What do I care for Mrs. Beaumont? said she.—­I don’t love her:  she tells every thing I say.

Come, my dear love, said Laurana, you afflict your brother Jeronymo.  Let us go up to your own chamber.

I afflict every body, and every body afflicts me; and you are all cruel.  Why, he will be gone, I tell you!  That makes me so impatient:  and I have something to say to him.  My father won’t see me:  my mother renounces me.  I have been looking for her, and she hides herself from me!—­And I am a prisoner, and watched, and used ill!

Here comes my mother! said Laurana.  You now must go up to your chamber, cousin Clementina.

So she does, said she; now I must go, indeed!—­Ah, Jeronymo!  Now there is no saying nay.—­But it is hard! very hard!—­And she burst into tears.  I won’t speak though, said she, to my aunt.  Remember, I will be silent, madam!—­Then whispering me, My aunt, brother, is not the aunt she used to be to me!—­But hush, I don’t complain, you know!

By this I saw that Lady Sforza was severe with her.

She addressed herself to her aunt:  You are not my mamma, are you, madam?

No, child.

No, child, indeed!  I know that too well.  But my brother Giacomo is as cruel to me as any body.  But hush, Jeronymo!—­Don’t you betray me!—­Now my aunt is come, I must go!—­I wish I could run away from you all!

She was yesterday detected writing a letter to you.  My mother was shewn what she had written, and wept over it.  My aunt took it out of my sister’s bosom, where she had thrust it, on her coming in.  This she resented highly.

When she was led into her own chamber, she refused to speak; but in great hurry went to her closet, and, taking down her bible, turned over one leaf and another very quick.  Lady Sforza had a book in her hand, and sat over-against the closet-door to observe her motions.  She came to a place—­Pretty! said she.

The bishop had formerly given her a smattering of Latin—­She took pen and ink, and wrote.  You’ll see, chevalier, the very great purity of her thoughts, by what she omitted, and what she chose, from the Canticles.  Velut unguentum diffunditur nomen tuum &c.

[In the English translation, thus:  Thy name is as ointment poured forth; therefore do the virgins love thee.  Draw me; we will run after thee:  the upright love thee.

Look not upon me because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me.  My mother’s children were angry with me:  they made me the keeper of the vineyards, but mine own vineyard have I not kept.

Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth! where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon:  for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?]

She laid down her pen, and was thoughtful; her elbow resting on the escritoire she wrote upon, her hand supporting her head.

May I look over you, my dear? said her aunt, stepping to her; and, taking up the paper, read it, and took it out of the closet with her, unopposed; her gentle bosom only heaving sighs.