"'Yours would have been either the closed vault or a lifelong confinement in darkness. We have been lenient to you—perhaps more so than we had any right to be—and now,' she paused."
"'Am I to be set at liberty?' I asked."
"'Nay, I said not so.'"
"An hour before I should have said I did not care enough for life to escape if the door was left open, but now a wild, overmastering desire for liberty took possession of me. I threw myself at the mother's feet and begged her to let me go, were it to beg my bread or serve as household drudge in the meanest farmhouse."
"'Hush, hush!' said she. 'You will spoil all by this vehemence. You must do exactly as you are bid and all will be well, at last. Dress yourself in the clothes you will find in this basket, and be ready when the bell rings for the midnight service.'"
"'Where am I to go?' I ventured to ask."
"'To a safe asylum which has been found for you, and where you may spend the rest of your days in penitence and prayer.'"
"I thought I knew what that meant well enough, but I did not care. At midnight I was taken from my prison blindfolded, and carried down stairs and into the fresh air. I was placed in a litter and traveled for two days, I think, stopping now and then in some secluded place for a little rest and refreshment. On the third day there was an unexpected end put to my journey. We were attacked by outlaws. My two conductors fled, as I guessed, without exchanging many blows. With many jests, but not unkindly, the robbers drew me out of my litter. I was so stiff with sitting I could hardly stand upright."
"'Why, 'tis a poor feeble old woman!' said the leader of the gang. 'Hey, what! Cannot you walk?' he asked, as I tried to take a step."
"'My feet are tied' I managed to say, and so they had been, whether by command to my attendants or to save themselves trouble, I do not know."