For some time after I was taken from the cell I lay in a state of partial unconsciousness, but how long, I do not know.  I have no recollection of being taken up stairs, but I found myself on my bed, in my old room, and on the stand beside me were several cups, vials, etc.  The Abbess who sat beside me, occasionally gave me a tea-spoonful of wine or brandy, and tried to make me eat.  Ere long, my appetite returned, but it was several weeks before my stomach was strong enough to enable me to satisfy in any degree, the cravings of hunger.  When I could eat, I gained very fast, and the Abbess left me in the care of a nun, who came in occasionally to see if I wanted anything.  This nun often stopped to talk with me, when she thought no one was near, and expressed great curiosity to know what I saw in the world; if people were kind to me, and if I did not mean to get away again, if possible, I told her I should not; but she replied, “I don’t believe that.  You will try again, and you will succeed yet, if you keep up good courage.  You are so good to work, they do not wish to part with you, and that is one reason why they try so hard to get you back again.  But never mind, they won’t get you next time.”  I assured her I should not try to escape again, for they were sure to catch me, and as they had almost killed me this time, they would quite the next.  I did not dare to trust her, for I supposed the Superior had given her orders to question me.

I was still weak, so weak that I could hardly walk when they obliged me to go into the kitchen to clean vegetables and do other light work, and as soon as I had sufficient strength, to milk the cows, and take the care of the milk.  They punished me every day, in accordance with the Bishop’s order, and sometimes, I thought, more than he intended.  I wore thorns on my head, and peas in my shoes, was whipped and pinched, burnt with hot irons, and made to crawl through the underground passage I have before described.  In short, I was tortured and punished in every possible way, until I was weary of my life.  Still they were careful not to go so far as to disable me from work.  They did not care how much I suffered, if I only performed my daily task.

There was an underground passage leading from the nunnery to a place which they called, “Providence,” in the south part of the city.  I do not know whether it is a school, or a convent, or what it is, but I think it must be some distance, from what I heard said about it.  The priest often spoke of sending me there, but for some reason, he did not make me go.  Still the frequent reference to what I so much dreaded, kept me in constant apprehension and alarm.  I have heard the priest say that underground passages extended from the convent in every direction, for a distance of five miles; and I have reason to believe the statement is true.  But these reasons I may not attempt to give.  There are things that may not even be alluded to, and if it were possible to speak of them, who would believe the story?