For the reason herein explained, I have appointed you to carry them to France. As these holy hypocrites have great influence in their own country, be careful you treat them with the proper respect and attention during their voyage, as their countenance may be serviceable, particularly Father Angelo, who will supply you with every information you want respecting an English family now residing in the neighbourhood of Toulon. In this family is a young woman named Sylvia Carey.-'This girl, Abdallah, you must contrive to secure and bring back with you to Algiers.
The eunuch who delivers this will give you a private signet, which you may show as soon as you think proper to Father Angelo; it will command his services, and you may rely implicitly upon everything the Christian dog says or does. Mind, Abdallah, I have set my mind on having possession of the girl; do not return without her. Name your own reward, but be careful she is mine.
Ali
LETTER 13
Pedro to Angelo
Angelo-You remember my informing you of the young and lovely daughter of the Marquis of Mezzia having been forced to take the veil in our neighbouring Ursuline Convent. It now appears this beautiful creature has become a sacrifice to the pride of the family; its revenue being comparatively beggarly, no fortune could be given with her in marriage, so there was no choice. Either the brother must have been reduced to the necessity of seeking a support by some profession (or other means equally disgusting to the pride of the old Marquis), or this young innocent must be sacrificed. I need not explain to you, who was so long the confessor of the late Marquis, the poverty and pride of both him and young Mezzia. Paternal feeling or any other social tie which should have protected and supported the beauteous flower, all sank before the imaginary stain that might be inflicted on the honour of the house by curtailing the means of one of its descendants. This quickly decided the proud, unfeeling father and cruel brother, so at the age of seventeen, all her young beauties just ripening into perfection, was the almost broken-hearted Julia Mezzia forced to utter oaths her heart abhorred, devoting her voluptuous charms to the service of religioncharms, Angelina, only fit for the service of vigorous man.
As I before gave you the full particulars of the distressing ceremony, I need not revert to it. But although beauty may be strictly confined by walls and bars, nature will still assume its mighty empire. This lovely virgin has been caught in an attempt to escape from the horrors of a cell for life. She was taken in the act of descending the wall, being betrayed by a sister of the convent, to whom in youthful confidence she had imparted her design. The penalty is death, unless mercy can be purchased for her; but such means as is necessary I do not think the Mezzia family can command, and if they could I shall take care with his Holiness that it has no effect.
You see, Angelo, this blushing rose must be mine. She will be shortly brought to her trial and condemned by the abbess to be buried alive. A report will then be forwarded to the grand vicar, who will procure his
Holiness's fiat. It will be my duty to prevent any petitions in her favour being heard. Fare thee well! you will soon hear of my success.
Pedro, Abbot of St Francis
LETTER 14
Pedro to Angelo
She is mine, soul and body mine. I have the delicious angel safe in my secret apartments in the convent, where uncontrolled I revel and feed upon her thrilling beauties. She came to my fierce embrace a blushing, timid maid. Oh, Angelo, how delicious were the moments spent in unravelling the Gordian knot of her coy chastity! How sweet to the ear was the soft cry that announced the expiration of her virginity. Angelo (believe me when I write it), the very moment I saw the parlour grating close upon the lovely Mezzia on the afternoon she received the veil, a prophetic spirit whispered in mine ear, ‘She is mine.' She is mine-only mine-wholly mine. Nearly the whole of last night was I voluptuously encircled by her wary limbs, her young budding breasts rapturously beating against my manly bosom, her glowing cheek fondly pressed to mine, and only removed to resign her balmy lips to my burning kisses.
Night of exquisite rapture! May it never be weakened in the tablet of memory! As I predicted, Angelo, for her attempt to escape from the convent, the austere Abbess of St Ursuline immediately called a chapter to try this lovely disgrace to our holy religion. Her friends were notified of her infamous attempt, and in due time the trial took place, in the presence of her father, brother and friends. Sister Sophia, the nun in whom my young pupil had misplaced her confidence, was the principal evidence against her. It appears before she was excluded from the world an attachment had subsisted between her and a young nobleman, whose name was the only thing Julia had not acquainted Sister Sophia with. As he luckily escaped in the confusion of securing Julia, he has nothing to fear. The poor girl had no defence. The detection was too public. What she urged in mitigation of her fault not only incensed the abbess more and more against her, but absolutely caused her father and brother to deny and abandon her to her fate altogether.
She publicly avowed that she was compelled to take the veil by her father and brother, and called on heaven to witness the truth of her assertion and protect her in her distress. Her father and brother fled the convent venting curses on her, and she was condemned by the chapter to be buried alive. Oh, Angelo, how great was my joy at hearing this sentence. You are the only one of the order to whom I have communicated the fact of the existence of a subterraneous passage from my dormitory to the tomb of death in the convent of St Ursuline.
Guess with what impatience I waited the result of the case from Rome.
The sentence of the chapter being confirmed, the following day was appointed for depositing the victim in the dreadful sepulchre. In the meantime, I descended and conveyed by our subterraneous entrance a comfortable mattress and other conveniences, and I also cleaned out the dungeon of the filth and vermin, so that the tender girl should be able at least to sleep without interruption during the time I intended she should stay there; that you may be sure would be no longer than to make her thankful to surrender her person to my desires when I afforded her an opportunity to escape from death by starvation. I shall not disgust you with an account of the ceremony of forcing this young creature down the marble jaws of the tomb opened in the Ursuline church. Suffice it to say that a rope of sufficient length was fixed firmly round her waist, and, in spite of her struggles and screams, she was carried and held over the dreadful opening and then gradually lowered into the frightful abyss, her cries making the church echo, until the marble slab enclosed her, as it was supposed, from the world forever. I had placed by the side of the mattress sufficient provisions to last her for a day, intending to leave her to reflection for about two or three days; by that time I had no doubt hunger and fear would have so reduced her that to escape from her horrid prison she would quickly submit to any terms I should propose.
On the third day of the incarceration, after vespers, I took my dark lantern and again trod the subterraneous passage. On arriving at the secret entrance of the tomb, I waited a considerable time ere I could ascertain whether she was awake. At last I was assured she slept. With caution I opened the door and silently approached the unconscious sleeper. Removing the shade off the light by degrees, I turned it on her face, fearing to awaken her by letting it flash instantly on her. Poor girl! how evident was the inroad of care and despair on her lovely countenance. She lay her full length on the mattress, her head resting on her right arm, her beautiful tresses playing in confusion over her ivory neck, while the disorder of her veil only half concealed her young, delicious breasts. Her cheeks still retained the traces of recent tears, and her slumbers were disturbed with the horrors of her situation, for unknowingly she uttered, ‘Oh, Father, save me!' her whole frame becoming convulsed with the agony even in her dream. I could bear this no longer, but shading my light, coughed loud enough to break the bonds of sleep.
'What noise was that?' exclaimed the poor sufferer. ‘I thought I heard someone move. Oh, no, it was the deception of my giddy brain. Alas, there is no hope for a wretch like me!'
I seized this opportunity and slowly uttered the word ‘Hope.'
A faint scream, evidently mixed with pleasure, followed my response.
After a few second's silence she exclaimed, ‘Oh, pray do not play with my wretchedness! If there is anyone
