Six months had passed away, during which, by bribes to the portress, and
the yielding of my mistress, I had contrived to obtain admittance by
night into the convent garden. One evening I informed her that her
parents, menaced by their confessor, had rescinded their promise to me,
and had decided upon not obtaining her dispensation. Every thing had
been prepared, that she might have no time for reflection: hurried away
by her own feelings, my persuasions, and my protestations, she
consented to fly with me to my own country. I bore the trembling,
fainting girl in my arms--effected my escape from the convent and the
city--embarked on board of a vessel which I had ready to weigh at a
moment's warning, and was soon far distant from the port of Cadiz.
It was near midnight when we embarked, and I bore my treasure down into
the cabin of the vessel, muffled up in my cloak. Her nun's dress had not
been laid aside; for I had not provided myself with any other change of
raiment.
Before morning it blew fresh. Rosina, who, as well as I, had abandoned
herself to that powerful love which engrossed us, lay supported in my
arms, when the captain of the vessel, coming down to speak to me,
perceived that she was arrayed in the religious attire. He started when
he viewed it, and hastily quitted the cabin. I had a presentiment that
all was not right, and, removing my arms from Rosina, repaired on deck,
where I found him in consultation with the crew. The subject in
agitation was their immediate return to Cadiz to deliver us to the
Inquisition.
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