to my parents the frequent efforts of the priest to obtain my consent to take the veil, and that I had opposed from first to last, every argument made use of to rob me of the society of my parents, of my liberty, and of everything I held dear on earth.  As to the happiness of the nuns so much talked of by the priests, from what I had seen in their daily walk and general deportment, I was fully convinced that there was no reality in it; they were mere slaves to their superiors, and not half so happy as the free slaves on a plantation who have a kind master.  My parents saw my determination to resist to the death every plan for my imprisonment in the hateful nunnery.  Therefore they promised that I should have the opportunity to see the King on the morrow in company with my mother.

On the following day, at twelve o’clock, we left the convent in our carriage for the palace.  We were very politely received by the gentleman usher, who conducted us to seats in the reception-room.  After sending our cards to the king, we waited nearly one hour before he made his appearance.  His majesty received us with much kindness, raised us immediately from our knees, and demanded our business.  I was greatly embarrassed at first, but the frank and cordial manner of the sovereign soon restored me to my equilibrium, and I spoke freely in behalf of my dear father.  The king heard me through very patiently, with apparent interest, and said, “Signorina, I am inclined to believe you have spoken the truth; and as your father has always been a good loyal subject, I shall, for your sake, forgive him this offence; but let him beware that henceforth, wine or no wine, be does not trespass against the laws of the kingdom, for a second offence I will not pardon.  Go in peace, signoras, you have my royal word.”

We thanked his majesty, and returned to our home with the joyful tidings.  O, how brief was our joy!  My father, who had been waiting the result of our visit to the palace with great impatience, received us with open arms, and pressed us to his heart again and again.

I was so excited that, long before we got to him, I cried out, “All is well, all is well, father.  A pardon from the king!  Joy, joy!” We drove home, and father went immediately to spread the happy news amongst his friends.  All our faithful domestics, including my old affectionate nurse, were so overjoyed at the news that they danced about like maniacs.  My father was always a very indulgent and liberal master, furnished his servants with the best of Italian fare, plenty of fresh beef, wine, and macaroni.  We had scarcely got rested, when our tormenter, the confessor, came into our room and said, “Signoras, what is the meaning of all this fandango and folly amongst the servants?  Are the heretics all killed, that there should be such joy, or has the queen been delivered of a son, an heir to the throne?”