‘I was carried into my Chamber as one nearer death than life; and Donna Henrietta was sent for, and it was not without great Affliction she beheld me in this sad Condition. I fell into a most deep Melancholly; I tormented myself day and night, and nothing was able to remove my dear Mendez out of my Mind.
‘The Marquess de Los Rios, having learnt what had past, conceiv’d such strong Hopes, that he soon found himself in a Condition to come and Claim of my Father and me the Effect of the Words we had given him. I shewed him that mine were not disengaged in respect of Mendez; that he was Unfortunate, which no ways lessen’d my Engagements to him. He heard me without being perswaded by me, and told me, I had the same desire of destroying myself, as others had of saving themselves; that ’twas more my Interest than his, which made him act as he did. And being ravisht with having a Pretence which seemed to him plausible, he prest my Father with such Earnestness, that he at length consented to what he desired.
‘It is impossible for me to represent to you, Madam, in what an Abyss of Sorrow I was in: “What is become, my Lord,” said I to the Marquess, “of that scrupulous Tenderness which hinder’d you from taking my Heart from any other hand than my own? Let me at least have some time to forget Mendez; Perhaps his Absence and Misfortunes may prevail on me to some Indifferency towards him. To this cruel Accident, which has snatch’d him so lately from me, you add new Troubles when you expect I should so speedily pass over from him to you.”
‘“I know not what I expect or may hope for,” said he to me, “but this I am sure of, that my Complaisance had like to have cost me my Life; that if you be not design’d for me, you will be anothers; and as to Mendez, his Fortune has been such, that he can no longer pretend to you; and seeing you must be disposed of, I think you are very hard hearted to refuse me. You cannot be ignorant of what I have done hitherto to please you, my former Proceeding should serve as a sufficient Testimony of my future Respects.”
‘The Marquess made a greater progress in my Father’s Mind than mine. In a Word, my Mother having one day sent for me, told me, ’Twas to no purpose to use any longer Delays, my Father being resolv’d I should obey his Orders. Whatever I could say to excuse my self, my Tears, my Remonstrances, Entreaties were all to no purpose, and serv’d only to exasperate my Mother.
‘All things necessary were prepared for my Marriage, the Marquess would have every thing suitable to his Quality; He sent me a Cabinet of Jewels and Precious Stones, to the value of several thousand Crowns. The fatal Day for our Wedding was set. Seeing my self reduced to this Extremity. I took a resolution which will surprize you, Madam, and demonstrate a great Passion.
‘I went to Donna Henrietta; this Friend had been ever faithful to me, and threw my self at her feet, surprising her by so extraordinary a Carriage: “My dear Henrietta,” said I to her, melting in Tears, “there is no Remedy to my Misfortunes, unless you have pity on me; do not abandon me, let me conjure you in the sad Condition I am in; to morrow I must marry the Marquess de Los Rios, I can no longer avoid it. If the Offers of Friendship you have made me be Proof against all Tryal, and can make you capable of a generous Resolution, you will not refuse to follow my Fortune, and to accompany me to Algiers to pay Mendez his Ransom, to redeem him from the cruel Slavery he is in. You see me at your Feet,” continued I, “I will never rise till you have given me your Word, to do what I desire you.” She seem’d so concern’d at my Posture, that I arose to make her answer me. She immediately embraced me with great Testimonies of Tenderness: “I will refuse you nothing, my dear Mariana,” said she to me, “were it my very Life; but you are going to ruine your self and me with you. How can two Girls execute what you project. Our Age, our Sex, and your Beauty, will expose us to Accidents, the bare imagination of which makes me to tremble: this is certain, we are going to overwhelm our Families with Shame and Confusion; and if you had made serious Reflections hereon, it is not possible you could have come to this Resolution.” “Ah, barbarous!” cried I, “and more barbarous than he that detains my Lover; you forsake me, but tho I am alone, yet that shall not hinder me from pursuing my Point, neither can the assistance you should give me stand me in much stead: Remain, remain, I consent, it is fit I should depart without any Comfort to affront all Dangers; I confess such an undertaking is fit only for a desperate Creature.”
‘My Reproaches and Tears moved Henrietta; she told me my Interest had obliged her as much as her own to speak to me as she had done; but in short, seeing I persisted in my first Resolution, and nothing could divert me from it, she resolved I should not go alone; That if I would be ruled by her, we should disguise ourselves; that she would undertake to get two Suits of Mens Apparel; and as for the rest, it belong’d to me to take care of it. I embraced her with a thousand Testimonies of Thankfulness.
‘I afterwards askt her, Whether she had seen the Jewels which the Marquess had sent me; “I will bring them,” said I to her, “to purchase Mendez’s Ransom with them.” We resolved to lose no time, and we neither of us fail’d in what we had projected.
‘Never were two Maidens better disguised under the Habit of two Cavaliers. We parted that Night, and embarkt our selves without the least Obstacle, but after some days Sail we were overtaken by so violent a Storm, as made us despair of our Safety. In all this Disorder and Peril, I was less concerned for my self, than for not having compassed my dear Mendez’s Liberty, and for having engaged Henrietta to follow my ill Fortune: “It is I,” said I to her, in embracing her, “it is I, my dear Companion, that has rais’d this Storm, were I not on the Sea it would be Calm; my Misfortune follows me wherever I go.” In fine, we having been a Day and two Nights in continual Alarums, the Weather chang’d, and we arriv’d at Algiers.