pa.vement,
with its ghastly, upturned features, ground by the beel of lOme
ru1llan, until they could not be distinguished. Blood, blood, blood
-every where j in the street; ou the pavement; standing in great
puddles, ruuning in the gutters, spattered upon the walls in the
houses, staining tho faces and garments of the populace"; blood
cryiug to heaven for vengeance upon the regicides, the homicides.
0, it was a horrible spectacle-a sight to have siokened her W~
mau's heart-a. sight which sbe nover forgot, and which myste-
riously affected her whole after life, as it stood iu coooexion with
the event of that morning, which froze that heart to st.lIle, and
for ever dried np that kindly emotion. Drawing her shawl close-
ly about her person, and stoppiD~ from time to time to recover
herself, as in the Iwayings to and fro of the madJened crowd, she
waa now hurried rapidly forward, and now almost hurried to the
 :Mysteries of a Convent. 103
ground. She had succeeded in passing through several streets,
as yet unharmed, when, on suddenly turning a corner, she stood
in full view of the guillotine; around which was gathered a mot.
ley multitude of men, women, and children, all vociferating that
terrible cry-" Blood I blood I" One glance snlliced to ten her
that she had found her father, bnt under what fearful circum.
stances. There he stood erect upon the scaffold, casting a look
of dignified defiance upon the surging mob, thirsting for his life.
A moment more, and he, who had never feared death upon the
battle field, calmly lay. his head upon the block. Spell.bound,
Louise sees the fatal knife descend with lightning speed, but ~be
sees no more: with ODe wild shriek of agony sbe falls 8woonmg
upon the hard stones; the last link severed which bound her in
sympathy to her race.

CHAPTER m.
Returning consciousness-Louise the orphan-A friend in need-Genuine
sympathy- Disinterested generosity.

ON recovering from the state of insensibility into whiohshe had'

been thrown by the dreadfnl spectacle that she had witnessed,
she was surprised to find herself on a low pallet, in a small and
ill-furnished apartment, with a. female bending over her, whom
she did not recollect to have seen before, busily engaged in chaf..
ing her temples.
"Where am I P" cried the unhappy girl. "0, where am I, and
where is my dear father P I have had snch a horrible dream I 1
thought I saw my father lay his head upon the bloody block-
that I saw his gray hairs doating on the breeze, and then-I saw
that terrible knife-but tell me, 0, tell me," she added, eagerly
grasping the arm of the stranger, "have I been dreaming, or is it,
indeed, a fearfnl reality P Speak, I entreat you, for my poor head
reels so, that I cannot remember any thing."
The good woman Bought to soothe her, and to evade the ques-
tion; telling her bow important it was for her to be quiet; but
all her benevolent efforts were in vain. Louise pressed the ques-
tion, until, finding it was still evaded, she screamed in agony-
"Then, indeed, it was no dream. They have murdered my poor
fntber. Take, 0 take me to him!" and again feU back exhausted
aud faint upon the couch.
Her kind hostess again succeeded in restorin~ her to conscious..
ness; and then, in spite of aU entreaties, refused to answer any
questions, until she could have tried to sleep.
Louise, fully aware of her loss, and that she was truly an orphan,
for her father had been cruelly murdered before her eyes; her mo-
ther had died in giviog her birth; and she had not a blood rela-
tive in all France; wrung her hands in silent agony, and tosSE:ld
from side to side upon the bed, until at length wearied nature
yielded to the soft impulse of sleep: and she lay, for four or five
hours, in uncoDsciousness of the sorrows which had settled down
upon her young spirit, like a pall of darkness.
While she thus sleeps, it may be 88 well to inform the reader,
that, when Louise uttered the cry of horror, and swooned in thB
lO! Mysteries of a Convent.
'street, on ...ing her father guillotined. there stood not far from
ber in the crowd, an old soldier, in the dress of a labourer, who,
attrected by her scream, and looking upon h.r fac., di&eov.red in
h.r the daughter of his old g.nerel. the Count 81. Auhyn. whose
blood w t that mom.nt, atreeming from the neIghbouring
scalfold. H Wy .eizing the poor girl.... sh. lay npol) the pav.-
m.nt, her dreas stain.d with the crimson fiuid. which stood il)
puddles all ahout her. h. raised h.r in his arm., while the rushing
crowd ...med r.ady to trample th.m both ben.ath th.ir impa•.
tient feet; and, forcing a passage, with his brawny shoulder,
through the heaving masses of human beings, who appeared to
be demoDs incarnate keeping their infernal holiday on the green
earth, which··blushed in blood, he made his way as best he might,
until, turning into a by-.tr.et which wa.l.s. throng.d than that
through which h. had p.....d, h. preBeutly reach.d the outskirts
of the city, and arrived at his own humble dwelling. Here de..
positing his uncouscious burth.n upon the bed, and bidding hie
wife take care of the stranger, until his return, he went forth,
and, going to a restaurant, bought a loaf of bread and a bottle of
wine, with which h. h...tened hom. ; the shouts of the maddened
multitnd•• from a distanc., .v.n now and th.n falling upon his
ear. as victim after victim sank b.neath the stroke of the guillo-
tin.. Accustomed as h. had been to the mingled cri.s of the bat·
tle..field, and to scenes of carnage, there was something inexpres-
sibly dreadfnl to bim in th.Be fiendish shouls of citiaens imbru.
iug their hands in each other's blood, and in the wild excitement
of neighbours fighting against their neighbours, 1n mortal strife
and deadly hatred.
On r.-.ntering hi. dwelling, h. found Louise sleeping disturh-.
edly. and, Beating himself by the sid. of his wif•• proce.ded to r.,
late to her the events of the morning. and to lDform h.r who
their guest was.
Presently Louise awoke, and, heaving a deep sigh, cast a hur_
ried glance from one to the other of the strangers who sat near
her bedside, as if to inquire where she was, and who they were.
With a kindness and consideration that would have done hon-
our to those who make greater J>reteusiOlls to refinement than
this humble couple, Marie-for thIS was the good woman"! name
-approached Louise, and, placing h.r hand affectionately upon
her forshead. from which. as w.n as from her hair and dress, all
stains had been ca.refl)lly removed while she had been sleeping,
pressed her to take 80me nourishmeut, and placed before her the
bread and wine which the olu soldier bas brought home. Louise
sncceed.d in taking a little of both. and then. thanking h.r kind
bnt unknown friends. begg.d th.y would satisfy the .nquirie. of
her miud.
Pierre Loubat-her generous preserver-then proceeded to re.
late what had occurred during the interval of her unconscious-
ness, and assured her that, as long as she desired it, his hou8e,
humble as it was, should be her home; adding that h.r fath.r,
under whom h. had serv.d in the army. had saved his life on the
battle-fi.ld; and that, while h. hau au arm to raise. it should b.
outstretch.d for her protection. .
"Thanks, most kind friends," replicd Louise, who, while lis~
tening to the R'ood Pierre, had covered her face with her hands;
the heaving of her bosom, and the tears ... th.y feU upon her
 Mysteries of ~ Convent. 105
dress, meanwhile evincing her deep emotion; "a poor orphao,
for truly soch I &aI. Oa.nnot reward you, for your benevolence to
her, but may that God who has promi..d to be a f..ther to the f...
therless, pour upon you his choicest blessings!'
"Speak not of reward," was the prompt and feeling response
of the labourer; U your noble father has laid me under eternal.
oblig..tions, and it is but a poor return to befriend his child. You
have only to command my services, to secure them in any way
yOIl may require." -.
"But; tell me,lJ he presently added, "are there none of your
relations iu tbe city, to whom IOU wonld like to Bend a meBSage
by me ?"
Louise shuddered as this question fell npon ber ear; and, with
a fresh gush of te&.rs, rcpliad, U Alas, I have not a blood relative
on earth. My pa....nts are both dead; and I know not another
being, besides mysell, in whose veins dOWB the blood of the St.
Aubyns."
U But your father must hue had many frien"de in Paris, who

would be glad to be of service to you now!' .

" My fatber had friends, whil. in prosperity; but now that he
is dead, and by means of the guillotine, 7ho would dare to be.
frieud biB cnild P To apply to tbem, wonld be but to throw my_
s~lf upon the same block, and to meet the same fate."
"The Virgin forbid!" exc1s.imed !{s.rio, de.onUy croaoing her.
self. .
U .Alas! poor young lady," asid Pierre, in tones of heartfelt
sympathy, "how sad is your condition 1 Be &8Sured, at least, tbat
neither Maria nor I will ever desert or betray you."
A freoh burst of grief was the only .....pon.. that Louise conld
make. ~
At length, as though a suddcn thought had crossed her mind
she asked,
" Do you ~now M. De Montmaill, the banker P"
U I know where he lives," replied be. .
'.' You will greatly oblige me then," said Louise, "if you will
go to his houae, to.morrow morDing; and say £0 Him, that the
daughter of tbe Count St Anbyn would be glad to see him here..
for 8. few minutes, on business."
U I will most cheerfully," quickly returned Pierre, 88 if it did
hiB noble heart good to h..ve an opportunity of redeeming his pro.
mise to the poor orphan. ....;
Here Marie interposed, and, insistin}{ that Louise should be
left to seek rest, made arrangements for the night, aud, giving up
their own bed to her, retired to a litUe room adjoining that in
which she was to sleep.

CHAPTER IV.
Kind-hearted banker-Noble resolve-A generouo prcpooa1-obUgatlou
returoed-A thsnkfuilleart.

0" the following ",oruing, at an early honr, Pierre called a~ tho

residence of M. de lIoutmain, LlDd havinK with some di:ffi.cnlty,
succeeded in BOOing the bauk... informed him that a young ladl
 103 :Mysteries of a Convento
:wished to see him, on bu.in.... at No. 68, Rne de Nante., &Itd
tbat if be would go with bim, or say wben it wonld .uit his oon-
venience to make tbe call, be would .how bim tbe w"y.
"But my 1:000 friend," replied tbe banker, " you have not told
me her name; and these, you are aware, are Dot times for a man.
In my situation to be calling on nameless damsels, simply because
. they express a desire to see him. Who is this unknQwn lady P"
.. Tbe daugbter of General St. Aubyn, wbo was guillotined yes-
terday," aDewered Pierre, bowing respectfully, and brushing
sway a teat1\-om his eye. . •
.. The daugbter of General St. Aubyn, who was guillotined ye.-
terday!" slowly repeated Y. de Montmain, looking' fixedl! upon
Pierre. " Impossible!n added he, U How came she there P"
"I carried ber there on my shoulder, from near the scaffold on
which she had seen her Doble father perish," answered Pierre;
" and I intend to protect her with my own life, now tbat .he i.
0.0 orphan, without home, aod without friends!' As he said this,
tbe good soldier drew bimself up to his full height, and looked as
though pe saw before him some one'who had intentions of injury
toward. his yoncg protegee. .
The bauker saw tbe 'l."ble bearinll of the vetemn, and, reading
the devotion to ber iuterest. wbich be bad uucon~ou.lybetray-
ed, took him warmly by the hand, e:s.elaiming,
"Noble-hearted man, the great God will bless you for this
kindness to the orphan. Co~e, show the way to your house;". I
will foHow you Buywhere..1J
Adva.ncing hastily along the le88~frequented streets; for no one,
who had anything at stake, loved, in those troublous days, to lin ..
ger by the way, or to llJingle with the crowd; the banker and the
old soldier 800n reached the dwelling of the latter, and were eea.·
ted by the bed of Loui.e, who was too feeble to ari.e. .
Y. de Montmain immediately recogui.ed tbe dau~hter of the
deceased General, whose features ahe bOl'O very distinctly, and
whom, indeed, he had once seen at her father's; and, addressing
her in tones full of .ympatby and kindne••, asked if he oould in
any way serve the child of his old fril,.ud.
. "I am an orphan, and destitute"-replied Louise, her utterance
almost choked with emotion-" and having no home to which I
can safely repair, while I am willitig to become a burden to these
kind-hearted people, wbo have saved my life. and perhap., at
least, my honour, I have sent for y6u, M. de Yontmain, to know
if my father, at tbe time of hi. deatb, had any mon'ey iu your
hands) and if in any way I can, as hlB sole survivor, obtain that
money, or any portion of iti'''
"Tbere are iu my band.. belonging to the e.tate of yoUr late
father, 18.000 francs;" replied the baoker-" but you are aware,
MademoiseUe, tbat, in times like these, it is impossible to foresee
what may happen, a. well a. to lltke any legal step., to aeoure to
JOU the iuheritauce ; besides, if it were known to tho ~C'vernment
that this amouut were now standing ou my books to the credit of
General St. Aubyn, it would be seized upon immediately, and oon-
fi.cated to the purpo.e. of the State. In tbi. dilemma, it is very
difficult to determlUc what is best to be done."
Having said tbi., tbe banker sat for some time in deep thought;
at length rai.ing biB eye. from the 1I00r, uP'Jn which they h"d
beeu intently died, he said,
 Mysterioo of. a Convent. 107
, "I will tell you what I will do, Mademoi...lle Louise; I am uuder
obligatioua to your excellent father for advauces made me in my
buem..... wbeu I greatly needed them. This money is rightfully
yours, independeut of all legal .proceediogs, which are now of
conrae entirely out of tbe question: but eigbteen tbonsand francs
i. & large sum of money,. and if it were discovered, after I bad
paid it over to you, that it was in my possession 8ubsequent to.
the General's death, the Government might confiscate tha.t amount
of my fund·s, and hold me responsible for the entire sum. But
you Deed money, and must have it ; I will, therefor~, in the course
of two hours from this time, pay you the 8um of ten thousand
:!rance.. and take your receipt for that amount, together with &
bond of iodemnity agaiust any loss that I msy sustain by the act,
payable Qut of the esta.te ; ahoald these troublous times ever pass
away, and men's right be once more respected and established.
I The remainder to be left iu my hands, subject to the esteblish.
meut, at some future time, of your claim.. aa heiress of your fa.
tber. J •

II You have my thanks, M. de Montmain, for this generous of.

fer," said Louise, in tones which at once evinced her surprise at
the generosity of the banker, and the relief which it afforded to
her mind. II I will most cheerfully sign any writing you may re.
quire, and. shall cODaider myself under obligations to one who haa
manifested 80 much honesty aud true kindneSs of heart."
The banker hastened home, and, returning in about an hour,
placed in Louise', hands the sum of ten thousand fraucs in gold,
taking the necessary papers to secure himself from loss, &8 far, at
least, as poeaiblo, under the circumstances; aud, assuring her of
his readiness at all times to serve her, for the sake of her father,.
he bade her adieu, and left the house.
Louise at once called the good Pierre to her, and, counting into
his hand, in spite of all his remonstrances, five hundred francs,
desired him to consider them as his own, and to take the remain..
der into his'safe keeping, for her use. It is unnecessary to add
that the trust was never betrayed.

CHAPTERV.
A. comfortable retreat-Retribution-The peasant~girl's victim-Blood for
blood-The chiela receive their merited doom-The orphan's QW'l8.

EIGHTEEN months rolled. away, and still found Louise an inmate

of the ,.Ole family which h.d first afforded her protection. They
Jived not in the 8ame house, however; for ahe had insisted upon
their takinR ooe somewhat larger and more comfortable, at her
t>::tpens8, while it was nt the same time less exposed to the prying
eye of curiosity, and her safely was, therefore, rendered the
gre.ter. The good Marie minislered to all her wante, and sub-
mitted to all her caprices; while Pierl'8 daily brought her the
news from the city.
Meanwhile, the first of that" Infernal Triumvirate" which had
condemned her father to death by the l(uil1otine, and had deluge'l
France with the blood of her citizens, had fallon beneath tbe knife
of the poasant girl, who ,putting .side the weakness of her SOlt,
108 Mysteries of a Convent.
'lUld clothiDg herself with eDthusi...tio devotion to the iDterests of
her native land, bared her arm in the llama of Freedom, and in~
spired with a. heaven.born heroism, tracked the mODster :Karat to
his lair, aDd there stDck that kDife to the heart of him whom she be-
lieved to be the foremost in the butohery of her cQuntrr.men, and
whose death would, she thought, give birth to the liberties of
France. .
Next fell Dauton-a viotim to the jealousy and to the wiles of
the uDprincipled Rob.spierre-but while he met- the fate which
his atrocities so richly merited, his dying prediction was fully ve_
rified, for, in falling, he dragged with him the arch.murderer, Ro-
bespierre, from the guilty seat of power, which they had oocupied
together.
. On the morDiDg oUhe 29th of July, 1794, at daybreak, the
atreets of Paris were filled to repletion with masses of human be..
iogs, all converging to one point of general attraction. The po..
pulace of this great lUld wicked city, their hands aDd garmeDts
reekiDg with the gore of the tltoDsaDds whom they had slaiD in
the fever of popular excitement, had grown weary of the sight of
blood, and yet they were thronging to witness an~ther execution.
Onward they press, ORe cry Bounding above all others-U Down
with the tyrant-down with Robespierre. To the guillotine with
him!" What, Robespierre! Ay, that name, at mention of which,
as it passed from lip to lip, hundred.s of thousands, nay, all France,
had trembled :-that name, whose magic power had led the mad...
dened multitude to deeds of viol'ence, and to words of blasphe...
my which astoDished the world-that Dame, which had swept,
sirocco-like, over the land, blaspheming and blighting-that name,
once 80 powerful, now so powerless-that name, once so dreaded,.
now so contemned. How are the mighty fallen I Robespierre
is about to expiate his crimes, upon that very scaffold to whlch he
had sentenced so many victims. The guillotine stands on t4e very
spot where the unhappy Louis XVI. and his noble consort, Marie
ADtoinette had suffered. It staDds iD the Plaoe dela RevolutioD.
Around it gathered the dense crowd, waiting impatiently to wit.
ness the death of him who had promised them riches, aDd fields
of graiD, but who had, iDstead, fed them UPOD the blood of their
fathers, lUld husbauds, aDd hrothers. Now the crowd disports to
the right and left; and, amid cursings, and execrations, and shouts
of exultation, the bl}ud of conspirators, against the liberties of
France, slowly advances. There are Henriot, aud Couthon, and
St. Just, and Dumas, and CoffinaI, alid Simon, and others, but
conspicuous among them all is Robespierre-the master-spirit,
and arch-conspirator, the tyrant, the bloodhound. of the Revolu.
tioD. The bodies of Henriot, of Couthon, and of Robespierre, 8re-
multilated-mangled in the bloody scene consequent upon their
seizure, the night before. They all stand around the fearful in.
strument of death, each awaiting his turn. One by one they 80S.
"Dd the platform, above which the glitteriDg blade is suspended,
lUld each is heheaded ; a wild shout of joy goes up from the COD-
gregated thousands who witness this last offerin~ to liberty. At
last comes the tyrant's turn, and, as he mouuts the ~affold,.a yet
wUder shout ascends from the multitude, who are fra.ntic with ex...
ultatioD. There he staDds, the last of the dreaded euemies of hu- .
maD rillhts! See the blood ooziDg from the baDdage that hold.
up hi. fl'"~ctured jaw; it runs down upon his c1othiug; the exe-
 Mysteries of a. Convent. 109
ClIlioner snatches the bandage from his head; the broken Jaw falls
upon his breast; and one yell of terrible agony is wrung from bis
stoical soul, which had borne the anguish of the previous night,
without a groan. But, what cry is that which pierces the ear,
whose tones, soundillgeven above the yell of mortal pain which
filled every heart with horror, are heard ringing out Bhrill and
clear upon the air P It was the voice of a woman-a young and
beautiful woman, whose dress of deepest mourning, and whose palo
face, showed th~t she has been a sufferer from the tyrant's cruel..
ties. Hark to the voice! "Murderer of my father, your agony
fills me with joy; descend to hell, covered with the curses of the
orphan! aye, covered with the curses of all the orphans and wi-
dows'you have made in France :" See, he shuts his eyes, he would
fain stop his ears! he would ~ladly hush his conscience, but he
cannot; the iron has pierced· hIS soul-" thfg~ i8 a God." The re-
tributions of that hour declare it. Robespierre"ieels it; and, with
remorse gnawing at his vitals, he bows his head upon the block,
and his doomed spirit passes into the awful presence of Jehovah:
exultant shoms .proclaIm the joy of France, that a tp-ant has been
removed from the face of the earth; while the whole scene de-
clared the presence of an avengin~ Deity.
The execution over, the crowd dispersed; and Louise St Aubyn,
leaning heavily upon the arm of Pierre, the old veteran, walked
slowly homeward. It was she who, having heard what was to
transpire that day, hp,d clothed herself in mourning, and, 8t~nd­
iog beneath the-guillotine, had cursed Robespierre, the murderer
of her father,

CHAPTER VI.
Louise longs to leave France-Looking towards America-Prevails upon
Pierre and ]Iarietoaccompany her-Arrival in the llew Republlc-
Church of the Jesuita-Interview with Father Jubert.

FRANCE was hateful to Louise, since the death of her father, aud
tbe atrocities which she had witnessed, and of which she had
heard; and she longed to leave its shores. She had beard muoh
of the yonng Republic across the broad Atlantic, and determined
to go thither, that she might no longer be surrounded by those
whom she regarded as lawless murderers, against whom she had
in secret vowed eternal hatred. Indeed, her heart was fined
with bitterness towards her whole race, save the good Pierre, the
kind Marie, and the generous banker, M. de Montmain; the only
beings, in all the world, towards whom she felt one emotion of
regard or esteem.
On the morning sucoeeding the tragicat events narrated in the
last chapter, Louise called Pierre and his wife into her room, af..
ter breakfast, and, biddin~ them be seated, she said to them:
"My friends, I hate France; I wish to teare it, and seek an
asylum in the new home of the Borrow-stricken, the United States.
I am unwilling to leave you behind; will you go with me P"
U But Mademoiselle," replied Pierre, who was muoh astonish-
ed at this intelligence- u we have Dot the means; and, besides,
we should starve, when we got there, without friends, and with-
out business." .
110 MysterieS of a. Convent.
, .. A. to the meene of g.tting to Am.ricaw-responded Loul...-
" leave that to" me; I will provide them. It is all little 88 I can
do in return for the kindness which you have manifested to me,
during the many months th.t I h.v. spent under your hospit-
.bl. roof. I will p.y your p....g. aero.. the ocean; and, wh.n
w. reach that fri.ndly shore, w. will tak. a house, and IIv. to-
g.ther ao w. do h.re. Our-good Pierre can find 80mething to do ;
you, Marie, and I, can keep hous., and thus w. will do very w.n.
I have seven thousand franca I.ft; and, whil. th.... laot'loU
sh.1l not want. Coni., let ns I.av. this horribl. conntry, an go
at once where at least our lives will be safe, and we can earn our
daily bread in peace. What say you, my friends P" .
":A.h! it will be hard to leave Paris, with all her faulte," an-
swered Pierre: II but yet, I feel well assured, from what I have
h.ard .hont that far off conntry, that Ms.d.moisen. Lonise ad·
viaes for the best. . We love·hert-continued he, addrelJ8ing him...
self to his wife- u and we will go with her; w.e can 8000 earn
.nougb, by our labour, to repay what sh. may s.dvan.. for our
expeoaes. Come, Mo.rie, say yea, and we will go'willi her."
~'Well, Pierre, be it so, then. We have nothing to keep us
here, ..v. our love for la bell. France, and who knows bnt w.
may I:rDW rich in Am.rica, which w. aosoredly w. cannot do
here." . ,
"By the way," said Pierre, "it just occors to me, at this mo..
ment, that the captain of the new brig, the 1e8ll Maurice, told
me, the otber d.y, that he would st.rt from Havre for N.w York,
80me tim. next week. If you say so, Mad.moisell. Loui..., I will
... the captain, aud ascertain what n. will charg. to take u. all
to that place. JJ .

Suffic. it to say th.t the arrang.ments w.r. all mad. to the

sat.isfaction of Louise and her companioDs; their passports ob-
tained, hers being in au assumed name; and on the Thursday
following the conversation that has just been related, the Jean
Maurice was breastiug the wav.s of the oc.an, on her w.y to the
new world.
In due tim. the brig arrived at its port of d.stin.tion; and, in
a few days, Pierre bad taken, at the r~ueat of Louise, a nice lit.
tl. han.. in the snburbs of the city, wblCh wao plainly but com-
fortably furnished; and here the three fri.nds, whom misfortnn.
had 80 siol!ularly bound tog.th.r in strong ties, lived in the en-
joym.nt of "M~.~ and repose. Pierre soon fonnd profitahl••m-
ploym.nt; '. bnsied h.rself with honsehold affain; whil.
Louise employed her time in embroidery, lessons in which abe
bs.d tak.n before she left P.ris. and for which she rec.ived a
handsome remun.ration from a Fr.nch merchant, who had been
for some time established in buBiuesa. .
Some weeks rolled away. when, ODe mornioJr, Louise entered
the confessional in the church of the Jesuito, at N.w York; ....d,
after a fnll confession, sought ah80lution from the priest who was
pr....nt. H. inquired who she wao, and, manif.sting f!I'8.t
sympathy fOf her sorrows, aot.d fOf h.r address; telling her h.
would call, in a f.w. days, and pay her a pastoral visit. This
pri.st was a young man, of ahont thlrtr y.ars of age, of hand_
some features, commanding figure, pohshed manners, and was a
refoge. from Fran<:e, being. a d.scendant from a noble fawily;
hi. name, Jubert.
 ,
Mysteries of a. Convent. 111
, It was not long before Father Jubert .tood before the dwelling
of Louise St. Aubyn, and, lightly rapping at the door, was admit..
ted into the little parlour, where sat ber whom he came to see.
The blu.h mantled upon the cheek of Loui.e, as .be looked at
the handsome priest; and, Jesuit as he was} and accustomed. to
the maintenance of an iron control over hImself, the tell-tale
blood which monnted to hi. face, told that an impre.sion had
been made upon hi. heart which would be exceedingly danger-
ous to tile peace of both.
The interview was a long one; for Father Jubart iosisted upon
having, from the lips of Louise a full accoont of her past history;
and, during its recital, :manifested the deepest interest in its details~
At length, the narrative was completed; and the priest had ar-
rived at the conclusion that Louise St. Aubyn p'08sessed rare qua.-
lifications for membership in the order of Jeswts, and that if she
could but be persuaded to j ain that order, it would. be at once a.
most valuable acquisition, while it would render more easy of
accomplishment, certain intentions of his OWD, which had been
formed in his mind, while, with flushed cheek and fir~:8.aBhing
eye, she had told her thrilling .tory. .
He, therefore, related to her, at ber reqnest, his own history,
taking csre to expatiate upon the happy retreat from worldy
anxiety, which he had found in tbe bosom of the church, and in
association with the order of which he was a mem ber. His im ..
passioned eloquence, while he enlarg:ed upon this topic, made a
deep impression upon the mind of Louise, already predisposed, by
misanthrophic feeling, to abandon the world, and shut herself out
from ita tumult and its sorrows; and the wily Jesuit, finding that
he had .ucceeded beyond his expectations,thought it hest not to .
push the matter, at that time, any further, but to leave the im-
pression to deepen itself, and work its own way.
Rising gracefully from his chair, and offerin~ his services to
Louise, in the moat delicate manner imaginable, he promised to
visit her again; and took his leave, with all the refined politen.s.
of the accompli.hed Frenchman.

CHAPTER VII.
Louise's reflections on the interview-Its effect on Louise-An:detyotPierre
and Marie-The heart's consolations-The wily Jesuit.

THIs interview with father Jubert left the mind of Louise in a

tumult of emotion, such as only a being of her peculiar mould is
capable of. Before the disastrous event occurred, which made
her an o",han, she had had but little intercourse with· those of
~e. OppOSIte ae~ ; and then only when, on State occasions she had
Vl~ted. Paris, in company with her father; and although her im- ,
agl?ation had often been infla.med by the perusal of romances,
which.he found in the library of the chateau, and which she had
devoured with great aviditr., she had never before met with any
!lne w~o had. inspi~ed her WIth the feelin!!s which she experienced
m the mtervlew w.th the young, the handsome, and the polished,
F!ench priest. In short, she. had fallen desperately in love with
hIm; and her qnick woman's wit had made the discover, that the
passion Was a reciprocal one. Had h. been of low ongin in his
 112 Mysteries of a. Convent.
native land, she would bave spurned tbe ide. ; but, as be had in-
formed ber tbat be was a son of tbe Oount J ubert, tban wbose
tbere was no better blood in Franoe, her romantio disposition seiz-
ed eagerly npon tbe adventnres ; and ber fondn... for excitement
of every kind, that might relieve the tedious monoto01_ of her
every-day life, found nutriment upou wbioh to feast itself, in the
ftame whicb tbe Fatber Jubert bad inspired in her bosom.
" But he is a priest," aaid she to herself, as sbe thougbt of the
circumstances which had transpired in the interview; end tbis,
instead of sbocking ber by tbe new pbase in which it presented
the subject to her mind, only served to make the attair more ro-
mantic, and therefore, the more pleasurable to her excited fancy.
"Yet he loves me; I know;" she added! mentally. "Did"'not
bis voice falter, aod bis cheek redden, as be spoke to me P and,
when be bade me good bye, how his hand trembled, as he pre88-
ed mine I .He loves me, I am sure of it. What a pity he is a
priest I How handsome he is I How agreeable!" And thus she
sat re8.80ning and communing with her own thonghts, until Ma-
rle announced that diooer wa.s on the table.
U Mademoiselle does not eat to~daYtn said Pierre with some
anxiety, as he observed that Louise scarcely touched the food on
her plate, and seemsd greatlT ahstracted during tho snent meal,
"I hope you are, not unwell.)
" I am quite well," replied Louise, aroused, for the moment,
from ber reverie-" I was only thinking of the. past, my good
Pierre, and that made me sad."
" Ah I do not let yonr thoughts go back to the sorrowfnl da:r"
.that are past, Mademoiselle Louise;"-said Marie, with atearm
ber eye-" it will injure yom health; think only of that happy
time we now soo, and of the bright future. n
But Lonise heard not what was said by the kind·hearted Ma-
rie; she was thinking of the handsome priest, and of the pleasant
tones of his voice, which seemed still to vibrate 0.8 8weet music
upon her ear.
Her simple friendl 8J:changed looks of Iympatby, little dream.
ing of what was passing iu the mind of Louise; and, her plain
meal being finished, she retired to her own room, and spent the
afternoon, not as U811al oyer her embroidering frame, but in the
reveries of a paaaioDate imaginatiou, and in building air-caatles
for the futnre. She devised a thousaud schemel by means of
which she thonght, for a moment, the obstacle8 in the way of her
union with Father lubert might be removed; and as insurmount·
able difficulties would throw themselves around each of these, as
if in mockery of her anxiety on the Bubject, othere would ~~!1
to be in turn destroyed by some impos.ibility tbat would luggom;
itseU. Thus was passed the afternoon and evening of that event-
fn! day; and, at last, overcome with fatigue, conseqnent u{'On the
strength of her emotions, and the unwonted mental 8J:ermse, she
fen asleep, and dreamed of the handsome young priest. .
Father JuOOt, meanwhile, had sat himself down in hia com-
fortahle room, and, after recalling to mind the incidents that had
been related to him by Louise in their interview, and rellecting
upon the traits of character wbich she had developed to his keeu
observation, as well al the beauty of her face and person, which
had indeed made a most lively iml'r888ion llpon his heart, as she
had supposed; taxed his inventIve powers to devise. plan by
means 0; which she might he induced to enter the oro'_, and he
 Mysteries of a Convent. 113
'.ooomp1iah his privlLte purposes. HlLvWg au~ed in this to
his own lllLtiaf""tiou, lLnd determined thlLl no time ebonld be loat
in carrying his pllLU iuto effect, he turned to bie writing-tlLhle,
lLnd lLddreased to tbe superior of tbe order in Rome, 1L letter, con-
taioing some general information, and s summary of the events
which had transpired in the last month, not omitting to say
enough, in reference to Louise, to attract the attention of the su..
perior to her case, aDd to evince with what avidity the writer
aeized U11Pn every ciroomstlLnce which might promote the inter-
esta of tlie order. ,

CHAPTER vnr.
.The lover's dream-The confessional-Its effects on Louise-Her deter-
ndnatton to enter the Conv~nt of St. Mary's-Sorrow of her friends-
Enters the Convent, under the appellation of Sister Frances-Father
lubert's wily schemes.

ON lLwlLkening, the next morninj:, Looiae fouud herself, ... it

were, in a new world ;-a world containing but two inhabitants.]
tbe priest of whom sbe hlLd dre&med, &Dd herself. Sbe &rose, &D11
dr888ed herself with more than her usulLl ClLre: and, &fter bre&!<-
fut, telling Marie thlLt ebe was going to confession, repaired to
the cburcb whicb she bad visited a week before; and tbere, to ber
Rr8at joy, she found Father .rubert in his seat, ready to listen to
her. With palpitating beart, she entered the cooteasiona\, and
her tremulous voice betrayed tbe emotion of ber 8Onl. Tbe priest
heard her through, and then administered consolation to her;
but what was said, or what was done, in that hour, the writer is
not prepared to say. Let it suffice that Louise left tbe churcb,
witll a smile upon her countenance, which bespoke the joy of her
heart, and, in the course of a few days, astonished the good Pierre
and his wife, by informing them that Bhe bad made up het mind
to enter the convent of SI. M.ry's, in New York; &Dd that she
should give to them one balf of the remaining money which
abe hlLd brongbt from France, to be tbeir own: 80 that they might
not Buffer from the step she was lLbont to tlLke.
Marie, who loved LOuise, burst into tears, and wrung her hands
in the bitterness of Ler sorrow, declaring that me should die
without the presence of her good mistress, for 80 she termed her;
and Pierre stood mute and motionless, as if he were striving to
comprehend wbat blLd been said to bim. Meanwbile, Louile
soothed tbem, by telliog tbem tbat she blLd no longer anything to
live for in this world, that her situation was a peculiarly distress-
ing nue, and tbat ber h&ppin888 would be greatly promoted by
pl""ill/( herself under ~be protection of the noos, in usociation
with wbom sbe could spend ber days in acts of devotion and
·works of piety. Sbe also assured tbem tbat her entrance iuto
the convent would not prevent her from seeing them frequently,
and from affording them aS8istlLnce, at any time, should they reo
quire it.
Thns ....nred, ber kind frienda relncllLDtty consented to their
separation from Louise; &Dd, during' tbe remainder of that day,
Marie's eyes were constantly red with weeping.
Some teo days were spent by Louise in making 'preparations
for her conventUal life, during which time frequent visits were
 114 Mysteries of a Conv?nt.
paid to the fomily by the nuns of the couvent, and by Father 3'u•.
bert; the latter interesting himsellfor Pierro 10 mnch as to set
him up in a small hut lncrative business, by means of the money
which Loui.. had presented to him, in token of her friendship,
end of the appreciation in which she held hia past kindness and
fidelity. .
Before entering the oonvent, Louise, under the direction of Fa-
thar Jubart, made a safe investment of her remaining money,
subject to her own order while living, reversionary to ~e order
at her death; and, procuring the 6ervices of an agenT to Yiait
France, and attend to her interests there, exeouted an instrumeot
in writiDi, donating the one half of whatever might be realiHd,
. from her father's estate, absolntely to the Jesuits, and retaining
the control of the other half in her own hands, with an obliga-
tion that it should be given ultimately to the convent In which
she should end her days. ....
In due1;ime, she eni{,red the conveut, and, having p.ed heir
novitiate satisfactorily, became a nun, under the appellation of ~
tar Frances; and, from the mqp>ent of her introduction into the
order, assumed a position, and acquired an influence, which amply
attested the sagacity of Father J ubert, and verified the 80undneu
of the conclusions which he had drawn from their first interview. .
Meanwhile, the latter, who was tho confessor to this sa.me con.. ~
vent, had not been idle, but had laboured iudustriously to pro.
mote the interests of sister Frances, between whom and himself
a solemn compact had been entered into, on the morning of that
last visit to the confeseional, to which allusion has already heen
made. By means of an underground communication between the
monastery, in which he resided to avoid scandal, and the convent,
by the connivance of the sister Porter, who wae charged with the
care of the gate which opened into the latter building from the
arched way which formed this communication, he visited sister
Frances almost nightly in her private cell, where he instructed
her in the mysteries and usages of the Jesuits, and prepared her
fally to act that part which she afterwards filled with such die-
tinguiehed ability. Nor was Cbe father confeasor wholly disin.
terested in these labours; he was duly rewarded; and, &8 subse_
quent events will demoustrate, they were conpled with his own
schemes of personal ambition. A more unhallowed compact than
that which existed between this priest. and sister Frances-a com..
pact instigated by a Jesuit miud, and the foul offspring of pas.
sion and of pride-was perhaps never eutered into) cor ever more
fearlully punished,

CHAPTER IX.
Honours in prospeot-Eeatacy ot Father Jubert-Power, apostrophe to;-
The compact not to be forgGtten-Arrival of the Lega.te-His treat..
ment-Approaching ceremony-High Mass celebrated-Consistorlal
Hall, its splendid furniture a.nd fittings-Procession of priests-The
ceremony of Installation-Awful Oath-The cuI? of blood-The Bible
cursed &nd burned-Fierce exultation 01 the pnests-The American
flag oflibertl trampled under foot, and tom ill pieces-Father .1ubert'
made head 0 the Order of St. Ignatius Loyola, for the Unital states of
America-Howage and obeisance of the priests;....Oath of an~oe.

FIvll year~ had pas.ed "way, when, One mo.w.ng, Wrp,,114

 :Mysteries of a Convent. . 115
ilarefully-oealed documeut, beariug upou it the Impress of th.
Father Geueral of th. Order at Rom., was hauded to Fath.rlu·
bert. Dismi••iug th. oervaut who had hrought it, h. hroke the
oeaI.. and sat down at his writiug.tahl. to read it. AI h. pro-
~ in its pernsal, h. became singularly alIected; and, at
lenRtb, arising ·from his chair, greaUy agitated, his eye dilated,
andhie countenance e:z:pressive both of astonishment Rood joy, he
ltood erect, and, with the letter held almolt at arm'. length, he
gazed upon it intently, as though he fonnd it diffioult to compre.
-hend it. meaning. Then, .natching hil cap from hi. h.ad, h.
threw it up in the air, aud clapped hil hand. in very excitement,
exclaiming, &8 he did 80 : •
"Well, it has come at last. and I-yeB, I-Francois .fubert,-
am Head of the Order of St. Ignatius Loyola, in the•• United
Stat..... .
Again lfeating himself, and carefully examining the seals, the
envelope, the outside a.nd inside, of the document which confer-
red this high dignity upon him, as though he yet f.ared that
there might be BOme mi.tak., hI> app&Uod to be fully satisfied
with his scrotin'!, and, replacing the missive upon the table, again
oro.. and pace the room from on. end to th. other, talking to
himself, and occasionally uttering audibly a sentence or two. .
"It 18 well," he said; U I have richly merited this bonour,
young 8S lam."
U Power! dearest idol of my soul, I have thee; aye, and will
use thee, too In
«Louise, our compact sban not be forgotten."
" But when doe. he say the in.tal1ation ia to take place?"
Here he seized the letter, and read,
"Th. Legate by whom you are to b.inltalled, withtn t.n days
.fter his arrivJ in New York, i. the bearer of this lett.r. See
that h. i. tr.ated with all the respect due to hi. high o.Jlic....
"Tr.ated with all the re.pect due to hi. high oJli..;' slowly
r.peated the Jesuit. " Aye, that .hall h. b.; and h. shall b.
mad. a .t.pping .ton. to furth.r power. I must away to ••• this
Legat...,
So saying", h. carefully locked up the important document, and,
arranging bis dress, went out tu make the necessary pref.arations
for the BUitabl. reception of him who hor. BO honoUJ'ab. a com·
mission a8 the representative of the Supreme Power at Rome.
Several dayl of feasting aud cer.mouy had pas••d by, that
set apart for the in.tallation nf Fath.r Jubert had arrived.
At an early hour in the morning, Hi~h Mass was celebrated in
the chapel of the monastery; after which aU the members of the
order, resident in the city, together with BOv.ral from a distance,
who had been hastily summoned to attend, adjourned in proces-
mon to the Consi.torial Hall, in th. sam. building. This was a
spasioul room, with arched ceiling, BOm. lixty feet in I.ngtb, hy
thirty in width; the walll heavily draped in black cloth, which
hung in de.p fold., 10 as .ntirely to shut ouUrom light the opan-
ing. both for windows and doors. At on••nd of this apartm.nt
was a platform raised Bome three feet above the floor, being co-
ver.d with rich oarp.tiug of th.be.t fahric. Upon thil platform
or dai., was placed a sort of thron., painted a bright acarl.t, or-
nament.d with gold, and surmounted by a magnific.nt cauopyof
silk. of the ism. colour, trimm.d with heavr gold frina.. 1Ji the
113 Mysteries of a Convent.
,centre of the room was luspended from the ceiling, a richly cut~ .
gl.... chandelier, with almo.t innumerahle light. brilliantly burn-
ing; while placed at convenient distances arouud the hall were
candelabra of silver, supporting massive branch candlesticks,
each having several lights. At the lower end, there was a neat
but .mall organ, of powerfnl tone, and seats for the chori.ters ""-
ranged near it.
Immediately in front of the throne .tood an altar, upon which
was placed a golden censer, sending forth its clouds of sweet in-
cense to perfume the air ; and near this altar, an ancient, curious-··
ly carved chair, lined and cu.hioned with black velvet, and .tud-
ded wit~ gold-headed nail., intended for the occupancy of the
candidate for the hononr. of the occa.ion. Seata of a plliner de-
scription, but displaying the same contrast of colours, were ar-
ranged along the sides of the room, on either ha.nd.
As the proce.sion of prie.t., clothed in their long black robes,
with their peculiarly .haped cap. upon their head., aud having
the youngest member of the order in the front, bearing So massive
silver crucifix, and the oldest in the rear, with the Legate in the
centre, .upported on the right hand by the candidate, and on the
left by the Father Superior of the monastery; and all, save the.e.
la.t, walking two abrea.t, eutering the ante-chamber, they seve·
rally armed themselves with drawn swords, which were placed
in racks on either hand; and, as they passed through the looped..
up drapery which. covered the ample door-way, between two sen..
tinels, who, fully armed,-were there found on dutYl they several.
IJ gave the watch-word, on the right and le£t-" .A (Ja& lu, Liberti. 'J,
Havinl:t entered the spacious hall, whose whole arrangements
presented 8 moat imposing appearance; the Legate was escorted to
the throne, by the entire body of prie.ts, who kneeled in a cirele
around him, while he seated himself, and exclaimed,
" Honour to his lordship, the Legate of his Holiness the Pope,
and Vicegerent of the Father General of the Order of St Ignatiu.
Loyola 1"
Then ri.ing, and taking their appropriate .eat., the crucifix,
meanwhile, ha.ving been placed in an upright position in are..
ceptscle for ita foot, provided for the purpose, near the altar, a
low-toned, but beautiful, chant was sung by the choir, assisted
by the or~an, who.e rich notes seemed to fill the apartment with
fleeting melody.
The Legate, wearing a. robe-of gorgeous grandeur, then arose,
and, with a distinct voice, read aloud. the authority, 'appointing
Francoi. Jubert the Repre.entative of the Snpreme Head of the
Je.uits in the United State.; and commanding his installation·
as .uch, by the hand. of the Father Romeo, there present for that
purpose.
"The will of the Father General be done!" cried all the prie.ts,
devoutly cro.sing them.elve. and bowing low, as the Legate
took his seat,; while a joyous peal bur.t forth from the organ.
Directing the Snperior of the mona.te.y to present the candi-
date at the altar, the Legate proceeded to dictate to the kneelinf:
prie.t, there.t all standing, the following oath, which was repeat-
ed bJ' him in an audible voice:
" J., Francois Jubert, in the pre.ence of thE> Holy Mother of
God; of St. Ignatins Loyola; tile Legate of the Father General
of thE> order of Jesuits, and of these members. of the same, here
 Mysteries of a Convent. 117
aaembled: do mo.t sincerely and solemnly .wear ;-that I will
and do renounce all allegiance to king, prince, pot.ntate, and
power of every kind! and however constituted, which may· now
or hereafter hold cIvil rule in this or in any other country in
which I may be called to reside; acknowledging, now and_fof
ever, no other civil or religious rule whatsoever, eave that of his
Holiu•••• the Pop.-th. Vicegerent and Vicar of Christ-and nf
the Father General of the order of St. Ignatius Loyola; hereby
solemnly engagiog to surrender myself, at all times, as I now do,
body, soul, and opi~ unreservedly to their sol. coutrol; to have •
no WIll or mind of my owo, but unhesitatingly and without ques-
tion, in all things, to think, . and .peak, and aot, as th.y may di-
rect.
" I do most sinc.r8ly aud solemuly ewear eternal batred to all
forms of government, whether monarchical or republic, and by
w\1om80ever administered, whose tendency is in any "wise, direct..
1~ or. indirectly, to limit, or subvert, or control the supreme and
nghtful authority of his Holin•••, the Pop., or the Father G.·
neral of the order of Jesuits, to reign over the whole world; and
to use my best endeavours, at all times, for the overthrow of all
BUch governments, and the universal extension of that of the or:"
der of whieh I am a member.
"I do sincerely and solemnly .wear .temal hatred to all sects,
societies, and institutinns, of every kind, wheth.r political or reo
Iiginus, which teud to th. establishm.nt of civil or religious free-
<lom in this or in auy other land; and to use my best efforts for
f,hf~ir destruction; ever keepiDf{ in my mind that divine maxim
of the order, that-'the end justifies the means.'
.. I do most .incerely and sotemnly .wear that I will uot ap-
propriate to my own purposes, auy funds that may eutrusted to .
my' care or keeping, as belonging to the treasury of the order;
bu( will sacredly apply the sam. to the uses to which th.y are
set apart, rendering to the Father General at Rome, qnarterly, a
true and faithful account of tho same; and that I will further
use all possible means to increase the wealth of the order, for
th. better accompli.hment of the purposea for whioh it llas beOll
instituted.
" I do most sincerely and solemnly .wear that I will not ex-
pose, to any person or persoDS Whatever, nor permit the same to
be done by others, any of the secret instructioDs that may be give~
to me by the Father General, or any of his duly accredited agents;
and .honld any such at any time fall into th. hands of those for
whom th.y w.re uot intended, I will deuY,ev.n with oaths, their
authenticity, affirming them to be forgeries.
U I do most sincerely and solemnly swear to regard the orders,
instruotions, and requirements, of the Father General of the or-
der of J.suits, a.of paramount authority to those of his Holine,.
the Pope, whene••• the latter shall clash or oonllict with tho for-
mer; and, .hould I ever discover any plot or conspiracy, or in.
tention of evil in &I1.Y person or persona whatsoever, towards the
interests or safety of th. order, I will, without d.lay, commnni.
cate the sam. to the Father Gen.ral. and do all in my pow.r to
contravene and to thwa.rt sueh plot, con.piracy, or intention of
.viI: always eateeming hi. inter.st and authority, as the head of
the order, paramount to all others. 8
" I do most sincerely and solemnly .IT.... th~t I will bep a
118 Mysteries ~
of a. Convent.
, true, faithful, and permanent register, and forward a copy there.
of quarterly to the Father Geueral, of all eveuts, politiciLl or reo
ligious that may come to my knowledge, and of all persons, by
name, residence, and occupation, whether Protestant or Catholic,
who may in any wise, or to any extent, obstruct the progress of
our order, or say or do aught against it; and by my agents, offi-
cers, and emissaries, do all in my power to injure their business,
and ruin their character and fortune.
"I do most sincerely and solemnly swear that I will, at what·
ever inconvenience or sacrifice to myself, repair, without delay, to
R:ome, or whatever other place I may be ordered by the Father
General; and should I in any manner violate this my oath,I will
inform him of Buch violation, and undergo any punishment that
he may think proper to inflict upon me therefore.
" To do, and keep, and perform, all of this, I devoutly call upon
t)le ever blessed Trinity to witness my sincerity; and should I .
ever prove a traitor to the order, or betray its interests, or its sa..
crat!, may the severest pains of purgatory be Buffered by me,
without cessation or mitigation, for ever and ever."
"Amen! and Amen I" shouted all the priests.
This fearful oath-so fully embraciug all the destructive fea·
lures of tbe Jesuits, and so faithfully pourtraying the real objecto
of their organizations~havingbeen takeu by tbe candidate! he
was sternly ordered to arise from his kneel iug posture, ana to
place his hand upon tbe cross, the symbol of his faith; while the
whole number of priests were made to surr annd him, and, point..
ing their naked swords at his body, were directed to thrust the
steel to bis heart, should he falter or hesitate in the leastin obey-
ing the order wbich should next be given to him, and which was
wholly unexpected by him; a test of the promptitude to comply
with any mandate that he may hereafter receive from the Su-
preme Head of the order, though its performance might in~lve
even death itself.
The Superior of the monastery, by direction of the Legate,
then handed to the candidate a small cup, formed of a section of
a skull, into which had been poured, about hill a gill of a dark
fluid resembling human blood. Bidding him hold tbis cup to his
lips, the Legate thus addressed him:-
"Francois Jubert, the honou~ wbich I am about to confer upon
you, by the authority of his Holiness the Pope, and of the Fatber
General of tho order of St. Ignatius Loyola, 18 of too august a
character, and involves interests of too great moment to be light.
Iy bestowed, or to be given to oue who quails at the sillht, or
smell, or taste, of human blood; if you have been sincere In tak-
ing the solemn oath which has just been administered to you, and
if you are worthy ofthe high honour for wbich you are the can,
didate, you will not hesitate to drink the contents of that cup.
If you are insincere or craven in spirit, you will hesitate and die.
It i8 blood-DRINK I"
No sooner had the word p....ed the lips of the Legate-uttered
in a tone of powerful emphasis, which ran through tbe vast apart.
ment, and vibrated on the nerves of tbe priests-than the candi.
date swallowed the contents of the cup, without even blanching,
as thongh it had conteined the most delicious nectar; and, to
show that he had done so, held it up at the full stretch of his arm,
as bit commanding stature towered above the priests who sur·
rounded him, its bottom turned upwards.
 Mysteries of a. Convent. 119
. "Lower your swordsl" cried the Legate, "tbe candidate is
worthy."
The prieats let faU tbeir sword points, and, as tbey did BO, &
ricb and trinmphant gust of music BOunded forth from tbe or-
gan; wbile the choristers chanted the patrou saint and founder
of the order.
" Bring forth tbe accursed book," cried the Legate, when the
mUlic had ceased.
A copy of tbe Protestaut Bible was tbeu hauded to the candi.
date; while a cbaffingdiab of burning coal was placed before him.
«That book," aaid the Legate, II is the great enemy of' our Or...
der. It must perish from the earth, or we must cease to exist.
Curse &nd burn it, in token of your enmity and ours, lind of your
determination to do aU that lie. in your power for its destruc-
tion and with it for that of all heretics."
«i curse thee, thou text-book of heresy!" exclaimed the can-
didate, placing the book upon the blazing coals; -" I spit upon
thee, vile cheat, uncompromising enemy of my order. I burn
thee; and, as thou coneumeat in thet lIame, eo may all hereti.. be
burried iu thet fierce llame which shall wreathe itself aronnd
them, in that hell prepared for the reception and puniehment of
all tho.. who put their confidence in thee; and reject the tree
Scriptures, the only true and infallible church."
As the sacred volume-the cbarter of human liberties-crack.
led and glowed under the action of the fire, and its smoke ascend-
ed heavenward, like the spirit of many a martyr, whose body has
been burned by the minions of popery, a shout, wild and fierce,
arose from the congrega.ted priests, which shook the room in
whose midst they stood; while again the organ and choristers
..nt forth .welliu/( p",ans of praise to .. Mary, the reluge 01 ....•·
_a-the bl....d Mother 01 Goel."
.. Bring forth the tnrign ollrudmn !" hissed, from between his
teeth, the proud Legate. concentrating unutterable hatred in the
manner in which he ca.lled for the American banner, underwhos9
stars and stripes, Waabington and the worthies of the revolution
had fought aud bled.
U This vile rag," he cried, 8JJ the flag of the Union W&8 beiog
unfurled from its std, .. fit emblem of tho.. hellish principles
wbich have wrested this noble laud, with its fertile fields, its mao
jestio rivers, and its ocean lakes, from the bands of an imbecile
king; which have revolutionized France; and which, if not pre~
vented from spreadiog, will one day' overturn the thrones, and
destroy the ancient established monarchie. of Enrope; that vile
rag is more to be dreaded by us, ss an order, than aU things elee,
beside the Bible. If it be perlDitted to pollute the pure air of
Heaven by its foul embrace, for half & century longer, It willlloat
on every sea, on every land, and be the rallying aign for tbe na.
tions of the earth. It must be torn down; it must be trampled
under foot; it must trail dishonoured in the duet, or our oause is
lost. Iu token of your love for the order, and determination to
uproot liberty-accur..d name, more cursed thing I-tear it from
its support, and trample it beneath your feeL"
Hastily obeying the mandate, the candidate lIung the stripes
and stars npon the 1I00r, and, with an energy which declared the
feelings of his heart, ground them with his heel; while, in a Toice
of thnnder, the Legate cried-
 120 Mysteries of It Convent.
'''J••uit., d••troy the .n.my of your ord.r. Aha. la Lib.rt....
Like a8 a herd of famished wolves rush upon their prey, rend.
ing and tearing it in pieces, while growling and screaming iu hor-
ribl. diBoordith.y ovetturn each other in th.ir efforts to gratify
their rapacity: 80 roshed these Jesuits upon the ...sign of the
world's freedom, and, pushing each other ~ide, in frantic fury!
they 800n tore it into a thousand fragments, whil. their yell. ana
shouts added to the terribl. uproar of the .cene. Meanwhile
from the choir came fortb, in strains of wild excitement, as thou$.h
the downfall of man's liberty and the universal triumph of Jesmt..
ism were already secured, and the world were fixed in eternal
slaver" civil, political, and religions-the" Te Deum LaudamuB I"
insultlD~ high heaven with blasphemous ascriptions of praise, as
though .t had been instrumental in a destructlOn of all that i.
dearest to man, and of highest appreciation in the eight of God
and of the blessed angels.
In the meantime, the Legate had received, from an attendant
priest, a gorgeous robe, which might ha.ve well become a mona.rch.
and, when the insulting strains had died away, and the priests, at
his command, ha.d resumed their places, he advanced to the ·can..
·didate, who stood near the crucifix, and, throwing the garment
upon his shoulders, led him to the throne, and, seating hini there,
turced to the priests, saying- '
"Bebold, Jesuits, the Father General ollhe order of St. Igna-
tius Loyala, for tbe United States of America; whom I d!lClare
dnly, appo!nt~, and installed in that high office. Approach, and
do hlB Lordship reverence." , . .
So sayinK, h. caused the priests to kneel around the throne, and
.to repeat after him the follcwing salutation and oath of ellegi.
ance:-
U Hail, most worthy Father General, we honour thee!
U We solemnly swear full and 'explicit allegiance to you, 8S the
representative of the Father General of the order; and to obey,
without hesitation, or question, any command that you may give
to us, while holding the asid high office; here surrenderiDg Dur-
selve. body, soul, and spirit, 'as dead corpses,' to your control and
governm.nt, to be directed and used as your judgm.nt, and that
of Him whom you represent. may dictate."
It was a proud moment for Francois Jubert; and well did it re-
pay him for the toil, anxiety and effort, which it had cost him to
gain the eminent distinction.
A choral burst of melody, sweUing the g.neral joy aLd con~a.
tulatiOD. closed the ceremonial; and the priests, arisiug from their
knees, and preceded by thE! Legate and their llOW Father Genei..
ai, repaired, under the conduct of the Superior to the refectory,
where a .umptuoua banquet awaited them.

CHAPTER X.
'l"he Father General'. affectioDs tor Sister Frances on the wane-RemoTes
her. by instituting her.to the oalee of Superior in the Convent of An..
nunclation-Her active and PfOSe1rtiog efforts sllortly after assuming
ollle_EmiIy de Vore-The Supenor'. base conduct towards her.
FOB some mouths prior to the occurrences which haye just beeQ
 .
Mysteries
, of a. Convent. . 121·
descnDed, the Mother Snperior of the Annnnciation, distant lOme
fifty mil.. from the city of New York, had been in very feeble
heaith; and, among the first acto which. the Father General waa
called npon to perform after hi! installation into office, was to ap-
point a snperior to fill the vacancy occasioned by her death.
He had not lost his attachment to Sister Frances, bnt, with the
inconstancy of the Jesuit charactf...r, he had for some time past
thought it .no harm to look upon other pretty faces besides hen;
aud his facile conscience saw no impropriety in intrigues with
ether DUDS than the good sister, who] exceedingly jealous of her
power over him, maintained amo8t rIgid watch upon his conduct;
so vigilant, indeed, that there had already occurred BOme inter..
esting quarrels between them, whicb, however, were easily madr
up, although they left traces of uneasiuess behind them upon her
mind, conscious, as she was, that her persoual attractions were
not as fresh as once they were. -'
It was, therefore, a great relief to the Father General to have
it in bia power to appoint Sister Frances to the 'Vacancy; as,
while he adroitly pennaded her that it was au hononr which he
had long been anxious to Bee conferred opon her, and aDO for
which she waa peOllliarly qnalified, he would tbus be removed
from her immediate espionage, and be more at liberty to act as
he pleased. .
Connected with the Convent of the Annunciation, was a very
large female boarding.school, whicb, in the great dearth of the
means of education existing at this time, was very extensively
patronized by Protestant families. Thi...38 represented to Si••
ter Frances as bdog a very strong inducement to her acceptance.
of the appointment, since it would afford her ample opportunity
for the protection of the interests of the order, in proselyting to
the trne faith the children of heretios, who should be euuustad to
her care.
Ambitiolls, ot power and of preferment; and such an appoint.
ment' as this, with its cognate rank and induence in the order,
having been an object held in view in the orilrinal compact, to
which ellnsion has already been made, Sister Frances felt a ...
cred joy in its contemplation; while, at the same time, her mind
misgave ber somewhat aa to the real motiv.. of the Fatber Gen.
eral; but when, in an interview which abe had with him, in her
private room, she broached the subject, and he, with well·affect-
ed surprise, the most solemn protestations) and fondest· e&resaeB,
aasurad her that she was wholly mistaken; she suffered herself
to be deceived, and accepted tbe office, as an additional proof of
the undiminished alfection of her priest lover.
In the course of a few weeks, sbe was duly installed Mother
Superior of the Convent of Annnnciation, and entered upou the
duties of ber new station, with a spirit and zeal, aa well aa exhi.
bition of talent80f the highest order, which bespoke her adapta.
tion to it, and presaged a bril)iant career for her in the future.
With a tact rarely equalled,and by means of her winuinj/ man.
ners, and consummate skill in accommodating henelf to the pe.
culiarities of thoso whom she wished to control, she BOon succeed.
ed in engaging the affections of the nuns, and especjallyin secur·
ing those of the yonng ladies who were boardiug pnpils in the es·
tablishment. In the course of live yean after her installationl
ah'1 woo the instrument of converting not Ie.. than thirty·live or
 122 Mysteries of a Con,vent.
, .
, the latter to the Romiah faith: twelve of whom joined the order,
and became nuns.
Among the latter waa,. Mias Emilie de Vere, a youug girl,
aome sixteen yea.. of age, of eurpassing beauty, and the only
daughter of a wealthy planter in Louisiana, who, having lived in
New York for lome time before he removed to his 8out1Jem home,
had selected the Convent of the Annunciation, aa a suitable place
for the educatiou of the child, boca..... of ita remoten... from the
city. Mr. De Vere waa descended from ProleBtant parentage, aa
waa hie wife, but thought well of the Cotholica, and apprehended
no danger in thua placiug hie daughter in their handa, while he
weDt to his fareoft home, not expecting to see her again for some
-three yoan. Great was the self-gratulation of the Mother Su-
perior, wheu the rich heir... joioed the Catholio chureh, but
greater alill when ahe wore the habit of a nun, and bore the uame
of Sister Thflresa, two yeara before the time of which we arenow
writing.
In the couree of one of hia aomewhat freqnent vieita to the
Convent,-during which the Mother Superior was always careful
to keep, aa much aa possible, oot of sight, all those nun a who had
any pretensions to personal ottractions,-the J'ather General hap-
pened to meet Sieter Theresa in ODe of the paaaages; and, imme-
diately recognising her aa one wbo.. great beauty had strongly
attracted his notice, on the occasion of her takiug the religious
vows, he entered into conversation with her; and, while holding
her hand in his, and giving her aome fatherly advice, the Mother
Sn~rior, having occasion to p&8S that way, unseen by them, had
willieased a portion of the interview, and imagined that she aaw
enough to warrant a jealous feeling 00 her part, and to deter-
mine her to prevent any further occurrence of a aimilar sort..
Diasemb~lJ her true feelings, however, ahe met the Father Gen-
e~ in h~ an hour afterward8, 'with a. brow &8 placid as if no_
thing had occurred to disturb the 'quiet current of her emotione.
To gratify her vindictiveness, nevertheless, as she dared not re-
proach the General, she degraded the poor nun, for a month to
servile work in the kitchen, without assigning to her any other
reason for an doing, than her OW11 will.

CHAPrER XL
to the coo.eut-Hla IoleroBt tor Siater Thereaa
The Father General's vIBIt
-The deformed nUD-Proposes & meeting at midnight with Sister The-
tela-The Mother Superior's kind entertainment otthe Father General
in the private parlour-Her chagn" at his abruptIylea.ving her-8us.
plcion-Sister Theresa's sorrow and anxiety at receiving the Fath~.
Slote-Her trepidation on meeting the Father General-He reaasurea
he~His wily stratagems to accomplish his base object-A. wo11 in
,heep's clothing.

Tml Father General again 'f'ieilod the convent, in about lib: weeka
after thia unpleaaa,nt occurrence; and, aa he approached the great
iron gate, the image of the beautiful nun oro.. to his mind, and
he detarminea, if poasible, to leam aomething more about her;
,but, .ware of the ...umtivenoas of the Mother Superior, he kuew
that hisinqniriea must be made with groat caution. •
 Mysteries of a. Convent. 123
I There was, in the couvent, a deformed nOD, who, because of a
ItIUdge which she bore to Mother Frances, aud of the uniform
kindn... with which the General had treated h.r, had, on more
than ODe occasiOD, been of service to him in his Intrigues in the .
coDvent. He determined to make use of her on this occasion.
A.ccordingly, seizing & ~avourable moment, he took Sister Mar-
tina acide, and asked h.r who the b.autiful nun was. The com.
municative siBter answered hiB question, and said 80 much about:
her, and the cruel treatment which she had recently received at
the hands of the Moth.r Superior, for she knew not whatolfenC6,
as she affirm.d, as greatly to enliat hia feelings in beha.lf of Sister
Theresa. Hastily writing a few words npon a piece of paper,
which he took from his pocket-book, he handed it to the nun;
directing her to give it to Sister Theresa, aud to be discreet about
the matter, saying that he wonld reward her handsomely, if she
did not betray his trust. Then returning into the parlour, where
he had left the Superior, he chatted ~aily with her until they
were called iIfto the refectory to tea. While seated at the table,
the nuns and board.rs all present, both the Father General and
the Mother Superior were model. of propriety and decorum; and
the former,6speciaUy, was careful not to cast even a look which
could serve to excite aoy suspicion in the mind of the Supenol,
while their juniors were greatly edified by th.ir pious conversa-
tion conc.rning some of the acints, and the miracl.. that had been
wrought by th.m.
A.rising from the table, the Mother Fran!"," invited the General
to her private parlour, the room in which -she usually entertain..
ad him, when he visited the convent. This was one of a suite of
rooms, three in number, set apart for her own special use, and
never intruded upon save by her own invitation or permission:- .
all of thes., save the last, opened upon the gr.at passage which
ran through the house, on the aecond floor. The first of thi.
auite was furnished as a private parlour, in very neat and ele..
gaDt taste. Commuuicating witb this, by meaDS of a sliding paD.
nel, ao ingeniously contrived as to be known to but few of the
inmates of the family, W&8 a beautiful bed.chamber, malt taste..
fully fitted np; and beyond thia, and accessible only from thil
room, W&8 a smaller apartment, arranged a.a an oratory, havi0J
a mahogany reading deak, a maanificent ebony crucifix, an escn-
toire inlaid with mother of pearf. and some hauging shelves, upon
which w.rs arranged a number of elegantly-bound voluines-the
entire suite of rooms was handsomely carpeted, and abounded
with iDdicstiouI of female taste and refinement.
Having seated themselves upou a sofa placed at one side oUhe
private parlor, and conversed for aome time upon general subjects,.
the Sup.rior arose aud, taking from a small sideboard a richl,
cut d.cant.r of old wiDe, with some gleses, and a plate of deliolo
on' spiced cokes, which she had prepared with her own hauds,
she J!lac.d th.s. upon a table which stood in front of the sofa,
and lUvited the Gell.ral to partake of them, and to join her in a
fl&me at ch.... of which she kne... he was passionately fond, and
for which she had arranged the materials before him. .
They thus occupied themselvel until the convent clock tolled
the hour ohleven, when the Father General, pleadinga headanhe,
and affectionately as well as most gracefully sainting the Mother
Superior, asked laave 10 retire to hiaown apartment, which w..
 124 Mysteries of a Convent.
situated on the first 1I00r, and elegantly fnmiahed. This the lat.
ter ratber ungracionsly granted. with an air which ahowed that
she WBI dil8ppointed ; and the priest retired.
Meanwhile. the note had been handed to Sister Theresa. by the
deformed nnn. and had greatly excited her mind hy its contents.
" Meet me in the garden, near tho plum tree, alone, at mid_
night :"-she repeated, for the twentieth time, BI she I8t in her
room, with the note in her hand, thinking oyer Its contents.
"What can he mean P". And then, as the thought that hia in-
tentions towards her might be those of· eVIl lIashed aero.. her
mind ahe burst into teal'S, exclaimiug-
" What have I do"e or said, that could lead him to think so
meanly of me f'"
Ie Have I not spurned the base overture. of my own co~e8solJ
Father ;rerome P'
"amona heaven, into what hands have I fallen P"
Here a sense of her helpleu condition, &8 a poor friendless, and
nnprotected nnn, was forced upon her mind, with such terrible
conviotion, that she beoame fearfully agitated; II.I\.d throwing her.
oeIf npon the bed, she wept as if her verf heart would break.
" 0 that I had known all tbi.... she· s..d, her voice broken by
eobs-" before I took the vows I-How sadly have I been de-
ceived 1"
"0 what shall I do P Where shall I hide myself P My hononr,
my lile, is hunted by those who made me vow eternal chastity
aud purity I"
"But recently I was degraded to the condition of a menial, I
I know not why; and now this priest, BI if he were master of an
eastern harem, and I his Georgian slave, bids me meet him alone
in the garden at midnight I Good God, what does this mean Y'
"0 tbat I were once more within reaoh of my dear father I how
gladly would I fly to him for proteotion I"
She again buret into teare, and wept most bitterly: thenl as &
sndden thonght occurred to her mind, she started up, exclaimlDg-
II It may be BO. Perhaps Sister :Martina ma.y have intimated to
him that I have been badly treated, and, in order to know all
abont it, withont the danger of being interrnpted by the Mother
Superior, or in order to keep her from kDowiD~ that be bad 8poken
to me on the eubjeot, he may have seleoted twe time and place
with a view to secresy. It must be BO."
The more she thought about the matter. the more fully convin.
ced she became that tbis was the true state of the ce.. ; and while
she felt greteful to the good Father, as she now celled him. when
she regarded him aaintending to befriend her, she reproached her.
·..If for having thought eo nngenerously of him. The idea of be..
ing revenged on the Mother Superior, dried up hsr tean ; and ebe
determined to keep the appointment.
It now wanted but a few minutee to twelve; and. wrapping
herself np in a heavy shawl, to guard againet the chilly midmght
air, aud, with ber beart beating wildly within her b.....t, she left
her room, and noieelessly ..eeplog down the great stairway
pansing at almost every step, as she fancied that enme one had
discovered her; wbile she started at the very pantings of her own
boeom, she r.aohed the bsck door of the hall; whe... linding the
key in the lock, she turned it with great untion, Bnd then, slow-
ly opening ODe side of the folding leaves, en BI W avoid &D1
 Mysteries of a Convent. 125
creaklng which mil{ht give notice of her movcmenta, and looking
out intently to ... if any on. was passing about, lb. w.nt fortb,
qui.tly drawing tb. door to behind her, and, with quick and Ii-
lent ltop, hastened to th. garden. It was a moonlight night, but
hW and IOm.what cloudy.
00 arriving at tb. lpot whioh had been deligoated in the note,
abe was 8urprised to find that there was no ODe there but herself;
and she was about to cOllclude that abe was the victim of some
treacherous plot, when She beheld th. Father Gen.ral rapidly ap_
proaching her. On reaching her, he extended his hand, in the
_kindest manner, saying, as he did 80 : •
" Thanke, Si.ter Theresa, for thil evid.nce of your oon.6.denco
in your Father General. I was half afraid that yon would not
meet me bere, at this looely hour; aod tbat I .bonld be deprived
of the opportunity of doing you a kindn.... But," added h.,
perceiving that she trembled &s he spoke to her, "fear DOt, my
child; I mean yon no harm; bnt will protect you from all injury
and insult!'
Reassured hy these word., which abe b.li.ved to b••ineere;
and feeling ashamed of her previous misgiving8 with regard to
the Father's intentions, which now seemeg to be 80 wholly un.
founded, the nun thanked him for hie kind oooaideratiou, and
said- • .
" I have .very confldenc. in the honour of the Fath.r Gen.ral,.
and cannot suppose that he would betray that confidence."
U Never," replied the wily Jesuit, who quickly perceived the
change that had beeu wrougbt in the feeliuge of tbe trusting
girl; for sh. no longer trembled, nor aeemed disposed, as at fIr.t,
to withdraw her hand from hi.. .
CI I have heard,"he continued, "no matter how nor from whom, .

I wish you to teU m. if you can, why Ih. did P"

U I know Dot," replied Siater Theresa.
.0
of the ern.1 conduct of tb. Sup.rior towards you, recently; and
"I have endeavoured
faithfully to p.rform every known duty, and to comply, as far as
I could, with .very rule of the in.titution. I have alway. treat-
ed th. Moth.r Sup.rior with marked re.pect; reudering in.tant
obedience to her every command; and I cannot imagine why ahe
sudd.nly, and without assigniug auy reason whatever for it, ~n.
flicted 80 severe a puoishmeut upon me, and degraded me 80 in
the .y•• of the whol. convent. Had tb. puni.bm.nt been can.
tinuEid for a Short tim. long.r, I should have be.n .eriously ill,
for my h.alth is but delicat. at th. be.t."
" When did Ih. order you to thi. m.nial service P" alked the
Fatb.r, eagerly. .
" On th. very dar that you I.ft th. conv.nt, on your last visit
b.fore th. prell9llt,' replied the n u n . ' .
U I see it all," muttered the prie~ as if eommu~ing with his
nwn thought.; .. it i. a. plain a. it can be. Poor fool, to think
that I hslong to h.r, lOul and body, and that I canuot b. civil to
a pretty nun, bnt that iu.tantly, as IOnn as my back il turned,
the poor nun must be a victim of h.r jealousy and wrath.
PShaw I" h. continued, as if .till talking to hima.lf; ",h. ,ball
.uff.dor thil." Th.n,'leemmg to recollect bim.elf, he said to
Sister Thor..... .
.. Never mind. I am your fri.nd and protector. I have the .
rigllt and the pow"" to Shi.ld you from oppression and from i,,-
126 Mysteries of a Convent.
'Bult; and, should your feelings ever be outraged again, I require
you to let me kuow it at once, that I maYitake the uecessary eteps
to redress the wrong. Meauwhile, say nothing, but leave this
matter in my hands."
"I know not how snfficiently to thank you for your kindness,"
responded the nun; her heart really touohed by what she believ.
ed to be the sincere friendship of the Father General, and fully
prepared to feel all its force, by the lonely life tbat she had led-
a life so full of disappointment as to the expeotations which she
had formed when entering upon· the religions duties of a nnn-
and, with the tears standing upon her cheek, she continued, " but
if you will show me how I may eviuce my gratitude, I will most
cheerfully do it." -
"You can show four gratitude, Sister Theresa, by loving me,"
replied the priest, m low aud thrilling tones, gently putting his
ann around her waist, and drawing her to him, on pretQnce, as
he said, of proteoting her from the cool night ai.; but, as he per-
ceived that she shrank from his embraoe, he added,
" Fear not, my child; I love you too weU to mean you any
harm."
He then eatered into a lengthy conversation with her, touching
her studies, her employments, and what not that was likely to in-
terest her mind, and inspire her with confidence; and then, tell-
in~ her it was time that they should return to the house, he in-
qwred the number of her room, and its position in the building;
saying to her that, on the following night, he would visit her
there, in order to instruct her how ~ spend. her time in the fu-
ture, 80 as to prepare herself to occupy the position of Mother
Superior, in her own turn, when she should be, a little older and·
more experienced.' .
Meanwhile, the wily priest kept his arm around Sister There·
sa, and, walking thus to the house, he gave her what he called
the kiss of peace, at parting, and each Bought their own room;
the former feeling assured that he had gained a viotory; the lat••
ter, as she had never done before in all her life; her soul a sea.
of tnmultuous emotion. The Father General soon fell asleep
and dreamed of beautiful nuns and bowers of roses; the unhap-
py Sister 'I'heresa laid awake for hours, tossing restlessly upon
her conch. She felt that she was caught in the ooils of the priest,
and that it was as useless for her to strnggle against what ..em·
ed to be her inevitable destiny, as for tho poor fly, caultht in the
meshes of the spider's web, to attempt to escape its Impending
fate. She felt that she was powerless in the hands of an all•.
powerful'foe; and, thongh she deeply regretted hmng kept the
appointment, and met the Father in the garden, yet, strange to
say, ahe did not after all wish to avoid the meeting on the follow.
ing night. In truth, the arch magician had infused his poison
iuto ber young soul; and his foul necromancy had thrown a spell.
upon her, which she no longer desired, or had the strength, to
break. She was doomed, and yet she trembled not; she was in
chains, and still she hugged those chains to her breast, and seem.
ed to delight in wearing them. The priest had silenced her mo-
nitory fears; had thrown her olf her guard I had awakened feel.
ings of gratitnde, whioh were ealily transmnted to others of a
warmer nature; and the hellish work was w'ellllis!.l completed-
the consnmmlltion waited but for.the oooasion. •
 Mysteries of a Convent. 127
, Oh, ye self.annointed, self.exalted priests, that put lonrselves
"above all that is caUed God, or that is worshipped j" U sittio§
in the temple of God, sbowing yourselves tha~ ye are God;'
" whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power,
and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceivablenes8 of un..
righteousness jn y8 e' false prophets;" ya "ravening wolves in
land to make on~ proBelyte; and, when he is made, '8
sheep's clothing·n ya "blind guides," that "compas8 Bea and
make him
two·fold more the cbild of bell tban yonrselves;' ye smootb.
faced hypocrites that devour virgin innocence, "and, for a pre-
tence, make long prayers;" ya priests, that work your damning
·deeds, in tbe dark sbronding of tbe midnigbt bonr; and tben,
with unblushing countenance, go forth in broad day, and look
bonesty in tbe eye; wben tbe disporting veil of eternity sball be
drawn aside, and the judgment 'trump shall summon you to stand
before the dread bar of Him wliose searching ~gaze DOW p'ene.
~tes your eonvent walls, your monastic cells your. stark hIding..
110les, wher,e works" the mystary of ini'quity,'l and reads all your
damnable crimes as tbough they stood emblazoned in tbe face at
the noontide sun; ab! bow will ye quail then! how will ye seek
to escape the fearful inspection of tbat bonr, in tbe presence of a
congregated universe, and unbidden try to hide yourselves, and
your hellisb deeds, in tbe deptbs of eternal nigbt! :Bnt know,
"Yi..serpents ye generation of vipers, ye cannot escape the dam-
nation of heli;" " the Lord shall consume you with the spirit of
bis moutb, and shall destroy you with tile brigbtness of his com·
ing." Babylon" sball be ntterlx burned with fire; for streng i.
the Lord God who jndgeth her. ' . ~

CHAPTER XII.
Interregnum-The family or Mr. Moreton-Discussion on the education
glven in boarding-schools.

THE reader mnst now sntl'er bimself to be carried forward over

an interval of three years, and be presented to an intel'esting fa·
mily circle, whose members will have a large share in the scenes
of the following pages.
Mr. and Mrs. Moreton were the parents of an interesting fa-
mily, consisttng of two BODS and three daughters, livin~ in the
town of - , in the state of Pennsylvania, about eighty miles
from tbe city of New York.
Mary, tbe eldest of tbe five children, was a bandsome brunette,
jnst entered into ber seventeentb year, and bad been whollyedu.
cated in her native town. Julia, the next in age, was fourteen,
and gifted with strong natural powers of mind, but not as hand.. _
some as her sister Mary. Mrs. Moreton was a lady of excellent
judgment and refined manners, but, like her husband,-who was
a merchant. in very comfortable circumstances-not a member of
any church. Having received a better education than her com.
panion, she had, in matters of this sort, acquired considerable in-
llu8nce over him; while, with the sagl\city and prudence of a
b..in!", man, he looked narrowly to the expenses, anll was, to a
oettlllll ""tent, liable to the charge of penunouaness; y11 he dear·
128 Mysteries of
-
a. Convent.
--
Iy loved his family, and was willing to incnr any reas~nableont-
lay, for anything he thought would promote their ha.ppiness, or
16cure their advancement in life.
One winter evening, after tea, when the young children had
been sent to the nursery, Mary having gone to a party at a neigh.
bour's, and Julia. being seated at a table by herself, engaged in
-preparing her lessons forthe next day, Mr. and Mrs. Moreton
were sitting in their suug back parlour, by So blazing fire, talking
over domestic matteJ:s, when the following conversation occUlTed
between them:
"I think, Mr. Moreton, that we onght to send ;rulia to a good
boarding school. She is fast growing up to womanhood; her·
teachers here cannot instruct her much further; and, besides,
there are mauy advantages to be enjoyed at such a schuol, which
she cannot possibly have at home."
" Why so P Have we Dot good teachers in our town, all good as
any where else P I am snre that Mr. Treadwell has advanced Ju-
lia very rapidly; and I heard you tell Mrs. Winslow, the other
day, that she had learned more, in the same length of time, nnder
his instruction, than, from any other teacher to whom she had ever
been sent."
"Very true, my dear, and yet I discover that Julia is greatly
interrupted in her studies, by the company which her sister re-
ceives; and when visitors are in the drawing-room with Mary, lu...
lia seems to think it very hard, indeed, that she must sit up stairs,
and studr. I find, too, th<!t her head is fnll of dress, and jewellery,
and partIes, and beaux, young as she is; and, when she passes
through the streets on her way to school, she sees a great deal to
divert her mind from her books. Besides, these mixed schools
may do well enough for yeunger children, but J nlia is too old to go
any longer to one where boys and girls ~re taught together. In
short, I think it high time that she shonld be sent from home, to
a. good boarding school, for at least two years."
_ "Well,bntldo not see what you wonld gain by sending her
to such a ebhool, even on your own showing. Will she not be as
fond of dress there as here, D.nd will she not find quite as much to
distract her mind from study P"
" Certainly not. In a well-regulated boarding scbool, every
thing is taken care of, and provided for, even to the minutest de-
tails. Extravagance in dress, and fondness of display, are dis-
couraged as much as possible; and, indeed, there are 110 incentives
or opportunities for either, since the young ladies are seldom seen
upon the streets, and the visits of young men are forbidden: while,
on the other hand, by means of a systematic arrangement of time-
a useful occupation being found for every hour ;-the presence of
teachers of the-very best abilities, who have adopted the business
aa a profession, and not as a merely temporary means of support;
and the stimnlus to study which is fnrnished by the competitiou
of a number of schoolmates, for the honours of the institution, a
healthfnl ambition is excited, and habits are formed, which not
only greatly facilitate the acquirements of a thorongh education,
but areofe..entialservicein afterdays, when school-books are laid
aside, and the sterner duties of life make hourly demands upon
our industry, patience, and fortitude."
" And still it seems to me that, if the same system and disci.
pline were established at home, which you say are to be met with-
 llysturies of a Convent. 129
In these hoardil1g school.. and who"" importa.noo I lIlallilY"a"dmit.
the same results might be secured, and certainly at lIluch l8lll'eit.
pea~"
"Impossible, Mr. Moreton! how·can I, in the mids1l Of liotJre
distractions, and with lIOOh a famIly &8 I have, adopt any Ilttilh
course P The house i. to be kept; the younger children' ate"to
M attended to; complUlY to be entertained; vi.its to be ret11rtl.
eel j Maryrequir~8 a large share of my time and care· for lier
education, condncted entirely at homs, is exceedingly defect;,'e;
and this reminds me of one most important advautage.tbat is de-
rived from these schools,-the early formation of habite of oeV·
rolia""". Now, Y0]1 know what a baby Mary is; aud yet shaia
seventeen. She cannot move without me, All day long· if is,
, M-a, shOW' me how to do this ;'- ' Ma, do go to luch a place with
me,-or out8hoppiDg;'-~Ma, will you fix my hair, or adjust 011
dre'118 po- ' Ma, will yon j nst go into the parlo!,r wit""me to "'!&
my: oompany ? I cannot go alone.' I do venly behave that ~t
would be the same thing if she were married, and that she would
Bet· be willing to go to housekeeping without me. It is not so
with Miss Ra.msey, or Miss Paterson, who were both playmates
of Mary's, when they were childreu, and you knoW' that they were
ed·oea.ted at boarding schools. They were amiable, modest, ~nd
accomplished youug ladies; and yet they make their own dre.s..
-1&8-; assist their mother in keeping house; are handy at almost
every thing; are always self.. poss~ssed aqd agreeable in their
manners; and, for all I can see, love their parents just as fondly
as Mary does hers;· while they are not dependent upon their'mam-
mas, 8S she is upon me. I do not know what Mary would do if
I were to be taken away hom her, or what she will <I. when she
is married!'
"Well, my dear, I see you have thou~ht a great deal more
about these things than I" have; and I am therefore willing
to try the experiment, next spring, for one session. If the result
is satisfactory, we will continue Julia at some good boarding..
school until she gradnates; if not, she mnst come home, and llJ:i.
ish her education here." .
"But, Mr. Morton, believe me, that i. uot the way to try the
experiment, as you call it; it does not aft'ord time enough to do
the matter justioe; and I really believe that one session only
wonld he hoth time and money thrown away. Send her with the
expectation of contiuuin·g for one year, or not at all."
"Be it so, then; but where shall we send her P- Have you
made choice of any school, in your mind P"
" I ha'l-e been thinking of two schools; bnt really so far &8 I
have any means of judging, there appears to be but little, if any,
difference between them. Both have their miniSters of high
standing, who have employed, as' assistants, the best teachers, I
am told, within thar reach; aDd have equa.l fa.cilities, I suppose,
for the education of those who may be seut to them. The OlJe is
at Philadelphia., and the other near New York; and, as the for-
mer is ra.ther more coiivenient for USt as well as cheaper than the
other, I should prefer it :-besides, it is in our own State."
U Ah !-tbese Protestant schools are too expensive for me, my
dear; I cannot alford to send J n1ia to one of them. Why Dot
send !Un" to one of the Catholic schools P" •
" Mr. Morton, you ast..'Dish me I-Send her to .. Catholic school I
Would you have our Julia to be made a Catholic P"
r
180 Mysterieil of a Convent.
, .. And wby, pray, sbould tbat be tbe result P I do no~ that
It follows, as a necessary result!'
"It may not as a necessary result, but it appears to me to be a
.ery nature) oue. I must coufess that my Protestant education
inclines me to look upon Romisb iustitutions with a very suspici.
OUI eye; and m1 observation in life has but confirmed my preju-
dice on tbis ~ubJect, if prejudice it can be properly termed. Did
not Miss Williams, after baving been at a Catbolic scbool for
about a year, write home to her mother, for permission to be
baptized by a priest, and join the cburch 1 Aud you recol1ect
that Miss Beaumont, when at our house, on her way to the nlin-
nery school, where sbe had been for a yesr pr two, told you that
sbe believed tbe Roman Catholic to be the only true religion;
giving as ber reason that it was more probable that the transl..
tion of the llible, which was made by the Pope and his Cardinals,
should be truer than that made by one man, King James of Eng.
land; and wbeo ;vou asked ber wbere sbe had got tbat precious
piece of information, sbe replied that sister Agatha had told her
10. And yet the parents of both these young ladies are strict
Protestants..and members of the Presbyterian Church. You,
doubtless, remember, too, to have heard, also, of a young lady,
whoso name I do not recollect. bnt who was the daughter of Pr0-
testant parents, and wbo, baving.graduated at a Catbolio school,
determined to become a nun, and refused to leave the institution,
even to pay a farewell visit to her friends, before separating her-
self for ever from them.... Indeed I have never conversed with
Protestants wbo had been educated by Catbolio teacbers, that
would suffer ou~ word to be said, in their hearing, in disparage-
ment of that oburcb. Now all tbis confirms me iu tbe fear tbat,_
if our daughter should be sent to a Catholic scbool, she will ei~
ther, become a member of that faith, or be 80 weakened in her
attachment to her own, as seriously to be injured by it, if, indeed,
the result do not tend to infidelity."
"Well, my dear, you are certainly very eloquent on the sub..
ject, and yet you have failed to convince me that your fears have
any other foundation than prejudice; and while, if I thought
there was any real danger, I should be quite as unwilling as your..
self to expose Julia to it, I am convinced, I must give my prefer-
ence to that school which costs the least, provided the education-
al advanta"es are equal, and I presume tbey are. I therefore
prefer that Julia should ~o to the nunnery school."
"It does seem to me, Mr.. Moreton, that there must be BOme
mistake as to the superior cheapness of the Catholic schools, in.
fa<t, wbile I admit tbat in appearance they are so. Are ~ou sure
tbat tbey are cheaper in tbe end 1"
" I bave seeu and compared the circnlars put forth by both
. sidea; and certainly so far as these, ill their respective statements
of terms, &c., afford proper data upon which to form an opinion,'
the Catholic schools seem to have the decided advantage: but I
am aware that, after all, it is exceedinl!ly difficult to arrive at
the truth of the matter in tbis way. Tbe only sure method of
determining- the question, is to compare the bill 80S ma.de out and
paid at the close of the sessions."
H Yes-and I know that many parents have been greatly dis..
apl10inted wben tbey oalled for tbeir bills, aud found tbem 80
mnCh higher than they had expected, by reason of extra chargu,
 Mysteries of a. Convent. 131
III more than to eqnaI the dift'erence in the apJ.>arent east of edu-
cation at these Catholio schools, as set forth 10 these cironIars.
And then, there is such a thing, you know, as' finding a oheap ar-
ticle of little real value after you have bou~ht it, when a small
addition to the outlay at the time of purohase would have bonght
ODe infinitely superior, and of pe-rmanent worth.
"Well, my dear, it ~rows late: suppose we defer the further
consideration of this matter for a few days, until I shall return
from New York, where I must go, next week, for goods."
So saying, the subject was dropped for the present; and, Mary
having returned from the party, after 8. lively conversation upon
the incidents of the evening that she had spent at their neigh-
bour's, the family retired for the night•
•
CHAPTER XIIL
Kr.:Moreton visits NeW' York-His conversation with IIr. VanduReD-ltit·
e:flect upon 1Ir. Moreton-)lr. Vandusen's letter to the Mother Superior:, .",
DtmmG the following week, Mr. Moreton went to Ne.... York, to
purchase goods; and, while sittiuR in the counting-room of
Messrs. Vandusen and Co., with whom he dealt larl{e1:r' waiting
for his billa to be made out, the senior partner remarke to him-
"By the way, Mr. Moreton, you have a family, have you not p"
"Yes, sir," was the reply_U a wife and five children; three of
whom are daughters."
"Where are L~~ educating them P" asked the merchant.
"The oldest finished her education," returned Mr. More-
ton-" but the next oldest oURht to be sent to a boarding.sohool
somewhere, and I must confess I am greatly at a los8 where to
place her. I would like to send her to the Catholio sohool at
Bethlehem, because it is 80 much cheaper than our Protestant
Ichools; but Mrs. Moreton is 80 opposed to trusting her daugh-
ter in the hands of the Catholios, that I do not like to say posi.
tively she shall g'o there." .
"It is very natural, indeed, that the women should feel thus
opposed to these Catholic schools. :My wife, for instance, was
VIolently opposed to them; but they are, after all. the best sohools,
my dear sir, depend upon it. Our oldest daughter has been for
tWQ years at the convent school, some fifty miles from this city;
notwithstanding the opposition of her mother, who reluctantly
yielded to my wishes in the matter; and I assure yon that she is
making moat astonishing progress in her studies. Mrs. Vandu-
len, finding this to be the case, has become quite reconciled, and
DoW sees the folly of her former dislike to these iustitutions."
"But you have a very excellent boarding school in your own
city, I am told, conducted by a Presbyterian minister; I should
have thought that you would have patronized that sohool, asyou
belong to that denomination," remarked Mr. Moreton, in an in-
terroRative tone.
U So I do belong to that denomination, my dear sir, but I do
not feel as if I were nuder any obligation, for that reason,to pay
1jfty per cent. more for the eduoation of my daughter at a Pres.
byteriau sohooI, than I would have to pay at one belonging to
 18! Mysteries of a. (fonvenf.
the eatholiCL Th_ Protllatant eohools are too high lnr me; ltr.
Iforeton ; I cannot ltand their unconscionable prices. rt
-That la jost what! told Mrs.Moretoo
~oe
:'-waB the ~Iy, in-.
that evioced- the grati/lcation. of the sp.aker at /lndlog that
he WU Dot mistaken, in his views, as expressed to his wife-; fOr
he. was exceedingly tenacious of his opiuioDa-" but sbe was un.
der tha impreosioll that tbe extrru which are cha11led in the billa,
made the Oatholic schools the most expensiy6, after aU." .
" It i. a .iatake, my dear air, depend upon it," -8&id the mer-
ahaot-" at taut 80ch bas Dot heen my experience; and the J truth
of the pnddiog'-yon toow the rest. _. I surely onght to know all
about it, after two years' exp.erienee."
Mr. Moreton f.lt perfectly aatio/led npoo tbe point of e%pense,
hnt aoked Mr. Vandoseo to tell him, candidly, wbat he thooght
abcut the efforts of the priests aod oons to pro1elyte Ptdteataot
ehildren to the Romish faith; and wheth.r be had any rea.aoo to
believe that th.y had tampered with the religioOB faith of his
dao$lhter. . _
"It fsall hambug. sir ;"-repli.d the latter, with 80me warmth
of manner,-u the result of sectarian bigotry. I am aatoniAbed.
.. &p'ractical mao, that seosible people should have raised 8UC~
• hue and cry abont the proselyting disposition of the Catholics.
I aaeure you that I do not believe a word of it." .
Mr. Moreton tbanked the mercban~ for his informatioo, and
uprassed hi, determination to send his daughter, the next spring,
to the Catbolic scbool at Be~hl.hem.
"But," replied Mr. Vandusen, " is Dot that too near home, lir P
My advice to yoo wonld b., not to send yonr daog/lter where ahe
would be anxious to come home every week, because it was 80 .
ahor~ a distance to travel, and where sbe wonld be di...tis1lad if
sh. did not get to visit her friends freqnently; bnt to place ber
at school at such a distance as to make it inconvenient for her to
go home oftener than once in six months, since her mind would
be undis~nrbed by the proximity of her relationa, and h.r pro-
gresa in ber studies would cooaequeotly be the greater;" and as-
onred Mr. Moretoo that h. coosidered tbe school to which he seot
hie own dau~hter, the very best in ail the country.
Convinced by his arguments. Mr. Mor.ton thanked the m.....
chant again, and, having settled his bills, bade him farewell, and
retnrn.d to the ho~.l where he was s~opping.
No soon.r had b. left the couuting.room, tbao Mr. Vandusen,
with great glee .xpreosed in his counteDance, eat down at his
deBt, and wrote the following letter, which h. d.spatched to the
PD" olli...
"New York. Duember 6,1810.
"To tb. Mother Superior of the Conveo~ of the Annunciation.
"l>BJ.B. :M.ADAK,
"I have just had a long CODversa.tion with ODe of my Qustom..
ers, a Mr. Charles Moreton. of Pennsylvania. He is a wealthy
merchaot, having two danghter. to b. edncated; on. of whom he
will no doubt Ien:a~el0U next 8priDft; and the other, in due time,
if he shonld be pi • I fouud h.o head full of tho nsnal 00-
tions abont O%trtU, aod pr03elllting, and all ~hat, bnt sncceeded io
oweePbtll tho cobwebs from hiS braiD. I think yon may certain-
IL ..Joolate upoo hil brinRiog you hla dangbter ill tho sp1':!:
WhoD. aha amy.., YOIl will credit my aocouot with twouty •
 Mysteries or ,a ConVent. 183
Ian. llCClOrding to oar contract. I hope my daughte!'8 he&lUl is
good, and that .he prol!1"e......ell in Der .tndl.... The atf&ir of
the come. on ...immingly. I shall, ..ithout douht, pit
that money .ecured to the order.
" With the highe.t consideration, I reJB&iu
"Your unworthy aervant,
u COlOW.D V ANDUSBll,,"

. . XIV.
CH4P1'ER
Hr. J[orelonia oangulDe paTtlalily-to Catholic IChoo1s-Hrs. X._"
fears and donbts-Julia sent as a boarder to the Convent of lhe Au·
lluneiatioD.-Mr. and Mrs. Moreton attend lbe Ant examinatton-ED-
gaging manners of the )lother 8uperior-Extras-The parents receln
alarming intel14';:ence-Distresa aDd anxiety-Mr. Moreton hastelllto
snatch his child trom her impending doom-Arrlyes a.t the ConyClt&:,
and demands to see his daughter-Falsehood and treachery of shaKo--
ther Superior-Jnlta r\lshes into her father', arms. and _bome'"
him from the hatred Convent. ' ,

WIDIN Mr. Moreton returned home, he related ~ hill we the

con..reetion ..hich hed taken piece between himself and 1&.
Vandnsen; layiD~ £l8&t streee npon the fact that the latter ..u
a memher of .the Presbyterian Church.-than ..hich none hed a
more inveterate hostility to..ards the Catholica, or hed done more
to expose the errors of their doctrines, or the enormity of their
practices; and, as he said, it spoke volumee in refutation of the
slaDders which had been beaped upon the Catholics, that a Prea-
hyterian should beer such testimony ... he had borne to the ex-
cellence of the convent school, the cheapness of its terms, and the
absence of intention or effort to proselyte the children of Protes.
tant parents. Withal, the fact that he w... sending his own
danghter to this same school, and his highly reapectable .tandu.,
&I a merchant, forbade the idea of any insincerity, or w~t IJl
.ufficient intell\:{ence upon the subject.
. Still Mrs. Moreton ..... not CODVlDced, in spite of all this array
of imposing testimony; and, while her husband .eently insinuat..
ed that she ..... very obstinate in her pr.jndi.....he conld DOt
wholly rid her mind of apprehension, or be brought to belieY8
that there w... no reel danger iDcnrred in sending Jnlia to a
Catholic school.
But fiudinA' that it ..as u88l... to aJ'A'lle the matter any fnrther
with. Mr. Moreton, she reluctantly yielded the point; hopinjl'that
.he mi~ht be ahle to fortify Julia's miud so stroogly &l(aiust the
wiles and sophistry of a crafty priestbood, so that she miA'ht saf..
ly pass the fiery orde,l which sbe fully believed was about to he
placed before her child; and When, in the folloW'in~ spring, the
time fixed for tbe departure of Julia with her father for the 00110
'Vent school, arrived; and the vehicle which bore them away.....
ceded from ber view, she returned from the street door into helo
sittiDg room, with a heavy heart; feeling as though a dark cion...
•urchar/(ed ..ith evil, had Il&thered over herself and family.
Oil his retnm, s.fter having placed Julia at school, hill wile had
a thonsand annous qnestions to be answered; aU of whioh he
allaworad 80 readily, and with .uch apparent •• tiSfaOtiOD to bim-.
 184 Mysteries of a Convent.
181f, that ber feai'a ..e... quieted, and hope gained the _ndant.
He Informed her that, on tbeir arrival at tbe convent, alter a fa-
tiguing but rather pleaaant journey of foor daye, the Mother Sn.
perior, whom he represented as a lovely French woman, in the
prime of life, And of most ele~ant manners, received him with the
greatest kindness, and throwing her arms aroaud Julia, kiBS8~
her afiectionately, welcoming her to the institution, and promil-
inl( to be a mother to her, while she oontiuned tbe.. ; that Julia
had found ODe or two old aequaiut&o0e8 among the pupil., and
aeemed to be satisfied; aDd that, on his expressing a wish that
his daughter's principles should in n""",ay be interfered with", she
aseured him, iu the most frank and positive maoner, that he need
not entertain any fean on that e1!bject, .. they had no deaire to
make proaelrtes of the children of Protestant parente.
" In ebort. ' added Mr. Moreton, U ahe i. ODe of the moat agree-
able ladi.. I have ever met witb; and I feel ..eU aaanred that
our daughter is placed in good hands."
Five months pas8ed away, And the Bummer vacation came OD.
Mr. Moreton and hie lady had attended the examination; and,
although Jnlia.'s J'ro~ress did not meet their expectation, yet they
supposed that th,s might be attributed to tbe novelty of the pool- '
tion in which she had been placed-away from home, among
stranl(era, for the first time in her life-and they indulged the
hope that she ..onld do better, the next .seesion.
On calling for his bill, he w.. surprised to find that it w.. larger
than he had anticipated. There was 80 much oharged as an a..
tnJ item for this, and so much for that; 80 mucb for fuel, and for
room rent, and for stationery, and for medieal attendance, al.
though ehe bad not been sick an hoor dnrin~ tbe entire time;
and 80 much for .tore goods, &0.; amountiug- lD. all to 80me thir-
ty or forty per cent. more than he had expected. Unwilling,
however, to dispute the account; fascinated &II be was by the ele-
gant manners of the Mother Supepor, and gratified by the de-
ference and respect which were .hawD to himself and wile, by all
the inmates of the family, he paid the hill, withont a ..ord of com.
plaint; resolving in his own mind, that for the future, he would
take cere to avoid all extras, by furoishinl( every thing from
home, .. faJ: as practicable, and by' prohibiting the openinjf of
atore accounts for his daughter'. UBe. Besides, be prided htm-
self, as a bnsineu man, upon his tact and foresight; and, Mn.
Moreton bein~ present, when the settlement wal made with the
accountant, thQUgh ebe was engaged in conversation with the
Mother Superior, he was very unwilling that ebe should knoW'
that he had been outwitted; especia.lIy when 80 much had been
said on this very point, prior to {)lacing Julia. in the institution•
. Julia appeared pleased to revi81tber home; but her motherw&1
pained to find ·that she did not manifest .. I(reat an attachment
to it, i,abefore leaving it for school; and tbat 8be more than once
wished for the time to come ..hen her father ..as to take her
back. She fOllnd, too, that her dalll(hter loved to talk of the Mo-
ther Su\,erior, aod of sister this, and aister that, freqne.tly extol.
Hnl( th... great kindn... to her, their piety, and their happy con-
dition; eeeming to think that the life of a nun .... the very beau.
ideal, with her, of human happin... on earth. When Mrs. More-
ton ..ould attempt to combat tbis notion, ah. fonnd Julia dispooed
$0 be wayward, and to reaent the attempt as an insult, b1 impU.
 Mysteries 01' a. Convent. 135
cation, olrered to thoee whom .he 10 highly eoteemed. Xnowiag
her impnllive natnre, howev.r, and how every novelty that ploaoed
her W&l wont to effect her mind, .he thonj!ht this a mere girlloh
elr.rve8C8Ilce of momentary excitement, and that after a while,
wh.n the nov.lty had worn olr, .h. would ",e things in a truer
light. .
At I.ngth cam. th. day for Jnlia'. retnrn to IOhool; and her
mother, havin~ given her much excellent advice, and m&de her
promiae to write, either to herself or to her father, once a fort-
nl~ht, had. her adi.n. Arrived at the conv.nt, Mr. Moreton and
lulia were received with Jimilar demonstratioD' of kindoell to
thoee which had marked th.ir tint reception; while th.r.....med
to be more of familiar cordialit, in the attention. paid to them;
and the former, having ghen the necesaar.y inatructions ... to h.iI
daUlthter'. exp.n.... left her; congratnlating him..U that he had
.ffectnally gnarded against heavy bills, for the fntnre.
The .econd Benion had expired, during which Julia'.letten
had beev. receiv.d re~larly, in keeping with h.r promi.. ; and,
there being no vacation between that and the ensuing seuiem,
ahe did Dot come home, ber father's business engastemeuta {)re-
veDtiOR' him from going to her; but, as her 1%lother's &nnety
abont h.r Wal gr.atly qni.ted hy the r'j(nlarity with which her
lettero arriv.d, aud the improvem.nt both in otyle and penman•
•bip which th.y indicated, it W&I d.termined that ebe ebould ..-
mlln for the third term.
Bnt after Jnlia had been thns at IOhool, fifteen month.. and
when her parents were con~tulating themselv84I upon the Ie-
llOtion whicb th.y bad mad. of a school for her-albeit Mr.
Moreton bad &ICOrtained, beyond all qnestion, tbat in point of
6CODomy he had gained nothIng, since it had cost him something
more, at this professedly cheap school, for the education of bia
danghter, thns far, than it would bav. cost him at Protestant
schools, which had been denounced a9 being 80 unconsciona.bly
extrava~aDt in their charges; a letter was received from J uua,
which flll.d th.ir mind. with di.may and deep anxiety for the
fntur.. It W&I written at Rreat I.ogth, .vid.ntly with otodied
care, and in a .tyle so wbolly different from her former I.tten,
or from anything tbat might have been realCnably expected of
her, &I to convince th.m that sh. had not writteu it herseU, b,d
copied it from the dictetion of othen.
After thanking her parents, in v.ry meaonred terma, for their
care and affection hitherto manifested towards her, and j>&rtieu-
larly for having placed her at tb. convent IOhool, where .b. had
.njoy.d so rare advaotej!', and spent th' happieat period of her
eXIstence-she proceeded. to state that, without any efforts hiV-
ing, been made, on the part of her teachers, to biu her mind, or
to cbange h.r r.ligious faith, sb. had bacom. convinced that the
Catholic was tbe only trn. faitb ; that all b••id. W&l h.resy; and
thst .he f.lt it to be her imperative duty to join the Catbolio
cbnrch, and, at tb. proper ag., to become a nnn; bnt that the
rupect-that Wal tho cold word whiGh .he addreosed to b.r kind
and affectionate parenta-tb. r••pect which .be entertained for
them, ooDstrained her to ask their cODsent, before ahe took 80 im-
portent a step-adding, that ahe hoped th.y would not witbho1d
this, lince, in that .v.nt, ebe moat obey God rath•• than 1Il~
pd el!ou!d proceed, in 'I'i~ 01 $l!m ri!l""""
136 MysteriM of ,a Convent.
, NOI18 'bnttboee who live. only for their children. and feol thp
th_ constitute the end and ohj..t of all their planl and I!ur.
_ ..... imaeine the feelings w,hich ruahed tumultuons1ylnto
f,ilAll>oscmlof the father and mother, ,asthay PQruood thia harzow.
ing letter. They _DIed to them..lv.. to have !>eon Ileeping. i$1
fancied BOCnrity. 00 the very brink of a fri~htfol precipice,_d
to have anddeWy awakened to find it erumbling nuder them....d
ready to <:any them with it, in ito headlong plunge into the yawD"
ing aby.. beneeth. The mother ,eat in_ epeechle.. grief; while
the ,ocalding tesn l'8oIl down her cheeke. The fathOll'. feeling thN:
his own pennrlou8l1088 had rendered him deaf to the w$l1lingllJlf
his wife, when hOll' f.ears led her,in;the ontoet, to depncate the
stop ,that had wrought this milo!lief. was lelf•..,pro8Qhed anti
oeIl.condomned; yet,l:OOOlIeotiog that the interposition of:bil
authority might aud could avert the impendinlf evil, did n~ .'"
way to hil feelin!!s, bnt stood pale, stern, and with OQIltr8otod
brow. thinking what conrse he had beet pursue. For IIOme min·
moo, neither nttered a word.
U was noon-aild the untaatod meal!ad for lOme time IIto!l4
unnoticed on the board: uo member of that unusnally 10 haPPl
~y felt any inclination to partake of it. There they ...t. uil
death, or worse than death, had Inatohed away one beloved of
all. At length the mother, with a. otroog dolt, broke the pal••
Int IIlen.., and said, in the tonel of oue nerved by urgent _
solution to a decisive step.
"Mr. Moreton. we must ~o to Julia. 'Sbe eannot reIiat tbeap-
peal of & mother'elave.. We will eave her yet:'
"We will ltort at 00....• was the prompt reply of the dete.
mined father; and, ¢ving immediate orders ~ha* the carri..-
Ihonld be 1I0tready. they were 100U on their way to resoue thOlr
child fom the immiuent ruin which threatened.
Haviug travelled as rapidlyal possible. theY~'Ved attbe
convent, in the afternoon of the third day from h ; and. while
the mother remained in the carria~e at the outsi e gate, in ao.
oordanoe witb the plan which had been previously adopted for:
their Jt0vernmeDt, Mr. Moreton hastened up the lon~ avenue,
heavily shaded wilh lar~e forest trees, through which It woad
ita tortooua way-fit emblem of the practic.. of tho.. who dwelt
within that dark and gloomy pile of imprilOnment and shame;
and, toockin/( at the ball.door, demanded to see the Superior.
The sister porter invited him into the parlour, .where presently
he was joined by the lady who.. elel(ant manuers had BO fascin-
ated hi. judgmeut, on their first interview, but whom he WUuOW'
disposed to ~ard as the most treacherous of her sex; since she
had betrayed tbe oacred lrust oommitted to hOll' handl by conlld.
ing Plll'ODts, for be oouJd not doubt thet thia woman was at the
l>ottom of hil danj/hter's defection.
She,mel him witb uuusual affability, and &n apPQarauoe of the
utmoat gratmostinn at BOOio~ him; and was proceediug to make
inquiry as to the health of Mrs. Moreton and the family. when he
interrul.'ted hOll' by aaying,-
'" I Wish to lee my daughter, madam."
With a moot winning emile upon her countenan.., the Snpe-
rior replied-
co I regret very much that you eannot now see Julia, Blr; she
has beeu aomewhat indiapoaed, but haa fallen asleep: and it
~ould be Injurious to her to awake h~."
 Mysteries of & Convent. 137
Satisfied that tWa was a meta'l'Ul, on tha part of tha Sqpmor.
to gain tim.. or to """"mplish ..,ms othar purposa of har 0 .. 0.
tha indignant fath.r, throwing oll the restraint which, nntil t/lia
moment, he had maintained upon himself, cried, in ton.. of great
~citemeDt:
.. My danghter, Madam; I want my daughter. Where is ahe P"
UYou Mnnot see your daughter, sir," replied the Superior, with
cool salf-poaaeaaion. atill retaining a bland smila upon har coun·
tenance. " She i. ill in bed, and C&DUot be seen."
"I am her father, and must Bee ber ;"-and, as he thus Ipoke,
with increased anergy of ,manner he took a atep forward, III
though he would foroa hil way to lha apartmant of his <laughUll:.
~he Snperior, however, antioipating his purpose, instantly roae,
and, interoepting him, stood full in his way, between him ~d ihe
door. 'l'hen, drawing herself up to her full height, while aha g- .
sumed an air of olfended dil(1litY,-a.elight f1uah of ""oitament
playing upon her really beantifnl oountenaoce,-answered quiet-
ly, bnt firmly-
.. I role here, air; and I eay to you that you cannot ... your
danllhter. I eay to you, funher, that aM does not wiah to _
ftlll."
.. Does not wish to ... her f"ther P What does thia mean PO'-
inquired Mr. Moreton, his whole manner indioaQng tha greatAot
lIUl'Priae and agitation of 8OUI.
.. Because she baa renouuDed you, together with all· tha vain
tias of thia sinful world, and claims the protection of tWa aano-
teary~' -haughtily answered the Superior.•
.. It is false !.....,thund.red the outraged par.nt, who, now
wrought up to the billhest pitoh of excitement, was about to puah
the Superior aside, and would doubtless have committed aome act
of viqlence, but, just at this moment, his daughter, who had by
lOme meana learood the arrival of her fa.ther, or heard hi, voice
in altercation with the Mother Superior, rushed into the ·room
her dr_ greatly dieorder.d, and, passing by the latter, who tri;;d
in vain to arrest her, threw herself iato his arms, crying, in ac-
cenla whioh thrilled to his inmost soul-" Father, save me I 0,
Bave me!"
Claeping her to his bosom with an .nergy that mocked all in.
terference, for h. wae a powerful man, the fath.r cast a look of
proud defiance upon the no longer mild and placid Superior-
who, with the countenance of & demon, and the eye of an infllI'i-
ated tigress, that bad just had enatoh.d from b.r jaws the pr.y
which she was about to share with the whelps, advanced &I
though she would tear Julia from the grasp of h.r natural pro- .
teetor;-and, pushing her outstretched arm aside, hastened with
the almost ftt.iutiD~ child to her mother; who, meanwhile, too D&-
mote to see or to hear wbat had paased, waited in great aJU1atl
the retnro of her husband to tbe carriage.
The reader can imagine how pleasant was the I1lrpnse to Mn.
:Moreton, and what must ha.,e been the revulsion of her feelings,
when Julia, throwing herself upon her bosom, and putting her
arms around her neck, cried, in a vo.ice almost choked with emo-
tion-" Forgive me, my dearest motherj I will never leave you
again."
Driving rapidly away, Mr. Moreton ..ent to the neighbouring
village, whare be banded to "friend "eum of money n~
, 138
Mysteries of a Convent.
to pay hi. daughter'. bill at the convent, together with an order
for the delivery of her olothlng ; and then turned hie ho....• heW
towards home.

OHA.PTER XV•
.fnlia'.D&n8Uvs-8ped01lO and artfaJ couduct of the Vother Superior-
HoW' the letter W'U wroce..
Dtnm<G the journey homeward, and after they had reached that
dear .pot,-over whioh had 80 reoeutly gathered thiok gloom and
deep IOrroW, hut where .uu.hine aud gladue.. now reillued,-
lulia rel&te<1 to her pareuts what had tran.pired·duriug the tUn.
that .he bed .peut at the convent IOhool. the moot prominent of
""biob i. here .ummarily laid before the reader.
It _m. that, on her arrival at the convent, when firot bronrbt
there by her fath.r, 1 ulla became a great favourite, both with the
DUD. and with the boarders. Her vivacity, her Want at repar.
, tee, her general amiability, and her studiousness, ftained the re-
apect, and won the affection, of all, from the Mother Superior
down to the lowest menial. The former BOon :fixed upon her &I
. a .uitahle .uhject of whioh to make a u••ful and valuable acqui•
•itinn to the order; aud, with the quick perception of a .troDe
mind trained under Jesuit iodueuoe, readily discovered the pro.
minent traite in bet: disposition, and devised the plan by mean.
of whioh Ihe mi~ht best &ocompli.h her design; yet, with aU the
cunDinl\' and ""arin.ss of her clas...he So completely di.gnioed
her real pnrpooe, that J nlia only beeame aware of it at the veri
last moment, &8 it were, and then only throngh the inltrnment.
ality of one who had pre.ion.ly fallen a·victim to the aame arti.
fice, and who perished in the 8ame coils.
Durine the first ....ion of the .ohool, the Mother Superior did
nothing more than gain the affection. of the :young girl; w.U·
knowing that this must be a first .tep, aud that w,th th... h.r con.
fidenco would be acquired &8 a Decessary con"!"l"ence, In order
to do thi.. sh. tr.ated her with distingui.hed kindness; allowing
ber many privileges which were Dot granted to othen; and en.
oonraging ber frequ.ut visits, in the .v.nings, to h.r privats par_
lour_v. wb.n tbe Father General came to _her-where ahe
was aure \0 find something nice to eat, and .omethin~ that would
interest her mind; her taste in both re~eota being carefully COD.
sult.d. Sbe plac.d in the baud. of Julla, rare and b.autiful pic.
tures, representing the miracles and prominent incidents in the
lives of tb. Saiota of the Chnrch and would have her to read alond
iute.....ting p.ss./lOs from their hi.tory, She would also .peak to
.1qlia of theae; whil. the silvery note. of her voice would faillik.
nreet mulic upon the ear, and the ,p,rl's enthusiastio IOu! would
be enrapt by the magic of her discriptiv. and nar....tiv. powers. '
All day 10nK, Julia'. studies w.re eoliv.ned, and her task. made
li!jht8r. by the anticipation of spendinl\' an ev.ning in the Sup.rI.
or 8 private apartment, where every thing was so 8DUg and so com.
forteble.
But aU this time not a word W&8 said ahout the peculiar dOIf.
mas of the Bomish religion, aave in the most car.l.... aDd, &8 ,t
were, aooidental mannw; Ilot. diRMpeotful aUllIion to th.:rrotBt-
, 138
Mysteries of a Convent.
to pay hi. daughter'. bill at the convent, together with an order
for the delivery of her olothlng ; and then turned hie ho....• heW
towards home.

OHA.PTER XV•
.fnlia'.D&n8Uvs-8ped01lO and artfaJ couduct of the Vother Superior-
HoW' the letter W'U wroce..
Dtnm<G the journey homeward, and after they had reached that
dear .pot,-over whioh had 80 reoeutly gathered thiok gloom and
deep IOrroW, hut where .uu.hine aud gladue.. now reillued,-
lulia rel&te<1 to her pareuts what had tran.pired·duriug the tUn.
that .he bed .peut at the convent IOhool. the moot prominent of
""biob i. here .ummarily laid before the reader.
It _m. that, on her arrival at the convent, when firot bronrbt
there by her fath.r, 1 ulla became a great favourite, both with the
DUD. and with the boarders. Her vivacity, her Want at repar.
, tee, her general amiability, and her studiousness, ftained the re-
apect, and won the affection, of all, from the Mother Superior
down to the lowest menial. The former BOon :fixed upon her &I
. a .uitahle .uhject of whioh to make a u••ful and valuable acqui•
•itinn to the order; aud, with the quick perception of a .troDe
mind trained under Jesuit iodueuoe, readily discovered the pro.
minent traite in bet: disposition, and devised the plan by mean.
of whioh Ihe mi~ht best &ocompli.h her design; yet, with aU the
cunDinl\' and ""arin.ss of her clas...he So completely di.gnioed
her real pnrpooe, that J nlia only beeame aware of it at the veri
last moment, &8 it were, and then only throngh the inltrnment.
ality of one who had pre.ion.ly fallen a·victim to the aame arti.
fice, and who perished in the 8ame coils.
Durine the first ....ion of the .ohool, the Mother Superior did
nothing more than gain the affection. of the :young girl; w.U·
knowing that this must be a first .tep, aud that w,th th... h.r con.
fidenco would be acquired &8 a Decessary con"!"l"ence, In order
to do thi.. sh. tr.ated her with distingui.hed kindness; allowing
ber many privileges which were Dot granted to othen; and en.
oonraging ber frequ.ut visits, in the .v.nings, to h.r privats par_
lour_v. wb.n tbe Father General came to _her-where ahe
was aure \0 find something nice to eat, and .omethin~ that would
interest her mind; her taste in both re~eota being carefully COD.
sult.d. Sbe plac.d in the baud. of Julla, rare and b.autiful pic.
tures, representing the miracles and prominent incidents in the
lives of tb. Saiota of the Chnrch and would have her to read alond
iute.....ting p.ss./lOs from their hi.tory, She would also .peak to
.1qlia of theae; whil. the silvery note. of her voice would faillik.
nreet mulic upon the ear, and the ,p,rl's enthusiastio IOu! would
be enrapt by the magic of her discriptiv. and nar....tiv. powers. '
All day 10nK, Julia'. studies w.re eoliv.ned, and her task. made
li!jht8r. by the anticipation of spendinl\' an ev.ning in the Sup.rI.
or 8 private apartment, where every thing was so 8DUg and so com.
forteble.
But aU this time not a word W&8 said ahout the peculiar dOIf.
mas of the Bomish religion, aave in the most car.l.... aDd, &8 ,t
were, aooidental mannw; Ilot. diRMpeotful aUllIion to th.:rrotBt-
 Mysteries of a. Convent. 189
.
tant faith was prononnced at all, it was with the ntmost appareat
lrindn... of feeling, and with the Rrealest ehow of ooneideratioll
for those who bore it. Neither wal Julia required to comply, at
any time, with Romish forms a.nd usages, further than was gen-
erally expected from all Proteltant pupils; but, if a peculiarly I...
terelting or imposing service wa.e to be performed, her curioeity
to witoess it was aroused, beforehaod, b,Y Blow and gradual ape
proBcheBwhich wholly concealed from vIew the real object; and,
after it was over, it would be introduced in the moat natural mao..
ner imaRinabfe, as a topio of conversation, and 10 &8 to lea.d:au.
ardent and imaginative mind to inquire into its purport.
Thnll, without appearing to seek it, frequent opportunitr was
afforded for the explanation of Catholic dogmas, and the.. im.
planation in JuUa'.teoder mind,· before abe was aware of it. No
wondel', then, if with loch 8. nature as hers, impulsive, confidioK.
and enthusiastic; fond of novelty, and delightioR' in excitement;
with 80 much around her to furnish aliment for her mental appe_
titee; and, added to all this, the ~resence of a master spirit-WIle
BtrongwilIed, unscrupulous-whIch knew well how to control and
adjnst this complicated machinery for the. production of the
lBr~est results in the accomplishment of its own occult purpose.;
Jnlia should have been SO fully, yet unconsciouBly, trained by the
Mother Superior, in the short space of five monthll, as to be made
to think and feel JUBt 88 the hitter mi.ht will that she ehould;
aud to be ripe for the development of ber plans, on Julia'. return
from bome, at the close of the Bummer ",aeatian. No wonder, too,
that, under the circumstances of false colouring which had beau
thrown around ber, Bhe should l'O/(ard the life of a nuu ae being
the fullest embodiment of human felicity; as aU IUD8bille, with.
out au obscuriug cloud, or fitting rack, to dim for an inetaoce ita
brlllhtneBs. .
On her return from home, however, after the vacation, the rich
politician, into ",hose hands the unwary girl had 10 unfortunately
faUeo, began to narrow the circle of her toil I, and to bring them
to bear more directly upon the focal point of her schemio/rs. The
first object to be sccomplished wao to deBtroy her coofidence ill
her own religious faith; and although this had, to a certain extent,
bean covertly but suc....fully, doue, yet the completion of the
work was to be caotiously effected, or f!reat mischief to the plan.
of the Superior mil"ht be the result. The social eveniogs spent
in ber room afforaed suitable opportunities for this; and, as it
was more thau litely that Julia would not reluru home before the
expiration' of teo months, time was not wantin~. .Besides, hoW'
really eaBY the taBk with a youn~ girl who had been soimperfect.
ly instructed, as she necessarily wait. iu the principles of her faith.
Before the third month had elapsed, the eud was Ilained :-Protes·
tantism was rejected, and it became a light affair to substitute Ro.
JDanism in its stea.d. Ou the day before the session closed, Julia
waa baptized in the chapel, and became a memher of tbe Roman
Catholic churcb.
All thia time, there had been no compuleloo. Led in allken fet-
tell!, Julia never for a moment auppooed tbat she was captive to
the iron will of another, but seemed to heraelf to have taken etep
by stop, wholly of her own accord; until not onlr ",as effected
what we hava seen, but she had been made to believe tha~ it wu
righ~ aod proper to conoeal from her ......nta ",hat had ocourred.
 140 Mysteries of a Convent.
Nay, more, that it wu right and proper to deeein them u to til"
trne otate of bor feelingo, and make them concludo, from the tell.
or of her letters, that Ihe wu otill a firm adherent to the faith of
her anceetors; 44 the end-your devotion to the service ot God and
the Virgin," said-the Mother Sllperior-" will sanctify the means in
-the deception of her beet friendl, her parents.
Now that obI was a member of tho Catholio church, ohe wu
more thao' ever in the power of the Suporior, and ouhject to her
ooDtrol; while the latter, in her turn, found increaaed means of
exerciJling-tbat power, in the imposing ceremoni~ the mraticl\fm-
boIs, the thrilling music, the demor~lizing confessiona, -aud tb.i
conotant appoals made to the innate suporstition of poor fallen,
humll.l1 natnre ; indeed, in all that perteino to the rituol of that
church. In these, .Tulia fonnd excitement; in th..... therefore,
obe took ll.I1 enthnoiutic delight; and whenever, on the reception
of a letter from home, or from any other canoe, old uaociatiODB
and old attaobmento would linger abont the hearthstone of ",e-
mory, and r.lrindle its embers, the Mother Superior, from whom
sh. coneeal.dnothing, wonld promptly but adroitly smotber themi
until oh. became compl.tely wean.d from all that were once moot
, daar to her; and her'graat anxiety now was not to be reoaned
homo, from the acenoo and pursuits in which her happin..s aeom.
ad to b. 00 compl.tely involved.
She was now in a lit stote of mind to be iuduenead to take tho
remaioiag' steps, and to be made & permanent member of the fa-
mily in which abe resided; in other words, to become a nUD. .A.s
this was a step, however, in which she could be forcibly controll-
ad by her parents, at least nntil she was of age; and as the Mo.
ther Superior had now gained all that was imm.diately neeeoaary .
to the ultimata acocmplishmeut of her great desil(D; oho deter.
mined to await the close of the en8uin~ s6ssion, wbich W8.8 to be
her Jut, before anything further should be done; and, meanwhile,
to do all in her power to confirm and .stablioh Julia in her Jl81r
faith.
'!'hno thinl:8 prol(leeoed until wilhin a few weeD of Ihe ter·
mination of the third session, when the Mother Superior, haring
prepared a letter which she thought would answer tb. purpooo,
placed il in .Tulin's hauds to be copied. After numerous altera-
tions and correctioDs, which suggested themselves from time to
timet had beeu made. this letter was finally sent to Mr. Moreton.
but, by BOme unaccountable detention in the post office, did Bot
reach him as 800n as it should h&96 done, by at least ten daye.
This dolay w.s tho onlvation of.T ulia, as will be shown in tho fOl.
lowing obopter.

CHAPTER XVI.
8Ioter Th....... het sufferings .nd death-Her dying ....rnlng to ,rnll.-Ito
. effect upon Julill.-1'he Mother Superior's raFt: In the ehamberot death
-The Father General', base acheme to ennch the order-The }lother
Superior in a dilemma.
IT appean, from 1ulia's recitel to her parents, that, while ram.
bUnj1 over tho convent building, one day, she found, lling upon
• pallet of olraw, with ragged and inoumcienl bed.c1othing opr9awl
 Mysl;erf,e& of & Convent. 141
0Yllr .... lo·a mall room, in ... remote aod rather QOoccopied por.
tlo.. oUhe vast pile, a poor ouo, who... oouoteoaooo bore the
traces of ll'1'eat beauty, but who was fearfnlly wasted by disease
and: 8uft"mo!J'. Di800vering, on conversing with her, that she was
:tie
g!SItly oejl(lected by the members of the honsehold, Julia request-
alld obteiued, psmrisoioo, from the Motber Superior, to visit
. naa, wbioh ..... the more readily ~aated beoa088 the latflr
really Imew nothiul( about the true oondition of oee who hadloug
b88D 108t light of by her 88' an helpless and ruined victim. sa.ve
..'her name- was from time to time reported upon the siok li,t..
Pn»m that day on uutil the poor nun died, Julia.. spent aD hour
or more by ber bed.side, every day, and oCC&llionaily sat up with
!ier, a portion at'the uijl(bt. Her kindn_ to Sisler Th.resa-for
that was the name ot this poor nun, whom the reader will reco....
leat as haviuJt" had an interview with the Father General, in the
ODU1'ent garden at midnight--soon won hor "rateful affection;
and, lUI her light footsleps would be· heard daily aaoendinll the
stain OD hei errand of mercy, Theresa' 8 coun\euance would beam
with gladu.... Sometime., wben J nlia wonld be eesled by h.r
bed'side, she would look up in her face, with a smile of heartfeU
gratitade, and would press her hand earnestly, while the big tears
would start to her eye, and trickle down her cheek, as ehe wIlls-
pored a prayer to the Virgin, for blessinlls on her benefaetresa. .
On the morning of tbe very day upoo which Mr. Moreton reach.
ed the ooovent, lUI related ia the chapter preceding the last, ;Tu.
lia paid bel' usual visit to her patient, aa she called- her, and was
!Slarmed to lind her a great deal worse tban she had been previ.
ously. Taking ber by tbe band, Sisler Tberesa said to b.r, in
tones of deep emotioo,-u n.ar Julia, I am dying: I feel that I
cannot live much longer; and because I love yoa for your lov&to
me, and for yonr cparity to a poor deserted nnn, I wish to give
loa &aolemn charge, 0.8 from.the lips of a dyioJl' woman; whioh
It would .mbitter my last moments to withhold from yon, while
it ie tbe best return I can make for ynur exceeding kindne... to
me. Neyer consent to become a nun."
lulia stsrted back, es though she had been stnn~ by an adder,
and seemed to doubt if she had heard aright, nr lUI if sbe thnught
that tbe poor nnn, might be out of her head. .
Sisler Theresa read ber thonghts; and, again taking her hand,
and preS$ing it earnestly in her OWD, repeated the charge in a
sull more solemn and impressive manner than before. Julia
would have spoken, but the nun said to ber -" Listen to me. I
had thong1t that my melancboly story would bave died with me; .
and, indeed, I know not that I shall have strength to relate it to
you; yet,deeply indebted to yon as I am, I cannot better em·
ploy my remaiuin~ strength than in commuuicatiol( that whioh
may save you from a fate like mine. In the narrative which I
am about to I(ive you,you will lind abundantcansefor theoha<ge
wbich has filled your mind with astonishment."
U I am," continued Theresa, "the only child of wealthy pa-
rents in the south, who placed me beret some years since, as So
popil in tbe DOnvent school. For two years afler my arrival, tbe
Mother Superior lavished upon Dle acta of kindnesa similar- ~
thooe wbicb she, I know, has exhibited to.ards yonrself and
others, and witb the same motives. By del11""8B-for I bave noa
&he atrength to relate to you all of &he particulaal-sbe led me to
 142 Mysteries or & Conrent.
abandon my owo Prote.tant faitlr, and to embrace Romaoi.io....
nntil. at the end of the second year, I found myaslf a novice, folly
committed to take the VOWI of poverty, chastity, and obedience-
and eventually I became a nun; my parents, however, being kepi
in profound i~norance of the whole matter, until the final step
had been irretrievably taken. ::My mother, as I have siuce learn.
ed accidentally, when informed of it, took to ber bed, and nevel'
left it until carried to her grave. My father has more than on""
~plied at the door of the convent, for permiBBion to _ me, bnt .
Without my knowledge, and in my name baa been refused i be-
fog told that I did not wi.h to &Be him; and, when it was too
late, I have heen told of hi. vi.it, for the pnrpoas of harrowing
my feelings, and making my .ulferingB the greater. I know not
whether he i. yet alive or DOt." Here Sister Theresa'. tean in.
terrupted her narrative; and .he w... compelled to pauae, for a
few mioutes, while .he gave vent to them. Then, resuming the
story of her misfortunes, .he said-
.. After the imposing ceremony, which attending my adopting
the religious habit, had been gone through with, and I had time
to sit down, and calmly refiect upon what I had done, I found
. myself a prey to tbe keeuest aslf.reproaches for my foUy, and to
Irrepre88ihle longing. after m'l homs and my dear frieodL I
found, too, that the manner 0 the Mother Superior was whoUy
chanlled towards me. She no longer fovited me to her private
parlour, where I had .pent 80 many happy hoors. Shenolonger
met pie with kind words and loving looks: but, in the place of
these, had ....umed toward. me an· .speet of cold and hanghty
control, and kept me at a most cruel di.tance. I w... enbjected
to meDIal offices, to heavy task., and to eevere penancce, which-
seriou.lyelfected my health. I had no amusements, no relua.
10'
tiooa-I was cut off from all those associations and endearmentl
attar which heart yearned, and for the enjoyment of which I
felt myself qualified by the po••e.sion of a warm and Ilenerou.
nature. In short, I WI.. buried alive. In vain I .ought for lOme
ODe into whose bosom I could pour the tale of my sorrows, even
amoDg those &round me who were u unhappy all; for 80 COm_
pletely were they nnder the tyrannical coutrol of the Mother Su-
perior, that, when once or twice I BOught consolation from thi.
eouree, my confidence was betrayed, and severe punishment was
the consequence. My Father Confeseor made di.bonourable pro-
posal. to me, and I .puroed him from me; but the tempter came
10 the I!Uh of an augel of lillht, holding the olive branch of
friend.hip iuhis hand. and with the .weet word. of sympathy
npon hi. oily tonllue-I could not re.i.t him-and fell. 0 honi·
ble fall! how fearfully punished! The tempter was the lover of
. the Mother Superior; sbe found it out, and, not daring to punish
him, although it led to a teniflo ..ene between them, which had
like to have reBulted in veryaeriou8 ooDBequeDces to both, but
was atlength compromised, and a reconciliatiou took place; her
Jealou.y and wrath found their mark in me; and my nntimsly
and painful death i. the result. lint what wonder that I feU be-
neath the insidion. approaches of the wily Father General, who
knew all the loneline.. of a poor nun'. life, the yearnings of her
heart after Dndn..... and the suffsringB and bitter diaappoint-
menta which I had previously endursd. What wonder that I
should flnt feel i",Wnl to him who .poke to me the ouly words
 :Mysteries of & Convent. ~ 143
of soothing which fell upou my RTBBdy earS; that I should thon .
love him ; and tbeo--. But, dear
Julia, do not deepise me-do
not fonake me. I have repented in dust and ashes; I trust there
is mercy in beaven for me, who ha.ve been 80 bitterly deceiTed on
earth. For yeara I ba.ve endured a living death; and since my
health bas failed me, and I have no longer been able to render
any service to the establishment-a period of thirteen monthSt
during moat of which time I have beeu confined to my bed-I
have been wholly neglected by both the Superior and the nun..
save as necessity required their attention at distant intervals.
Even the Father Confessor has visited me but once, and then at
my own most urgent request: until you, my dear Julia, accident-
ally discovered me, and began that series of kindnesses which
baa lit up the gloom of my sick room, and alleviated my auller-
ings to 80 groat an extent. God ble.. yOll for it, noble-hearted
girl'" .
It had cost the nun a great ellort to make this recital to Sulia;
and it had beeu fr!"Juently interrupted by & gush of tears, or the
hard, dry cough which W&8 rapidly takiug her to the grave; and,
when she bad concluded it, ebe foU back exhausted ou ber paUet.
Her kind nune administered 80me cordials which she bad brollgbt
with her-the pllfchaae of her own pocket-money-and, after
lying qnietly for 80me time, Sister Theresa, tllfulug to her with
& countenance upon which the 88&1 of death w&8legibly impl'll&8-
ed, said to ber:-
"May heaven reward you, dear Julia, for your goodneaa; I
cannot in any other way than by my poor thanks. But Jet me
most earnestly eotreaf'you to heed the warniug which I have
given you, in this relation of my aad life siuce I eutered this pri-
80D. 0, if you would not bring 80l!'OW upon your relatioos; if
you would Dot have every kindly a1fection, every generous emo-
tion, every faculty of mind, crushed, and Beared and "",ithered-
if you would not live with a burning void within your b080m-a
craving appetite after friendship, and love, and social happiness,
which is doomed never to be satisftf!d; if you would not witness
aceu.. wbicb curdle the blood, aud freeze the very soul-if you
would not loath yourself and all abollt you-if you would not be
tempted, &s I have been, almost daily, to commit suicide, &8 af-
fordiug the only moana of eacape from conveutual pollutiou and
imp,iaoument-if you would uot die, at the 1&8t, away from your
kindred and friend.. deserted by all, &8 I am-by all but you,
whom God 888mB to have sent to me &8 an an~e1 of meroy, to pity
her whom her race contemns-O ! if you would escape all of tho..
evils, aye, ten thousand more; I beaeech yoo, never COD.leDt to
beoome-"
~ "Vile wretch! what meaus this?" cried, or rather shrioked,
the Kother Superior, who, for the firat time, alarmed at Julia'a
long visit to the sick nun, bad crept stealthily up staira, and ar-
rived in time to overhear the last aenteuce or two of the cberge
which had just been llttered, or ratherao abrllptly iuterrupted by
her exclamation. When Sulia, almost beside beraelf with terror,
looked around to discover the source from which this interrup"
tion came, she beheld the Superior, standing in the doorway, pale
with rage, her eyoll&Bbing fire, and her hand uplifted as though
ebe wouid amite tho poor victim, lying helple. on the couch of
auffering.
J.44. I Mysteries of a Convent.
, But that victim was beyoud the reaoh of her malioe-she wat
cfead; alId the other, whom she was about to immolate on the al-
tar of religions bigotry, had escaped her ooils. The soale.. llsd
fallen from her. eyes; the delusion had been dissipated, &8 the
morning mist; she seemed to have awoke from some drea.m w~eJ1
had fast bound her senses in illusion, and to have become BeD81-
ble of the realities whioh surrounded her, threateuing het de-
struction. .
Tbe Mother Superior saw it all at a glance-saw, too, that her
passion had betrayed her, and bad served to make the matter
worse; but, confident in her own abilities, and fondly hoping that
she conld yet reoover the p;round wbicb she bad lost, set hers.1f
abollt the work,with infinite address. It was, however, too late.
Overcome with excess of emotion, Julia sat weeping all if ber
hesrt would hreak. Tbe Superior, putting her arm around her,
and gently bidding her sri.., left tbe death-chamber, oarefully
locking the door bebind them, and led her down stairs to her own
bed-room, wbere, laying her upou her own soft couch, she told
her to oompose herself, and try to sleep. Tben, entering the ad-
joining room, which we have said was fitted up as· an oratory,
and which contained an escritoire in which she deposited her va-
luable papers, she took, from a secret drawer, a. letter received
that morning, and which she perused with great attentiou. It
ran tbus:
"New York, Jul7l10, 181Z-
" To the Motber Snperior of the Convent of tb. Anunnciation.
U DEAR MAnAK, - -
U I have just been informed, by the Father Beaupres, resident:
at B~tOD Ronge, Louisiana. that th. fatber of Emilie de Vere,.
now the Sister Theresa, a member of the convent underyourspi-
ritual goVE:rllment, has recently died, leaving an immense estate,
and makin~ provision, by his last will and testament, that his
only daughter, this same Emilie, shall inherit' the whole proper-
ty, if she will renounce the Roman Catholic faith, and leave the
convent in which she is;' -and that, in the event of her refusing
to do so, the said property shall go to distant relations, in France,
the daughter having nothing.
"I wish you to converse with the Sister Theresa, and devise
some plan by means of which this inheritance can be se~ured to
the order. I shall repair to tbe convent on th. fifth day from the
date of this letter.
eel remain as ever, yours,
"FRANCOIS JUBERT.
" Father Geueral) &0."
The Mother Superior felt llrBatly agitated. as she perused tbii
document, and scarcely knew what to do. Here was an immeuse
fortune witbin th. grasp of tb. order; hut sbe upon w'lios. life it
depended, was dead. True, no one knew it as yet, besides her_
self and Julia; but sh. had reasou to believe tbat Julia had heard
"",ough, from the lips of tbe dyiup; nun, to have influenced her
mind ullfavourably towards the order, and, perhaps, to have un-
don. the eutire work of tbe Isst fifteen montbs. 0, how deeply
abe regretted her want of consideration, in permitting- Julia to
attend upon the sick nnn; but so fully had sbe succeeded, &8 ahe
th0"llht, in the work that she. had planned and ueouted as ....
 1II:ysteries of a. Convent. 145
Ilar<led the former, and such was the tyrannical dread in which
she held every member of the household, that she could not snp_
pose it possible that the latter would have dared to say one word
to Julia about the past; until her apprehension having been ex-
cited by her pupil's long absence,-for she had not come down to
the dinner· table, as usual,-sbe had ascended to the sick cham..
ber, and there overheard a portion of what paBsed, &s has already
been seen. Should Julia, when she went out among the boarders,
make known the fact of the nun's death, it would for ever de-
stroy all hope of securing the inheritance; and even if she oould
prevent this, which would be a very difficult affair, because of
the impreesion that it mil(ht make upon her own mind, still the
dead body was in the house, and must be disposed of in some
way, without the knowledl(e of any member of the household.
She bit her lips in very intensity of thought; and her feelings
were wrou~ht up to a hIgh pitch of excitement, by her malignity
to the dead nUD, :who, sbe feared, bad achieved, although uncon·
sciously, a wonderful retribution upon herself and upon the or..
der, for the wrongs which she had endured at their hands; by
apprehension that Julia was lost to the convent, unless some..
thIng could be done to prevent it; and by anxiety to bring order
out of this chaos, and victory out of this apparent defeat; when
she heard a gentle rap at her chamber door. Instantly passing
from the oratory into her bed.room, where Julia still lar npon
her coucb, she opened the door, where stood a. servant to lPform
her that a gentleman wished to Bee her in the parlour. Not sup..
posin~, for a moment, that it might be Mr. Moreton-whom of
all other persons she least wished to see at that time,-she has-
• tened to the room where he awaited her.; neglecting, 8S she left.
her chamber, to close the doer behind her. Presently, Julia,
overbearing the altercation between her father and the Superior,
and recognising the voice of the former, flew down the stairway,
and rushed into her father's arms, as has before been related, and
thus escaped from the dangers which were hecoming so imminent
around her.

CHAPTER XVII.
The Mother Superior outwitted-Cursing and prayin~-Bast1summons to
the Father General-Insulting the dead-JesUitical conduct.
WHEN Mr. Moreton bore Julia away from the parlour Df the con.
vent, the Mother Superior stood in speechless amazement, for au
instant, and tben, hastening to the front door, watched his rapia
progress along the avenue, Ulltil be was lost to her sight, when,
like olle who had been spell.bound under the influence of the
n.i~ht.mare, she seemed. to become suddenly aware that some-
thing must be done, or J UUll, her victim, would be lost to ber for
ever,· and the harvest of all her scheming's be destroyed, just at
the moment when it was rire for the sickle of the reaper.
Pulling violently the hall-bell, she ordered the servant who an_
swered the summons, to call two male servants tbat belouJ!ed to
the establishment, and were at work in the garden; but whether,
durin~ the intervsl that elapsed before they made their appear-
ance, she had concluded that any further steps would be imlJ"'.
][
14B MysterielNlt a. Convent.
,dent, on her part, at that time, or becau';" .he thought It too lata
to attempt to briug back the fugitive., her purposes were chaug-
ed; for, when the aervants came, she dis-missed them, and, wit~
a dignified, thollgh somewhat quickened step, ascended the great
hall stein to her private room.
Here, carefully fastening the door, she threw herself at full
length upon a lounge, at one side of the room; and t placing her
hand upon her forehead, aa though ahe were in pam, while her
eyes were almost ready to start from their sockets, she gave vent
to the most violent outbursts of passion; bitterly cursing all he-
retice, and callillli{ down the direst maledictioDs upon' ¥r. More-
ton and his rescued daughter. Aud then, h~r thoughts recurring
to the acene which had taken place in the room of tbedyiQg nUD,
abe &rOee ha.stily from her recumbent position, and strode to·
ward. the door, 88 if she were about to execute Bome hurriedly-
fonned purpose; but, ere .be had placed her hand upou the fas-
tening, sbe paused, for a moment, and, retracing her steps, oem-
tinned to walk from one end of the IUlle apartment to the other,
for 80me length of time; her steps at first rapid and excited, but
RrtLdually becomi~g more measured; uniil, at length, entering
throngh the secret pannel into her bed-chamber, and thence into
the oratory, and kneeling down before the crucifix, she remained
for some time with her head bowed in prayer, occasionally beav...
Ing a convulsive sob, indicative of the extent to which her feel-
Ings had been excited•
.Arising presently from her kneeling position, with the traces
of teazs upon her cheeks, she approached the escritoire, and, draw- ,
Ing forth the necessary materia1ll, wrote .. note, of which the fol.
lowing is a copy: .•
" Co""."t of A""unciation, Jul1l12, 1812.
" To the Reverend Father General. .
. .. Mo8'1' RlmmEND AND DlUB Sm
.. Your favonr of the 10th instant was'received by me this
morning. Business of the utmost importance connected with ita
contents, requires your presence here withont delay. Please
lose no time in coming.
" Yours, most respectfully and truly,
"FRANCES.
" Mother Superior, &0."
Having folded and sealed this note, she retnrned to her cham-
ber, and pulled hastily the bell-cord which huul'{' near her bed.
On a nun appearing, in answer to the summons, she placed the
note iu her hauds, and bade her give it to the Porter, with orders"
to take it instantly to New York, and, riding day and niKht, de-
liver it to the Father General. Then, re-enterinlt the oratory, to
Bee if all were there in a position to be left, she fastened her es-
critoire, and went upstairs to the death room.
How ailent was ull there! The cold and pallid remains of the
Bi.ter Theresa lay upon the pallet, jnst as when the Mother Su-
perior had left the room with Julia, after having precipitated the
death of the poor nun, by her sudden appearance and harsh e"·
e1amation, hnt a short while before. Although fe...fulll emaci;
&ted and. wuted with disease, the death.like featnre. ltill ahow-
eel tracea of former loveline.. ; and there sat uJlOD tha IUUble
 Mysteries of a. Convent, 147
conntenance a smile, as thongh, just at the moment of departure,
the penitent had caught a bright vision of Mercy stooping from·
Heaven to pity and to save.
The Mother Superior stood for a few moments, looking npon
tbe face of the dead, and, catcbing at length the expression of
that smile, ground her teeth with very rage.
"What," said she, as though speakin~ to the lifeless body-
" smiling ut thou? Smiling at mo, as though thou hadst gained
a victory over me P Dost thou mock me, noW thou a.rt dead, as
thou didst thwart me while living? Would thou were capable
of feeling, that I might punish thee, vile remains of a most worth..
less being. But kuow, Emilie de Vere, whether tby polluted
spirit hovers still in this room, or is suffering purgatorIal pain in
the regions of woe; know that Louise St. Aubyn haa Dever been
defeated yet. She has been cruelly deceived; but she has had
her revenge. Aye, and sbe will yet be stiIl more fully avenlled
upon the v.ile paramour that wrought thy fall :.......the only virtll"
ons act of all his life. Know, too, that, though thou didst turu
traitor, and reveal. to Julia. that which ha.s poisoned her mind
against my order, I will be revenged .there. Poor fool! she
thinks that, because she is in her father's house, she is beyond
my power. But, by the Holy Virgin, and by all .hl!l Saints in
Heaven, I swear to move the skies above, and earth &nd hell be..
neath, to work her ruin. She shall not escape me. Julia shall
yet be the vile, polluted, worthless thing thou art and has been."
Thus insulting the lifeless clay, and venting her rage upon its
unheeding ears, the Mother Superior stood for some minutes, un..
til the approaching shades of evening reminded her that sbe had
but little .time left for the accomplishment of the purpose which
had bronlJht her to that death chamber; wbich was, to gather to-
gether whatever papers she mi~ht perchance find in the trunk of
the deceased, that could possibly be made to subserve the inter-
esta of the order, in procuring possession of the coveted inheri-
tance. Findin~ nothin~, however, she closed the door, oarefully
locking it, and, leaving the dead neglected as the living had been,
descended to her room.
Let not the reader imal(ine, for" moment, that the characterof
the Mother Superior has been too darkly drawn. It i. the char-
acter of one who, under the iu8.uence of a da.rk and gloomy form
of superstition, a.nd under the training- of a. master mind, was folly
prepared for the indulgence of every evil motion, the perpetration
of every crime; while the black heart within was covered over
w-ith a selfecoutrol which was imperturbable, when circumstances
required its exercise; and an hypocrisy, refined, elegant, and ex-
quisite. In short, the Mother Superior was 0. J esnit, and & fair
type of her order. NODe but a Jesuit could have gone from that
death scene, and from the a~itating deliberations of the oratory,
into the presence of a man whose anger she had just reasons to
dread, and yet preserve a cool self.possession, and a control over
her temper, which would indicate a life free from all disquiet and
given up to reli~ious devotion, but most strikinglr in contrast
with the emotions which were at that moment agitating her bosom.
None but a Jesuit could have risen from prayer, and] in a few·
minutes after, stand by the dead body of one who haa falIen"
victim to her jealonsy and wrath, and deliberately mock and cllrse
that helpless mass of inanimate olay. She was a.Te.uit; and, when
 148 Mysteries of a Convent.
this is said, we cease to wonder at what would otherwise be inez-
plicab.le. ,

CHAPTER XVIIL'
The Father General obeys the lummons in haste-Meeting between him
and the )fother SU}lerior-A Yile plot conducted between tbern.....;..Tbe·
}Iother Superior io a ne" character-The Father General turned grave-
d.iuer-Revolting manner of burying the dead.

TIm m.s••nger who had been despatcbed with the note to the
city, with orders to ride day aud ni~ht, had complied .trictly with
hi, lDstructionl, and arrived at the residence of the Father Gen-
eral, by daylight the next morniog; and, the miosive whioh he
bore was handed to the latter, before he had yet risen from his
bed. Having read its mllent contents, h. immedialely ord.red a
horse for himself. aDd a fresh ono for the messenger, and, &8 BOOn
as h. had eaten an early br.akfa.t, .tarted for the conveut; wbere
by diDt of riding very couatantly, and &Sfaat uhia animal, which
was a very fleet one, could safely be -pusbed, he arrived at five
o'clock on the aft.ruoon of the day after the nun's d.ath. _
The mother. Superior met him at the front door, &S he dismount·'
ed from hill jaded horse, and conducted him at once into the ora-
tory, ..bere, with as little d.lay as possibl., sh. made him 80·
qnainted with the present position of thingo, both .. regarded the
decease of the Sister Theresa, and the escape of Julia, and asked
his advice. .
Th. Father Gen.ral saw, at once, the difficulties which were '
involved in the affair; but, with the readiDess of invention for
which the Jesuit is 80 remarkable~ and for which he in particular
was so distingui.hed, propo.ed that the d.ad bodl.hould be
buried, that night, quietly, without the knowledge 0 any mem-
ber of the family; and, iu order to this. the Mother Superior and
himself mu.t perform the duty. This h.ing accomplished, it
would be tb-eir next business to substitute lOme ODe for the de-
ceased, who might bear some resemblance to her; to procure wit.
lleaseS from without the tilstablishment, to aware that abe waa the
tro. Emilie de Vere. This could be more easily don., as the proof
would have to be made in Louisiana, and not 10 New York. The
memhers of the couvent knew nothing of the death of Sister The.
resa, and could be kept in entire ignorance of it~ by raising a re-
port, in the establishment, that she had Bed, which would account
for her absence; though, indeed, such was the neglect with which
the poer nun had be.n tr.aled iu the last f.w week. of her illn••••
especially as it was generally known by those ..ho had previous-
lyatteuded to her at all, that Julia had undertakeu to b. h.r
nurse, that not a singl. member of the household ku... anything
about her real condition, during that tim.. A. for Julia, sh.
would in all probahility never hear of tbe matter of the inh.rit-
ance; and. if n.ce.....y, .he could be watched. Should .he or
any of her frieud. make auy attempt to iuterf.re in the affair, .he
must h. kept out of the way, and silenced, at all hasards, and by
whatev8l' meane.
This outline of a plan of operatious was freely discnosed by the
IW'0llO"pMIl0n, and at 1en&th adopted, as the very, best llIlder
 Mysteries of a Convan to 149
tho circumatan.... Tho Mother Supenor then ordered oomo sup_
per for lhe Falher Geueral to be placed iu the private parlour;
4od, leaving him to finish this, sbe went up alone to the death
chamber, to prepare the body for burial; while he would repair
to the gardeu, to eee whal could be doue ther.lowards pr.paring
& IlraV6.
, TakioK with her a needle and some thread, she entered the room
where the body lay, alld was surprised tofilld it much in tbesame
state in which ahe had left it on tb.e previous afteruoon, aDd that
there was a very slight indication of decay perceptible. The 8ame
smile sat upon the countenance, t6ud produced the same state of
angry feeling. in ber miud l but sbe was in no mood to tarry in
lhsl r.mote and louely psrt of tb. conv.nt, witbout auy otb.r
compauy tban tbat of tb. deceased ouu, sb. burriodly aud rud.ly
sewed up the body in the sheet upon which it was; and, 1.8&viug
it thU8 without any other preparation, returned to the room in
which sho had l.ft tho Falher Geueral.
Tb. latt.r had in tho meanwbil., s.l.cted for tb. grave a sunk.
en spot in the extreme distant corner of the garden, whioh was
depressed Bome two feet in the earth, and which, indeed, had
much the appearance of an old grave. Thie spot he bad noticed
before, in walking through the garden; and it bad instantly oc-
currod to him that it would servo tho purpose, with very little
preparatiou. Th.re was an abuudance of quick lime always kept
about tb. esteblishment; aud, by digging tbo grave a foot deep_
er, putting on the body plenty of this lime, and filling up tho
opening to within a few inches of the surface, covering the whole
witb rubbish, it would never be discovered; especially as it wu
aituated where nothing W88 cultivated, that season. Had there .
not been· 8u:ffi.eieut reaSODS why no member of the family should
have any knowledge of what was transpiring, lest it should com8
to the ears of Bome of the many boarding pupils then in the ea-
tablishment, the bodr mig-ht have been dlsposed of in a deep
vault under a wing 0 the building, which was constructed there
for the purpose of receiving sucb remains as they did not wish
to bury, or to attach much notice to; where these were speedily
destroyed by meaDS of quick lime. But, as this was ouly acces-
sible by going througb a portiou of tho establishmeut wbere thoy
could hardly hop. to avoid notice, tho spot in tb. gard.n waa pre-
ferred.
Sometime after tb. conv.ut clock told tho bour of ten, an hour
at which by the rules of the house, every inmate of the family
must be iu bed, the Father General proceeded to the gardeu, aud.
furuishing himself with the necessary tools, from a smaH building
in which they were kept, had succeeded, in the course of a couple
of hours, in making ready the receptacle for the last repose of
the very DUD, who, three years before, had met him in that same
garden, at the dead hour of midnight, and whom he had so base-
ly ruiu.d afterward.. Ou. migbt suppose that tho whole seen.
would have come up in his mind, and that the image of that theD
lovely being would bave haunted his memory and harrowed bis
his BOul, while he was thus engaged in preparing a spot to hide
h.r body; and so it did, but the Jesuit shool< off ali seuse of un-
easio.... aud set about tho work with all his pbysical str.ngth,
wbile h. kept his thoughts buoied with planning for tho future.
In spite of hims.lf, how.ver, when," tho oiock sounded midnight,
150 "
Mysteries of a. Convent.
and, returning to the house for the corpse, he passed the plnm
tree beneath which he had stood, three ye..... before! with his arm
around the unfortnnate Sister Theresa, he started lUvolunt&rily,
and witb .. shudder, as, by the light of the moou, he thonllht he
saw her advancing to meet him-; and it was no small relief to his
feelings, wben he discovered that it was the Mother Superior,
who was coming to see w hat progress he had made.
Fully realizing the. extreme delicacy of his position, under the
peculiar circumstances which surrounded both of them on this
occasioD, and in the existence of recollectioDs which came up
fresh to the memories of both, while neither dared to make any
allusion to them, the Father General gractJfully offered his arm
to the Mother Superior, and, playfully complimenting her upon
her good looks, led her to the house.
Here, quietly ascending to the room in which the d.ead nun lay,
the Superior locked the door, and bade the General enter; nar-
rowly observing his countenance as he approaChed the bed.side,
while she held a candle in her hand, and, as she perceived .. slight
shndder to yass through his frame as he took the body in his arms,
and threw It upon his shoulder, a. scornful smile might have beell
seen upon her proud features; but _which ahe took good care
should not be witnessed by him.
They thus passed down again to the garden; the Mother Supe-
rior bearing in her hand a. bucket of lime, which she had previ-
ously placed near the door steps j and, in the course of half an
hour, the remaius of Sister Theresa, ullshrouded and uncomned!
were resting in the narrow bed prepared for her, aud the spoc
marked only by the up-piled briars and rubbish; while the Father
General and the Mother Superior were seated in the oratory 01.
the latter, plotting how they might secure to the order the large
.estate of her father, left to her on the condition of renouncing the
Catholic faith, and throwing aside her nun's dress; a condition
with which she would most gladly have complied, had she been
alive, and had it been in her power; though poverty for ber lifo
long, and not unbounded wealth, had been the resnlt. She had,
however, exchanged her religious habit, it is to be hoped, for one
of glorious sheen, and her pri8011~hou8e on earth for a noble man-
sion in the skies. The quiet smile of hope which played upon the
cold features of the clay wbich her freed spirit had left behind,
gave. token that, though unfriended here, she had found friends
there, U where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary
are for ever at rest." -
An Omniscient eye, however, had beheld this deed of darkness;
and, thoug-h the perpetrators might baffle aud deceive their short-
sighted fellow-creatures, yet they could not escape the detection
of Him ~ho seeth all things. ._
The next moruing, just at daybreak, the Father General was
seen to enter his own l'oom on the first floor, by the Sister Porter,
a8 she descended to ring the bell for matins. She knew not where
he had 8pent the night, but ha.d her OWll surmises, which, how-
ever, prndent woman that she was, she ke.,t to herself.
 Mysteries or So CoUTent.
• CHA.PI'ER XIX.
Duplle\ly-Tho pial lhlckeno-Reward olfered fOT the missing nDD-A.
oubollinte found-A third plUty In the plol-Threalened lnmnll.
"
WH1lIIl about to ait down to tbe breakfast-table, the nen mom.
ing, the Molber Superior, turoin~ to Sister Martina, in the most
natural manDer im~Dable, &8 if It were an every day _occurrence,
told her to go to Sister Tbereaa.'a room, and lee if sbe want-
ed e~t~~ug; remarking, as sbe did eo, to tbe Father General,
thel . Sioter bed beeu oick, for eome length of time, aud lbat
ahe wu afraid abe would-continue to be 80, for lOme weeks longer,
though sbe did not apprebend a 8Orions ..ault in tbe case.
Tbe morning meal was nearly finished, when Sister Kartina
glided into the room, and, in what was designed to appear aa a
wbioper, but nt tbe eame time to be overheard by tbe Falher
General, ohe told. tbe Mother Superior tbat Sioter Tbereoa wao
not in her room, and that it aeemed to be in oonfusion, as if abe
had left it hlUltily. .
"Not ill her room P" repeated the Superior, with we11~alfeoted
ourpri...
"No, madam," answered the DUD.
U Sbe mnst be in eome of tbe otber room.. In the l&IIIe pari of
the honse, then:' returned the Superior; "go, my good Martina,
and see if sbe is not."
U I have looked into them all," was the respouae; "but I can..
nbt find ber anywhere," .
H
C& 'Tis very atr&nge/' remarked the Superior- I do Dot know
what to make of it. Go, Sister Martina, ioto every room in the
houae, and see if you can find her. and let me know immediately, .
for I feel uneasy about her." Then, turning to the nUDa and
boar<jers, .. they .at iu long lineo at the two lable.. she a.ked if
any of tbem had oeen Sister Tberesa that morlling ; and, ao might
be expected, W&'s answered in the negative. .
011 report beillg made to tbe Motber Superior tbat the mi..ing
Dun could not be found anywhere about the house, ordera were
Kivell that tbe well, the cistern, alld all of tbe place. into whioh
it waa possible that she might have fallen, if in her weakoea8 of
.body obe bad attempted to pa.. about the yard, obould be otriotl1
eeucbed; but iu vain, she was sUll unfound.
Tbe Superior's countenance betrayed a great deal of well-
feil1:ned anxiety; tbe Fatber General oeemod to be greatly die·
turbed; the whole house was in an uproar-nuos runoillS here
and running there-others standiu! about in ~roups, in earQeet
conv~r8atioQ-all completely mystified, aod lost in wonder at 10
stran~e an occurrence, while none seemed to be more 80 than the
two individuals J,rea8ut, who knew all about the affair.
At lengtb. whell all furtber .eorcb appeared to be u.el.... tbe
Molher Superior, apeakiug eo a. to be beard by most of tho.. pre.
aent, reque8ted tbe Fatber Geueral to accompaor her to ber pri-
vate parlour, in order, as abe said, that she might con.nit him
further in reference to this traly mysterious diaappearance of ODe
of their number, and as to the steps which it might be net? 'ery
to taka ill the premi.... Having opeut a half hour thu.. as the
famiI¥ .Ilppoaad, tbey again appeared in tha parlour, In thelll!dft
 152 Mysteries of & Convent.
of the ......mhled nuns and boarden; and the Father General
announced it ... his deliberate opinion that the "'isaing nun haa
escaped from the convent, during the previous night, by the aid
of some person 01:" persons unknown; and, calling for his hone,
intimated his intention of makin~ diligent search for ber, that
she miJ/;ht be apprehended and brought back; at the same time,
requiring the Superior to d'll\'rnde the Sister Porter from her of.
fice, for want of due. vigilance in the discharge of her duties, un-
"Iesa it could be made to appear that she was not to blame. So
saying, and giving his blessing to all present, the Father General
mounted his borse, whioh had meanwhile been hrought to the
door, and returned to the city.
In the papers of the followinl( day, an advertisement appeared,
.couohed in Buch laoli{uage as this:
"PIPTY DOLLA.BS llBWAm>.
"Left the Conveut of the Annunciation, on the night of the
13th instant, In a state of mental derangement, produced by fe-
ver, a Dun, who is doubtless Dot f&l' from the establishment, bat
who has not yet been fonnd, althongli diligent search has been
made for her. The humane will greatly relieve the distresaed
feelings of her aister nnus, by giving any-information that they
may have in the premises, and receive the above reward for the
restoration to
U Flu.NCOIl JUBRBT,
"No. 87, Chamber Street, New York."
• July f4t!>, 1812."
Auxion. to give this pretended escape of the meli nun as mnch
,pnblicity &I poBBible, without lLppearing to do so, the General,
during the day, fl:ent some of his confident emissaries into' differ- .
ent parts of the city, to talk about the affair in various crowded
resorts, &8 an item ·of. news, until, by nOOD, it was noised abroad
everywhere, and produced quite an excited state of feeling. Va.-
rious parties of zealous Catholics visited the convent, aud con-
versed with the Mother Superior, during the week following;
nnd others scoured the surrounding countrj', in search of the In.-
githe, but without success. The excitement at length died away,
and the affair was well nigh for~otten.
·:Meanwhile, the Father Genera.l bad, by means of his own in-
defatigable iudustry, f\Jr he dll-red llot eutrust the matter to the
agency of any third person, succeeded iu finding a nun of about
the same as{e, he~bt, colour of hair, complexion, and general con..
tour of person aud features, with the deceased uuu.; and, in brjn~_
iog her, unseen aud closely veiled, travelling in a clos8 carriage.
and principally by night, from the couvent iu Canada. where he
had discovered her. to the dwellinll of Mr. Wilmot, in New York
city, where he stealthUy left her, about one month after the pre-
tended disap_pearanc8 of the missing DUD.
This Mr. Wilmot was a member of the Episcopal Church, no-
minally, but really a lay Jesnit in disguise-and with him the
Father General had arranged the whole matter, with tbe oouniv.
ance of the wifli of thi!l supposed Episcopalian; a handsome dou_
ceur being the reward of their iniquity. It may be proper, also,
to say that Mr. Wilmot was a small grocer, at the comer of two
streets, somewhat remote from the centre of the city. It was
nearly midnillht when the nun entered the house, disguiled in an.
ample travelliug dre.., whi.h comJ!letely ooncealed her religions
habit.
 Mysteries of & Convent. 153
Next morniog, Mr. Wilmot took care to mention, ioooolldeooe,
to some of bis custome1'8, that duriogthe previous night, andjult:
as bis family was retiring to reat, between ten and eleven o'clook,
a beautiful nUD, who bore traces of recent illnes~ ha.d knocked at
hi. front door, and, appearing greatly terrified when he went to
aee who it was, rushed into the passage, and, falling upon ber
koees, implored him to take pity upon her, aa a poor nun who
had tied from most dreadful persecutions in a CODvent, some diIJ·
taoce off, and to afford her proteCtiOD, until abe could write to
her father to come and take her bome. He then gave quite au
interesting' account of the reception which he and his wife had
giveo to the poor creature, aDd told his frieDds that he had no
doubt, from her story, that ahe was the nun concernin~ whom a
reward of fifty dollars had beeu olIered, about a mouth ago, in
the city newspapers; hut that he should scoru to betray the io-
nocent sufferer into the bands of tho's6 wretched priests, and
would protect her, 8.8100g as sbe choose-to 8tay in his house.
As might naturally be supposed, aDd as was inteuded hy the
crafty grocer, who had his cue from the Father General, these
friends of his, to whom this .ecret was confided, thought it too
good to keep, and 00 relieved their burdened minds by oharing
their coofi.dence with some of their neighbours. The~ in their
tura, thinking that a divisi60 of responsibility was U witllin the
line of safe precedents," imparted the secret to their friends, un...
til, by ten ·o'clock that morning, a large crowd had gathered about
the grocer's dOOf, clamorous to see the escaped 11UD. Closing his
8bdp door, however, and sending off post haste for a body of p0-
lice to protect his dwelling, and for Bome two or three cler~meD
of different denomiuations, as well as a lawyer of BOme emineuoe .
with whom he wil!lhed to consult 88 to what course be should
pursue, he, in the meantime, appeared at an upper window, and
told the assembled crowd, whioh was every moment increasing,
that it was true that he had given protection to a friendless nUD,
who had claimed it at his hands, and that he was determined to
guard her with his Hfe, until she should go fortb from his house,
of her own llCcord, or he bad had time to ta.ke counsel with those
for whom he had sent) and who were more experienced in IUch
matters than himself.
This declaration was heard with cheers by the Protestants, and
hisses and groans by the Ca.tholics, instigated, but beld in cbeck,
by tht!' emissf\ries of the Father General, who, from a. neighbour_
ing house, iu which he had concealed himself-the house of &
member of that churcb-directefl the movelDeuu of his partl'
U But the DUll is crazy," shouted Bome of the Catholics, t and
does notkuow what she is doiu~/'
U She is not crazy,"-replied the ~rocer i_" she is no more

crazy than you are. She is au exceedingly sensible woma.n, and

kuows very well what !She is a.bout."
Il I demand that you give her up to me:' said a very genteelly

dressed mau t who DOW made his appelU'tlnoe in front of the mob.
"I make this demand in the llome of the Spiritual Father w1lo
hall the oharge of her."
U I sha.H do no such thing," said the grocer.

II You must, Of we will ta.te her by force,." replied the spot...

mau, who looked arouud him, to see how many 1Ie could depeDd
upon, ill the crowd, to aid him in the ......Dlt.
 154 lIysteries ot a. Convent. .
, "I oomllWld you to keep the peace,"lI&id amaslftr&te,·follow.
ed by a beTJ of police, who ad'f&nced, and laid his hand upon the
Ihoulder of the belligerent.
" I sbalI permit no violence here, my friend.."-he added-" the
proper authoriti.. must decide this matter; and I :know you are
too ~ood citizens to wrest it out of their hand.... .
"That is the riRht way. That is right I" cried out a aeore of
voioos-u .let the law decide it. Jt
Meanwhile, the persons sent for bad arrived; and it wu de-
termined that the Dun should present berself, under a strong ea.
cort of police, before the city authorities, and claim their pro-
tection, as beinl' stronger and more e1Ilbient than that of &IIY
private individual.
Iu a few minutes, a carriage w.. broul(ht to the grocer's door,
in which the nUD, together with Dr. Chine, an Episcopal mini...
ter, the Rev. Mr. Scott. a Presbyterian clergyman, and tbe Rev.
Hr. FJeteher, of the Metbodist cburch, were seated; while the
m8jliatrate and hiB civil force surrouuded the earriage, aud e!feo.
tually guarded them from the sbow of reoietauce and attack,
which wasmade by the Catholic pOrtion of tbe crowd, but which
was too well trained, however, to strike without a lijZ"Dal from
their leaden, who were thickly interspersed. amOUR them, and
held. them in perfect control, although there were not a few hot-
headed Iriahmen in the midst.

CHAPTER XX.
The pretended DUD undel1t0e8 ajndieal examinatton-J'esuitleal m&DanlY"
ring-An apt pupil-The inquiry terminates in favour of the ,uppal-
ednun.
AJm1VED at the mayor's office, the nun, .who Rave ber name as
Emilie de Vere. otberwise called by the appellation, as a reJig;-
eUI8, of SiElter Theresa, stated that, in consequence of persecution .
and neglect iu the Convent of Annunciation, she had lied from
that establishment, about a montb altO; had ..ached the city on
the last evenin~. and now claimed the protection of the city au-
thorities, until she could write to her father, who resided in the
south, and from whom she had not heard for many years, to come
and take her home; declarin~, in the mOlt solemn manner, with
hands 'uplifted to heaven, and tears in her eyes, which drew tears
in. turn from almost every eye in the house, bis honour the mayor
not excepted-that she then and for ever abjured Roman Catho-
licism, and all allegiance to pope or priest-beseeching those be-
fo.... whom she then etoo.d, not to suffer her to fall illto the hands
of her enemies av:sin, as, in that event, her life would moat in-
evita bly be the forfeit. She acted her part to perfection, and
completely imposed upon.all present.
Francois Jubert, the Father General, then stepped forward, and
declared that be had the spiritual charge of the nuns beloojling
to the Convent of the Anunciation-that the nun was correct in
stating that she had lied from the establishment, about a month
Ilince, and that she was the same for whose recovery he had oller.
ed II reward of lI£1y dollars, on the 14th of J'ul,Y ~t. bnt tha$ it
 Mysteries of a Convent. 155
not true that sbe had been persecuted or ne~lected-on the
11'''
contrary, he affirmed that she had been most kiodly cared for by
the Mother Snperior, and by all the members of the family; ad.
dinJ!', that the Dun bad become crazy by means of a severe spell
of sickness, the traces of which her pale countenance still bore,
and that this state of mental aberration had led her to take the
step whicb she had. He concluded by expressinl( the hope that
his hononr. the mayor, would not sufier the Catholic Church to be
scandalized by the wild ravings of an insane nun; bnt that he
wonld order her surrender to him, that he mil(ht take her back to
her kind friends, the Mother Superior and the sisters of charity
whose hearts were now filled with disquietude at her absence, and
with apprehensions for her safety. While thus addressing him..
self to the mayor, he east looks of paternal rej(ard and pity upon
the nUD, and even shed a tear, as if in commiseration of her un..
fortunate condition.
The ministers present, however, in their turn, expressed their
confidence in the sanity of the nun, and declared that they eould
not believe, without further evidence than they had, that the de-
claration <?f.insanity, made by the priest, was anything more than
a ruse to get the poor girl back into his possession.
The mayor then sent for two of the ablest physicians in the city,
and requested them to examine the nun fully, and to satisfy them-
selves as to the condition of her mind. This request they com-
plied with; and, having conversed with her there in the open
court, for more than an hour, assisted at times by questions from
the clergymen-they declared, upon oath, that, 80 far from her
being crazy, she was in the full possession of vigorous faculties
of mind, of extraordinary power, and was, upon the whole, one of .
the most intellectual woman they ever conversed with in their lives.
The Father General here interfered, and, stated that hers was
a case monomania, and that, while she could converse intelligent..
Iy enouj(b upon every other subject-if they would introduce a
topic which be would name to them privately, they would find
that, in a few moments. she would become perfectly wild upon it.
Having whispered this topic in their ears, in reference to whioh
he had declared her to be a monomaniac, the physicians proceed-
ed to converse with her upon it, for some time; and, althou~h it
was one of her exceeding delicacy, and she was talking with thol8
who were entire !Jtrangers to her, yet such was the modesty of her
replies, and so rational were they, that her interrogators indig_
nantly affirmed that it was au outrageous triflin~ with the time
of the court,_ aud more especially, with the feelings of the iute-
restin~ lady; for she was perfectly free from all traces of insanity
as any individual of them all there 'present. .
His houonr the mayor then asked the nuu if sbe bad any place
in the city in view, where she would wiah to sta.y, until her father
could be written to; and receiving, for answer, that she would
prefer remaining in the family whose protection she had first
claimed, if it wa.s thoug-ht safe for her to be there; and Mr. Wil.
mot statiD~ that he would give bond and security, in any sum re-
quired by the mayor, for the safe keeping and rendition of the
nun whenever called upon to do so, it was ordered that she be re-
turned to his house, and there suffered to remain unmole.tad.
The Father General bit hi. lip, as if in angry disappointmOll~
....d loft the room; while Mr. Wilmot took chargeofthenUD,~
 156 Mysteries of a .convent.
, uuder the escort of a police ollicer, re.entering the carriaJre which
had borno them to the mayor's office, was driven to bis residence.
Here the nun 800n exchanR'ed her religious habit for a secular
dress; and, as she dwelt a quiet inmate~in his family, never goiollt
out into the street, except at ni,g-ht, and to visit the dwelliD~ of
the Father General, no further excitement occurred in the publio
mind. The Catholics, who, under other circumstances, would
have raised an DOg'ovaruable storm about the poor nun's ears.
being controlled aud kept quiet by their superiors.

CHAPTER XXI••
The Father Genera.l's residence-The library-Splendid furniture and dt..
tiogs of the establishment-The Father General's letter to the Mother
Superior-Flot upon plot.
TEE residence of the Father General, in New York, was a hand·
some three.story brick building, of the first class of private houses,
having & basement with dining room and kitchen attached; &
suite of drawing rooms, richly furnished, on the first floor proper;
two large chambers on the second, and as many in the third, with
a neat little room, over the hall, on both; and a fine attic, well .
finished, for the servants of the establishment. In the rear was
a small yard, which his taste had caused to be handsomely ar-
ranged in little flower-beds, in which were some most rare and
beautiful plants, carefully attended to by the gardener from the
city convent, who came at regular intervals to spend a da.y or
two in working the beds, and seeing- that everything was in nice
order. Between this residence and the adjoining house, was an
alley of some three feet and a half in width, with a front gate
opening upon the street; the alley running back into the garden.
The front chamber of this dwelling, in the second story, was oc-
cupied by the Father General; the rear one appropriated to his
~uests, and the small room over the door, 8S a cabinet where he
kept bis most valuable papers in an iron safe. did all of his writ-
ing, and transacted his private business. The only opening to
this room was through his chamber; as be bad the door former-
ly leading from it iuto the passa.~e, built up, so' as to render him-
self the more secure from eaves·dropping.
The front room in the third story was fitted up as a library;
havinll shelves arranged on all sides, upon which was found a
maR'nificellt collection of books, ill all languages, and upon almost
all subjects; many of them very rare and of great value. A map..
rack stpod on one side of the room, provided with maps and at-
lases, some of which were especially prepared with a view to ex-
hibit, at a Jrlance, the points ou the face of the earth, where the
Jesuits had established themselves. A very large terrestrial
globe, alao, stood near these maps. An oval table, covered with
green cloth, and of lar~e dimensions, occupied the centre of this
room, upon which were bundlss oflettersand papers tied up with
'red tape, and ueatly labelled by the secretary of the Father Gen-
eral, aloung Italian by the uame of Pietro Lodetti, who spent
. moot 0 his time in the library, dnring the day, aud occupied the
adjoining bed-room, at night. It may be as well to otate, here,
 Mysteries of a. Convent. 157
that this secretary had been sent ont from Italy, by the head of
the order there, of his own accord, to the Father General in the
United States, with the rea], tbou~h not avowed, intention of
acting as a apy upon the actions of the latter; 8uch beiog' the aus-
picious i ealousy of these Jesuits, in reference to each other.
It wd alto~etber a rare establishment in ita entire fitting up ;
and, save that it had throughout that masculine tone which seemE
to be inseparably conuected with all bachelor residences, -from
which the mellowing hand of woman and her delicate taste have
been excluded, it millht have been a model for the whole city, in
point of neatness and elegance. In the drawing rooms were bung
some of the best specimens of the old masters; in the chambers
were found all possible luxurious contrivances for ease and com·
fort; iu the cuisine, every arrangement necessary for the perlee.
tion of good living; and in the cellar, carefuny placed under lock
and key, a. choice store of the richest old wines, dnly labelled
with the dates of the respective vintages, upon his profound ao...
quaint&nce with which, the Father General !(l'eatly prided bim-
self. It is true that all this contrasted strang-ely enough with
the Jesuit's vow of poverty; but, if you had asked him to explain
the glaring inconsistency, he would, doubtless, have replied to
YIlU, with great readiness, that, as tbe bead of the order in the
United States, he bad dispensation to live thus; the importance
and dignity of the office which he filled, requiring that he should
live in corresponding- state.
On the eveniog of the day upon which the nun representing
Emilie de Vere or the Sister.Theres&, had been taken before the
city authorities, the Father General was seated at the round table
covered with green cloth, which stood in his cabinet, busily en~
gaged in writing a h·tter, in cypher, to the Mother Superior; a
quiet·smile, meanwhile, playing' upon his features.
After l(iving her a detailed account of the events of the day, he
thus proceeded :
"Thus, you will perceive, our plot works admirably. The Ca...
nada nun, about whom I have already written to you, has played
her part to profection; and I have succeeded, by ber help, and hy
the manner in which I have managed this whole affair, in making
the mayor and the good citizens of New York believe the nun to
be the veritable one whom I advertised, last July, and that we
Catholics are the most barbarous people on the face of the earth.
But, while they are under this impression, we are steadily advane-
iOR towards the desired object, and can afford to be covered with
the dust which is thrown up by our carriage wheels, whose revo"
lutions bear us to the acquisition of a vast inheritance. It is of
the utmost importance to us, that every possible suspicion of con...
niv&nce in this matter should be avoided; and the worse, there...
fore, the attitude in which we appear to stand to the pretended
Sister Theresa, the more improbable it is that collusion should be
snspected or detected.
': I have w~itten to Father Marin, to make every possible effort.
to mtro.duee IUto the family of Mr. MoretoD, a servant under the
control of our order, that we may have a spy upon Julia., and be
able to countervail any mischief that she or her friends may at·
tempt to do Be•
.. On to-morrow, the nun will write a letter as from Emilie de
Vere to her father, requeating him to come and take her home,
153 Mysteries of a Convent.
which I .hall take care to send to the executor of the e.tate,Jn
.uch .. way &8 will avoid all euspicion, and put the ai'a.ir a step
further forward in the process of completion. Meanwhile, she
is safely housed with Mr. Wilmot, whom all the world believe.
to be a I'!ood Eri.copalian, while he is one of ns, &Dd ... true ...
•teel. Ha! ha
.. I will keep you &dvill8d of further proceediug...•
To this letter he added the following po.tscript, in the same
oypher:
"If you have any clothing of Emilie de Vere, worn,by her pre- -
viaus to her assuming the religious habit, or any articles which
her friends, if there be any, would be likely to recognise a8 berlt-
box them up carefully, and send them to my address."
De.patcbiog this letter to the po.t office, hy a .ervant who &D-
awered the signal bell wire which comunicated with the kitchen,
the Father General applied himself to the examination of a lar~a
masa of documents which he took from the iron safe, and to the
perusal and answering of .everalletter. which lay upon the table
before hil}ll!lome in cypher, and 80me in a plain hand; and, as the
great tow.. clock, on the City Hall, told the hour of two in the
morning, jaded and worn out with fatigue, he entered hilt bed-
room, and, mumbling a sleepy and hasty prayer, threw himself
upon his luxurious couch of down, and slept soundly until the rap
of the .ervant at the door, which wall carefolly and doubly lock.
ed. arou.ed bim to a late breakfa.t.

CHAPI'ER XXII.
The Father General's anxiety-His interview and transaction with the
false Emilie de Vere--The fabricated letter-The Italian aecretary-
P1o~ and connter-plot-Pietro and Alice-The intimacy commenced.

THB next evening, about nine o'clock, the Father General might
have been BeeD Beated at his cabinet, at the little green table, on
which were placed writing materials, anxiously awaiting the ar-
rival of some one; for he frequently arose, and, going to the win-
dow, looked out into the darkness, and as often returned to his
chair, with an evidently increasing uneasiness of manner.
At length, he was about to seize his hat, aud leave the room,
when he heard the BOund of approaching footsteps; the ~ate open-
ing into the alley creaked upon its hinges, and he hastened down
stairs to meet the expected visitor, who turned out to be the pre_
tended Sister Theresa., dressed not in the garb of a rel'l,gieustl, but
that of a woman in the middle walk of life, plain but neat. She
WaB accompanied by the secretary, in a secular dress, who, with
his quiet, down look, glided silently by her aide, and, crossing his,
arms upon his breast, with a low inclination of the head, as he
met the Father Jesuit, passed on to his own apartment; leaving
the nUD whom he had been sent for, .tauding in the hall with the
latter.
" I will call for yon in two hour.,· .aid the Gensral to the se-
cretary, &8 the former turned to a.cend the .tairway along with
the nun•
.. Yes, air," W&8 the reply of the secretary, ag~ orossing his
arms, aud bowing his he&d.
 Mysteries of a Conven.t. 159
. Wh.n the Gen.ral had introduced the nun into his cabin.t,
caretullr. 1000ldn~ the door of the bed-room, h. looked aternly at
her, while he 'Said, in an-impreasiv8 tone:
"You are an hour behind yonr tim.. Why is this PO'
.. My lord.," repliad the nnn, 8Om.what al&nDed by his .arnoa1;
manner, ,,~wu detained by IIOme company that came to Mr.
Wilmot'•• after tea, and whom I conld not l.a... withont appear-
ing to be abrupt. and excite euepiciou/' - ".
" It ie well. You have acted your part nobly 80 far; continue
to b. trn. and faithful, and you will deserve well of the ord.r.
Betray my trait, and-you knoW' what will be the oODsequence,"
said tb. Fath.r G.neral, whil. a slight tr.mor pass.d ov.r the
poor ~irl' I frame. .
"Now," continued the Jesuit, "lit down at that table. and
write aa I ahall dictate to yon:'
...Vew York Oilll, August 18,18111.
"To Mr. Charl.s d. Vere.
BAton Rouge, Louisiana.
U My dear, dear father, C&D you, will you, forgive me, for the
base part I have acted, in bringing 80 much aorrow upon you and.
upon my dear mother, of whose death, lOme l.ean ago, I haye
heard f Dh, if sh. were but aliv., how wonld It r.joice my heart
to fall upon my ku... hefor. h.r, and implore her forgiv.n....
too! but abe i, gODe; and you are my only remainin_~ pareDt.
Will you forgivo me, dear father, when I tell you that I have re-
pented in duat and aahea-that I have tied from tho hated COil-
,.eDt, and renounced Roman Catholicism for ever P 0, come to
me, b.loved fath.r! and tell m., that you do forgive m.; aud
take me a.way from this region, where I fear, every daYt that the
dreadful prieata will lind m. out, and U88 viol.nc. to my lif••
You will find m. at tho hans. of a Mr, William Wilmot, a Kro-
eor,-at the corn.r of Hudsoll and King-stre.t. Mr. Wilmot la a
Protestant, who haa kindly tak.n m. into his family, and eo far
prot.cted m. againat tho efforta of tho vile J.suits. Bnt hasten to
m., dear fath.r-....ry day will se.m an age uutil I ... YOIl.
"Your repentant child, ..
U EKILIB DB VBBlI!'
. .. Th..., that's a good girl," said tb. Gen.ral, patting the nUD
on the head. "Let me see what you have written!'
.. Ah! that is just"right," h. added, after having carefnllY]lBr-
ueed the letter-u Just wh•• we want. Ma foi, but JOU write a
j>retty hB.nd, just 11k. those pretty fingers with which you wrote
It," continued he, as he looked archly at the pretty womau, while
.. blush mantled her cheeks."
"Come now, my dear, direct this on the back," said the Jesuit,
.. h. handed her tho letter. which h. had meanwhil. folded and
encloaad in an eDvelope- u and write the addreaa in & little 1&rJl8l'
baud than you have used within, in order that it may be lure not
to miscarry. Yes, that will do; thank you, my pet."
Leavin" tho pr.tty nun with tb. Father J.suit, while h. in-
structs her fully in that part which sh. is to act in the plot, l.t na
BO up stairs, and look in upon the secretary. See, there he aits,
m that room filled with books, snrround.d by a pile of pap.rs,
which h....ma to have b••n .nllaged in arraulling and filing.
But h. no long.r has that qui.t, down look; his f..t are pl.ced
upon th. edge of tho tabl.: aa h. l.aDS back in hia chair, h.
160 :Mysteries of a Convent.
twirls his pen between his fingers, and his pierCing hlack epla
dancing in its socket, as, with a look full of intelligence, he seem.
to be Bolving some mental question which deeply interests him.
Presently, as if ~nable to arrive at any satisfactory conclusion,
he threw the pen npon the table, with a gesture of impatience,
exclaimiog-
"I will find it out, in spite of him. It is no mere love intrigue,
I am Bure. If 80, why should this nun have come all the waf
from Canada, 8S she told me, to-night, she had; and why all thIS
pretence about her escape from the Convent aftha Annunciation,
and about her bein~ a sister somebody instead of herself? why
this personation of another nUll, and all this u)l'roar at the may..
or's office? Why is she staying at Wilmot's? There is some
ll'"aod plot on hood; and I will have a hand in it-I vow to the
Holy Virgin, I will."
" Bot how shall I go abont it? Ah I I see. I will make love
to this Dun-and then, Mr. Father General-my Lprd, the repre..
sentative of the Great Head of the Jesuits in these Uoited States
-then see if I do not get from her all sbe knows about this mat..
ter: and she must necessarily know a good deal. Aha! Pietro,
you have got him now."
So saying, the young priest seemed to be greatly elated; but,
just in· the height of it, and while he was still planning and plot-
ting, in his own mind, how he should carry out his newly...form-
ed scheme, a sig-nal, which apprised him that the Father General
required his presence to attend the Dun to her home, interrupted'
his reverie, and called him down stairs. Here he found the latter
awaiting him, with averted countenance, outside the chamber
door of the General; and the two, descending to the yard, soon.
found their way to the street, and rapidly walked towards the
part of the city in which Mr. Wilmot lived.
Duriog the fifteen miuutes which elapsed before reaching the
residence of the nun, the secretary had made such good use of
his time, that she had promised to take a walk with him, for the
benefit of ber health, on the following night; it being agreed
upon, between them. that, at dark, she should retire to her room, I
on pretence of a headache, while he would walk slowly before
the house, on the opposite side of the way; and, when she dis-.
covered him, Ilhe was to steal quietly out into the street, and
join him.
The troth is, that the nnn fonnd it a very tiresome affair to be
cooped up in a small house, day after day, with nothiD~ to do;
while the busy scenes in the street upon which she looked, day
after day, excited her woman's curiosity to know more of what.
was going on in the world around her; and, as she did not dare
to go out alooe, hy day or by nil<M, she looked upoo the offer of
the handsome youn,!{ Italian as affording her just what she want..
ed, au opportunity for rambling about unobserved, and of taking
a peep at men and things as they existed outside of the walls of
a convent.
They diu ramble abont, for two good honrs, that night of their
appointment; and, while the secretary continued to amuse her
childish curiosity, by means of many strange sig-hts and sound.
which attracted her observAtion and fell upon her ear, be manag.
ed most adroitly, and all nnconscionsly to her, to draw from her,
indirectly, a numher of items which gave him, unitedly, some
 Mysteries of a. Conv:ent. 161
clue to the grand ~Iot who.. exiltence he 11lIpected, IIDd of who..
DAture he felt a""IOUI to have lOme knowledge.
The.. nocturnal ramblingl were kept up for .. considerable
leDgth of time; but, as they did not ocoUr oftener thaD onne, or
at most, twice a week, and great care was taken that they should
Dot be ""tended to luoh an honr iD the night 81 would be likely
to place tbe Dun in the polition of beiult locked out after the fa,.
mily had tetired to relt, they we.. not discovered; while they led
to consequencel whioh will have an importllDt bearing UpoD fll-
..... eventl in the prog~ of this ltory.

~XXIII

Allee" parent8-Placed in & conTent at an early age-New feeHngt pro-

duced by new scenes-Evening rambles-Mutua.l attachment-Tho
dawning of light-Its effect upon Pietl'O and Alice-Their conversa·
tiOD arlO. resolution. .
TBlI nun, whom the Father General had found in a. convent in
Canada, and brou~bt to New York, to personate the deceaaed
Sitter Theresa, was the dausrbter of Colonel.Soule, a French offi-
cer of distinction, who bad been killed in a duel, near Montreal j
and whose widow had placed the yoong' Alice, then only five
years old, in the care of the Abbess, while she returned to France,
to see after her husband's property. The Freuch Revolution had,
in the meantime, broken out, aDd Mada.me Soule died, a prey kJ
anxiety and ~rief. The orphaned Alice had, therefore, ~"D up
in the convent, wjthoothavin~ ever been outside of its walls from .
the day upon which 8h~ entered them, until that when, in com...
pany with the Father General, she had started; for the city :-sbe
havlDg previously passed her novitiate, and been a nun for lome
two years. . .
It i. not to be wondered at, therefore, that, when thil youug
creature, inheriting all the vivacity of the French character, and
traiued amid the Rloom and mouotouy of conv8utual scenes, wu
placed, wholly inexperieucoo, in the mid!!t of a lar~e and crowd.
ed city, like New York, full of novel sights, which excited her
curiosity and called into active exercise ber .ar-dent ima2ination,
with what abe saw and beard around her contrasted 80 swoRel,
with the austere aapect of things as they existed in the pri80o"
houae in which she bad been reared, ahe should be fascinated with
the Dew world into which ahe had been 80 suddenly ushered, and
, Ihould lodl< ·forward. with dread, to the period of her return to
that liviulot tomb. EspeciallY' is Dot this to be wondered at, when
it i. remembered that her Cicerone was a young and haudsome
Italian, of uoble family; whose accomplished manners and whose
brilliant talents had, at first, been employed to win from ber all
Ihe knew in reference to the plot of the General; but whioh had
accomplished re.ults, to hoth,. but little dreamed of by either;
for he had awakened feelin~1 io her miod, to which she had hi-
therto been a .tran~er; while, io his turn. he felt that the fl&1De
whioh he bad kindled in her bosom, burned al80 in hil own.
Indeed, the circumst&ncea of these two YOUD~ persons were
IOmewhat similar;· for he hed been placed, for family reasons,
a.t • verI tender ~ in .. monastery at Rol\le; IIDd had heeD .
L
 Mysteries of & Convent.
, ecIucated wholly withiu its walls, in all ths artiflcs and trickel'1
of the Je8uits, until, di8coveriQ~ peculiar talent for intriguB, be
had, at the "ICe of twenty three Tears, beeu selected by the head
of the order there, aud Bent to thIs country, in company with the.
Le~ate ou hie vieit of installation, &8 private secretary to the F ....
tiler General; for the double purpose of actiug as a apy upou the
JROvemeuu of the latter, and of obligin~ the rich aud powerful
famil! of-the Lodetti, who had their own reason. for desiring
tba~ Pietro should hs removed as far from ~hem as poaaibl..
Since his arrival in the United States, be bad, as a quick observer
and an intelligent reasoner, acquired Dew views of men and
thiD~'. Life presented itself, to his mind, in an entirely novel
upect; and he began sBcretly to form conclusioo8, even to pro_
ject plano, which startled hi~self, accuswmed haa be bad been
preriousJl ~ a b1iud submission to the will of his Superio.... and
~ haya his thoughte take their complexion from tbe colouring of
those who had assumed ~ think for him. Yet the very novelty
and daring of these new conceptions had a peculiar chllnn for his
ucitable and naturaUy enterpriaing dlapoaltion, and ware, there-
fo.... readily indulged by him.
If, thau, Alice felt like a bird let loose, for ~he first time from a
cage in which it had been raised, and disposed to BOar a.loft into
the blus etber, upon those piuions which hitherto had beaten in
vain ~aiu8t its prison bars; his feelings resembled those of one
wbo. abut up from infancy in the dark cavern, by and by emer.
II"" npon !treen fields, lit up by the gladsome aunahina; and, af-
ter 8taudiD~ for 8. time, gazing in mute amazement upon the
fraahly developed heauties of nature, at length longs ~ roam OYer
th_ fieldo,"aud become better acquainted with those beauti... "
Their rambles throull'h ~he city, by nil(ht, had served ~ a~tach
these two beiugs to each other, in strong and mystio ties :-the
stronll'er hecause they had became mutually a~uainted with eaoh
other'. history; and their 80uls 80 miuJtled in sympathy and af.
fectioD t tbattheir confidence was perfect-no thought which
IIJ>rang up iu tha mind of tha one, beiug held hack from ~ha other.
Durin!t ooa of these excursions, they happened ~ pass near-a
Protestant cburch, in which the regular uight 88rvioe was con.
dnetecl. Prompted by curiosity, they entered, and took thair
seats in tha flnt pew they came ~. Here, unobseryad themsel.
val, because seated in tbe rear of the eutire congregatioo, they
lcoked wi~b deep interest, for the first time in their liyes, upon
the limple form of re1i~ous service-so plain, 80 fervant, 80 ra...
tional ;-and oould not help cou~astiull' it with the complex and
pompoUB ceremonia.l of their own church;' and, when"'the minis- •
ter arose, and in earnest toues ~ave out hia te.x.t_U Ye shall know
the truth; aud the ~ru~h .hall make you free;"-theyliateued
with rapt atteution to his deliueation of trot> opiritual freedOl1\,
the maaoa hy which it i. attai~, and the result of ~his freedom,
~ the individual, tha natiou, the world at I~e. As they li.ten.
ed, Dew views of human rights,. of human bappine88, of di9iue
truth, all oouaonant &8 they were with ri~ht reason, sprang up in
their minds, aud placed themselves in strikiu~ opposition to the
dogmas in whioh they had been iustructed, and the slavery, men..
tal, moral, and physical, in which they had beeu hi~herto held.
They felt as did the mook of Eisleben, whao he found the long
negleoted Latin qJf of the Holy &l:iptuna, ill tba Iibraq of Illt
 Mysteries of 8. Convent. 163
oonvent; and, while readinlt it, "his BOul kindled with new en--
orgy, as he saw how trnth had been wronged br ignorant piety
and hypocritical infidslity." And sa contact With the opinions
of freemen, who regarded liberty as their birthright, had indneed
opinion. and feelings in the minds of those who, under the lead..
ing of La Fayette and hi. gallaut associates, had crossed the broad
A.tlantic to aid the colonies in America in achieviog' their liber.
tie..-which had led to the attempt-nnsucce.sful thoullh it was
-to accomplish the same result in France, on their return home,
-so, in reference to the youug- secretary and Alice, they felt that
their birtbright had been withheld from them and, that God and
man would justify the effort to secure its restoration.
The service concluded, the secretary aud bis companion left the
church, and directed their steps towards Mr. Wilmot'.;-
watkiu" slowly, for their minds were busy with the solution of
problems which had been presented to them, for the first time,
that night. At length, the former said to Alice, in tones which
indicated deep thought, a.s well 8S honest oonviction: -
II Alice, we have been asleep. Immured within .conventual
walls, we had no knowledge of the existence of any other world
than that we found around. us. Iustructed iu the dogmas of
the Catholic Chnrch, we have heen taul(ht to helieve that all b0-
lides is heresy,-damnable doctrine, unworthy of our belief, and
insulting to Heaven, as well 88 destructive of the souL But we
have awaked to find that there is a popnlous world outside of the
microcosm in which w.e have beeQ reared ;-a populous world,
whose inhabitants enjoy Hfe, and liberty, under the benign influ-
ence of a religion which is simple ill its forms, but which appears
mip;hty in its effects; a religioll embraced by millions, and which
is at once dignifying to man, since it frees him from tyranny;
. and honourable to God, since it represents him not 8S enslav_
ing the mind and heart of man, but as the great deliverer from
thraldom. I feel that I have awaked to a new existence; me-
thinks I hreathe a purer atmosphere than I did in Rome. I am a
freeman! How is it with thee, dearest Alice P"
U Pietro, I feel strange ;"-replied Alice, while her voice trem-
bled with emotion. U I do Dot know what to think, nor what to
oay. I am bewildered, • Ye shall know the trnth; and the
truth shall make you free.' Pietro, what is truth P"
U Truth, in the abstract, Alice, is accordance with fact and real...
ity. Moral truth mu~t be ill conformity with the character and
will of Him who is the great Moral Governor of the world :-the
lll"6at moral principles laid down by Him for man's government,
finding their developemeut in the administration of divine grace
and providence, ultimatiuli( in the retributions of Eternity, and
justified by the results, in the sight of mell, of angels, and of de-
vils. You and I, Alice, have beeu taught to believe that the trnth
i. alone to be fonnd within the pale of Holy Mother Chnrch:
but, if so, how is this assertion to be reconciled with the corrupt
and tyrannical practices of the churoh; where is the accordance
between the revealed charscter of Jehovah, and the grand di••
tinotive features of Catholicism, and what, I begin to fear, areits
direct and necessary tendencies P Where is the accordant truth
-this freedom of which we have heard, to-uight for the first
time in all our lives P We have hitherto ..en neither. On the
oontr&ry, we have been tanght that tho very e..ence of our reJi;.
 164 :M:yBteries ot 8. Convent.
gion consisted iu submission to the will of our snporiors, andfu <

oar religious vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience;-whioh

lOoth to say, seem to be sdlemn mockeries in the estimation of
those to whom we made them: if, indeed, we are to consider
their lives as commentaries upon their principles-we have been
led to surrender Qurselves, body, soul, and spirit, to their control.
I very much f.ar that the dogma. of our church are incapahle of
bearing the te.t of truth; and I long to .hare that lib.rty which
seem. to b. tbe birthright of man, and to b. 8C largely enjoyed
by the people in whose midst our lot has been 80 strangely cast.
I fear that I am fast becoming- an heretic; but I canuot help it.'"
"It is atraOfjt8 r Pietro, that I have much the same thoughts and
feelings: and it 18 passing strange, as yOll say, how we have been
thrown into this new world of thought and feelio~, of freedom
and happiness. You must instruct me, Pietro; I know not how
to briog my little bark to .hor., from the midst of the billow.
which arise tumultuously around me."
.. I will} Alic., with all my heart,"-repli.d Pietro. .. But,"-
continuea he, taking her hand in his, ao"d pressing it tenderly,
while he spoke in soft, yet distinct tones, which thrilled through
her woman's heart, pulsating as it did in every throb for him,8nd
for him alone: Ie promise me, Alice, that, in good or ill, in weal or
woe, whatever may be our future lot, our lives and our fate shall
~ one and inseparable,-that we shall never be separated."
" Never In -said Alice, clinging to his arm. and looking up in_
to his face, WIth a countenance which was suffused with the blush
of maiden mode.ty, but which .pok. the d••p tru.t of her ioul,
and the firmness of her decision.
"Heaven bless thee, dearest Alice, for that lford. Now will i
1"rotect thee with my life, and lead you, as best I may, to the en..
Joym.nt of that lib.rty for which w. both pant. The vow. that
we made, were made in ignorance; they must be displeasiugjo
God, because evidently repu~naDt to the truth of things; Be
will ab.olve u.; and Hi. troth will make u. free from the tyracny
of man. All will b. right, Alice. Tru.t, and be prudeut. L.t
us bide our time. We sh&ll yet be free !"
H. had b.com••0 much excited, while uttering the la.t few
words, that his voice was raised to a pitch which would have en_
dangered their safety, had any prying one been ni:{h; but fortun-
ately none observed the interestiug pair, or heard the words of
treason against the interests of Rome, save the loved one to whom
they were addr••••d, and the Great Being who had witu.ssed the
plillhting of th.ir troth, and who doubtle•• approv.d the act, not.
with.tanding the vow. which they had mad. to the Holy Mother
Church. iu ignorance and in superstition.
They loon reached Mr. Wilmot'sdoor; and,astheyatoodamo_
m.nt, before partiug for the night, Pietro .aid to Alice:
U It seems to me that we both Deed a guide in our Dew Itua-

tiOD, aft regards both our position to the church, and our inquiry
after truth; and, as I have no longer any confideuce in our old
onel, which serve but to bewilder and mislead us, I shall, ou to-
morrow, p_rocure a copy of the Protestant Bible, and read it for
myself. I .hall a1.0 get a copy for you, Alice, and brinll it with
-me, wben next I com.. M.anwhile, we will oome to visit that
Proteotant cburch, .very Tbur.day night, where we h.ard .uch
thing.. thia .vening. Farew.ll, dear••t-be prudent, and look to
 Mysteries of a Convent. 165
the Great Source of Light, Life, and Liberty, for help and for guid.
ance. Good night."
80 sayioA', he turned away, while Alice sought her room, and!
kneeliD~ down, not in prayer, as usual, to Mary-U the refU,2'8 01
sinners"-but to Jlim, who is '0'i.M 'ttJay, an-a: tM trulJl., and the
life," she poured out her 80ul ill devout supplicatiou that He
would lead thepl into an acquaintance with the way of aalvation.
and guide them in their pre.ent difficult circum.tan....

CHAPTER XXIV.
Alice's fgnOl'8DCe ot the true nature of the plot sbe-'wu eOR'aged tn-Her
anxiety on that account-Her determination to act right-Anival of
Mr. Prentiss-Alice"sperturbation and alarm. in consequence -Her iJl..
teniew with Mr. Prentiss-Alice divulges the pa.rticula.rs to Mr. pfeD..
tiss-His astonishment at therecital-Hia determination to befriend
Allce-Escape of Pietro and .Alice.
T1mEE months haduow pa••ed .ince Alice had written the letter
to the south, in the llame of Emilie de Vere, which had been dic-
tated to her in the name of the Father General. Mr. Wilmot, if
he knew anything of her intimacy with the secretary, said no-
thing about it; and the latter, to~ether with Alice, was almoet
ready to make a public recantation of Roman Catholicism, and
to profess the Protestant faith, when a circumstance occurred
which placed her in an exceeding-Iy embarrassing sitllation, aD~
had like to have ruined the plot of the J esuit, er~et it had ma-
tured.
Alice, on beinjf bronght to New York, had been told that, for
reasons which involved the interests of the order, and whioh it
was not necessary she should then. be made acquainted with, she
was to personate Emilie de Vere, a young girl, who was about
her own age, height, complexiou, &c.; whose father was a Mr.
Charles de Vere, formerly a resident of New York city, but, for
some years, of the parish of .Baton Rou~e, in Louisiana, a wealthy
planter; and whose mother had been dead for ~any years. She
wa! further told that the part which .he was expected to act,
from time to time, would be communicated to her, as it became
necessary, and that she was on no account to take any step, or to·
answer any questioDs, beyond what was stated to her, withollt
leave and instructious from the Father General. The part which
she had acted before the mayor's court, had all beeu arral1g'ed for
her beforehand, and the very lallguag-e, as far as practicable, dic-
tated to her; as the General had anticipated, to some extent, the
course which thin~s would take under his direotion, aided by his
accomplice, Mr. Wilmot.
At that time, .he never dreamed, for a moment, that sbe had a
will of her own, or that it would be anything short of perdition
for her to question the right of her superiors, whenever required
to do their bidding. She was a mere automaton, moved a8 they
might plea.e. But now that new _ht had broken into her soul,
and that she had acquired new views of her rights and duties as
an accountable moral agentt who owed an allegiance to high hea-
ven, paramount to any that .he was under to any earthly power,
eIle felt ~ceedingly di.tressed at thel'art that shp had .cted hero·
 1611 MYsteries of a. Convent.
tofoN, aDd bardly koew wbat oou..... to adopt for tbe foture. SIi'e
bad oonlulted freely witb Pietro upoo the .nbject; but be felt
him..1f wholly iocompetent to advi.. her. If Ihe weot fonr'ard
to the mayor, Bod oollfeoeed to him the truth, her former acting
10 tbe part which .he had played before him, would cau.. bim to
aulpect her siocerity DOW t and might place her in ciroumeta.u08l
of dBnlZer to ber penonal liberty: for he would probably rellard
her a8 iusane; consider the idea of insanity, aa formerly set up,
and diarellarded tbroullh tbe teltimooy of tbe examiniog pby...
'ciaos. aB beioJt founded in fact; and order ber to be returned to
tbe Father Geoeral, wbo would not fail to loflict moat ..v....
puuishment u~n her, while Pietro would be in no situation to
protect her. Ooce in tbe power of the Geoera!, aod Ihe knew
her ..parolion from Pietro would be IInal aod for ever. She
could not coosuIt with Mr. Wilmot; for he waa but the oreoture
of the General. Sbe could not throw herself upon the mercy of
tbe latter, aud 'bell him to procure the services of some ooe el..
in the deception in which sbe was made to bear a oonspicuou
part, for this would enrage him, and separate her from Pietro;
siuce she would be i08t&ntlleot back to the convent; and abe
dt'eaded the fate that 'Woul await her there. U Perhaps," thou,ht
abe, illDorant of the maRuitude of the plot in which abe was In.
volved-" perhaps, after all, it may b& a small aBair, And that I
may have but little more to do with it. I must bide my time, aud
act as circumstances may req uire. I will not, if I can help it, act:
dishoueatly. God help me to do rillht."
That prayer, though btJ:t an ejaculation, "'&I made in sincerity,
and was heard in heaven. God did belp her, aud did reward her
for daring, novice as 6he was in ethics, to do what her conscieuoe .
approved, in spite of the difficulties which surrounded her.
While sitting in her room, oue morning, reading the Protestant
Bihle which Pietro had give.. her, with her door locked, lest,
thonl(h In a prof.ssedly Protestaut family, her ..cPOt ehould 'be
betrayed to the Jesnit General, a gentle rap aunounced that some
ooe wanted her. Dutily coocealiog tbe ble"'" volume whicll
had already given her moral courage as. well as moral freedom,
she opened the door, and was surprised to see Mr. Wilmot him-
..If standing tbere, who informed her that a Mr. PrentilB, of
. Louieian&, desired to !$ee her in the ps.rlour.
"I suspect," he added, "that it is some one connected with
that business of yours in the south, from a question or two that.
he bsked of me."
Alice felt her heart beating violently within her breast.. and .a if
she were aboutto suffocate; but suddenly, and with great e1fort,
rallyinft hertelf, she informed Mr. Wilmot that abe would be in
the parlour in a few minutes, aJ1d turned to her toilet, as if to ad..
jUlt her dress. As soon, however, as he had clo,ed the door, and
goue down .Btairs with Lis message, she burst into a dood of tears,
and, tbrowlug herself opon her knees, for a momeut or two, ear- .
neatly implored guidance aud help from on high. Then, arising,
aud bathiug her eyea, ehe arraoged her hair, aud weut down to
the parlour. •
Ou her entrance Into tliiB roell!, Ihe saw, _ted upon the BOte,
a venerable.looking I(entleman, of some fifty -five years of age,
very ~uteelly dreseed in a fuU .uit of black-his oonotenance ex-
p.....,e at once of Inllllleot aDd of great benignit,. Rising frolll
 lIysteries of a Convent. 187
ht. ieat, .. Alice entered the room, he advanced to meet her, .....
. with a manner full of .ympathy for one whom he looked upon"
the Tictim of Romiah oppreasion, be aaid-
.. I have tbe pleasure, I presume, of taking by tbe belld the
daughler of my mucb·esteemed friend, Cbarl•• de Vere. Let ill.
aaaure you, Mias Emilie, for tha"- I believe is your name, that it
affords me great satisfaction to see you looking 10 well, and 10
aueh good bealtb.'·
Tbu. saying, and shaking her most cordially by the hand, he
led ber, With the fioiabed mann en of a polished gentleman, to a
aeat on the &Ofa; and then, seatillg himself Deu ber, entered into
COD~el'l&tion with her, as to the circumstaneea which ha.d preveu&-
ed him from BOOner paying & visit to her. He was Burprised to
find, ho"ever, that sh. was exceedingly basbful and reserved·;
that her colour com. and weut witb fitful frequency; aud th'"
there wa. ocmctbin~ about her whole deportmeut, wbich eoemed
to him aingular. Yet, recollectiug that abe had been reared in a
convent, had been for some time a .nUD, and was now a refugee
from its waU., be felt dispo.ed, in the kindnesa of hi. heart, to
attribute it all to tbe past, and to acconnt for it on the score of
the sceues which ehe must iiave passed tbroURb, on her abandon-
meut of a conventual liie; Mr. Wilmot baYillg paioted to hi.,
while waiting for Alice, iu very florid colours, ber arrival at h.iI
houle at night, the aseembling of the mob, the oext morning &he
viait to the mayor'. nlliee, aud tbe resnlt-tokiug care to repte-
lent himself ill the most fa.vourable light po88ible.
Mr. Wilmot baYing left the parlour a few mementa after Allee
had entered it, Mr. Pre"ti8e exerted bimself to place Alice at her
ease with him, preparatory to conversing with her upon buaiDeaa";
hut, linding this impoeaible, and tbat e.ery elI'ort seamed to agio .
tate her the more-he said to her,
c, Your letter addressed to your father, MiSiEmflie, was reoal..·
ed in due time, but was-not read by him. He bad made hie will,
and entrusted nil business to me, &8 his executor. He was dead."
Here Alice'sjeeliogl completely overcame her with shame at
the part .he was called upon to act; and sbe weptfreely. ThiuJp.
ing this moat natural, nnder tbe circamstan.... JIr. Pren~
prooeeded-
,. Do not weep, my dear Miss Emilie, 10 bitterly. You haT.
e:::l.. reaocn to comfort yourself. Although your letter did not
r your father, io time to assure' him of your reca.utation of
Roman Catholicism, and desire to returu to him, still he loved
you very dearly, aud felt aS8ured of JOur affection for hilD, in
spite of tbe past. He regarded tbe steps that yon had takeu, in
becoming a nUll, as the result of decevtion upou the part of tbe
!lather Superior of the convent, or on tbat of some of the prielt.;
and, although be bitterl,Y regretted it, yet he died at peace "ill>.
you, and, in proof of thIS, made you his iole legatee, on condiliOil
that you. would renounce Romallism, and, for~kiug the oouyeut.,
cea.se to be .. nuo. His estate amO'lUU to something more tb. .
half a milliou of dollars. Your letter inform. me that tbe COn"
dition had heeu complied witb, before yOIl became aware of ile
existence; you are, therefore, the uudisputed poaesaor of tbil
vaat fortune-and will enter upon its enjoyment u 800U as lOme
technicalities of the law can be complied with, which will require
\lilt .. briof delaT' Meanwhile, .. I preanmo T0l! maT want OCI!lf
168 Mysteries of a Convent.
,funds for immediate use, I shaIl have the pleasure of handing you
a- thousand dollars, wbich I have brought with me for that pur",:
pose. The relations of friendship in which I have stood to your
father, and the atti tude in which I stand to the estate, and to your..
self as the heiress of its wealth, will warrant me in tendering to
you my services, as a protector,: until you shall have made luoh
other arrangements as you may please."
So sayinl';, the old gentleman drew from the bres.st-pocket of
his coat, a large pocket book, and was about to take from it the
thousand dollars, when, to his utter astonishment, she threw her-
self upon her knees before him, and, while the tears ran dow~
h,er cheeks, begged him to take pity upon one who was an orphan,
indeed, but not the ODe he took her for, and to promise her upon
his word of honour, as a Christian man and a gentlem.an, that he
wonld not divnlge, to a living being, what she ws.s about to reo
late to him.
The old man looked upon the beautifnl girl, kneeling there be·
fore him, with a heart full of compassion; and ar.q nain ted, as he
had been for very many years past, 88 a practising lawyer of great
ability, with almost all grades and pha..s of human crime, and
to look upon the faces of timid, as well as of undaunted, rogues
and oriminals of both sexes, he had become a most excellent judge
of hnman character. He read guilt and self-condemnation lD her
oonntenance, and yet, at the same time, the evidence of contri-
tion; and wholly una.ble to account for what was transpiring be-
fore him, be lifted the kneeling- girl to her seat, and, making her
the required promise, .requested her to relate her story; assuring
her that he would befriend her, whomsoever she might be, if he
could do so consistently with the dictates of honour. .
Thus reassured, and now throwing oft that restraint and pain-
ful embarrassment which she had exhibited at the· CQmmenee-
meut of this interview, and while hesitating at the course that
she ought to pursue, but which disappeared when the victory was
determiued for conscience-Alice proceeded to tell Mr. Prentiss
all that had traospired, 80 far &8 she was concerned ~th the aftair
of the substitution of herself for Emilie de Vere, from the mo-
ment of her first introduction to the Father General, in the par-
lour of the convent in Callada, up to that moment; assuring him,
however. that, uutil that la.te hour, she never kuew why she was
required to personate Miss d~ Vere, nor who she was; much less
that she was heiress to a larA'e estate, and that she~ Alice, was to
be made the iustrument of getting this estate into the hands of
the Jesuits. .
:Mr. Prentiss was thunderstruck. He was a Protestant, from'
principle, and a member of the Methodist church. Hi3 feelings
were averse to Romanism; but that 80 daring a plot should have
been concocted in the midst of an enlighten~d people, involving
an immense property, aud should have come so nigh succeeding,
for he could Dot doubt, for a moment, that the witnesses were all
provided to estahlish the identity of Emilie de Vere in the p....
tended Alice; that this damning proof of the high-handed wick.
edness of the J esuita should stare him in the face, there, ill the
great city of New York, staggered his belief; and he ws.s almost
disposed to look upon Alice as craoy, or as attempting to deceive
him. But, when he looked at her really intelligent countenance,
81 it nl>W beB.llled with hQneo~ Bl!tistaction-the trllth having b_
 Mysteries of a. Convent. 169
told ;-wben be tbon~bt bow lltrai~btforwardand conneoted ber
Darrative, and tbat .be could Dot ~ ..ibly bave any inler..t to
eub.en.. while .he ran a great n.t in thu. confiding her .tory
to & .tran~er, who, if he were disposed, miR'bt do her vaat ioj ury ;
he wao foreed to the conviction tbat .he bad made a trnthful oon.
le..ion to him and that it had become hie etrange privilege to look
upon one of the dart ploto of Rome.
~ Your I.tory," said he to Alice, "shall never paM my Ups.
Bnt wbat do you propn.. to do P If I oou befriend you, and I ,
eee plain enough that you etand in need of a friend, I promi.. you
to do eo.
- "Yonrfrank avowal of tbi. plot, 80 far 8. you.tand conneoted
with it, or are aWare of it. featnre., hae .aved yon, my cbild,
from very seriOUI consequences; and it would deeply interest me
to know by what .tep. you have been led to adcpt the coune
which yon have punned. Bnt for thi. we ha... not time. Yo..
will tell me that the Fatber General roIid.. in the city; and that
thi. Wilmot, with whom you are .tayirg, ie a creature of hie. No
donbt be i. already apprieed, hy Wilmot, of my p....nC8 here;
and he will be annoUl to know the reenlt of the interview be.
tween no. Tell mel have yon no friende in the city, who could
be of service to you 10 this extremity P'"
"I have but 008 friend, sir, in this world, 10 far u.l know, be-
aides younelf, and he is Dot in circumstances to aid me.'"
"Ah! who is he P" inquired Mr. Prentiss, with eagerneas, ..
he felt intereeted in the welfare of tbe interestinll girl; and, tbe
more be thongbt abont it, the more oertain be became that the
Jeonito would oacrifloe her to their dieappointed avarice, if they
&bonld discover tbat .he had been the mean. of tbeir defeat.
U He is & young priest," replied Alice, 'c the private aeoret&rf
of tbe Father General."
" A young prie.t, and the private ..crotary of the Father Gen-
eral!" repeated Mr. Prentiss, with astonishment marked in hi.
countenance and tODe of voice. " This is more mysteriou••till.
I fear, my child, that you are, indeed, hopol...ly entanllled in the
coil. of tbe wily Je.nito. Wbo is tbi. youngprie8tP Tell me all
~bout bim-for I would serve you if I can:'
Ali.. then related all that h.e been detailed to tbe reader, ofber
first acquaintance with the secretary-tbeir night ramble. about
the city-the effec~, upon both their mind., of what they ow &Del
heard-their first visit to the Protestaut church, and the sermon
they had heard-ito effecto upon them; aud their 8nbsequent
.tudy of the boly ecriptureo, accordiull to the Protestant venion,
and subsequent private abDe~atioD of Catholicism, with the fJe-
terminatioll of makiog' public profe8~iou of the Protestant faith,
On a convenient occasioD. and their betrothment in spite of their
monastic vow•.
U And you· 6&1,t1 replied Mr. PrentiM, U tbatyoQ and yonr young
friend, the Becreta.ry, only await a convenient opportunity to re.
uonnoe tbe Catholic churcb, aud to ~et married. Well, truth is
&B8uredly BtraD~er than fiQtion. Here is a villainous plot con·
cocted by thi. Father General of tbe order of Je8uit. in the Unit.
ed States, to get possession of an immense fortune in Louisiana,
by the substitution of another persoD for a certain nUD, in order
tbat 8be may procure that fortuue. A .ub.Utute i. brougbt all
the waT from Caoada to per80nate U>. decea..a or refractory
 170 ~

, nllD; abe becom.. BoquaiDted with aud betrothed to the priY&te

ICllllary of this arch-plotter; they .mbrace th. Protestant faith.
nOOUnciDR' their OWD; and, by meanl of this conversion froID
error to truth, thil very Inbltitute h.nelf d.feats the plot, by re-
..eaIiaR it, aud sa.... tb. estate from pusiag.into tb. haudl of
the conopiraton ogaiolt truth and jUltice. Troly, thil is "'011-
d.dul. There il a God that rul.th in tho heaveno. and &m0Dll
u.. oftain of tb. ohildren of men. .
. "I am not wealthy," continued Mr. Prenti.., who I8emed, fOl'
oom. mom.nte, to b. 10lt in deep thought, "but you are hoo..t,
ohild; aod I thiok that you and this priest.lov. of yours ...ould
do v.ry ....11 it you were down in my oountry. What 8&YYoo to .
goiug with m. f I will par. your .XpeD_ and hie ther.. Y 011
can be married, and live wIth me, while be is studying; and, at..
tor that, my word for it, it h. il the men yon repr_nt him to be,
he will BeYer Buffer you to want."
.. Com.... added the good old mau....bo oeemed to be d.ligbted
with th. prospect, " w....iII ... this lover ofyoun thil v.ry night,
and make all the neC618&ry arraullemsot&. You mu.st commuRi-
cote with him, 8Omehow. aud get hi. COo88ot to th. pleo. Hind,
I Ihall take no refuoal. But w. must g.t aWOl from h.re to-
morro... morUlog, .arly; or the blood.hounde ...iII _ut nl ont,
and It:et on oar track."
"Thil il Thundey," said Alice-" it the Fotb.r Gen.raI do.-
Dot hear that you are in town, Pietro will call for_.me, as UIDa!.
to go to churoh with bim; and if h. doeo heer it, h. will be oent
for me. So that, io aoy ev.nt, I .hall g.t to _ bim. If you
will staud ot that coro.r,"-h.re Alice poioted out of th. window
to tb. oomer of the next square, below th. houl. in whioh they
were-" between half.paat six and .even o'clock this evening, we
will pass that ...ay, wh.n you can join ns, and ... cau f"nrther
talk of your mOlt ~enerous 04er. JJ
" Agreed," said JIIr. Preotiss; aud, shaking Alio. cordially by
th. hand, b. bod. her b. of good courage, aud all would y.t be
....11.
Fortonately for all of thsm, the Fath.r Gen.ral WIUI, tbat nigbt,
at the ConTent of the Annunciation; baviDg been sent for, polt-
baste, by th. Mother Superior, who had some importaut commu-
nicatioo to make to him. Pi.tro oaIIed, 01 UIUal, for Alice, who
.ioformed him briefly of what bad occnrred, snd of th. generoQl
ofter made to th.m by :Mr. Prentiss; an<l, in a f.w minutes, they
joioed the kind·hsarted old gentl.mau....ho ..01 waiting for them
at the corDer.
Th. three ..alked togstber for 80m. I.ngth of time; and, be-
fore th.y parted, tbs offer"01 accepted, aud the arrBogsm.nto
all mad. for th.ir dep"rture, tb. next day; both Pietro aod Alioe
baving most heartily thanked their beoelacto.. and in..oked u..
bleseiog of beav.n upoo him. .
Th. mail ltaR. of the out day, going South, bore tb. old gen_
tleman, together with the eXaDUD, and former private aeoretary;
u.. two latter heario~ no token whatever by which the most soru-
tinizing could h.... dlsoovered that th.y .ver wore sacred ord.....
 Mysteries ot a. ConVll!lt. 171
CHAl'TER xxv.
Despotic rule of tbe 'Mother Superior-A "rolution in the convenl.-:-Tb,
insurrection qUelled by tbe Fatber General-Alarming Intelligence, 0.
bis rewrD. W .New York:.-Hia lr&DticcoDd",~ 1J1 consequence.

TmmB days had elapsed after the d.partur. of the fugitives, lIll-
dar the ohar~e ot Mr. Prentiss, wheu, late in the afternoon of the
fourth, the Father General returned home, oare-wacQ,aDd gloomy_
H. had be.u caU.d sudd.uly to the conv.nt, to qu.ll a revolt
amonK the nuns, occ&lioned by tb. tyrannical rule of the Mother
Superior, who had become 80 capriciou8 in her temper, and -0
captious in her administra.tion of the government of the estab-
lishment, that thos. und.r h.r spiritnal care, deapairing of ....
dreaa nn'....ffected hy their own act, had riscn, with one acoord
aad without a solitary exception, in open rebellion; aDd, deput-
j~ & committee at twelve of their number, consisting ot the moat
influential OU8S among them, to present to the ·Superior a Jiet of
thoir Itrievances, aud to demand redrea, under pain of beiDg re-
ported to tl>e Father General, in the eveut of h.r refnaal, ~h.y
ceased from all their nsual avocation., and roamed about til.
buildin$t', at" their pleasure.
Deeming it ber beat policy to taka the lead in calliog for the
interveution of the General, she told the committee that Ihe
would take the matter into careful consideration, if they would
resume their dutiee in the convent, and, al 6000 &I they had left
her room, privately despalched a m.....ug.r for that diKDitary, .
requeating bia pres.nce at th. convent, with &8 Iittl. delay &8 .
possihle..
By some means, it became known to th. nuns, shortly aft.r bia
departure, that a messeuger had been leot to the city; and, en-
rag.d at the duplicity of th. Moth.r Superior, th.ir revolt aosum.
ed, if possible, a more serioua character than ever; aud, when the
Father General arrived, it was ra~ing at its very height. "
By dint, however, of persuading some iota a good humour,
flo~iug othen who were more resolute and obstinate, and re-
forming som. of the abusea of which complaint had been made,
the Geoeraleucceeded in restoring subordiuation and quiet amoq
the rebellioua nuns, who, accustomed as they were to blind auel
implicit obedience to their 8uperion, muat have had serioUl
grounds for complaint before they would have ventured to tab
a step of so grave a character as open revolution. But, dunne
the tim. that b. had s~ent at th. conveut, h. had h.ard .nougb.
to aatisfy his mind that the temper of the Mother Superior waa
becoming entirely too impetuous and uncertain to have the chuge
of 80 importaut a position as that which she occupied. Yet,suob
wae her acquaintance with bis own past history-such. tool the
"estimation In which abe was held at Rome, as a woman of utn...
ordinary tal.nt.. and on. to whom th. order wao gr.atly indeht-
ed for her services in promoting their interests in the United
States; and Bucb, also, her powerl &8 an intrigante, that he dared
not remove her, without some act, 011 herfart, which shollid be
of so lIagrant a character, and capable 0 so clear and d.cidad
proof, as to admit of no posoihl••vaaion of ita reaulta; &Ild tIllI
lie conld hardly anticipate as posoible.
 172 ' Mysteries of a Convllilt.
In this state of mind, he retnrned to his residence In the city.
and, it may well be supposed, in no mood to meet the startling"",
intelligence that awaited him. Giving his horse to the groom· ali
the door, he entered the hall; hastily unlocking a small bo~
which was placed there for the purpose of receiving whatever.
docnmeuts mig-bt be intended for him, in his absence from home,
he took out of it several letters and notes, and hastened to his
cabinet. Here, throwing these upon the table, and helpio:t him-
self to some fine old Fr.neh b....ndy. which h. kept in a liqnor-
case, he sat himself down to their perusal; for, elevated in dig-"
nity &s was the office which he held, it was no sinecure· and,
whether at home or abroad, his lot was to labour, labour, labour
incessantly, save when at his meals, or during the five hours'
sleep, which was all the time he could allow even to this nece.-
l81'y purpose, and from which he was aronsed every morniu~ by
an alarum clock, placed upon the mantel.piece in his chamber,
and tixed at the early hour of four o'clock, winter and Bummer;
h. knew not what rest was. How !treat the pity that his trnly
splendid telents and indefatigable indnstry had not b.en appli.d
to a more valnabl. and landabl. pnrpos. than in promoting the
machinations of Jesuitism! .
Having read s.veral letters b.fore him, h. took np one of the
not... which r.ad as follows:
.. NtlIJ York, Thur.day, 9 o'clock.
.. MOST REvEREND Sm-
" I have ~ust called to inform you that a Mr. Prentiss, from
Louisiana, 1S now conversinR', at my house, with Miss Emilie de
Vera, in reference to her father's estate; and, finding you from
home, your servant not being able to tell me where, I 'Yrite this'
note to let you know about it. I will call again at twal VfJ-O' clock.
"Your very humble servant,
- "WK. WILKOT."
- Putting this down, h. took nl? another, whose address was in
the sam. hand-writing, and which r.ad thns:-
.. Thursday, 12 o'cloci•
.. MOST R!mmEND FATHllR-
"I have called a!!ain, accordioR'to my promise, bot still find
yon absent. Mr. Prentiss aod Miss Emilie had a long interview"
this morning: but what was the result of it I know not, as I had
DO opportunity of listening', and I cannot make much of her looks;
though I can see a manifest charge in them, and suppose their
conversation must have been· of an agreeable character to her. I
will OliU again, this afteruoon.
" Your devoted servant,
U WK. WILKO'!'."
A third note remained npon the tabl., whese contents w.r.... ,
follows:
" Friday Morning, 8 o'clock•
.. Mosr REvEREND FATHllR GENERAL, &c,-
H Reverend and Dear Sir-I know not what to oay, or what to do.
I know that yon will b. angrr with m.; bnt I asonr. yon, most
solemnly, that I am in no wIse to blame. 0, that you were at
home I Bnt I mnst t.lI yon. at one., that Emili. d. Vere has left
my house, and gone, I know DOt where. As she did not come
down to breakfast, this momiog, at the nsnal hour, w. o.nt np to
the room, and were astonished to learn that she hall not sp.nt the
 Mysteries of a Convent. i78
Bight at home; at l..st, there was no appooranoo of the bed haY-
iuS been used, which she commonly oCcupies. Her trunk is in
her room, unopened as yet, !lnd everything is in order; while not
the least trace can be fOllnd of where she may be. If I knew
"Where you were, I should immediately despatch a,messenger for
you; but, in the mean time, I will spare no pains to find her, if
she is in the city. When I called at your residence, I asked, in
your absence, for your private secretary; but was informed that
he was not at home, and had not been since last night. Whether
his absence has any thing to do with that of the missing girl, I
cannot tell. Of ODe thing I am sure, however, that neither my..'
self or family gave Miss Emilie any cause of dissatisfaction ; an~
this only makes the whole afiair the more mysterious. -
" Awaiting your orders, I remaiu, with tlie greatest respect,'
"Your faithful servant, .
"WK. WILMOT.'·
The Fathet General had read this last note with profound as-
tonishment, increasing at every fresh line, until, almost beside
himself with anxiety and rage, he was about to seize his hat, and
hasten to see Mr. Wilmot, when bis eye rested, for an instant,
upon another note, lying upon the table, in the supers.cription of
which he immediately recognised the band-writing of the seere-
~.r. Seizing this, and tearing it open, with an earnestness which
indIcated the feverish excitement of his soul, he read the follow.
ing astounding intelligence:
.. Nf:ID York, Thursday Night, 11 o'clock.
ec To the Father General of the order of Jesuits in the United
States.
ec REVEREND Sm,
U :Before this letter will have reached you, the writer win have
been placed at a distance from the city, which will effectnally
preveut the possibitity of his being overtaken by you. Where
he is gone to, or what his business, will perhaps but little inte--
rest you, when he informs you that he bas for ever renouuced
Romanism, and embraced the cause of Protestant Christianity.
Your past kiudness to me would not permit me to leave you,
without bidding you farewell, and expressing for you, personally,
my warm wishes for your future health and happiness.
In the first drawer of the table in tbe library, you will find the
instrument of my conversion to Protestantism; and the beat
pledge I could give you of my sincerity in wishing you well, is
lhe request that you will read that blessed volume, as I have
done, until you" shall know the trnth, and the truth shall make
r016 free," as it has m8.
"Very respectfnlly yours,
., PIETRO Dl LoDETTI."
It would be impossible to portray, in language, the state of ox-
citement into which the Father Geueral was thrown by the per-
nsal of this note. There he stood, pale with rage,-his eY08f1llah.
ing fire, his teeth close set together; wbile the breath came thicll:
and fast, hissing throngh his expanded nostrils. Presently, dash.
ing the note to the- floor, he stamped upon it, as though it had
been the cause of his wrath, iostead of beiug tbe mere vehicle
throngh which the euraRing information had r....ched him.
ec Purgatory and 'perdition!" at length exclaimed the infnriat-
ed Jeswt; " What 18 aU this 1 Is the whole hml of infernalepio
 ,174 Mysteries of a Convent.
rita let loose upon me P What next, I wonder P This nun, that
. I baTe brongbt all tbe way from Canada, in order to play 80 im.
portant a part in the great game for a fortuDe for our treasury;
-she, too, I suppose, will be fouud to bav. embraced that re\i•
.giOI! of fools-ProteBtantism-aud to baTe elopad witb tbio pioUl
oecretsry of miue, who iostead of attsudiug to my busiueao, hu
been readiug tJu Bib"" i St. II(0atius graot me patiencel Th.
Tile bypocrite oedUC08 tho unu from ber a11.glauce to HeaTen and
to the Cburob-ruus olf "itb hOl'-and tbeu, with frozen impud.
ence, prates to me of C the instrument of bis conversion to Protes..
tantism I' -Conversion to infamy, he .bould have eaid :-&Od
toll. 1M-aye! tell. tbe supreme head of the J .suita in Amerioa I
-to •read that BTJ!8!!ED volume I' -Curses upon it, and upon 'the
brazen.laced knave 1-' as ~e has done, until I shall koow tho .
·/r1llA'-whioh bis infamous oonduot bas proTed to be falsehood-
•and the truth lI}:1all make"." free, as it hal Aim i-rea, he means,'
Iball make me as great a ooouudrol as himself. Holy Virgin I
bow can 1 bear suoh insolence as tbisP-But .wby stond I bere
thus, wheD every moment is precioU8-wben they already ha.vo
foar daya ltart of me? I will away, and take iostant m8&l!1Uret
for their apprehension and return to New York; if, indeed, thiJ
is not all pretenoe about their haTing gone from the oity. Wbo
bow8 but they are DOW' skulking in 80me vile hole in this very
plaoo; wbile this procious Tillain seeks to ooTer their retreat by
throwing me upon tbe wrong scent? I will put my bJood-bounda
upon their traok, be they wbere they may; and it ·shall not he
my fault if they are undi800Terod withiu twenty.four bours, if
they bave noUeft the oity. U they have, I swear\ by all tb.·
Sainta in HeaTeu, to pursue them to the ·deatb. Ah 1 they little .
know my powor, if. they imagine that tbey oou find .. hiding.
place from my fury, in any spot on this greeu eartb. Thanko to
the Patron Saint of our order, we are spread·all over the wide
world; and our agente are everywhere. Let me but get tbem
once in mr power, and they shall realize the fearfulness of m:;
wrath, whIch tbey baTe so holdly proToked, anll set at defiance.
So saying, the euralled priest desconded to the street, and, iu a
few minntes, was at the dwelling of Mr. Wilmot, and seated in
his parlour, w.aiting his return from some business errand. .

CHAFTER~
The fngttil'eI arrive at Baltimore-Reside with Mr. Bamum-A ",rlftte
wedding-Proceed in. vessel (or New Orleans-Pleaaurea ot • sea
'forage-Alarm at tbe appearance of a suppo88d pirat&-Preparatloa
for action-Groundless alarm-·ArriYal ai New Orleana-Piety and
Pl"Olperit1 of Pietro and Alice.
K1wrWmLB, MI'. Prentiss bad reached Baltimore, with hi. nom.
paniODS, Pietro and Alice, and put up, for a day or t'wro,at the"
Indian Queeu, then the be.t boteliu the place, and kept by thot
priuce o.f landlords, since /lOne to his long rest, oId.DaTid Bar.
num. Being an old frieud of Mr. Prentiss, the latter 0000 took
an opportunity of mentioning to him, in oonfldenoe, that Pietro
and Alice were two young frieud. of his, who had rull away for
the purpose of gettiug married; that ne would mucb oblige th_
!'l brinlling to the botel some minister, to mMry them at six
Cl'eIooa UlM· KOlling; hut that it mutt. be douo in tho mod pD..
 Mysteries of a Convent. 175
nte possible manner, without letting any of tbe inmat.. of the
family know anytbin~ about it. Mr. Barnum promiled secrecy;
made al"tbe necessary arrangements; and, at the appointed hour,
the two fUll:itive lovers were united in boly matrimony, in a pri-
vate parlour of tbe tavern, by tbe Rev. Dr. IUllli.. tben paetor of
the First Presbyterian church in the city; no other "ito8sael be•.
mg'- present, save Mr. Prentiss and Mr. Barnum.
The next day, it W&8 thoullht advisable for the newly-married
couple to remain 88 much in..doors 88 possible, and even for them
to tske their meal. iu their own room, to avoid all pollOibility of
enoonnterinjl any OD8 who might be on the look.out for them;
whilst Mr. Prentiss made the necessary arrangemeuts for their
departure iu a flue ship of lOme tbree hundred ton.. whicb W&8 to
1elive for New Orlean.. on the following day.
At ten o'clock, the next morning, the anchor had been wei~h~
the sails nnfurled, the passenllers all on bnard, wben the sil(Dai
was ",von, the canvass filled with the fresbening breeze, and bid-
ding Mr. Barnum farewell, our little party, in higb spirits. and
hopeful of the future, were borne away from the wbarf at Fell'.
Point, by tbe noble vessel on who.. deck tbey stood. Passing
Fort McHenry, they, after a while, emer~ed into the beautiful
'Waters of the Chesapeake, and, with a smacking breeze, soon paIS-
ed Annapolis, and reached the Capes, in twenty-four hours after
leaving Baltimore. Here, the pilot having been discharged, tbe
ship passed out into the waters of tbe ocean, and aeon lost sigbt
of land.
There was nothing novel to Pietro in a .ea vOYOlle; but to Alice
it was a source of wonder and, deliR'bt. The wide expanse of wa·
tsr-the upheaving waves-the blue sky reflected in the grea~ .
mirror beneath, where the ever chan,;ng surface brok.e in cease-
Ie.. beauty-the flony monBtars disporting in the briny fluid-tbe
novel characters around her, ,found in -the weather.beaten sea.
maot-the youog' sailor who was making his first- voyaR'e,--.;the
bluff mate, and the tyrannical little captain, as he strode the deck,
monarch of the kingdom, his ship, over which'he reigned with an
iron rule-tbe strange aeunds which constantly fell npon ber ear-
th... all afl'orded her food for pleasurable excitement, when, in.
deed, she was well enough to be on deck; for, althougb she bad
escaped sea..sickness, to a considerable extent, yet she suffered a
llood deal, at time.. frem nausea, which compelled her to lie down
In her berth, for boun.
They had already fl88sed these points so formidable to seamen,
Bermudaand Cape Hatteras, and.were off Bahama, already round.
ing into the Gulf of Mexico, between Cuba and tbe Florida Reeftt,
when, one mornin~, at day..;.break, the· look.. out from the mast-
head cried, "sail-ho!" Instantly tbe cry was responded to on
deck; and the captain, whose morninj( watcb it was, baving sent
for his spy-glass, swept the horizon with it, nntil at last he dis-
.covered tbe two topmast. of a rakish ves..l, peerinlt just above
tbe sea, wbile the hull, as yet, seemed buried beneath its waves.
Wben first seen. the stranller was standing athwart tbe ship, and
crossing her path in the rear; but, as- soon as the latter. wall_ dis·
covered by the former, shecbanged hercourse. and, bracing sharp.
Iy up in the wind, followed diractly in the wa~ of the ship, witb
the manifestiotention of overhauling or nver~kinlr hw. Aa
soon as thilmanCllUn8 was.peroeived.by the oapWa, 'hainltap'"
176 Mysteries of & Convent.
, ordered the flUDS, of which he had ...vera!, to be cleared for ,60-
tion-the l&rgtl bl'&ll8 swivel, which lltood amid.ships, to be loaded
with grape-shot, and thOle at the lid.. with chain-lIioot; the
1W0rda and lIDall arms to be got ready, &I well &I the boarding
pikes, and, in short, all hands to be called, and every preparation
made for defence. While thi. wae being done, Hr. Pzenti..,
who had heard the uproar, came on deck, followed, in a few mo-
menta, by Pietro, who had also been awakened by the unusual
tramping of the men overhead. The former immediately offered
his services to the captain, in any way that he might be ueeru! ;
while the latter, doin~ the same, hastily returned to the cabin, to
acquaint Alice with what was going 00, and to see that her eatety
was provided for, in the event of an action. Having arranged it
10 that ahe could retire into the hold, beneath the water line, the
ship not being fully ladeu, wheuever the presenoe of dan~er sbould
make it necesaary, and having soothed her fears a8 much as ,p?1ISi-
ble, h. belted ullon his body a pair of lar~. pi.tol. with whIch h.
had provided himself before leaving Baltimore, and went upon
the deck.
He found that tbe stranger wae lleiDing rapidly upon them;
for, while the direction hom which the wind blew was unfavonr.
able for tbe rapid pro~ of the ship through the water, it wae
the very one most .uitable to the great..t speed of the clipper
brig which was coming upon them with ,nant strides. Her
masts had flnt been seeo, tbeu her topsails, then her lower Ai s,
tor.-
and then her hull, rising black and threatening, as it were from
the bosom of the ocean-her masta having that peculiar rakish
appearaDCI, for which this clu. of v....I.-tM clippor-bu.ilt brig.
of Baltimore-is so remarkable. Now she was within eiilht or
ten miles, 'I "alkin~ the water. like a thing of life;" while the
ehip seemed to creep at a suail's pace. 00 she came; her sides
briatlin5( with cauDon; 'her deck filled with dark-lookin~ men,
armed to the very teeth, with cutl.:•••• aud pi.tol. stuok in their
belts.
" A pirate I-a pirate!" passed from lip t.9 lip of the stalwart
crew on board the ship; while not a cheek blanched, 1Ior a nerve
quivered, u. Ktanding in squads by their ~UDS, the "men looked
each other in the eye, aud felt that they could kn.t each other,
aod make a ~ood defence. in the hour of need.
" A pirate;" eaid 1,Ir. Prenti.. to Pietro, while the lip of the
latter quivered, aud the moi.ture wae in bis eye, a. he thought·
of Alice. . .
U A pirate!" laid the Captain, in low tones, to the crew, while
his small frame seemed to expand and grow lar,!ler, as, with fire.
lIeebinj( eye and Bu.hed cheek, h. looked proudly upon them, &I
brave defenders of his lZ'allant ship, aud added, II boys-let each
one be true ....teel. Hold your fire nutil I give th. order; and
we will bloW' him out of the water."
U A.ye, that we will, air," replied a ICOre of voices, in ton..
whioh maoifeeted their confidence in their commander and in
each other. ~
.. Up with the enlign," Cried the captain_u let u••ee what oo~
lours he shows."
Up weDt the .tar. and BtriJ'ee, 1I0ating lanllUidly in the breeze,
from the .panker gaff. Th,. was immediately followed by the
Ghibitioll of the AIDe lIag from the etranger.
 Mysteries of a. Convent. 1~7
"What does that mean P" asked the captain, of the mate.
"I do not know, sir, uuless it be to deceive us. We had bettft
keel' a good look out, or we shall have a bow·chaser speaking to
us, In a few minutes:'
II See," said the captain, u there it comes even now."
And, while be spa.ke, there was a cloud of smoke, 8. Bash, a re-
port; and a shot from ODe of the bow guns careered harmless)y
past the ship, and sank hissing into the water just ahead of the
good vessel.
U I do not know what be means!" remarked the captain..? "-un-

less he wish.. us to heave to; and that 1 do not mean to QO, un·
less he comes abreast of us." .
On came the brig-she was DOW within a feW' yards of the ship;
and, sbootin« ahead, wheeled round her bow8, and, brailing up
the lower salls, floated broadside to the ship, distant some one or
two hundred feet.
" What ship is that P" cried the captain of the brig.
"The ship Mercury, of Baltimore-nine days out, bound tor
New Orleans. What brig is thij,t-P"
" The privateer Hero, of Baltimore, cruising on the C088t for
the enemy. Have you seen anything of him P" was the respODse
of the clipper captain.
U Nothing!" answered the commander of the ::Mercury; .....nd, .
with a hearty cheer from his crew, replied to by three times three
from that of the brig, both vessels :filed away, each pursuing her
own track, and were soon out of sight of each other.
The, guns on board the ship were again covered-the arms and
ammunition put away,. while the captain invited his passengers
to breakfast, and, drawing forth a bottle of fine old wine, offered -
as a toast_ U Success to the privateer!" which all drank with en..
thusiasm. .
In due time our travellers amved at New Orleaps, where Mr.
Prentiss procured horses for the three, there being no better
mea;s of conveyance, at that early day; and, in the oourse of a
week, Pietro and his lovely wife were domesticated in the hospit-
able dwelling of their kind host and his most amiable compamon,
who, being apprised, by her husband, of the interesting history
of their I(nests, had given them that hearty welcome for which
the South has always been eo proverbial.
\ Here Alice soon made herself useful and beloved, as well aBre..
markable for her simple and consistent piety as a Protestant
Christian, while Pietro, bending the energies of his powerful in..
tellect to the study of the law, soou mastered its intricacies, and
was admitted to practice as a partner of his patron, Mr. Prentiss.
In the course of ten years, Pietro had become one of the moat
prominent la.wyers in all that region of country, and was elected
to CQD~reS8, where he stood hi~h as an intelli~ent, honest, and
eloquent statesman, and was disting'uised for his high.touedpat..
riotism. He accumulated property, as well as gathered great
honours in the practice of his profession; and, when he died, left
an ample fortune to his two children, the young Pietro aud Alic~
who were worthy scions of a noble stock.
Mr. Prentiss never regretted the trip that he had made to the
North, in pursuit of his ward, Emilie de Vera, nor his interview
with Alice Soule, which had resulted so myl!iteriously in the res--
cne of a most iuteresting conple from the hauds of a crnel and
 Mysteries of a. Convent. '.

'blood·thirsty persecution, whioh wonld have been the sure result,

had this singular interposition of Divine Providence p-ot been
made in their favour-and it was to him a source of high gratiB._
cation to relate the particnlars of their history to his friends,
When8yer occasion eerved, and to leave them recorded among his
papers, as a reminiscence of events which had occurred in his
own history in a diary of his life, which he made for the use of
his ohiJdren.

CHAPTER xxvn.
De Fatbel" Genf>nr. Interview with Mr. Wilmot-An angry disputation
-Crimination and re-crimindion-The arch-plotter YOWS vengeance
&!!,ainst hill tool-Proceeds to put his threat in execution-Interview
with lUr. Ketchum-The Father General's orders to hirn-8collta Beot
in aU directions, in search 01 tbe fugiti. ves-A 11 search in n.i.n-Mr..
Wilowt and his family ntin~r aDd turned out in the Itreete-1'id.inp
ot the lOit tugiti..ea, tram FaUler Beauprea.
WlIleft the Father General seated in the parlour of Mr. Wilmot,
&waitin,'t bis return from 80me business errand in toWD, and wilt
now look in npon the interview which ooonrred between these
. two worthies.
When Mt. Wilmot returned from down town, al he called it,
he found the Father General in no amiable mood; a.nd, no BOoner
had he oponld the door of the room in which the latter was seat.
ed, than the General began a tirade of abUllO, which was of tile
lIeroeot character. He nphraided him, in the coaneat language,
for conniTanee at the escape of the nuo, and told him, to his face,
that he was a liar and a scoundrel. Mr. Wilmot, althongh a
Catholic, and a pliant tool in the hands of the 181nits, having .....
complished for them maoy a dirty pi... of intrigne, was yet a
man of some independence of feeling, &8 well &8 of Tery strong
and irritehle tempor, and conld not wholly repress the risingl of
resentment at the unreasonable conduct of the General, who, .
borne away hy disappointment at the lIi~ht of Pietro and :A.lice,
would listen to no e:rcuse npon the part of Mr. Wilmot, hut
songht to wreak hil veugeance npon the latter. whom he persist-
ed in conlidering as an accomplice. This tbe latter resented, and,
forfl'etting himself, indulged in some imprudent retorts, which
but ioeeused the priest the more; until hoth were e:roited to the
hij!hest pitoh, and lIereely hnrled et esch other epithete which
conld have only come from the lowest aod most dell1'8ded oon.
viets of our prisons and penitentiaries. At leo,:tth, the General,
fall of malice, and convinced in his own mind, that it was wholly
impossible that the e,cape of Alice should have heen withont the
oonoivauce of Mr. Wilmot, oaid to him;
"You shall smart for this, you scoundrel. You have, for pur-
poses of yoor own, and disregardfnl of the interests of the church.
dared to brave m1. anger, and aid this ~&l in her escape, or at
least oonnived at It, to the great detrimeot of those intaroats-'tis
well; yon shall feel the weight of my aoger before forty.ei~ht
honrs bave rolled over your head. Mark well what I Bay. Wil.
liam Wilmot, your doom is sealed !"
So oaying, the General left the parlour, slamming to the door
with violence behind him, and, with his conntenance lIushed with
anger, went forth into tbe strest. and songbt, with horrisd steps,
IUs own dwelling.
 Mysteries of a. Convent. 179
Having arrived at home, and ascended to his cahinet, he drew
from the iron safe a large red pocket-hook, and opening it, took
out & small packet of notes of hand for various amounts, ADd
from these, three, to which was affixed the name of William Wile
mot., all of them dated sowe time back, dne one day after dale,
and amouDtiD~ tostether to aU: thousand &even hundred and flfty.
two dollars, with interest from their date; and. hastily penning a
note, rang the bell to 8ummon a servant. Ou the appearance of
the latter, he bauded him the note, and bade him take it to.Mr.
Ketchum, the lawyer, and bring back an immediate aU8wer. .
In about tweut,f minutes, the servant returned, and iuformed
his master that Mr. Ketchum awaited his pleasure~ in the draw..
ing·room below.
"Show him up," was the response of the Father General, who
was deeply enRa~ed in the exarqination of some papers whioh
were Iyinl{ npon the table before him.
Mr. Ketchum, meanwhile, was iutroduced into· the cabinet.
within whose walls he waa, by the way, quite intimate, having
frequently visited them before; and heinl{ seated, the General pro-
ceeded to tell him, as mnch as he deemed necesaary of the arrival
and snbsequent flight of the nun, requesting Mr. Ketohnm to
take immediate 8tepa for the quiet search, throug-hout the city,
for the fugitive8; telling him that he would give him one thou-
sand dollars, if successful, and pay all the expenses incurred.
Tht lawyer, having received from the General a written de8CJ'ip-
tion of the personal appearance of the fnl{iti• .., was ahont to re-
tire, for the purpose of instituting search after them, w hen the
Father detained him, for a moment., to say that he wished him to
take the three notes which he handed to him, preSent them for
immediate payment, and if not paid at sight, to bring suit upon
them, and get the money immedIately.
The lawyer, who was a nominal member of the Baptist cburch,
but really a Jesuit in disguise, bowed low, and, promIsing to com-
ply with tbe iostructions of the General, and to lose no time.
withdrew to carry them into effect. In the conrse nf two hon....
1I0t leu than thirty men were exploring tbe city, in every djrec..
tiou, in pursuit of the runaways. and inquiring at every probable
or possible l!tOurce for iuformation, but in vaiu; while 80 quietly
wu this investigation ma.de. and ao systemized, as to the distriot
or qnarter of the city in which each of the agente pnshed his in.
quirieo, that not one of th... thirty Illtenls knew anything of the
rest, or that there were others beaid.. himaelf engaged in the
pursnit.
Meanwhile, an officer appeared at the store of Mr. Wilmot, and,
ta.king him to ODe side, presented the three Dotes for payment,
iuformjn~ him that, if tb"l were not paid iustantly, suit wonld
he bronght npon them, an the money made, withont regard to
the consequences.
Mr. Wilmot tnrned deadly pale, and told the officer that he
could not possibl' at 80 short notice, raise such an amount; but
that, if be coul have four or five"days in which to do it., he
thouj{ht he might possibly save himself from ruin, by procuring
assistance from some of his frieudse The officer informed him
that his orders were peremptory, and on hi. being told that Mr.
Wilmot had not the money, and conld 1l0t pay the note., he
served a writ upon him, and took the 18~al steps necessary to Ie-
cure the pro~ty in the eatablisbmenUrom being made away with.
180 1l{ysteries qf a ConTent.
In ten days from that time, the store of Mr. Wilmot, with all
ita oolltents and the furniture of his dwelling, were 80Id nnder
execution, and himself and family turned into the streets, heg-
gared. The Father General was avenlled.
No efforts, however, that he conld put forth, by means of
ageuts, by writing letters abroad, or otherwise, could procnre any
tidiDJ!;S of the fugitives, until at length a letter came from the
Father Beaapre!, at BAton Rouge, informing him of the arrival, at:
that place, of Mr. Prencias, together with a yonng man and his
wife, both of foreign features, who were ProteBtauta, however,
and inmates of his family, but about whom he could learn DO-
thio~. From the description given of their penon., nevertheless,
the Father General became convinced that they were the fugi.
tiv.., and immediately wrote to his correspondent at BAton Rouge,
statiu~ bis conviction 00 the 8ubjec~, aDd requirioK the priest
there to give him coDstant information of their movements, and
to learn all he could about them. Snch, however, was the high
respectability of their protectorb&ud his and their own vigilanoe,
as they knew that they would e watched, and their lives be In
jeopardy, that neither the General nor his suhordinate ever dared
to do anght against then!; or to their Injury.

CHAPl'ER XXYllL
Growing abue o(po"er by the Mother Superior-The Father General f'&oo
801"es to remove ber by & violent death-The Mother Superior det.-. .
mines on a similar fate for hiw-Double-dea1ing or Sister Martina-
By her exaggerated reports of the Father General" intrigues wit.h tbe
nuns, tbe Mother Superior ....rought up to a state of frtmzy-Fiendhh
exultation oC M&Itiu at the success ot her SCheme-The iustrumenta
ot death-80llloqUl and prayer of, the Mother Superior-eha.nge 111.
her deportment.
M1u.NwH:ILE, the Mother France. was becomiog more and more
Involved In difficnlty as. regarded the administration of rule III
the Convent of Annunciation. The nUDS were tarbulent and re-
hellions. The Father General received, from his private agents
In the establishment, acconnte of the tyranny and oppression of
the Mother Superior; but, as yet, Ilothlng had been done hy her,
which woold alford him the opportunity for which he had 80 long
waited-nothing that wonld justify her removal or dellradation.
_ At length, wearied out, and hi. patience exhausted, for he was
frequontly called upon to viait the convent, and to interpose his
anthority for the adjustment of the difficulties which daily arose
hetween the ruler and the ruled, he at last determined to take
the matter into his own hands, and to adopt a course which
would accomplish the desired eDd, without leaviuR any possibil.
ity of dis~reeable consequences to himself.' In short, he ,deter-
mined to hasten the departure of the good :Mother from the s",ne
of her tribulation and trial, and to place her in a situation to be
canonized as a oint; rightly helieving that the nnns of the Con-
'9'eut of the Annunciation would mucb. rather worship her aa a
wnt, enrolled among the departed worthies whose names are 10
numerous among the devotees of the Catholic church, than obey
her &8 a tyrant ou earth; and that once out ot the wa.y, no par-
ticular inquiry would be made by the inmates of the eOllven~ &8
to the mode of her death; while her friends and admirars ahroad
ooold he pul off with any plall&ible tal.. lI&vIng arrived at tWa
 Mysteries of a Convent. 181
amiable conclusion, the General only awaited a fitting opportu-
nity; and for this he did not wait very long.
The Mother Superior, on her part, however, had strangely
enough arrived at a determination, not les8 full of good intention
and of -canonization for the Father General, than his for her. She
bad become apprized, indue time, Dot only of what ha.d taken
place between the General and the deceased Sister Theresa; but
throug-h Sister Martina, whom the former bad unwittingly of..
fended, and who, at once, to avenge herself upon the General,
and to mOl,tify and annoy the Mother Superior, concealed Dothing
of what sbe knew to have transpired, for years past, in the his.
tory of his conn-ection with the nuns of the convent, the Superior
·had learned all about his intrigues and coquettings with the fair
sisterhood. Nor had the statement made to her been one of plain)
unvarnished facts. but had been ,greatly exaggerated.
Sister Martina told her that the Father General never visited
the convent, without spending a portion of his time in the room·
of this or of that nun; that he sometimes met them in the garden,
and sometimes received visits from them in his own room; that
she had more than once gone to the door of the latter, when she
knew that he bad a nun with bim, and, putting her ear to the
key-hole, had listened to their whispering converJation, aud had
overbeard remarks made about her, that were of the most offen-
sive character. Indeed, the Sister Martina, in these conversa-
tions with the Mother Superior, spared not her ima~inatiou, but
delighted to draw largelrupon it, while she rejoiced in her very
heart at the writhiugs of her listener, as the poison of jealousy
and batred diffnsed itself through her dark and malillnant son!.
With all the self.Jlossession of the Mother Superior, the working.
of her mind would betray themselves-would speak out from her
countenance, as the blood boiled in her veins, and thoughts and
purposes of veng:eauce sprang up, clamorous for execution.
Sister Martina had, by her address. wormed hQrself into the
ocmfidence of the Father General, and had made herself necessary
to his purposes. She wa.s, in fact, at that very time,carrying on
for him an intrigue with a young and handsome nun in the con-
vent, who had but recently taken the vows of the order, and who
was one of the converts from Protestantism, made out of the fa..
mily of boarding pupils. This intrigue sbe did not hesitate to
communicate ~o the Mother Superior-and to apprise her that,
. on tbut clay week, Sister Paulina had consented to see the Father
Genera.!, in the garden of the convent, in a pretty little summer-
house that had been erected about a year before, and was now
covered thickly with clematis and other llrettv vines in full bloom;
the hour of their meeting to be midnig-ht. Thanking her for the
infn·mfltioll, the Mother Superior kissed the Sister Martina, with
/Zreat al~]JareJlt affection, undo bidding' her be discreet. afid say no-
thing' to the General about the conversation that had taken place
between them, dismissed her, for the present, saying that she
woult! resume it at another time.
Sister Martina turned away with an expression of hj~h satis-
faction upon her wrinkled and ugly features; while her deform._
9d person receded from the presence of her Superior, with the
stealthy tread and almost tortnons windin~s of a serpent; and,
when she bad reaChed her room, she exclaimed with a !anKh,
which was like that of a dend who haa acoomplisbed lOme infer-
nal pnrpose.
 ,182 Mysteries of a Con'Vent,.
" Ha! ba I how the poison works I How ahe writhed in my
hands, 80S· I let loose the 8OOrpioDS of jealousy and rage in her
lOul! How pale sho became, and· then boW' flu-shed! HB.! ha t
It does me !rood to aee her thus tortured. I know how to play
with ber feelioR8, aDd my reve01t8 for all the insults and injuries
-she hR.s heaped upon me, shall be to take her in my hand as I
would a poor earthaworw, and my soul shall sate itself with ven-
geance, as I see hers writhing in &'tony before me. Thus, too,
will I have satisfactivD for the iU8ult offered to me by the Father
General. He called me the dwarfish virgio, did be, wheu talk: ..
ing with Sister Paulina, and laughed at the idea of my Devel
having had C an offer of matrimony r 'Tis well, I will J(oad this
Mother Superior until, driven to desperation, sbe shaH commit
sOme deed of violeDce j and then willi be revenged 00 both."
The Mother Superior bad retired to her oratory, and ther~ wa.
engaged in walkiuK up and down the small room; her counten.
anCe now deadly pale, as though sbe were suffering mortal agonYI
and now 8uffll8ed with crimson, as thonRh the feverish blOOd
would burst the veiDs, and leap forth impatient of restraint. Vio...
lently a~ita.ted, she gesticulated angrily, while sbe at times mut...
tered to heraelf words of an!rry resolution and of dark and bloody
purpose. At len~tb. she paused for a few moments, aDd, with
her fore.fin~er and thumb supporting her chin as it relted upon
them, her arms folded upon her bosom, she stood sternly tlliok...
in~; then, approacbiDg the escritoire, sbe unlocked it, and draw
forth a short dagger, enclosed in a silvet sheath, and, takiu~ it
from the scabbard, felt its point, with ~reat care, S8 if she would
aasure herself of its sharpness and readme88 for uS6. Apparently.
satisfied, she replaced it, and then, approachin~ & small table OD
one side of the room, upon wbich stood a beautiful work-box, in...
laid with mo,her of rearl-the !!:ift of the Father General in other
daya-she unlocked It, and drew forth a small, white {)aper, neat-
ly folded, which, on bein~ opened, was found to conum a whiti.h
powder. This she looked at, for a moment, with a miugled ex..
pression of joy and sadness, and, putting it back iuto ita recepta..
ole. resumed her walk, from time to time, audibly expresaing her...
..If thus:
" 'Tis a life of toil, and care, and anxiety, 8t beat: why shonld
I wish to live P .
,. He, whom alone I have loved in all the world, has ceaaed lonl{
aince to care for me-has long deceived me-and now, love.
another-he must atone for bis infidelity to me..
Ie His vile paramour sball perish in hiB arms.
U I will be avell~ed!" .
Thus, communinll with her own tbouf{btB. ahe spent an hour or
more, and then. throwing herself upon ~er knees before the cru.
cifix, beut her head iu prayer to the Virgin, while she irnlJlored
U the Mother of Gud" to sid her in the purposes which tthe had
formed. Thus do the self.deluded devotees to a soul.destroying
superstition, insult high Heaven, by imploring their objects of
worship to essist them in the accomplishmeut of the most diaho.
mal of crimes.
Havin!r completed her orisons, she aro.., calm and tranquil, and
..ent forth from the oratory, with firm determinstion written up-
on her hrow, and with a placidn... of manner ..hioh did not fAil
to attract the attention of the inmates of the family, and waa ...
 , -
Mysteries of lL Convent.
"erled to by more than ono of thom after tho occurrence of o"onA
which transpired ..ithin the n""t ton days, and ..hOOB recital will
183

occupy the eD8uin~ chapter. Indeed, more thaD once, during thia
intenal, the attention of tbe nunl was attracted to the ver, pecu.
liar deportment of the Mother Superior, who seemed, at times, to
be Jlreatly abstractod in thought, yet to have suddouly gro..n
kinder in the treatment of those around her, aud voluntarily to
to commend herself to their regard, by the reformatiou of some
abuses, and tho institntion of somo regnlatioDl ..hich oondnc04
to their ocmfort

CHAPTER XXIX.
The Father Geueral's visit to the convent-H:8 courteous and aflable. J'6o
cep&ion-The Mother Superior 6uddenly ehan~e8 her demeanour, and
accuses him of inconstancy-He solemnly dentes the accusation-She
reiterates the char~e, and requests him to sweaT, by the virgin, that1t
is false ere sbe "ill belie\'e him-She stabs him, ...hile taking the oath
-Paullo&, another victim to her guilty passion, stabbed. by the Mo.
tbcr Superior, in the arbour-Destroys berself by poison. >

SOKR eil(ht days after the timo of the last coo?eroation ..hich 0 ••
curred between the Mother Superior and Sister MaTtina, aarelat....
ed in tho proeediog chapter, the FaLher General paid .. visit to tho
Convent of the Annunciation.
He was receh"ed, by the Superior, with an unusual degree 01'
kinduess and affability; an unusual mauifesh.tiou of lll'atificat
tlon at his arrival. which did Dot fail to attract his notice; and
when, on inquiry of several of the Duns. in private, they inform-
ed him that, for a week past. a remarkable change seemed to have
come over the spirit of their ruler; that, in short, sb~ had spoken'
to them in tones of kiodJiuess-had made leveral important
ch8n~e8 in the establishment, of her own accord; and had, dur_
inK that time, been very much reserved, it is true, and ha.d worn
a very pensive countenance, yet had given no fresh occasion for
complaint-tbe General was surprised. yet pleased, and began to
imBl(ino that, at length, without noy offort on his part, tho Mo-
ther Superior had determined to chaol(o her policy; whilo ho
..... not a little gratifiod to think that he wonld not be compel-
lod, after oil, to resort to a modo of redre....hich was really re-
pUFtUaot, even to his feeliD~.,.un8Crupulou8ae he was in regard
to the adoption pI means for the accomplishment of hi, end-d·
ever acting upon the. prime motto of the order, that U the en
lanctifies tbe meaDS." .
He was introduced into the parlour of the convent. 'Where th.
nuus and boRrdiu5(' pupils were assembled to R'reet him. The
Mother Superior exerted he18elf to entertain him: ber noble COD-
'Yersational POWPlS appeariug to be tazed to thpir utmost, to make
the visit a moat a~reeable one. The tea. table was supplied with
several unwonted delicacies, which were freely shared iu by all
present. Happinf'ss and contentmeut sat, for the time." on all
fl)ces. while nOlle seemen to enjoy the OCCAsion more thaD the Su-
perior. The Father General was surpri8ed, yet deceived-and
aougbt in vain to read tbe oouDtenauee of the Superior. She met
hi. oye without quailing, and appeared to look npon him with
ull~aual affection. Whatever were her real feelings, they were
00 ocmpleteiy diognieed ... to be boyond the ..och of detection.
No o..e for .. momen~ dreamed of the poooible oocnrrenet of &Dro •
184 Mysteries of a Convent.
thing, in the course of a few hours, which would fill every mind
with horror, and cause even the dark.hearted Martina to tremble
with affright. It was a scene of masterly acting on the part of
the Superior; only finding its couuterpart in that whicli took
place in her private parlour aud in ber oratory; within the two
or three·bours immediately succeeding the pleasant interview of
the members of this numerous family around the tea-table-or in
those in which, at different periods in the history of the Jesuits-
their brightest geniuses have exhibited the most perfect control
over every thought and feeling, as well as over every physical or-
¥aD which could outwardly convey an idea of what was passing
JDternsUy, and in which the mantle of fairest hypocrisy has been
thrown over the darkest and most damnable iuteuts and purposes.
Rising from.the tea..table, the Mother Superior,_with her most
graceful and winning manner, invited the Father General to the
private parlour, for conference, as she.said, upon the affairs of
the couvent, and, preceding him, led the way to that room which
had witnessed 80 many curious interviews between these two ra..
markable characters.
Having entered this retired apartment, where no prying eye
could reach them, the Superior, having fastened the dOOf, as she
usually did when she had any very important communication to
make, most courteously invited the General to be seated, and,
placing herself by his side upon the sofa, took his hand in hers,
and, in tones of the softest note, reoalled images of the past,
scenes which had long gone by, and, while the tear stood ill her
eye, lingered upon reminiscences of endearment and of fondness
which were common to them both, and which, while they cast a
sadness upon her features, touched his heart, and melted it into
an unwonted mood, covered over as it was with the crust of se1..
fishness, and indurated by the feelings and dark purposes which
had 80 long dwelt there. He joined freely in the conversation,
and seemed to take pleasure .in gratifying the state of mind into
which the Snperior had fallen.
Thus passed away an hour, when the Superior arose, and, push.
ing aside the sliding panel which separated the private parlour in
whioh they were seated, from the bed.chamber, invited the Gen.
eral to visit her oratory, where she had, she said, something to
show him. Passing through the chamber, they soon stood in the
room beyond, where, opening a small cabinet, she showed him tho
varioos.presents which she had received from him, from time to
time, arranged together upon the shelves. Here was the pretty
work·box inlaid with mother of pea£1 ; a richly bound breviary,
with golden clasps; a beautiful crucifix in ivory; a variety of or-
naments in gold, gemmed with z:ich jewels; several volumes in
elegant bindmgs; aud many articles of price and vertu; all of
which she seemed to have treasured up with great care, and to
have preselved as token~ of affection. Puttiug her arm around
him, and reclining her head upon his shoulder, while she pointed
to these gifts thus arranged in their beautiful receptacle, she said
to him, in accents which fell upon his ear with peculiar signifi-
cance, and which caused h~m to tremhJe, hekne\v not why, yet so
as to he evident both to her and to himself,-
" Fl:ancois, once you loved me; but DOW you love me not. The
evidences of Tonr former dection I have !lathered together here,
and have debghted to look upon them. It is pleasant to do 80
 Mysteries of a Convent. 185
.•till, although that &ffectiou io now transferred to another, aud
hal been shared with others, while I foudly thought it was all
my own."
"You wrong me, Louise, indeed you do," replied the General.
"Nay, Francois, do not attempt any longer to deceive me, nor
yourself. You love me no~. Another, now in this building, has
your dectione-you know it-God knows it!'
" 'Tis f-alse as midnight is remote from noon..day!" cried the
.Jesuit.
" And yet at midnight-but two hours hence-you are to meet
Paulina. in the arbour in the garden. Is it not 80 pI'
" It is not 80," replied the General. "Paulina! Paulina I" he
added. lIuddeuly assuming' a thoughtful attitude, a8 if endeavour-
ing to call some one to his mind whom he had forgotten-"Pau.
lina-I know no one of that name-who is she prJ
"The young nun who but recently took the veil."
"Ah! I recollect her now," responded the General-" I recol-
lect her now, but have uever seen her since the day upon which,
in, the chapel, she assumed the religious habit. Who can have
told you that I was to meet her in the garden to. night p"
"No matter who told me," said the Mother Superior, "if it be
not so. You know how I loved you-with what rare affection.
It is no wonder that I should be jealous, when I am cOllscious
that I grow old, and that my attractions are uot what they ouco
were. But no matter-if you are sinoere in what you have just
said-if you really are not pledged to meet Paulina in the arbour
to~night, at midnight, place your hand upon that crucifix, and
swear, by the Virgiu, that it is not 80; and I will believe you, and
love you with all my heart's deepest love." .
Without a moment's hesitation, the Jesuit approached the cru-
cifix, and, standing with his back towards the Mother Superior,
laced bis baud upon the symbol of his faith, and made the so-
r.
emn declaration of his undivided ,attachment to, and afiection
for, ber.
Muanwhile, as he had advanced to the c,rucifix, and while hi.
hand was placed upon it, tbe Superior had drawn forth, from her
bosom, tb~ dagger whose point she had examiued with such care
a few days before, and. stepping up quietly behind him, just as
he prOllOuuced the words-
,. I callnpon thee, most Holy Mother of God, to witness that I
love Louise, and Louise on earth-"
She plung-ed the dagger to bis heart, crying, as she did so-
H Perjm'ed wretch! die, and flO to perdition, "'ith the damning
falsehood yet trembliug' upon thy lip. Go, reap the abundant
harvest of your falsehood and treachery, in the regious of eternal
iufamy and woe!"
With a cry of mortal ag-ony, the Father General fell to the
floor, suddenly turtling balf round, as the weapon penetrated his
vitalS, so as to 'fall not upon his face, but upon his side; ann the
blow, having been but too fatally aimed at bisheart, a convulsive
tbroe or two ensued, and Louise stood alone, there in her oratory,
with the dead hody of Francois J nbert lying at tho foot of the
crucifix, upon which he had but the momeut before perjurod
him..lf.
Low.., the Mother Superior, drew from her pocket a handker-
chief, with which she carefully wiped the hlade of the dagger;
186 Mysteries of a Convent.
,and then, replacing the latter in its sheath, and throwing the hand.
kerchief upon the floor, abe stood for a few moments with her
armsfolded,lookin"down upon thedead body,and thus exclaimed-
U If there be an hereafter, Francois J ub~rtJ you arB now in per_
dition, and I am aV811gedfor the wrongs you have done me. Two
hOUfS more, and she, whom you would have ruined, this ni~ht,
aa you have ruined me, will be in eternity too! I, too, shall quiet-
ly follow.- The mornings sun will aris8 to see us pale and ghast.-
ly, and to tell to the world the story of woman's lave, of woman's
revenge 1 Francois, I.will 800n be with you."
So aayioR, she turned away, locking the door of the oratory be....
hind her, 8S she entered the bed-chamber, and throwin~ herself
upou the bed, remained quietly there until the convent clock told
the hour of midnight.
Arising from her couch, she threw a cloak around her, and,
drawing the hood bver her head, passed through the private par-
lour, carefully locking the door, and groping her way along the
corriaor, and down the ~at stairway until reaching the back
door, she went ont into the dark night, and stealthily advanced
to the garden. Here she found the gate closad; and, rig-htly su~
posing that no one as yet had passed before her, she entered, and
hastened to the arbour. Here, listening for a moment to ascertain
if anyone were there, she entered, and, taking her seat, awaited
the coming of the Sister Paulina.
The arbour was constructed of lattice work, with large intervals,
but was so thickly overgrown with clematis and other running
vines, as that whatever little li~ht was emitted fro~ the stars was
entirely excluded, and all was darkness within. Yet, as the·en-
trances were at either end, oue seated within could very distinctly
recognize the perSall of him or her who should seek to enter.
The Snperior had not been long seated before a light step wu
heard advancing towards the arbour; and presently she distin-
guished the figure of the Sister Paulina peering into the dark-
ness, as if endeavouring- to ascertain if auy one were there..
U I will seat myself ~r a while," she said, "until he comel. He
will be here presently. '
So saying, she entered, and seated herself directly opposite to
the Superior, who, having previously drawn forth the same dag-
ger which she had used, a short time before, for the destruction
of the Father General, suddenly sprang forward, and, seizing the
trembling girl, before she had time to scream or to make the least
resistance, plunged the weapon into her bosom, exolaiming, as she
did so-
"Die, base wanton; I am the Mother Superior."
The poor girl was not instantly killed; and the Superior, find-
ing this to be the case, ~ve her two successive stabs with the
sharp instrumeut, before sigos of life ceased tx> be exhibited; then,
throwin~ dowu the weapou, by the side of the dead body, she left
the arbour, and, regaining the building, went up stairs to her oham-
ber; leaving the door, leading, directly into it, uulocked. Going
to a table upon which stood a deC'.auter of water and a goblet, she
took from her bosom the folded paper, which she had looked at
in her oratory, & few daya before; and pouring ita contents into
the water, she drank the poisoned liquid, without pausing or h..
sitation. Then, lying down upon her couch, she compoaed her
limbs decently, and loon feU into a lethargy, from the elIecbof
 Mysteries of a Convent. 187
tbe poilOnoll8 drug ohe bad owallowed. Anon tbe potion begun
to work ita deadly office i and, ere the li~bt of morning dawned
on the convent, the Mother Superior, burdened with all her crimea,
was 8ummolled iuto the presence of her Maker.
Thus perished, by her own hand, this extraordinary woman,
who, had she been early trained up in the principles of a pure aDd
holy religi.ouB life, mig-bt have become an ornameut to her IeL
Deprived, in euly life, of the care aod attention of her mother,
and subjected to the stern aud almost unparental temper and di••
position of her father, she, no doubt, early imbibed Home of thoBe
lDcipient traits of character which 80 awfully marked her future
Ruilty career. And then, another important adjunct in smother..
ing her better feeliD~8 was, the circuwstauce of her beioR sub·
jected, in ~be da.ys of her youth, to be a sufferer from the direful
events which overspread her unhappy country, during the reign
of terror that marked the French revolution. But the great
BOUrce from whence sprong the turbid streams which bhu:k·ened
and defiled ber future life, was unquestionably to be traced to the
BOtu.. destroying do~ma8 and vile superstition which so peculiarly
characterize the Romish system. She was undoubtedly a woman
of strong pa.ssions; and, for the accomplishment of her purpoaes,
and tbo attaiDment of any object obe bad beut ber mind UpoD,
no obstacle appeared too difficult for ber to ounooDnt, nor any
crime too heinous for her to perpetrate. 80 that, by 80 doioJr, she
might be enabled to gratify ber pride, her lust, and her ambition.
To rule and domineer over. others was her darlioJ:t object; and
woe be to that daring individual who called in questioo, or en.
deavoured to tbwart, ber autbority I No oubtlety or cUDDing.
could circumvent her vigilance. Sbe was a thorough Jeauit; and
duplicity and subterfuge were a.llies which sbe had ever ready at
command, to assist her in any nefarious project on whlch her
lDind was bent. III short, she was a fit instrument to carry out
the great object which Popery haa ever aimed to accomplish,
namely, to increase the number of ita deluded victims, however
base and disbouourable the means employed to accomplish that
object, and to deotroy beretico, and every otber obotaclo tbat op.
poSed the oucc... of tbis unboly deoign.

CHAPl'ER xxx.
Alarm and consternation in the convent-Discovery ot the dead bodJea-
Tue bodies at the Mother Superior and Sister Paulina lilid in the Aln.
grave-AU etror s to elucida.te the mystery in vain-The omees or Fa-
ther GeneI'Kl and Mother Superior tillr:d up-Partial re\"elaLiona and
suspicions of the dying SiSler Martma-Cloliling rewarb.
GRUT was the consternation, the llext morniult. in the c.11lT8nt,
when, after matins, from wMcll the tluns missetl both the F,.th8l'
General and the Mother Superior. 8S well as tile Sister P.Y.ulina-
a aervaut weut to the room of the SU~ll~rior, and fouud her, dter
ineffectually knocking' at the door, stretched lifeless upon her bed i
her very bD.ud.some features weari1lg a very slight indication of a.
momentory pang of pain.
Tbe oe..au t w.o borror.otrnck at wbat obe bebeld, aDd lOon
raioed the alarm, by ber erieo, wben tbe room waoquickly tbroDg.·
ed by the aotoniobed and terror·otricken nnno, wbo, gazing at
tbe onrpoe, and thaD in ODe anotber's faceo, seemed to allk of eaoll
188
, Mysteries of a. Convent.
other the questiou-I< Who haa doue this P' No answer how-
ever, was returned: and all was enveloped in mystery, perpluity,
&lid fear. .
As soon as the excitemeut respecting the deceased Mother Su-
perior was somewhat abated, the attention of the Duna was di..
wcted to the mi88iD~ Father General. Search was made fur him,
tboughout.the couvent, iu every room to which they could gaiu
access, but be was nowhere to be found; aud they gave over
their eudeavoura to find him, uuder the impresaioll that he h&d
left the convaut.
The anxiety of the nUDS, all account of the non-appearance of
the Sister Pa.uJina amongst them, was not so great; as they ima-
gined she mil'{bt be aetained in her cell, through indiapoeition.
Great, however, was the consternation and dismay of the whole
sisterhood, when, an hour or two after finding the body of the
Mother Superior, two or three of the DUDS, who were walking in
the gardeD, eutered the arbour, and there fODnd the dead body of
Sister Paulin&, stabbed in three places, aud sarronDded by a pool
of blood. ·Tbey were almost petrifled with astonishment and
dread, and looked arouD~ expecting that lOme assassin was lurk-
ing near, and that they might probably be the next victims. Re-
covering, however, from their stupor, they summoned aaaistanoe,
and had the hody couveyed iuto tbe house.
At length, on the siternoou of the second day, siter they had
ititerred the Mother Superior and the Sister Pauliua, and thai:
moat strangel! too, in the very same grave, it occurred to 80me of
tbe uuns tbat they had uot looked i~to the ol~ry.. This they
found locked; but, au breakin~ into the room, how they were.
shocked to discover the lifeless form of the Fatber General upon
ibe :fioor, lying at tue foot of the bea.utiful crucifix. Everytbing
in this room, as in the bed.chamber aud in the private pulour,
wore an air of hlteuse repose. Thel'e were no signs of violence,
or of mortal struggle between contelJding parties. Who oould
have perpetrated tbe dark deeds which met the gaze of the nuns,
and of the pri~e:~s who had been summoued to tueir aid, iu the
oratory, the bed-cbamber, and the al·bour in the gardeu P
It was a mystery which Done could unravel. And t takio~ into
consideration the high position of at least two of the pal'ties-
the bead of the order of Jesuits iu the UDited States-the Supe-
rior of the Convent ·of AnuuDciatiou-ther~ was a. daring attach.
ed to tbe perpetrator of the deed, which showed that the assassiu
Wa.8 of no common order.
Every nUll, every inmate of the family, was (jarefully and mo.
rigidly scl"utiuized, questioned, and croas-questioned, but all in
vain: nobody knew a.ught about it, save those who had been ao-
ton in that drea.dfuHy tragedy, aud they were past beiug ques-
tioned. Sadness and gloom fell upon the inhabitants of th'e COD-
"eut. The suite of rooms, hitherto appropriated to the Mother
Superior, were carefully locked up-everythiog rewaiuiug juat aI
ahe lett it, and cautioued so for years.
The place vacated by the death of the Father General was duly
filled-that 01 the Mother Superior was also supplied- the de..,1
had been buried and well-nigh forgotten, when, at leDgth, tho
Sister Martina came to lie upon her death.bed; aud, couseience
prompting her, she sent for the then Superior of the convent, and
related to her the eveuts, in the life of her predecessor, with which
 Mysteries of a Convent. 189
the dying nnn stood in anywise connected; the conv.rsation.
which had tak.n plac. h.tw••n the Moth.r Francss and h....I1; -
h.r j.alousy and writhings nnd.r the f••ling. which the conduct
of the Father General had awakened in her bosom; and the BUll..
picio1l8 that were aroused in the mind of Sister Martina, on the
discov.ry of the dead hodi.s. that the Mother Frauc•• hers.lf was
the murderer of the General,of the nUll, and then had taken poi-
eon to d.stroy her own life. .
There seemed, to the Mother Superior, to whom this relation
was made, but too much ground to believe that it was 80S the dy-
ing DUll suspected; but, beyond these suspicions, there was but
little positive evidence of any kind.
The threats uttered against Julia Moreton, as recorded in ano-
ther portion of this work, and their fulfilment, will, together with
the events trauspiring in the life of Pietro di Lodetti and his wife,
subsequent to their settlement in Louisiana, afford material for a
continuation of the story, should the reception of that which is
DOW given to the public, be such as to induce the writer to ven-
ture upon a second application of his pen to a sort of composition
to which it has been hitherto a stra.;nger. He does not pretend
to say that any of the personages of this drama are real, nor any
of the events which he has recorded are true; but be does believe
that events, not wholly dissimilar, have occurred, and may occur
again. He does believe that the true spirit of Jesuitism baa been
portrayed; and that dark, and forbidding, and abhorrent, as may
b. the picture, it but too faithfully d.picts the priuciple. and
practices of an order which requires vows of poverty, chastity,
and obedience, only in order to wealth, to impunity, and to sen...
sual indulgence-to the subversion of civil, religious, and iutel._
lectualliberty, and to the substitution o.f an iron oppression and
a bloody superstition. He has, in short, written his story in 801
strong terms as he was capable of, in order to symbolize that
which cannot be too darkly or too strongly coloured, and in re·
f.renc. to which, aft.r all that h•• or can he imagined of it, it
may .till b. affirmed that truth. i6 stranger than fiction.

CONCLUSION.
Summary-Lessona to be gained from a right use of the narratiTe-The
duty of parents-CantioDs to young persons-Connection between Po-
pery and infidelity-Sure downfall ot' error and superstition-Earnest
entreaty to embrace the truth.
IN reviewing the foregoing narrative, the reader may perceive
Bome very important lessons. The first is, that, when we sustain
the'responsibleoffice of parents, we should be very oareful in the
training and culture of the minds of the children committed to
our oare. The second,- that the impressions we imbibe in thedaf8
of our childhood and youth, have much to do with our career m
aft.r·lif.. Th. third. that w. should h. v.rt cautious how w.
give ear to those who are ever ready to iustil lUto our minds er·
roneous and pernicious principles and tenets, which, if fostered -
and cherished, may, eveutually, peril the safet.y of our never.dy-
ing BOuis. There are other important lessons to. be gdoined by
the careful perusal and diligent study of this nanati ve; but
th•••• for th. pre.out, shall su.l1icll for the purlloS. ot a short
commonto
190 Mysteries of a. Convent.
. There are few parent. but wi.h the temporal and eternal wel-
fare of their off.priog ; and yet, how often i. it the case that, from
a mistaken policy or want of proper judgment, the course they
take for th. attainmeot of th. object th.y hav. at heart, i. th.
ODe diametrically opptlsed to the accomplishment of their wishes.
This has been exemplified in several iostances in the course of this
narrative. Parents, who had a cODscientious dread of the evils
of PoperYt-yet, without seriously reflecting on the step they were
takiof!', have placed their children in the very vortex of the evils
they most dreaded. Beware, then, I say again, parents, how you
act in regard to the training and culture of those who are dear
to you.
Bot what .hall I .ay to tho.e who are in tho morniug of life P
-~hose prospects are bright and ~Iowing with fancied happiness
in store for their future years? You have not yet begun to ex..
perience the realities of life; -but, be assured, those realities will
be dark and troublesome, or bright and cheering, according as
you commence your career in life's journey. You are surround..
ed by temptations; and one false step may be productive of in-
calculable misery in this world, and-everlasting woe in another.
Store) then, your youthful minds with the truths of God's word;
the.. will guide and direct you in the devious path which you
may have to tread; and will prevent you from listening, with a
willing ear, to the wily sophi.try of tho•• who would endeavour
to lead you a.tray from the path of rectitude and truth, into the
w~y that ends in destruction, misery, and eternal death.
The present age is peculiarly remarkable for the snenuous
exertions which the enemies of the pure and unadulterated reli..
gion of Jesus Christ are making to bring discreditnpon its divine'
doctrine. and prec.pt.. Infidelity (and I consid.r the Romish
luperstitions as nearly assimilated to infidelity as any false sys..
tom oan be) i. openly and unblu.hingly advooat.d in the ear. of
congregated thousands of our fellow. creatures. There are Ie-
.uitl,-not belongiol( to tho Romish .y.tem only,-going about
the leugth and breadth of ollr laod, .trivinl( to propagate their
lOul.destroying principles, and imbue the minds of the ignorant
and unwary with error, superstition, and unbelief. But what
avail P All their puny effort. will b. abortiv., and will recoil
upon their own heads..
Who, that have read the foregoinl( pal(••, but mu.t .hudder at
the harrowing scenes and the dreadful acts therein portrayed P-
A.nd these are the COD sequences of the blind implicit faith in a
.y.tem repugnant to the genius of Chri.tianity. Roman Cath~
licism, as it is believed and practised in most of the monasteriel
and convents, is a system that is fraught with the grossest de1u-
lions, and preg'Dant with the most calamitous resnltsto those who
believe in its fallaciou8 doctrine!,. Many who have held hi!!h
places in the Catholic church, in past ages, have been tained with
the blackest crimes; a.nd, even in the present day, there are di$t-
nitaries in that church. on the continent of Europe, whose livel
and conduct are a. different from tho live. aod conduct of the
Apo.tle., a.lil(ht i. from darkn.... I would not be uncharitable,
and denounce all who are connected with that· denomination.
Th.re are good men to be found amongst that body; but, taken
as a whole, tho great majority are deoigninlt, bas., hypocritical,
and treacherou.. But lt i. the sy.tem-religion it can ocaroely
 Mysteries of a. Convent. 191
be called-which I denonnce: it il olo18ly connected with inlIdel.
ity,t and IS the 80nrce of more crime aDd Buffering than any other
IJstem that prevail. amongst mankind. U Come out of bert then,
my people, and be ye e.parate ; touch uot the unclean thiug, lelt
ye be defiled." .
The time is approaching, when Popery, and every other falee
form of worship, shall Rive place to the genuine and unadultera-
ted worship of the true aud livio,lt God, aud of bis Son, Jain,
.- Christ :-wheu the mists of illDorance and JlupersUtioD shall be
nbued away by tbn Iigb~ of ~belife·giving beam. of ~he Word nf
Troth. Yes, Babylou must faU; tbe Motber of Harlots must be
brought low; and images and erucifi:X8S, and every other idol,
shall be ....t away; and people. and natiou. .hall bend the knee
to Jesus. and acknowledge him Lord· over all, ble88&d for ever-
morel Mayall wbo read tb... pago., be io.trumenU!, throngh
the bloqinjC of Almighty God, in ba.tening that glorioo. time,
wben the kingdom. of thi. world eha11 become the kingdoll1l of
God, &Ild of biB Cbri.t.