Her Pilgrim's Habit, And A Great Crucifix To Carry Between Her Hands,
With Another At Her Girdle, And All The
Formalities of that garb being
prepared, she set forward with the prayers and benedictions of the whole
sisterhood, who told
Her, that they should be impatient till they saw
her again, and expected great things from her at her return, which, in
reality, they all did, except Leonora, who laughed heartily at the
deception she had put upon them, and whispered in her ear as she gave
her the last embrace, that she wished her a happy meeting with that
saint she went in search of.
To prevent all suspicion of her intention she left her cloaths, and
every thing she had brought into the convent, under the care of the
abbess, saying, that, at her return, she would have them disposed of,
and the money given to the poor: but, unknown to any one except Leonora,
she quilted some pieces of gold and valuable trinkets into her
undergarment, as not doubting but she should have occasion for much more
than, in effect, she was mistress of.
When on her journey, the pleasure she felt at seeing herself out of the
walls of the monastery, was very much abated by the uncertainty how she
should proceed, or where direct her way: and indeed, let any one figure
to themselves the condition she was in, and they will rather wonder she
had courage to go on, than that she was sometimes daunted even to
despair. - A young creature of little more than eighteen years
old, - wholly unacquainted with fatigue, - delicate in her
frame, - wandering alone on foot in the midst of a strange
country, - ignorant of the road, or had she been acquainted with it, at a
loss where to go to get any intelligence of what she sought, and even
doubtful if the person she ran such risques to hear of, yet were in the
world or not. The letter Leonora had informed her of, gave no account,
at least that she could learn, either where he was, or whether there
were any hopes of his recovery from that illness it mentioned; she had
therefore every thing to dread, and little, very little to hope: yet did
she not repent her having quitted the convent; and the desire of getting
still farther from it, made her prosecute her journey with greater
strength and vigour than could have been expected: her pilgrim's habit
was not only a defence against any insults from persons she met on the
road, but also attracted the respect, and engaged the civilities of
every one. - As that country abounds with religious houses, she was not
only lodged and fed without any expence, but received a piece of money
at each of them she went to, so that her little stock, instead of being
diminished, was considerably increased when she came to Lorretto, for
thither, not to be false in every thing, she went; and being truly sorry
for the hypocrisy which a sad necessity alone could have made her guilty
of, paid her devotion with a sincere heart, tho' free from that
enthusiasm and bigotry which is too much practised in convents.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 171 of 194
Words from 90188 to 90723
of 102800
